Jose

Lima

''It would be stupid to stay on the mound and really injure that groin and be out for three weeks,’' Lima said after coming out following 5 1/3 innings. He moved to 6-0 after an impressive performance against the Mariners. He will be re-examined today to see if further tightness or swelling develops overnight. If not, he expects to make his next scheduled start.

Neither Lima nor manager Tony Pena seems to think it’s worth chancing. ''I definitely feel better today, but we will see what happens,’' Lima said Saturday. ''I hope I will start, but I’m not going to rush anything. This team doesn’t need me to be a hero, but they need me in August and September.’'

''The last two days I did some flat-ground running, and it feels pretty good,’' Lima said. Even coming off the injury, Lima makes a decent fantasy starter at Detroit.

Lima’s forever one to overplay his hand. Then again, if Paul Wilson can get $8 million, maybe Lima isn’t so out of line. The Padres have some interest in signing him if the Dodgers can’t bring him back, but they probably won’t go to three years.

No multiyear deal, but Lima will make $1.2 million more than he did in 2004. He said he picked Kansas City over San Diego and Seattle.

We guess no one was willing to give him that three-year deal he wanted. Lima still should have been able to find a one-year contract from a better team if he had waited, but he was comfortable in Kansas City before leaving for Los Angeles. He’ll join Zack Greinke and Brian Anderson in the Kansas City rotation, leaving two spots for Runelvys Hernandez, Kevin Appier, Jimmy Gobble, Denny Bautista, Mike Wood, Dennis Tankersley, Kyle Snyder and Chris George.

If Lima re-signs, he’ll compete with Miguel Asencio, Kyle Snyder, Jeremy Affeldt, Jimmy Gobble, Chris George and perhaps a couple of other free agents for the four spots behind Darrell May in the Kansas City rotation. The rotation appears to be the most unsettled area for the Royals this winter, but they also have to decide whether to re-sign free agents Joe Randa, Raul Ibanez and Brent Mayne. If they bring both Ibanez and Randa back, they probably won’t try to upgrade over Ken Harvey and Aaron Guiel. Mayne doesn’t figure to return as anything more than a backup.

If all goes well, Lima will start Thursday at Cleveland.

The Royals have also offered Jamey Wright a minor league contract. If Lima re-signs, he’ll compete with Jeremy Affeldt, Miguel Asencio, Kyle Snyder, Jimmy Gobble, Chris George and perhaps a couple of other free agents (maybe Brian Anderson) for the four spots behind Darrell May in the Kansas City rotation.

“I think I deserve better,” he said. “I want to be loyal. I want to stay in Kansas City. I love the city, and I love the way the fans treated me. But I did my job when I was healthy, and I deserve better.” Lima said he wants at least $1 million guaranteed or a two-year, $4 million deal. He probably won’t get that from the Royals or anyone else, but he claies the Cardinals, Rangers, Phillies, Pirates and Angels have expressed interest in signing him.