"The hot stove grew warmer this week for the Royals, whose offseason efforts to bolster their rotation led to discussions with the Atlanta Braves regarding right-hander Jair Jurrjens.

Those talks stalled when the Braves, after offering to include infielder Martin Prado, asked the Royals to surrender minor-league outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Wil Myers.

The Royals are interested in Jurrjens and appear willing to deal Cain, whose path to the big leagues is blocked by a returning trio of Alex Gordon, Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur.

Trading Myers, 20, is a different matter.

Although he is likely to return next year to Class AA Northwest Arkansas, Myers was picked recently by The Star as the organization's best prospect. He is currently producing big numbers in the Arizona Fall League.

Jurrjens, 25, started just 43 games over the last two years because of injuries but was 13-6 last season with a 2.96 ERA. Prado, 28, slumped last season to .260 with a .302 on-base percentage after batting .309 with a .358 OBP over the three previous years."