Candid Cameron: A 9 million insurance policy

There were lots of reasons to keep Bruce Chen in Kansas City. At least nine million of them. Maybe more, in fact, since the Royals are bringing their popular lefty back into the fold with a two-year contract that guarantees him 9 million but could escalate to 11 million with performance bonuses. Technically a free agent since the day after the World Series, Chen has said all along that he wanted to remain with the club if a deal could be worked out. That part of the equation was pretty simple. The other half begged some questions. For instance: With the addition of left-hander Jonathan Sanchez and several homegrown prospects lining up for a spot in the rotation, why would GM Dayton Moore spend at least 9 million on a guy who has pitched for 10 teams and will turn 35 next June? True enough, Chen has been the Royals' most reliable starter for the past two years. Chen has won 12 games in back-to-back seasons, with earned run averages of 4.17 and 3.77 and against all odds, he appears to be getting better with age. Ever since former Royals pitching coach Bob McClure encouraged a new, lower arm angle, Chen has routinely made big-league hitters look foolish despite putting the radar-gun operator to sleep. Since velocity isn't an issue, maybe Chen's age doesn't matter. Perhaps he can keep on throwing strikes and getting quick outs. But let's not kid ourselves here. This new contract is actually a 9 million insurance policy. The Royals were 10th in total offense in MLB a year ago, and figure to get even better with an exciting lineup that doesn't feature a regular player over 27. Moore has said all along that his young Royals would become championship contenders, and that the only question was: "When?" Dayton hasn't ever come out and admitted that 2012 is probably a year or two early for all the pieces to fall into place, but his moves especially practicing patience with an army of terrific prospects more or less indicated that the club has been aiming at 2013. My own suspicion, though, is that even Moore was startled by how good the kids looked down the stretch last year once the entire lineup had been brought to the big leagues. If you start with that premise, then suddenly Dayton would have realized that a run at the AL Central title was at least a possiblity this coming season if only he could patch together a decent pitching staff. There are plenty of thrilling arms in the system, but only Danny Duffy looked advanced enough at the end of 2011 to imagine him as winning starter. Mike Montgomery, who may have the liveliest stuff in the organization, was supposed to be ready sometime last year but Monty lost his mechanics, threw too hard and wound up struggling at Omaha. No one is quite sure when Montgomery will harness that electric assortment of pitches, to the point where the Royals can count on him in Kansas City. There are other pitchers coming, too guys like John Lamb (who lost 2011 to surgery) and Jake Odorizzi. But in the meantime, Moore looks at the candidates for his starting rotation and sees a lot of question marks. Maybe Luke Hochevar really has found his stride and his ready to become a dominant winner in the bigs. Maybe strikeout artist Sanchez can reprise 2010, when he had a 3.07 ERA with the Giants. Maybe Felipe Paulino can harness those explosive pitches and turn into a guy who's not only tough to hit, but gives the Royals 200 hard-nosed innings. Maybe, maybe. Rookie reliever Aaron Crow, who failed as a started in the low minors two years ago but made the American League All-Star team as a reliever last season, will be given a chance to crack the rotation. Ditto sinker specialist Luis Mendoza, perhaps the most efficient pitcher in all the minor leagues last year. Mendoza certainly looked the part in two outstanding September starts for the Royals. Spring training is likely to be a bit like an audition for American Idol. Crazy. If Moore ever manages to sleep, he probably dreams of a pitching staff that is too good to accommodate Bruce Chen as anything more than a swingman perhaps a spot starter who also might become a relief specialist who can get out those tough left-handed hitters. The Royals WANT a rotation that has too much talent for Chen. But what they're building, and what they have now Well, nobody knows quite when the kids will bring their overpowering stuff to the major leagues and when they'll understand how to pitch effectively for six long months. In the meantime, Moore has to make sure he has a safety net in case the Royals are dramatically good on offense and defense but remain questionable enough on the mound that they need a savvy veteran to throw strikes, eat some innings and provide leadership in the clubhouse. That role fits Chen like a tailored suit. When fans look at all these breathtaking young players the Royals have brought to the big leagues, one thing they cannot see is how well they interact off the field. The kids need role models, though, guys who know the game and are respected enough among their teammates to command attention. The Royals have ideal chemistry with personalities like Jeff Francoeur, Joakim Soria and, yes, Bruce Chen. Bottom line: Moore has spent this 9 million wisely, whether the Royals become contenders next year or the season after that. When you close your eyes and actually picture a Royals championship team Yes, you can see Chen in the team photo.