Kansas City Royals: Is Alex Gordon Playing Hard Ball
By Paul York
Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Spring Training games don’t start for another week and a half for the Kansas City Royals, but Alex Gordon has decided to play a game of his own.
Reports surfaced over the weekend indicating that Gordon is no longer sure he’ll exercise his $12.5 million player option in 2016 (according to Royals beat writer Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star), meaning he may opt for free agency. This is a complete 180 from Gordon’s stance last August, in which he specifically told Andy McCullough that he planned to exercise his 2016 option and delay free agency.
Gordon just turned 31 years old in February. He’s a three-time Gold Glove winner, a two-time American League All-Star, and he’s the face of the Kansas City Royals, who happen to be your 2014 American League Champions. At one point last year, he’s was being mentioned as an MVP candidate.
To be more exact, when McCullough questioned Gordon in August about what Casey Close (Gordon’s agent) might think of this decision, Gordon quipped, “Casey’s not the boss of me. I’m sure he’ll have things to say and whatnot. But when it comes down to it, it’s my decision.”
Is it time to panic? Is Gordon unhappy in KC? Should we be mad?
The answer to all of those questions is ‘NO’. So then, what has changed?
Oh nothing, except Alex Gordon now realizes what a foolish comment he made back in August, and knows that if he had carried out that plan, it would be a terrible business decision.
Gordon just turned 31 years old in February. He’s a three-time Gold Glove winner, a two-time American League All-Star, and he’s the face of the Kansas City Royals, who happen to be your 2014 American League Champions. At one point last year, he’s was being mentioned as an MVP candidate.
Here’s a newsflash, those types of guys get paid, and Alex Gordon is going to get paid.
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