The reigning American League Cy Young Award winning pitching speaks softly, sometimes stumbling to find the right words, but when he speaks, Zack Greinke knows what he is talking about and he’s right on.

While many players will give the media lip service about coming to help a team, doing whatever it takes to win and the players in the clubhouse believe they can win, blah blah blah, Greinke was very vocal about wondering how long it’s going to take before the Royals start turning things around and whether or not he’s going to be there.

Greinke has two years left on his contract and said after winning the Cy Young and numerous times in interviews, he wants to pitch on a successful team and said how the organization handles that will determine whether or not he sticks around.

Greinke told the Kansas City Star yesterday, “Every system has something (prospects). The biggest problem is I have two more years on my contract. Are those guys supposed to make it up by the beginning of next year?”

Greinke doesn’t think so.  He knows the reality of the game, it takes a few years for players to mature.

“Very rarely do guys come straight into the big leagues and make an impact, especially hitters. Just look at the top prospects in baseball. Delmon Young was one five years ago, and he’s finally starting to play well. Alex Gordon was one four years ago, and he might be starting to play well now. So the problem is that it’s not like as soon as they get here (minor leaguers) that it’s going to be instant. Maybe by 2014.”

Greinke added throughout the interview, “There’s no reason for me to get real excited about it…at least put a team together that has a fighting chance.”

The Royals have two years to turn it around or at least get close enough, otherwise the face of this franchise will be gone like so many others before him.