Kansas City Royals: Faces of the franchise

Alex Gordon

Although his struggles at the plate have turned him into a shell of his former All-Star self, Alex Gordon is the longest-tenured player on the team. That carries a lot of weight, especially with Dayton Moore electing to undergo a youth movement as you’re reading this article.

Regardless of whether or not his bat ever returns, Alex Gordon is among the vocal leaders on this team and is one of few veteran presences in the lineup. A .208 batting average indicates someone who isn’t worth keeping on the team. A $40 million price tag over the next two years is also an indicator of that.

Alex Gordon is more important to the Royals’ success than we give him credit for. No, he hasn’t hit well over the last two years. However, he still offers some of the best defense in baseball and is a voice of reason when things are going wrong. If the team is going to pay him, it might as well keep him in the clubhouse. Until Gordon retires, he’ll always be looked up to. Anyone he plays with will respect him.

Also, who doesn’t enjoy plays like this one?