Kansas City, Mo. ? Tony Pena hasn’t yet unveiled his T-shirt slogan for this year’s edition of the Kansas City Royals.

“Some Assembly Required” might be a good choice for Pena’s fourth season as manager, as Kansas City continues the youth movement to which it turned in 2003.

“It’s been a long, long offseason,” Pena said. “I don’t want to talk about last year. Last year is in the past. We’ve been working so hard in the offseason to put the pieces together, what is the route to get where we need to go.”

The Royals, who tumbled to a team-record 104 losses last season after contending for a playoff spot for much of 2003, enter spring training this year with new parts everywhere and significant question marks as to where — or how well — all of them will fit.

“Last year we never turned the corner,” reliever Mike MacDougal said. “Maybe this team will be more gritty and feisty. There are a lot of young guys competing for spots, so it brings out the best in people.”

Only five of the 10 opening-day starters — counting the designated hitter — return from last year’s team. None had a great year, although first baseman-designated hitter Ken Harvey probably came closest.

“Playing comfortably together — that can happen quickly,” general manager Allard Baird said Thursday in a telephone interview from Surprise, Ariz., where the team’s pitchers and catchers are due to report Saturday. “Being able to go out there and deal with adversity — that takes time, and I don’t think anybody can put a timetable on that.”

The reliance on young players has the backing of owner David Glass, whose biggest foray into the free-agent market — the signing of Juan Gonzalez before last season — blew up in the team’s face when Gonzalez lasted only until May 22 before getting hurt.

“I think Allard’s approach is the right approach for a market our size, to keep the team together for six or seven years instead of the constant turnover,” Glass said. “Smaller markets need to develop young players and sprinkle in veterans when they need them.”

The rebuilding job is a literal one for one member of the Royals’ pitching staff — maybe two, depending on how veteran right-hander Kevin Appier’s comeback try turns out. Appier, signed to a minor-league contract in the offseason, is coming off elbow surgery. With so many young pitchers contending for spots, he’s a long shot.

But the Royals haven’t forgotten how Appier joined the team late in 2003, when injuries had decimated the pitching staff, and tried to help Kansas City stay in contention.

“I feel like I have a responsibility to him,” Baird said.

More likely to be back in the rotation is right-hander Runelvys Hernandez, who hasn’t pitched since undergoing “Tommy John” surgery in 2003.

“Obviously, getting Runelvys back would be important to our rotation,” Baird said.

Second baseman Tony Graffanino, meanwhile, is coming off two surgeries — first on his knee, then on his shoulder — and appeared in 75 games in 2004. He’s expected to be healthy enough to start the season.