The Royals have been criticized for taking a chance by trading a host of prospects for James Shields and Wade Davis, something that irritates Dayton Moore.

ESPN.com's Keith Law wrote that "the deal reeks of a GM feeling pressure to improve short-term performance to keep his job, which is a terrible situation for any executive both personally and for the way it can inhibit his ability to make rational decisions."

"To me, that's insulting," Moore told USA Today. "That's very insulting. Very, very insulting. I don't get too bent up about criticism, and I want to take the high road here, but that's insulting my integrity."

The Royals haven't made the playoffs since 1985.