KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Royals general manager Dayton Moore is ready to win next season.

“We expect to win next year,” he said. “What does that look like? Is it going to be enough wins to make the playoffs? We’ll find out.”

But he also knows they’ve got work to do. So what’s the method for reaching success?

Moore said free agency has proven time and time again as a failed way to build your team — unless the players you bring in fit your style of play.

“(I’m) not really concerned about what the payroll is,” he said. “I’m just more concerned about who the players are and do they make sense for our team at this particular time.”

The other method is to trust the players you have and the one’s coming up in the system.

From a morale standpoint, Moore said the Royals organization is at one of the highest levels that it’s been.

“I think we have some high-end bats,” he said. “Khalil Lee is going to get on base. He’s going to hit with power. Kyle Isbel has as much feel to hit as any young hitter we’ve had. Obviously Bobby Witt Jr. is as talented as a position player that I’ve been a part of.”

But he admits: “I have to be more open minded to being more transactional.”

Still he’s confident in his team. Even with a 60-game season, Moore believes he got enough data to see the future is in good hands with the current personnel. 

Aldaberto Mondesi closed strong. Moore said they’re in the process of building a championship rotation. He also feels the players that would have been minor leaguers got good evaluation in camp.

“Nobody ever became a star until they got an opportunity, so that’s one of the mysteries of the 2020 season,” Moore said.

As the offseason continues, there’s optimism that, like everything else, 2021 will be better than 2020.