"Royals manager Ned Yost is ready to up the ante as he looks ahead to next season. The patience required in the nurturing stage of a rebuilding program will now increasingly yield to demands stemming from heightened expectations.

And Yost is setting the bar high.

"Playing .500 has never entered my mind," he said in dismissing what would represent a 10-victory improvement and a level achieved only once by the Royals since 1994. "I think we're going to play much better than .500.

"But who knows? These kids all have to perform. They all have to continue to develop and grow, but I think we're at a stage in our development as an organization that these kids are ready for (increased expectations)."