Kansas City Royals: What is Alex Gordon Truly Worth?

With free agency having begun at midnight, the complexion of quite a few teams will be changing. The Kansas City Royals are certainly not an exception, as a large portion of their 2015 World Series roster is eligible for free agency. It will certainly be a fascinating offseason at Kauffman Stadium.

Perhaps the most interesting story lines for the Royals offseason will involve where Alex Gordon ends up. Eligible for free agency for the first time, Gordon is an interesting case in that his best asset happens to be his defense. That is not to say that Gordon is only valuable defensively; as we all know, he has proven to be a solid all around offensive player. However, he is not that middle of the order bat that typically commands top dollar on the marketplace.

That inability to truly quantify what Gordon brings to the table is part of what makes his potential earnings difficult to project. It has been thought that Gordon could receive anywhere from a three year, $36 to $38 Million contract to a potentially getting a contract of up to five years that could reach $90 to $100 Million.

While that $90 to $100 Million mark is similar to what Jason Heyward, a very comparable player, is projected to get, Gordon’s earning potential may not be as high. As Gordon is five years older than Heyward, and he is about to be leaving his expected prime, a long term investment at a salary of that level would not likely pan out in the long term.

More from KC Royals News

• KC Royals Rumors: Is a monster move in the cards?
• KC Royals Free Agent Hunt: 3 Tampa Bay pitchers
• Grading the 2022 KC Royals: The $25 million man
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Expectations met
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Day 3 update

It is that age difference that makes Joel Sherman’s thought that Alex Gordon could be looking at a four or five year contract worth close to $60 Million so interesting. If that is indeed Gordon’s market, then the Kansas City Royals should be able to afford to keep him on board without needing to truly break the bank for his services.

This also puts forth the interesting question of how far the Royals would be willing to extend themselves to keep Gordon. Even though Gordon has stated that he wants to remain in Kansas City, would the potential home town discount be enough for the Royals to retain his services? How far should the Royals be willing to go to keep Gordon?

Based on the projections, Gordon may receive a five year contract worth close to $75 Million, a fairly substantial contract for a team with a middling payroll like the Royals. Even if that discount leads to a five year, $68 Million contract being enough to retain Gordon, is it worth the Royals time and finances to keep him on board with the other holes they may need to worry about?

Next: Royals Odds of Re-Signing Key Free Agents

What would you be comfortable offering Alex Gordon to keep him as a member of the Kansas City Royals? Let us know in the comments!