Royals open camp in Arizona

Associated Press

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Manager Tony Pena, a man of uplifting slogans when the Kansas City Royals began spring training the past two seasons, had none Friday during the first full squad workout.

Pena's 2003 mantra was, ''We Believe,'' and it launched a 17-4 start to the season as the Royals remained in the American League Central race until the final week.

In 2004, Pena's rallying cry was, ''Together We Can.'' The Royals thought they had a team to contend for the division title after signing free agents Juan Gonzalez, Benito Santiago, Scott Sullivan and Tony Graffanino. But instead the club stumbled to a franchise-record 104 losses.

Pena had no T-shirts printed with 2005 slogans for the 62 players invited to the Royals' spring training.

''I don't have a time to think about a slogan right now,'' Pena said.

Instead, Pena put the Royals through a lengthy four-hour workout after addressing the players in the morning.

''Basically, the message for us was to do all the little things and believe in yourself,'' Pena said. ''If we believe in ourselves, we can play with anybody.''

The Royals certainly could not last season. They ranked last in the American League in pitching with a 5.15 earned run average and next to last in hitting with a .259 average.

''I don't want to talk about last year,'' Pena said. ''Last year is in the past. We need to think about tomorrow, about the future.''

The future is in the hands of what Allard Baird calls the best arms assembled by the Royals since he was named general manager in 2000. The group of young, hard-throwers includes Zack Greinke, Denny Bautista, Mike MacDougal, Jeremy Affeldt, Andy Sisco, Ambiorix Burgos and Dennis Tankersley. They, however, have scant big league experience.

''I'd say we have about 15 hard throwers in camp,'' pitching coach Guy Hansen said.

The Royals are counting on two other hard-throwing right-handers, Runelvys Hernandez, the 2003 Opening Day starter, and Kyle Snyder, a former first-round draft pick, to bounce back from surgeries that kept them out all of last season. Hernandez has made just 28 Major League starts, while Snyder has 15.

''I think we're going to surprise a lot of people because of our arms,'' Royals catcher John Buck said. ''We're not going to score 10 runs a game, but we're not going to give up five runs a game.''

The Royals may struggle to score runs with Mike Sweeney, a four-time All-Star selection, the only legitimate threat in the lineup. Sweeney, however, has missed 106 games the past two seasons because of back injuries.

''If he can play 140 games, that's very important,'' Pena said to the Royals' offense. ''The main thing is to keep him healthy.''

Sweeney and Matt Stairs are the only Royals who have hit more than 20 home runs in a season in the majors.

The lineup, like the pitching staff, will be young and inexperienced. The Royals are counting on productive seasons from center fielder David DeJesus, who will bat leadoff, and catcher John Buck, who hit 12 home runs in 201 at-bats after the All-Star break. Both, however, have less than a year in the majors.