The Royals have made an offer to starting pitcher Paul Byrd. No word on how much the offer is worth. In 2002, he led the team with 17 wins and was the major league leader in complete games with seven. Byrd pitched 228 1/3 innings, which was sixth in the American League. Last season he earned a base salary of $850,000, but with incentives it ended up costing the Royals $2.2-million. He’s said he’d like to stay in Kansas City for less money, if the team offers him a long-term contract. The Royals plan to cut $20-million in payroll before next season.
