KC Royals Have New Face of Franchise in Alex Gordon

For two generations, George Brett has been the face of the KC Royals franchise. Now that Alex Gordon has re-signed, can he take that role over?

If one is to think of who the face of the KC Royals franchise would be, George Brett is likely to be the answer for the majority of fans. He is still the only member of the franchise in the Hall of Fame, unless one is to count the brief stints of Gaylord Perry and Harmon Killebrew. A fixture since he first appeared in Kansas City in 1973, Brett is the name most people would think of when the Royals are brought up.

That may be in the process of changing. Now that Alex Gordon has been retained by the Royals, signing his new four year, $72 Million contract, he has the chance to be the new face of the franchise. Even though Gordon may never surpass Brett in terms of what he accomplished during his career, he now has the opportunity to be the symbol of the Royals for a generation of fans.

It is fitting that Gordon will have this chance. In many ways, his journey to success mirrors that of the Royals themselves, going from being on the cusp of being a failed prospect to reinventing himself as a Gold Glove left fielder, an all around player who became one of the key pieces to the Royals lineup.

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It was also difficult to imagine Gordon wearing anything other than a Royals uniform. On any other team, he would be a solid piece to the lineup, but not the type of player that one typically imagines a potential $20 Million per year free agent as being. Gordon’s elite tools, his glove and his arm, are not the type that truly show up in box scores or can really be quantified statistically.

Yet, in Kansas City, Gordon is more than the best defensive left fielder in baseball. He is a key to the middle of the Royals lineup, a player capable of hitting for power and drawing walks. Even if he is not the player who was capable of stealing double digit bases any longer, Gordon is still a smart baserunner and a part of the Royals philosophy of putting pressure on opposing defenses.

In returning, Gordon also jumped at the biggest advantage the Royals had to offer. Yes, he may have been able to get more money from another team; however, the Royals could offer Gordon a chance to have a legacy that went beyond the diamond. He could be a lifetime Royal, following the the hallowed footsteps of Brett and Frank White. In fact, some day, he could have a statue right there along side the two Royals greats and legendary manager Dick Howser.

Next: Royals show they mean business with Alex Gordon signing

For a generation, Alex Gordon could become the new face of the KC Royals. For a player who was once touted as being the next George Brett, he could well be exactly that for this generation.