David Price would make expensive trade target for Royals this offseason

Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore has said that adding pitching to his team's young offensive nucleus will be a top priority this offseason, and the team's owner appears willing to appease him. That pitching help could come via free agency, where former Royals starter Zack Greinke is the top prize, or via trade, which might fit in line more with the Royals' economic reality.

One name floated out recently is Tampa Bay Rays starter David Price, one of the best young arms in the game. Tampa is one of few teams that spends less than Kansas City, so their young stars are always ripe for picking. However, as Buster Olney says in an ESPN Insider article, Price would be ... well ... pricy. The Royals have what it takes to get a trade done, but might balk at the price:

"Kansas City Royals: They'll be aggressively seeking a rotation leader this winter, an anchor, and the addition of Price would change their 2013 outlook dramatically. But in order to get the left-hander, the cost in prospects would make the Royals' front office wince. It's hard to imagine the Rays even considering a deal unless one of K.C.'s best talents – outfielder Wil Myers, catcher Salvador Perez (who just signed a team-friendly contract), third baseman Mike Moustakas or first baseman Eric Hosmer – was in the trade."