Biographical

Portrait of Alex Gordon

Alex Gordon LFRoyals

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2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 35)
PA AVG HR R RBI SB DRC+ WARP
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Birth Date2-10-1984
Height6' 1"
Weight220 lbs
Age40 years, 2 months, 15 days
BatsL
ThrowsR
2.62015
0.52016
-0.52017
0.82018
0.62019
proj
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

YEAR TEAM AGE G PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO HBP SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ DRAA BRR FRAA BWARP
2007 KCA 23 151 600 134 36 4 15 41 137 13 14 4 .247 .314 .411 86 -8.3 -1.3 4.5 1.3
2008 KCA 24 134 571 128 35 1 16 66 120 6 9 2 .260 .351 .432 108 7.0 0.9 -1.3 2.5
2009 KCA 25 49 189 38 6 0 6 21 43 2 5 0 .232 .324 .378 85 -3.0 3.1 1.5 0.8
2010 KCA 26 74 281 52 10 0 8 34 62 2 1 5 .215 .315 .355 94 -1.6 -3.3 4.6 0.6
2011 KCA 27 151 688 185 45 4 23 67 139 7 17 8 .303 .376 .502 133 26.4 3.0 21.2 6.9
2012 KCA 28 161 721 189 51 5 14 73 140 3 10 5 .294 .368 .455 117 14.5 0.5 17.7 5.0
2013 KCA 29 156 700 168 27 6 20 52 141 9 11 3 .265 .327 .422 106 5.9 4.2 13.4 4.1
2014 KCA 30 156 643 150 34 1 19 65 126 11 12 3 .266 .351 .432 125 17.5 4.2 16.1 5.6
2015 KCA 31 104 422 96 18 0 13 49 92 14 2 5 .271 .377 .432 123 12.9 -1.7 4.2 2.6
2016 KCA 32 128 506 98 16 2 17 52 148 8 8 1 .220 .312 .380 91 -4.2 1.2 -3.1 0.5
2017 KCA 33 148 541 99 20 2 9 45 126 14 7 4 .208 .293 .315 69 -19.2 -0.2 1.9 -0.5
2018 KCA 34 141 568 124 24 0 13 50 124 10 12 2 .245 .324 .370 90 -5.3 -1.9 2.5 0.8
2019 KCA 35 150 633 148 31 1 13 51 100 19 5 3 .266 .345 .396 97 0.1 0.6 -2.8 1.2
Career17037063160935326186666149811811345.258.339.41310442.69.480.431.4

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G PA oppAVG oppOBP oppSLG BABIP BPF BRAA repLVL POS_ADJ DRC+ DRC+ SD FRAA BRR DRAA BWARP
2006 WIC AA TXS 130 576 .272 .348 .433 .375 106 39.2 13.1 1.1 152 0 2.7 6.1 8.5 3.3
2007 KCA MLB AL 151 600 .268 .333 .419 .303 102 -9.6 17.8 0.9 86 10 4.5 -1.3 -8.3 1.3
2008 KCA MLB AL 134 571 .268 .332 .421 .309 102 8.2 16.5 2.2 108 12 -1.3 0.9 7.0 2.5
2009 KCA MLB AL 49 189 .268 .331 .424 .276 106 -4 5.4 0.7 85 10 1.5 3.1 -3.0 0.8
2009 NWA AA TXS 8 35 .266 .329 .394 .391 116 3.3 1.0 -0.2 178 0 -1.3 0.2 2.5 0.2
2009 OMA AAA PCL 18 85 .264 .335 .406 .388 84 8.3 2.4 -0.6 137 0 2.1 1.6 3.9 0.9
2009 ROY Rk AZL 4 13 .198 .305 .296 .333 109 1.8 0.4 -0.1 266 0 -0.1 0.0 5.3 0.5
2010 KCA MLB AL 74 281 .261 .322 .412 .254 111 -5.5 7.7 -1.6 94 9 4.6 -3.3 -1.6 0.6
2010 WIL A+ CRL 7 31 .258 .330 .385 .286 97 3.2 0.9 0 157 0 -1.2 0.9 1.8 0.3
2010 OMA AAA PCL 68 321 .281 .351 .437 .386 99 29.3 9.8 -2.8 154 0 7.4 0.4 22.4 3.6
2011 KCA MLB AL 151 688 .260 .323 .410 .358 108 29.2 18.6 -4.5 133 6 21.2 3.0 26.4 6.9
2012 KCA MLB AL 161 721 .255 .316 .408 .356 101 19 19.7 -4.7 117 10 17.7 0.5 14.5 5.0
2013 KCA MLB AL 156 700 .254 .315 .398 .310 100 11.6 18.4 -4.4 106 11 13.4 4.2 5.9 4.1
2014 KCA MLB AL 156 643 .257 .314 .394 .310 101 17.9 16.6 -3.9 125 9 16.1 4.2 17.5 5.6
2015 KCA MLB AL 104 422 .254 .312 .403 .327 104 15.5 11.4 -2.8 123 11 4.2 -1.7 12.9 2.6
2015 OMA AAA PCL 8 37 .264 .328 .399 .524 102 6.2 1.0 -0.5 201 0 1.0 -1.1 3.2 0.4
2016 KCA MLB AL 128 506 .256 .318 .413 .288 105 -10.8 14.3 -3.4 91 7 -3.1 1.2 -4.2 0.5
2016 NWA AA TEX 4 17 .243 .321 .356 .400 95 1.8 0.5 -0.2 143 0 -0.5 0.0 0.4 0.0
2016 OMA AAA PCL 2 10 .280 .343 .455 .600 98 1.3 0.3 -0.1 124 0 0.1 0.6 0.1 0.1
2017 KCA MLB AL 148 541 .258 .323 .430 .261 103 -20.6 15.8 -3.5 69 8 1.9 -0.2 -19.2 -0.5
2018 KCA MLB AL 141 568 .246 .316 .407 .299 102 -6.4 15.9 -3.7 90 12 2.5 -1.9 -5.3 0.8
2018 OMA AAA PCL 3 11 .234 .321 .355 .286 90 0.1 0.3 -0.1 108 0 -0.4 0.4 0.1 0.0
2019 KCA MLB AL 150 633 .253 .320 .435 .301 101 -2 19.1 -4.4 97 7 -2.8 0.6 0.1 1.2

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
Year Team lvl LG PA AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG ISO SF SH
2006 WIC AA TXS 576 486 111 158 39 1 29 286 101 72 113 22 3 .325 .429 .588 .263 0 0
2007 KCA MLB AL 600 543 60 134 36 4 15 223 60 41 137 14 4 .247 .314 .411 .164 2 1
2008 KCA MLB AL 571 493 72 128 35 1 16 213 59 66 120 9 2 .260 .351 .432 .172 5 1
2009 KCA MLB AL 189 164 28 38 6 0 6 62 22 21 43 5 0 .232 .324 .378 .146 1 1
2009 NWA AA TXS 35 30 4 11 3 0 2 20 10 5 5 0 0 .367 .457 .667 .300 0 0
2009 OMA AAA PCL 85 67 17 21 4 1 2 33 10 13 16 0 0 .313 .446 .493 .179 0 0
2009 ROY Rk AZL 13 7 1 2 0 0 1 5 3 5 3 0 0 .286 .583 .714 .429 0 0
2010 OMA AAA PCL 321 260 59 82 20 3 14 150 44 51 72 7 2 .315 .439 .577 .262 2 2
2010 WIL A+ CRL 31 17 7 4 3 0 0 7 2 9 3 1 0 .235 .567 .412 .176 0 0
2010 KCA MLB AL 281 242 34 52 10 0 8 86 20 34 62 1 5 .215 .315 .355 .140 1 2
2011 KCA MLB AL 688 611 101 185 45 4 23 307 87 67 139 17 8 .303 .376 .502 .200 3 0
2012 KCA MLB AL 721 642 93 189 51 5 14 292 72 73 140 10 5 .294 .368 .455 .160 3 0
2013 KCA MLB AL 700 633 90 168 27 6 20 267 81 52 141 11 3 .265 .327 .422 .156 6 0
2014 KCA MLB AL 643 563 87 150 34 1 19 243 74 65 126 12 3 .266 .351 .432 .165 4
2015 KCA MLB AL 422 354 40 96 18 0 13 153 48 49 92 2 5 .271 .377 .432 .161 5 0
2015 OMA AAA PCL 37 28 6 12 2 0 1 17 5 8 6 0 0 .429 .568 .607 .179 0 0
2016 NWA AA TEX 17 15 3 5 1 0 1 9 2 2 4 0 0 .333 .412 .600 .267 0 0
2016 OMA AAA PCL 10 7 0 3 0 0 0 3 3 3 2 0 0 .429 .600 .429 .000 0 0
2016 KCA MLB AL 506 445 62 98 16 2 17 169 40 52 148 8 1 .220 .312 .380 .160 1 0
2017 KCA MLB AL 541 476 52 99 20 2 9 150 45 45 126 7 4 .208 .293 .315 .107 4 2
2018 OMA AAA PCL 11 9 2 2 1 0 0 3 2 2 2 0 0 .222 .364 .333 .111 0 0
2018 KCA MLB AL 568 506 56 124 24 0 13 187 54 50 124 12 2 .245 .324 .370 .125 2 0
2019 KCA MLB AL 633 556 77 148 31 1 13 220 76 51 100 5 3 .266 .345 .396 .129 6 1

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr% CSAA
2008 2170 0.4876 0.4553 0.7571 0.6626 0.2581 0.8317 0.5749 0.2429 -0.0013
2009 729 0.4979 0.4472 0.7515 0.6501 0.2459 0.8263 0.5556 0.2485 -0.0070
2010 1123 0.5093 0.4114 0.7662 0.5979 0.2178 0.8596 0.5000 0.2338 -0.0017
2011 2754 0.4942 0.4477 0.7689 0.6473 0.2527 0.8468 0.5739 0.2311 -0.0039
2012 2874 0.5063 0.4433 0.7865 0.6069 0.2755 0.8482 0.6471 0.2135 -0.0034
2013 2782 0.5029 0.4511 0.7753 0.6147 0.2856 0.8512 0.6101 0.2247 -0.0082
2014 2612 0.4835 0.4326 0.7699 0.6160 0.2609 0.8830 0.5199 0.2301 -0.0067
2015 1657 0.4707 0.4231 0.7618 0.6462 0.2246 0.8433 0.5533 0.2382 0.0023
2016 2105 0.4489 0.4366 0.7040 0.6455 0.2664 0.8213 0.4725 0.2960 0.0000
2017 2197 0.4802 0.4688 0.7689 0.6673 0.2855 0.8651 0.5613 0.2311 0.0000
2018 2185 0.4947 0.4622 0.7604 0.6466 0.2817 0.8655 0.5241 0.2396 0.0000
2019 2341 0.4844 0.4784 0.7795 0.7037 0.2668 0.8546 0.5932 0.2205 0.0000
Career255290.48830.44840.76450.64180.26430.85140.56360.2355-0.0026

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2014-07-10 2014-07-18 DTD 8 4 Right Wrist Sprain -
2014-06-19 2014-06-20 DTD 1 1 - Not Disclosed -
2013-07-04 2013-07-06 DTD 2 2 - Hip Contusion - -
2013-02-25 2013-02-28 Camp 3 0 - Low Back Stiffness - -
2012-09-20 2012-09-20 DTD 0 0 - Hand Contusion - -
2011-09-22 2011-09-29 DTD 7 6 - General Medical Illness Flu - -
2011-08-24 2011-08-24 DTD 0 0 Right Elbow Contusion HBP - -
2011-07-18 2011-07-19 DTD 1 1 - Foot Contusion Foul Ball - -
2011-07-04 2011-07-05 DTD 1 1 Left Knee Contusion HBP -
2011-03-07 2011-03-07 Camp 0 0 Back Soreness -
2011-02-20 2011-02-25 Camp 5 0 Lower Leg Cramp -
2010-03-26 2010-04-16 15-DL 21 9 Right Thumb Recovery From Fracture Tip of Thumb -
2010-03-07 2010-03-26 Camp 19 0 Right Thumb Fracture Tip of Thumb -
2009-08-29 2009-08-31 Minors 2 0 Right Shoulder Soreness -
2009-04-16 2009-07-16 15-DL 91 79 Right Hip Surgery Labrum 2009-04-17
2009-04-12 2009-04-14 DTD 2 2 Right Hip Soreness Hip Flexor -
2009-03-20 2009-03-24 Camp 4 0 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2008-08-22 2008-09-12 15-DL 21 18 Right Thigh Strain Quadriceps -
2008-08-18 2008-08-20 DTD 2 1 Back Stiffness -
2007-09-30 2007-09-30 DTD 0 0 Fracture -
2007-09-18 2007-09-19 DTD 1 1 Right Knee Contusion Foul Ball -
2007-03-10 2007-03-12 Camp 2 0 Right Shoulder Soreness After Diving Catch -
2006-06-08 2006-06-11 Minors 3 0 Foot Laceration -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2020 KCA $4,000,000
2019 KCA $20,000,000
2018 KCA $20,000,000
2017 KCA $16,000,000
2016 KCA $12,000,000
2015 KCA $14,000,000
2014 KCA $10,750,000
2013 KCA $9,000,000
2012 KCA $6,000,000
2011 KCA $1,400,000
2010 KCA $1,150,000
2009 KCA $457,000
2008 KCA $406,000
2007 KCA $380,000
YearsDescriptionSalary
14 yrPrevious$115,543,000
14 yrTotal$115,543,000

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
12 y 92 dCasey Close1 year/$4M (2020)

Details
  • 1 year/$4M (2020). Re-signed by Kansas City as a free agent 1/22/20. Award bonuses: $100,000 for MVP ($50,000 for second through fifth in MVP vote). $100,000 for WS MVP. $50,000 each for LCS MVP, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, All Star selection. Assignment bonus: $500,000 for each trade, paid by acquiring club, with $500,000 in performance bonuses starting after trade: $100,000 for each 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 plate appearances.
  • 4 years/$72M (2016-19), plus 2020 mutual option. Re-signed by Kansas City as a free agent 1/6/16. 16:$12M, 17:$16M, 18:$20M, 19:$20M, 20:$23M mutual option, $4M buyout. With trade, 2020 option is voided and buyout is converted to $4M assignment bonus. (Gordon to earn right to block any trade as 10-and-5 player in June, 2017.) Kansas City declined 2020 option 10/31/19.
  • 4 years/$37.5M (2012-15), plus 2016 player option. Signed extension with Kansas City 3/30/12, replacing 1 year deal signed 2/9/12. 12:$6M, 13:$9M, 14:$10M, 15:$12.5M, 16:$12.5M player option. (Previous deal: 1 year/$4.775M (2012). Re-signed by Kansas City 2/9/12, avoiding arbitration, $5.45M-$4.15M. Performance bonus: $25,000 for 700 plate appearances. Award bonuses, including $50,000 for All-Star selection. Salaries may increase based on awards, performance. 2011-12 Gold Gloves and 2013 All Star selection increase 2014 salary to $10.75M, 2015 salary to $13.25M and 2016 option to $13.25M. 2013 Gold Glove and 2014 All-Star selection increase 2015 salary and 2016 player option to $14M each. Gordon declined 2016 option 11/5/15.
  • 1 year/$1.4M (2011). Re-signed by Kansas City 1/14/11 (avoided arbitration). $0.1M in performance bonuses.
  • 1 year/$1.15M (2010). Re-signed by Kansas City 1/19/10 (avoided arbitration). Optioned to Triple-A 5/2/10, recalled 7/23/10.
  • 1 year/$0.457M (2009). Re-signed by Kansas City 2/25/09 (split contract paying $243,600 in minors). Optioned to Triple-A 8/18/09. Recalled 9/8/09.
  • 1 year/$0.406M (2008). Re-signed by Kansas City 3/2/08.
  • 1 year/$0.38M (2007). Contract purchased by Kansas City 4/07.
  • Drafted by Kansas City 2005 (1-2) (University of Nebraska). Signed 9/05, $4M signing bonus.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ VORP FRAA WARP
90o 41 9 2 0 1 4 9 1 0 .250 .341 .389 100 0.0 LF 0 0.0
80o 27 6 1 0 1 3 6 0 0 .250 .357 .417 94 0.0 LF 0 0.0
70o 18 4 1 0 0 2 4 0 0 .250 .333 .312 91 0.0 LF 0 0.0
60o 10 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 .111 .200 .111 87 0.0 LF 0 0.0
50o 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 84 0.0 LF 0 0.0
Weighted Mean300000100.000.000.000850.0LF 00.0

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BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

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BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2018-04-05 20:00:00 (link to chat)At this point in his career, if Alex Gordon was to be DFA'd, and cleared waivers, would the Royals be able to send him to the minors without his permission? If the guy can't bat his own weight, he has no business on an MLB roster.
(Mr. Fister from Arlington)		I think at this point given his contract they'd have to get his permission. It's more likely he'd accept his release and see if another team would give him an opportunity. (Mike Gianella)
2018-04-05 20:00:00 (link to chat)All things considered, including salaries, who are the worst three players currently with jobs in the MLB? I say Alex Gordon, Panda, and Albert Pujols.
(Mr. Fister from Arlington)		It's probably Pujols. (Mike Gianella)
2017-07-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)What would you do if you were running a team like the Royals or Twins, who are technically contending but don't look like the raw talent favorites to win their races? Buy aggressively to improve your odds or not waste resources? How does that decision swing if you're the Royals (last gasp) or the Twins (beginning of contention cycle)?
(jfegan from Chicago)		If I were the Royals I'd definitely try to go for it this year. As you indicated, they have a ton of free agents leaving after this season and they already drained their farm system completely supporting their World Series run (and whiffing hideously on Top Ten draft picks).

They also have a bunch of dudes with an OPS below .600 (Alex Gordon, Alcides Escobar, Brandon Moss, etc.) so even a modest acquisition could represent a significant upgrade. They're going to be bad for a long time anyway, and they're like a game out of the Wild Card. Might as well go for it.

The Twins pitching is really, really bad and they don't have much help on the way. I think if I were running the Twins I'd hope they lose like 7 in a row so I have cover to deal Ervin Santana. (Nick Schaefer)
2017-05-15 17:00:00 (link to chat)Did Alex Gordon forget how to hit?
(Tanner from Bears)		I think he's not quite right health-wise. (Mike Gianella)
2017-05-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)Alex Gordon, Curtis Granderson, Jose Bautista, Joe Mauer, and Hunter Pence. For each one of this bunch of over 30, under performing veterans, please identify which "illness" they suffer from A) undisclosed nagging injury, B) small sample size, or C) stick a fork in him, he's done.
(Paul from DC)		Ooh, good one.

A - Pence. He's sort of been hurt as a matter of course.
B - Gordon. He's hitting EVERYTHING on the ground, that sounds like a mechanical issue. K rate, walk rate, plate discipline all seem OK
Mauer. Too many thins just look weird for him now. Ridiculously high contact rate, ridiculously low K rate and (for him) a really low walk rate. It's like an Ichiro starter kit, and that's not really what he is. He strikes me as a good candidate for regression to the mean, though the mean for him at this point is probably a league-average bat at best.
C - Bautista. Contact rate has fallen off a table. He murdered fastballs when he was good. That's turned around. Has he become a guy who can't catch up with heat anymore?
B or C - Granderson. I'm not sure. B because he was awful in April 2014 (.468 OPS) so we've seen this before. C because he's just not hitting the ball hard; a 17% infield fly rate isn't good for a guy who hits 57% of his balls in the air. I'm just not sure. (Rob Mains)
2016-07-05 19:00:00 (link to chat)What kind of deal do you think Josh Reddick gets? Good defense, good power, some issues staying healthy, and he still struggles mightily with lefties.
(Todd from San Francisco)		That's an interesting question. He might get qualified, but he could also be one of the top free agents of this class...which makes him difficult to predict. Comp wise, he's close to Colby Rasmus, who took the qualifying offer. Alex Gordon took a 4 year, 72 MM deal. Reddick possibly ends up between them, both on years and cash. (Kate Morrison)
2016-05-18 19:00:00 (link to chat)I've got some old/slumping outfielders I wouldn't mind moving in my 12-team dynasty. So: (1) which guys are the best bet to bounce back, and (2) who represents the best flip/sell low candidate? Brett Gardner, Alex Gordon, Ender Inciarte, Carlos Gomez, and Michael Taylor Second question (can I have two??): Drew Pomeranz - sell high or hang on?
(Will from Daytona)		Absolutely keep Drew Pomeranz. The knuckle curve is really something. I'm not really a huge fan of anyone in that group of outfielders, but I think I would keep Gardner, Gordon and Inciarte for now. I'm really out on Michael Taylor (was never really in there to be honest) and I'm really worried about Gomez. The injuries are one thing, but if he's struggling even when he's healthy and also getting hurt, it's a problem. It doesn't help that a lot of his value is built on a power/speed combo. If the speed declines due to age and injury, he's loses so much value it's scary. I'm out there. (George Bissell)
2016-03-09 19:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Mike, in Tout Wars mixed last night Kole Calhoun went in the 5th round and Alex Gordon went in the 13th. Is there really that kind of difference between these guys in an OBP league?
(pryguy from Dallas, TX)		No, that's too much. I haven't looked at every pick yet, but there were some really crazy gaps between conventional wisdom/what happened in LABR mixed and NFBC drafts versus what happened in the Tout mixed draft. (Mike Gianella)
2015-12-15 14:00:00 (link to chat)Which among Alex Gordon, Justin Upton, and Yoenis Cespedes do you think would be the best fit for the Angels and their dire need for a LF? Which one do you think is the likeliest signing for them?
(Dennis from LA)		Man, that's a great question. I think Gordon is the least likely of these, but he might be the best fit. I love Gordon. He's one of the best defensive LF I've ever seen and he's not exactly bereft of offensive talent. Yo is the most likely, though. Artie loves dingers. (Christopher Crawford)
2015-12-01 14:00:00 (link to chat)So Detroit trades for K-rod, signs Jordan Zimmermann, and they're STILL behind the Royals? Everyone knows Ben Zobrist, Alex Gordon, AND Johnny Cueto aren't going back to KC right?
(DetroitDale from Florida (Eternal Spring Training))		I didn't say that. I think it's close. Detroit still has a lot of question marks, in my book. So does Kansas City. So does Minnesota. So does everyone. It's the first day of December. (Christopher Crawford)
2015-11-16 16:00:00 (link to chat)Do you think the Angels would be better off signing Heyward and moving Calhoun to LF, signing Alex Gordon to play LF, or signing Zobrist to play 2b and a lower cost LF like Aoki? Do you see Chris Davis as a possible fit for them at 3b or LF? Thank you!
(Dennis from LA)		This is a great question. I think either of the first two options would be very helpful, particularly for their flyball pitchers. The third one doesn't strike me as a good idea. 2B really isn't a position that is generating much production these days, and Aoki may have declined for good. Chris Davis doesn't seem like a fit to me, although Josh Hamilton didn't either, so what do I know? (Jonathan Judge)
2015-10-19 19:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Mike -- do me a favor and pick one FA OF for next year -- Alex Gordon, Yoenis Cespedes, Justin Upton, or Jason Heyward.
(bgrosnick from Ann Arbor, MI)		Upton though they're all really close. (Tout Wars Champ Mike Gianella)
2015-07-23 17:00:00 (link to chat)Who do you expect to have the most power and OBP between Alex Gordon, Ryan Zimmerman, and Jayson Werth? (I've been stockpiling DL hitters for H2H playoffs)
(Ralph from FL)		Gordon, Werth, and Zimmerman in that order. (Mike Gianella)
2015-06-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)R.J., thanks for the time today. Stephen Piscotty has gotten off to a sluggish start this season. He doesn't figure to be a power hitting RF, but would an Alex Gordon offensive comparison be reasonable? Less power for Piscotty?
(MP from KY)		Seems plausible. Maybe with fewer walks? (R.J. Anderson)
2015-06-10 14:00:00 (link to chat)Do you think Alex Gordon is finished or still recovering from wrist surgery?
(Victor from Dumfries)		He's certainly not finished. He has a .351 wOBA and is hitting .256/.371/.426 this season. In fact, his .170 ISO is right on par with his career-average of .167. This is what he is. If anything, fantasy owners should be frustrated that he's not running more. Offensively, though, this is what he is -- a .260 hitter with 17-20 homers and a handful of steals. (J.P. Breen)
2015-03-12 15:00:00 (link to chat)Can you tell me why Kris Bryant will live up to his lofty projections unlike say a Alex Gordon, who was projected as a 300/30 homer guy before he took a MLB at bat
(metsRok from NYC)		Kris Bryant hit 43 home runs in a declining offensive era and two offense-depressed parks, in AA and AAA. That's really rare. PECOTA confirms the projection by comping him to Giancarlo Stanton. It's as close to a high-probability success as one can get, based on just one season of full-time playing.

Also, to defend Gordon (although I wasn't around for that projection): he's touched .300/25. When we hear about a projection, consider that sometimes, it's for the player's peak. (Andrew Koo)
2014-11-04 18:00:00 (link to chat)Say the mets made a trade for Alex Gordon, and Murphy and Montero went back to KC (written in Andy Martinos article), would they be a lock for WC contention?
(MetsFaithful5 from Syracuse )		Any discussion of the Mets contending for a playoff spot begins and ends with how the rotation plays out in 2015. If Harvey comes back healthy, Wheeler continues to evolve, DeGrom remains at least reasonably effective, Syndergaard arrives and has some success, then you have the makings of a potential playoff team. the club needs to upgrade the offense, but without the pitching staff maturing and coming together, offensive upgrades alone aren't going to push them there. The entire team needs to come together and take a step forward, and then the Mets are going to be an exciting club. (Mark Anderson)
2014-10-17 12:00:00 (link to chat)The Royals come to you and say "bruh, this walk-up music we're using sucks. You like music, don't you? Choose the walk-up music for this whole lineup..." Nine players, nine songs. GO!
(Bruh from Club)		I did this in a mailbag bag in August. Forgive the jumbled up lineup:

1. Nori Aoki: "The Downfall of Us All" by A Day To Remember. This would just be an amusing way to start the first inning.

2. Omar Infante: "Mojo So Dope" by Kid Cudi. Omar is a laid-back fellow.

3. Salvador Perez: "Simon Says" by Pharoah Monche. The Godzilla introduction would be excellent.

4. Billy Butler: "Some Guys Have All The Luck" by Rod Stewart. A classic for the perpetually put-upon DH.

5. Alex Gordon: "Put On" by Young Jeezy. Either this, or "My Hero" by Foo Fighters. Or "The Best" by Tina Turner. I doubt Gordon would like the latter choices.

6. Josh Willingham: "Top Notch" by Manchester Orchestra. Non-descript rock music.

7. Lorenzo Cain: "Hold On, We're Going Home" by Drake. Smoother than LoCain flagging down a line drive in center.

8. Mike Moustakas: "You Wanted More" by Tonic. What? It's a good guitar riff.

9. Alcides Escobar: "Bowtie" by Outkast. I don't know. Feels like it fits. (Andy McCullough)
2014-08-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)what is Billy Hamilton's value in a dynasty league? I'm really hurting for steals. Would Alex Gordon be enough?
(maxpowers from chicago)		I'd move Gordon for Hamilton if I needed speed. (Craig Goldstein)
2014-06-26 14:00:00 (link to chat)J.D. Martinez or Alex Gordon ROS?
(Tino from NY)		Alex Gordon, and at the end of the season, I'm not so sure that it's even close. (J.P. Breen)
2014-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Are organizations like BAL, ARI just bad at developing pitching prospects like how KC is bad with hitting prospects? Or is it just bad luck with bust prospects?
(norwun from NYC)		In general, I would say that most of those sorts of reputations are vastly overblown. There is a ton of luck involved and sometimes you hit a bad stretch for a long period of time. Sometimes organizations have strange philosophies that make you scratch your head - like Baltimore's refusal to let any of their pitchers throw a cutter but drafting of a pitcher whose best pitch is a cutter (Bundy), but I don't think that's why Bundy got hurt. There's just bad luck involved.

Some reputations are just flat out wrong, too. KC has developed Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler, and Sal Perez, and they even get credit for Wil Myers. Just because Mike Moustakas stinks doesn't mean they can't develop hitters. (Jeff Moore)
2014-03-19 20:00:00 (link to chat)Hi Bret, besides Joe Mauer -- who is ending up on your team a lot this season? cheers, k
(Kurt from Tacoma)		Alex Gordon always winds up on a bunch of my teams. Same with Albert Pujols. Then in the later rounds, Martin Perez, Dustin Ackley and Derek Norris (where applicable). (Bret Sayre)
2014-03-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)Dustin Ackley. This is the year he puts it all together, right?
(Frank from Seattle)		It could be. Again, we can't base anything off of what he does this spring, but its better than him hitting .150 all March, right? There's something to be said for settling into a spot on the field and just worrying about hitting. It worked for Alex Gordon after his initial struggles when he moved to the outfield. Ackley was learning a new position while trying to get to the majors. Not easy. Maybe he just needed to be left alone to hit. Who knows. (Jeff Moore)
2013-05-29 18:30:00 (link to chat)Pure talent wise, is Alex Gordon for Clay Buchholz a fair deal? He wants a bat, I need a SP.
(jeremydneezy from Brooklyn, NY)		Hi Jeremy:

I'd take Buchholz before the other owner blinks. Buchholz is putting up a Cy Young-caliber season and there's nothing in his numbers to indicate that he's going to slow down. Gordon is very good but from a fantasy perspective doesn't do any one thing spectacularly and is a solid player but not a star. Take the ace and run with it. (Mike Gianella)
2013-04-04 11:00:00 (link to chat)Wither Josh Vitters? A late bloomer a la Alex Gordon, or a bust (relative to expectations)?
(eliyahu from Washington, DC)		I don't see it happening. (Jason Parks)
2012-10-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who's your favorite sleeper for next season?
(Lil' Sebastian from The Barn)		I haven't really begun digging into next season yet, so consider my answer to be very preliminary. Sleeper probably isn't the right description, but I expect Alex Gordon to outproduce his draft position next year by a wide margin. People will look at the HR/SB numbers this year and chalk 2011 up to a fluke, but they shouldn't. The biggest difference between this year and last is a drop in HR/FB rate. Invest in Gordon next year. (Josh Shepardson)
2012-01-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)What do you make of Alex Gordon going forward?
(benharris from Denver)		I like him, and I buy into a lot of his 2011 season. He made some mechanical adjustments, certainly had the pedigree for this kind of performance, and had shown flashes of this kind of ability before. I buy him as a 20 HR hitter, and the Royals seem to love to run now, so double-digit steals seem likely if that continues. His BABIP was too high, but a .270-.280 average seems about right. (Derek Carty)
2012-01-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)What young player(s) on the Royals are you most excited about?
(Lucas Apostoleris from Massachusetts)		Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon (does he still count?), Greg Holland. I'm curious to see if Lorenzo Cain is the real deal. Now that the Royals have some legitimate hitting stars on the corners again, I'd really like to see them solidify the middle of the defense with players who can contribute on both sides of the ball. Obviously the Royals aren't going to have every position filled with a star, but if Cain can be a solid regular in the field and in the lineup, that helps a lot. (Mike Fast)
2011-11-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)What can we expect out of Colby Rasmus in 2012? On a similar note, I was arguing with another owner in my league that Rasmus and Alex Gordon are very similar . . . big hype, not much in the way of production except for one year (Rasmus in 2010, Gordon in 2011 - their numbers in each of those seasons are VERY similar). What do you think of the comparison between the two?
(jaymoff from Salem, OR)		I like Gordon more, and I liked Gordon's breakout chances last year better than Rasmus's this year. I didn't buy Rasmus's power in 2010, so I don't expect another near-25 HR season in 2012, though the Rogers Centre should help him a little. Overall just not that impressed with Rasmus. There's upside, but I'm letting someone else take the risk. (Derek Carty)
2011-09-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)The Royals brought up a ton of guys this year but only Hosmer looks like the real deal. Any hope that Moustakis blossoms to the power levels predicted for him?? And is Giavotella really going to hit in the bigs??
(kcboomer from KC)		Based upon the scouting reports and minor league stats, it is ridiculously early to start giving up hope on Moustakas; he's 22 with 333 major league PA, for crying out loud! Go back and look at the careers of Mike Schmidt or George Brett and tell me if you think their teams should have given up hope after their first prolonged exposure to big league pitching. Hell, look at Alex Gordon, who has blossomed into a very good hitter.

I know Royals fans are impatient, but it ain't all gonna happen overnight. You've waited this long, you can wait at least a full season before panicking that some of these guys might not grow up to be the next Brett or whatever. (Jay Jaffe)
2011-09-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)Everyone in the world expected Alex Gordon to cool down after his hot start. What is everyone expecting now that he's kept it up? Is this is a career season popping up early, or a sign of his finally meeting expectations?
(bb10kbb10k from Erie, PA)		It may be hard to believe, but Gordon is 27 years old, so if this is a career season, it's not popping up particularly early. I like his chances to retain a good chunk of his gains going forward--I don't think this is a case of a player about to pumpkin when the clock strikes 12 on this season. His prospect pedigree and the fact that he was an above-average big leaguer at age 24 should both increase our confidence that we're seeing something real (and man, could the Royals use something real). (Ben Lindbergh)
2011-07-21 16:00:00 (link to chat)Jason, what's your view on Guyer? You mentioned above that he should be in the opening day line up next year in the OF. How will he fare? Will he be rosterable in fantasy next year?
(Derek from Vancouver)		He can play all three spots in the outfield. I think he falls somewhere in between what Ryan Ludwick and Alex Gordon are doing this season....say .270 with 15ish HRs over a full season given how The Trop punishes RH power these days. (Jason Collette)
2011-07-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)Both Alex Gordon and Joba came up with "superstar" labels. Both put up great minor league numbers and flashed the skills to support those numbers. Both were met in the Majors with some 'disappointment'. if we don't assign expectations to minor league stats what should we attach our expections for prospects to?
(Cap from Pitt)		Pure scouting? In which case we would still be calling these players disappointment. Wieters, too. There was no disagreement with any of them. (Steven Goldman)
2011-04-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)Are you a believer in Alex Gordon's turnaround?
(Matt from Chicago)		Not really. I think he will be a better hitter this season than previous seasons, but I don't think he will make the secondary adjustments during the season. I hope I'm wrong. I'd love to see him offer consistent production. (Jason Parks)
2011-04-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)Has Alex Gordon turned the corner or is this early start a soon to disappear mirage?
(Brianfoster82 from Dallas)		He's not going to hit .350, of course, but he might very well put up a nice season. I don't think he'll ever be an above-average bat for the corner outfield, but getting league average production from him isn't out of the question, and would be a big step forward from where he's been. (Ken Funck)
2011-02-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)In the last few years what is the one prospect you thought would be a can't miss and turned into a dud?
(Tom from London)		Just looked at my 2007 list, with Alex Gordon at No. 1. (Kevin Goldstein)
2011-02-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)Is there a general consensus among scouts as to why Alex Gordon hasn't met expectations?
(Andrew from Toronto)		Never made adjustments offensively. Even when you are a total stud in college, you are still a prospect that is developing, and you have to make adjustments. (Kevin Goldstein)
2011-02-08 14:00:00 (link to chat)What does a good season from Alex Gordon look like?
(Nelly from Kansas)		How does .270/.350/.450 work for you? Works for me, though it would work better for me at the hot corner than in left field. Gordon can still put together a fine career, but the Stardom Express has already sailed.

Unless HE'S this year's Jose-Bot .... I'd like that, actually. (Ken Funck)
2011-02-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)In synergy with Mr. Parks article today on KC's top 5 prospects, which one of them do you predict has the highest chance of taking the Alex Gordon career path on them?
(Paul from DC)		It's always safer to bet on a pitching prospect to bust, which narrows it down to Montgomery or Lamb. Thanks to the injury concerns Jason mentioned, I'll go with the former. (Ben Lindbergh)
2011-03-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who has been a bigger disappointment, Charlie Sheen or Alex Gordon?
(Bobby from Las Vegas)		Alex Gordon, by a country mile. I mean, c'mon, a celebrity, or a baseball prospect? How could it be close? As the line goes, "An actress is something more than a woman, an actor something less than a man." How many reminders of that are really necessary? (Christina Kahrl)
2011-01-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)To be fair, Moustakas really represents the first prospect the Royals have really have had a chance to bring up under Dayton. So give him a chance.
(Tony from Albuquerque)		Alex Gordon doesn't count? (Steven Goldman)
2010-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)Given their recent history with getting position players across the gulf from "prospect potential" to actual "big league performance", and given the bus loads of fine prospects they've been amassing recently, should they be making some changes in their minor league operations to try to get the best results from these kids? They've had some fine youngsters just not realize the potential implied by their MLEs. Beltran was a long time ago...
(Cris E from St Paul, MN)		Given the Beltran shout out at the end I was able to deduce that by "they" you mean the Royals. And yes, the Royals should be playing their young players. Nobody goes to their games even with "superstars" like Jose Guillen and Gil Meche, so go ahead and win 66 games with the young guys, let them begin to develop at the MLB level, and see what happens. I don't think it's as much their MiLB operations as it is the way the MLB team operates. Don't sign Francoeur when you have Mitch Maier. Don't look at a third baseman if you have Moustakas. Don't screw with Alex Gordon when he deserves an MLB roster spot, etc. (Eric Seidman)
2010-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)Speaking of Alex Gordon, what do you see his ceiling as anymore?
(Tony from Albuquerque)		Something like .270/.350/.460, good, but certainly nowhere near "Next George Brett!" status. (Eric Seidman)
2010-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)When does a prospect/young player cross the line and become a bust? Would you consider Alex Gordon, Brandon Wood, Cameron Maybin, Andy Marte, and Joel Guzman busts?
(Steve from Las Vegas)		Andy Marte - yes. Brandon Wood - yes. Cameron Maybin is approaching that territory though he could still be a somewhat useful major leaguer. Alex Gordon is only going to be a bust relative to expectations. He can still be a productive major leaguer, unlike say Andy LaRoche, but he is not going to become the perennial all star many originally thought. To me, there is no clear line of demarcation but rather a situation that has a certain feel to it. Wood has shown no signs of improvement, nor has Maybin. Gordon has. (Eric Seidman)
2010-11-11 13:00:00 (link to chat)Is it too early to give up on Alex Gordon, Cameron Maybin, and Brandon Wood?
(Bobby from LA)		26, 23, and 25 years old-- I don't think so. But it's certainly possible that none of them are as good as once hoped. (Matt Swartz)
2010-08-17 14:45:00 (link to chat)How good is Alex Gordon? Does his position (3B/OF) matter?
(Frederick from Philly)		I believe Alex Gordon will be a .275/.350/.450 hitter, which is good, but not great, and ultimately disappointing given the intense hype. (Eric Seidman)
2010-08-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who is the better bet to produce in 2011? - Alex Gordon or Cameron Maybin?
(Chad from Land of Unrealized Potential)		What a question! I'll go with Alex Gordon. Cameron Maybin still hasn't shown me much I'm impressed by, even in the minors (though I do expect him to breakout eventually, this isn't me giving up) while Gordon has had some poor luck while back in the majors. (Marc Normandin)
2010-07-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)What unspeakable act did Alex Gordon and Kila Ka'aihue commit against Dayton Moore?
(Aaron from YYZ)		This is without a doubt the biggest mystery of the current Royals team for me. I have a theory about Gordon, but it doesn't really work for Kila, so I'll just say that I'm as puzzled as you are. (Tommy Bennett)
2010-07-26 14:00:00 (link to chat)Alex Gordon, 1.5 Career All Star Selections, Over or Under?
(Tommy from Iraq)		Under. Moving him to the outfield ups the offensive bar considerably, and while the ASG needs a Designated Royal, there's Soria, Butler, and the big crop of up-and-comers to contend with. (Ken Funck)
2010-07-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)Is Alex Gordon going to die in Triple A?
(caseyj15 from Medford, OR)		Alex Gordon will star in a remake of Bull Durham, right when he's about to set the minor league record for homers, and also after the Royals have decided he's not an outfielder and should now catch.

Then when he's *finally* recalled, he'll back up Jason Kendall, a job that sees less action than a police officer stationed in Sandford, England. (Marc Normandin)
2010-07-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)More likely to make an impact at the major league level this year: Alex Gordon or Dom Brown?
(Phil from NJ)		Well as long as Ruben Amaro doesn't decide that Dom Brown is actually a third baseman and needs to go back to the minors, Dom Brown. Assuming room is made for him. (Marc Normandin)
2010-06-18 14:00:00 (link to chat)Career All-Star selections for Alex Gordon, 1.5, Over or Under?
(Matt from London)		Under. His best chance would be with the Royals but it doesn't seem likely he will ever get the true chance he deserves there. And then he'll probably be shipped to a team that gives him a chance but who will have many other candidates for the mandatory spot. (Eric Seidman)
2010-06-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)Alex Gordon is hitting 338/457/597 with 11 homers and 6 steals (7 attempts) in 201 at bats. Is this a service time ploy or are the Royals really *this* stupid?
(Save Alex Gordon from Trapped in Omaha)		Everybody likes to point out how well he's hitting in Omaha, but how's his progress in left field? The Royals seem pretty committed to making him an outfielder; then again, they seem pretty committed to lots of things that never come to pass. I suspect we'll see him once the swap meet starts and Dayton Moore gets around to trading Scott Podsednik or Al Cowens or whomever they've got running around in left. I mean, Moore has to be careful -- he *really* wants to get a good C-grade prospect for Podzilla, so timing is key. (Jay Jaffe)
2010-06-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)What the holy-heck is Alex Gordon going in AAA!? And I mean besides raking. Isn't he too young and have a far superior prospect pedigree to be treated as if he's 4A?
(WilliamWilde from Boston, MA)		We've been having a desultory discussion on our internal mailing list as to what the heck the Royals are thinking, though "thinking" may be setting the bar too high. It's not just Gordon, it's Ka'aihue (recall that Ken Phelps came up as a Royal and they refused him too), it's Chris Getz, it's Podsednik and Mitch Maier... There are so many areas where they might tinker around the edges and get a few more runs on the board. If it's obvious to us it's obvious to them, so the question is why don't they care? (Steven Goldman)
2010-06-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)Re: Alex Gordon. Mere mortals are not permitted to question "the process". In theory he is learning how to play LF/RF. Unfortunately for the moment those two positions are occupied. DeJesus is having a better season than we could expect Gordon to have and Pods is, well, Pods. GMDM doesn't admit to mistakes about players he acquires thru trade or free agency. Until the Royals cut bait on Jose Guillen there is no roster spot for Kila. And Mitch Maier is a much better option as a 4th OFer who can play all the positions as opposed to Rick Ankiel who can't play any of them.
(kcboomer from kc)		See, that sounds like megalomania. I know things that Moore has said about "the process" sort of SOUND like that, but I doubt he really believes it inasmuch as he doesn't know what he really should say. Which means that what he's really thinking remains a mystery, or he's not confident enough in what he's thinking to tell us, or... Gee, maybe megalomania really is the simplest answer. (Steven Goldman)
2010-06-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)Four years ago I had an initial draft for an AL only dynasty league and built my team around Grady Sizemore, Alex Gordon, BJ Upton, Felix Hernandez, Scott Kazmir and Joba Chamberlain. Do you know of any support groups I can join?
(achaik from maine)		Well at least Bossman Junior is doing well again! (Marc Normandin)
2010-06-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)Hi Marc, thank you for the chat. Assuming he doesn't need TJS, what do you see as Brett Anderson's upside for the next few years? And do you think Alex Gordon can reinvent himself as a solid OBP corner outfielder?
(Dennis from LA)		I think (healthy) Anderson is one of the best pitchers in the American League. Gordon will be fine no matter where he plays, the Royals just need to put him back in the majors so he can show them that. (Marc Normandin)
2010-06-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)Alex Gordon is destroying at the plate and performing capably in the OF at AAA Omaha. So...why not bring him up to the majors? It's not like they have so many good bats that he won't get playing time. Or is this just another step in the mysterious "process"??
(Phil from NJ)		Just a complete puzzler. Alex Gordon is going to get saddled with the rep as maybe the last failure of the last Royals farm system, as it looks like the rest of their farm is really shaping up nicely this year--Moustakas, Hosmer, and now Danny Duffy's return.

Here's an off-the-cuff idea: putting him in the minors limits his service time, which could align his cheap years better with the rest of their system. (Tommy Bennett)
2010-06-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)How many PA's do you need to see from a player before you declare the player a bust? Would you consider Alex Gordon already a bust?
(Bobby from KC)		No way. He's been raking in Omaha. He's at .376/.515/.733 right now and playing the outfield. We're still in the first chapter of the Alex Gordon saga, and once you get past that it's a real page-turner. (Tommy Bennett)
2010-05-24 14:00:00 (link to chat)Combined MLB Career All-Star appearances for Delmon Young, Brandon Wood, Alex Gordon, and Andy Marte, 0.5, Over or Under?
(Susan from New York)		I'll go with an even number: one. I'll even be foolhardy, and take it one step further by saying that it'll be Gordon, because the silly contest requires participation from every team, no Royal is going to be elected by fans, and there's a chance of something like Greinke pitching on the Sunday beforehand or something and doesn't get selected. Of course, by that logic, it could be Young in a few years, once he gets to be a Royal; he's boxed out as a Twin unless he really breaks out, and I remain among the doubters on that score. (Christina Kahrl)
2010-05-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)Bigger bust, Alex Gordon or Andy Marte?
(Susan from New York)		Marte by far. Gordon owns a .249/.331/.413 career line, which isn't so impressive, but it's rosterable. Marte's .215/.276/.354 career line is a ticket to indy ball. (Jay Jaffe)
2010-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Marc ... this may be more of a Goldstein question, but the demotion of Alex Gordon got me thinking. Which current AAA player has had his career screwed up the most by his organization (more than his own performance)?
(dianagramr from NYC)		Homer Bailey, possibly? He was never ready for the big leagues any of the times he was called up, but that didn't stop the Reds from using him to plug holes over and over again. Anyone else have any ideas? (Marc Normandin)
2010-03-24 11:00:00 (link to chat)First it was Zach Grienke, who decided to wal away from the KC Royals and baseball altogether. Now, Royals prospect Danny Duffy has decided to do the same. No offense to the Royals, but has the long-time stigma of being a long-time loser, started getting to its players and prospects? Alex Gordon once was considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball and he now looks like a fringe major leaguer who needs a "change of scenery". Do the Royals need a complete overhaul of the organization?
(jlarsen from Chicago)		My understanding of the situation with Duffy is that he is sidelined by elbow injury. Prospects are difficult to pick, and I can't say with any confidence that Alex Gordon's failure is the Royals' fault. Nevertheless, i's awfully suspicious just how consistently bad they've been. If I were running things, heads would have rolled quite a while ago. (Tommy Bennett)
2010-03-03 14:00:00 (link to chat)Better chance of finally living up to the hype, Alex Gordon or Delmon Young?
(Ron from Vancouver)		I got a feeling about Delmon . . . (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-03-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)Can you provide any further color to the Alex Gordon injury? Is it the kind of thing that can affect performance past the stated 3-4 week recovery window? Thanks.
(HankScorpio from KC)		Color? Blue.

Yes, this is at the tip of the thumb, so it shouldn't affect his grip the way something like what Mike Lowell had would. He should be able to come back and hit "normally" though after last year, what normal is is up for debate. I think he's still a nice sleeper pick. (Will Carroll)
2010-02-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)Are you expecting big things from any of the former bigtime prospects that haven't really done much in the bigs yet? Alex Gordon, Delmon Young, Jeremy Hermida, Others?
(Aaron from YYZ)		Kevin is still high on Delmon, an enthusiasm I don't share, but you have to respect Guru Goldstein's feelings about these things so I'm keeping an open mind. If you check out the Hermida comment in the book, which I wrote, you'll see that I had high hopes for him to break out in Boston, but right now it seems like the playing time just won't be there. (Steven Goldman)
2010-02-18 14:00:00 (link to chat)Who are some guys that the general prospect community seems to have given up on that you still believe in?
(Aaron from YYZ)		They're big leaguers, but I still believe in Delmon Young, and even a little still in Alex Gordon. (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-02-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)I'm still an Alex Gordon in real basebal fan for some reason... but in my AL-only 5x5 keeper league, he inflates to $10 this season... am I better off cutting bait, or should I keep the faith?
(Matt K. from devil, fingers)		For $10 I would cut bait. I'm sure you can pick him up for less than that at auction, no? Let someone else overpay for him and pick up a replacement that will most likely do better for you for less or the same.

For what it's worth, I like Gordon too, but I can't imagine spending $10 on him right now. (Marc Normandin)
2009-10-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)When can you declare a former top prospect a bust? Are Delmon Young, Alex Gordon, and Jay Bruce busts?
(Ron from Vancouver)		I think a player's first year of arbitration eligibility is a good point of reckoning, because it's at that point where they start to cost real money instead of something closer to the major league minimum. Not that it's the final word, but it's certainly when a team has to start considering how much future investment a player is worth.

By that token, I'd call Young a bust. Gordon's at three years of service, too, but he gets a pass because of injury. Bruce has at least another year before that point is reached, because he's probably going to be short of where the Super Two line is in 2010. (Jay Jaffe)
2009-09-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)What has happend to Matt Wieters, is he an Alex Gordon redux? Also out of all the rookies this year, whom do you think will have the best career?
(Mike from Utica,NY)		We can answer that in a couple of ways. Is he like Alex Gordon, in that he's something less than the hype? Yes. Is he like Alex Gordon, in that it's way too soon to give up on him? Also very much yes.

As far as the rookies and the best careers, between Andrew McCutchen, Fowler, Hanson, and Beckham, that's a really hard question to answer. Hanson's the one who makes me really wonder, even with the understanding that pitchers are the least predictable commodities. (Christina Kahrl)
2009-09-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)decisions for Phillies in the offseason to upgrade on Ruiz and Feliz. Ruiz has shown something more this year, so that might be static, but what about a M.Taylor for Alex Gordon swap?
(philliesopher1 from NY NY)		As much as we could have just as easily have asked the same question as far as needing upgrades at third and catcher last winter, that's interesting to think about. The Royals did just trade away a problem child in Danny Gutierrez, after all, and maybe this is what Dayton Moore's feeling empowered to do, deal away prospects he's not all that wild about. I'd certainly love to see what Gordon could do in the weaker league in a bandbox with Charlie Manuel giving him pointers on hitting, since that would all equal good stuff, but somehow I doubt the Royals are really about to ditch Gordon. (Christina Kahrl)
2009-09-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)Marc, what do you do with talented but frustrating young players in Dynasty leagues (the only penalty to keeping them is opportunity cost)? I'm not talking about guys you depend on, but more guys that you're hoping figure it out while they eat up depth space on your bench/reserve. Someone like Chris B. Young, Jeremy Hermida, Alex Gordon, Francisco Liriano... the flashes of brilliance are there but it sure is hard to be patient.
(Aaron from YYZ)		I don't have a general rule, but if I think someone has a lot of potential, I would waste the bench spot on them in the hopes they turn things around. My exception to this would be if it was someone no one else thought much of--my hope would be that since I gave up on him, no one else would be willing to take the risk. Talk up your league a bit to get a sense of those sorts of things so you can take advantage when the time comes. (Marc Normandin)
2009-06-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)My life has gone completely to hell since Alex Gordon got hurt, how is his rehab progressing?
(Derek Martin from Denison, Iowa)		Pull it together, man! He's progressing well and I think we'll start hearing about a rehab assignment very soon. He's doing well in drills down in ... Surprise? I forget where KC is now. We're just not getting the blanket coverage that Alex Rodriguez got for the obvious reasons. (Will Carroll)
2009-05-18 14:00:00 (link to chat)Hi Christina - Thanks a lot for the chat. How can KC best marshall its resources at the corners once Alex Gordon returns? Is there a way to ease the logjam of Butler-Jacobs-Gordon-Guillen-Teahen-Kia'ahue, who all seem suited for similar roles. Is there a way to turn some of it into help on the mound or at shortstop, where help is most needed?
(BL from Bozeman)		It's fun to think that the Royals really are that interesting, isn't it? I still think busting Guillen down to a platoon role with Jacobs makes sense, and I'd shop Teahen and Jacobs around, not that they'll fetch much, but because I'd like to get Ka'aihue up at some point. Teams *have* gone young while sustaining bids for contention, so it wouldn't be that extraordinary a proposition, but it would tell us something about Dayton Moore's capacity to cut his losses or accept that near adequacy is not a quality you want from a corner slugging slot. (Christina Kahrl)
2009-03-19 15:00:00 (link to chat)is all the luster off of former prospect Alex Gordon? What happened there? Also what should we expect from Kendry Morales, 15-20 hrs?
(moonkyu from sf)		I still have faith in Gordon continuing to improve, and while we're at it, gimme Kendry Morales in the my sleeper pool. I think PECOTA is WAY low on him. (Kevin Goldstein)
2009-03-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)Hmm, mega-hype based upon a single minor league season at age 22, sounds familiar...So what are the odds that Wieters becomes Alex Gordon?
(JB from PA)		Gordon is coming along surely (but slowly) but I think that's your point. Let's see what Wieters can do before we all blow our budgets and early picks on him, shall we? (Marc Normandin)
2009-02-06 13:00:00 (link to chat)Your best guess, who has a better 2009, Burnett or Joba? Alex Gordon or Chris Davis? And why are the A's spending millions on Russ Springer?
(Adam from Rochester)		Joba, Davis, and "veteran leadership?" Billy's interest in Springer frankly surprised me. That said, I do admire Springer's longevity and late-career productivity. (Steven Goldman)
2008-10-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)Another lightning quick 3B question...Thumbs up or down on Alex Gordon in 09'?
(MannysBBQ from Pittsburgh)		He made a few small strides this year. I'll give him a thumbs up in 2009, with the assumption that he puts some more together and starts to bump that ISO up. (Marc Normandin)
2008-10-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)Wright/Longoria > Zimmerman. So what about Zimmerman <==> Alex Gordon?
(Tim from DC)		I think Gordon has the potential for the better bat, but if his power doesn't show, he doesn't have the glove that Zim has. (Marc Normandin)
2008-09-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)Is Alex Gordon not playing up to his potentional or is this in potential?
(Tony from Albuquerque)		It would be very disappointing if this were the full extent of Alex Gordon's potential. He's improved from last year, and at 24, it's hard to say that we should start revising our expectations, but he has to step up soon, or it would be a huge disappointment. (Derek Jacques)
2008-08-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)Greetings, I'm in a ten team keeper league where everyone retains 20 players. Should I keep Alex Gordon and/or Chase Headley or overpay for an upgrade? Do you like Headley over Ellsbury? I need power more than speed.
(Guancous from Silver Spring)		20 players? Wow. I like Gordon still--he's young--and Headley's intriguing, though PETCO makes him less appealing than he could be elsewhere. I like Ellsbury long-term, but you might want to wait and see if he puts on some muscle this offseason before you stick with him. He's not going to draw walks or hit for any power if he doesn't start to muscle pitches and put a little scare in the opposition. (Marc Normandin)
2008-08-13 14:00:00 (link to chat)Kevin, why did Ryan Braun do a Ryan Braun, and Alex Gordon do an Alex Gordon? In light of their recent history, have you determined why their early performances have been so different?
(Langster from Dublin, Ireland)		Because Braun was better. I know that sounds like a crap answer, but hear me out. I don't see any huge differences in their numbers or scouting reports coming out of college (if anything, Gordon was a touch better), nor any discrepencies in one area or another that we can glean anything from. It's just one of those things, and frankly, it happens all the time. If you figure out why one guy is a massive stud and one guys isn't, and how that can accurately apply to consistently finding future massive studs, there are plenty of teams that would like to talk to you . . . about 30 of them, in fact. (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-07-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)Too bad Alex Gordon is the biggest bust in the history of the universe, eh?
(NHZ from Royals Review)		I thought that was Todd Van Poppel, but maybe that's my bitterness showing. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-07-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)Better 3b the rest of the season: Glaus, Beltre, or Alex Gordon?
(dshugert from OH)		Glaus as strictly a power play, Gordon overall. I'm still worried about Beltre's wrist; if the M's don't trade him, they could very well shut him down at some point. (Jeff Erickson)
2008-06-02 12:00:00 (link to chat)But seriously... about Alex Gordon: some people look at his year and see progress in strike zone awareness and think that the power will come very soon; others seem to think his batting average rests on luck with singles and that his breakout won't happen this season. Maybe both are wrong, but what should we expect over the rest of the season from Gordon?
(Matt from Mt. Albert, Ontario)		I think Gordon will continue to improve this year then consolidate his gains and really break out in 2009. I've had a chance to talk to him and he seems like a bright and focused kid. (John Perrotto)
2008-04-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)Am I just getting unlucky? I drafted Ortiz, Soriano, Dunn, Kelly Johnson this year. Last year I drafted Chris B. Young, Bill Hall, Alex Gordon. All guys who's performance was significantly disappointing. Tell me this is just bad luck. I came in 10th of 12 last year and currently in last this year.
(tfierst from MN)		Bad luck. (Nate Silver)
2008-03-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)365 days ago Alex Gordon was the greatest thing since sliced bread. After a rough year he is now destined to be a 'good player'. Does your rookie season effect your outcome that much? What if Longoria struggles this year? Same for him?
(Otto from Halifax)		It's way premature to write off Gordon's possibilities for growth based on what was a half-season of struggling because the Royals decided to push too hard. Sometimes a rookie season will reveal fundamental flaws on the part of a player that are unlikely to be corrected to a great degree, like extremely poor strike zone judgment or bad baserunning ability. In that case, maybe you revise your estimate downward. Gordon didn't have that type of season. (Steven Goldman)
2008-03-18 17:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Jim, who's more likely to produce a better year, Alex Gordon or Stephen Drew?
(Otocinclus from NYC)		Propositions like this are at the very root of my 2008 Prospectus Matchups contest. Going by EqA, independent of position, I'm going with Gordon on this one. By the time all was said and done at the end of 2007, he had climbed to about league average. Drew might get there this year (about .260), but .285 sounds more like Gordon's level in 2008. (Jim Baker)
2008-03-17 12:00:00 (link to chat)Alex Gordon or Hank Blalock?
(Otocinclus from NYC)		gordon way higher upside. (Mike Siano)
2008-03-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Thanks for the chat. I have Daric Barton and Alex Gordon as my first base combo in my league (not a keeper league). Will I get enough power out of either of them, or should I try to get something else? I'm pretty set everywhere else.
(kingofstyle from New York)		PECOTA thinks you could use a boost. Gordon's down for a .195 ISO, and Barton for a .152...if you're really set everywhere else, then you shouldn't be hurt too much holding on to them, especially with Gordon's potential, but you might want to start sending out feelers. (Marc Normandin)
2008-02-07 14:00:00 (link to chat)Who do you think will have the better year, Evan Longoria or Alex Gordon?
(Jeremy from St. Paul, Minnesota)		Evan Longoria, and I say that as someone who's still pretty enthused about Gordon. Longoria is a decent approximation of Edgar Martinez. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-01-29 16:00:00 (link to chat)Which Teahen shows up in 2008?
(kcshankd from Lawrence, KS)		I wish I knew. The Royals are in an awkward position with a lot of their young players - ideally they'd be signing some of them to long-term deals, but how do you properly value a guy like Teahen, who has ranged from awful to excellent to average the last three years? How do you properly valuate Zack Greinke? Alex Gordon would be ideally suited for the Tulowitzki treatment, but his performance last year raised just enough doubts that the Royals probably want to see a little more from him first. But the service time clock is ticking.

As for Teahen, I think his offense level will settle between 2006 and 2007. The problem is that he keeps moving down the defensive spectrum, from 3B to RF to (probably) LF. .280/.350/.450 is pretty good at third base; it's pretty mediocre in left field. (Rany Jazayerli)
2008-01-30 13:00:00 (link to chat)I know that this is a basketball chat but I remember your great weekly column on ESPN on the Royals. What's your prognosis for KC this year? Give me a guess on wins.
(dangor from New York)		Yes! I knew a Royals fan would find his way here ... I haven't cobbled together my team projections yet. In fact, I'm seriously concerned about when I going to have time to do so. But I'll answer you like this: I think that at the end of last season, the overwhelming consensus was that the Royals were in a better position than they were at the end of the season before. I'm very confident that at the end of the 2008 season, we'll be able to say the same thing. That said, I wouldn't be shocked if they win fewer games than last season. But a bump up to the 73-76 win range wouldn't shock me, either. Really, it'll come down to how much Billy Butler and Alex Gordon improve. I'm excited, if maybe dreading that NBA/MLB overlap a little bit. (Bradford Doolittle (Basketball))
2008-02-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)if you could compare pedro alvarez to any current major leaguer,who would it be
(tycobb from ga)		Alex Gordon seems like the logical answer, and it makes sense to speculate whether the two might be teammates in a few years. While scouting directors primarily draft talent over need (the smart ones anyway), it's interesting that the teams at the top of this year's draft all have promising young third basemen: Evan Longoria, Neil Walker, and Gordon. Depending on your opinion of Billy Rowell, the team drafting 4th may have one themselves.

Just think what kind of draft the Red Sox would have had in 2005 had they been able to sign Alvarez after taking him in the 14th round. While they came away with Ellsbury, Buchholz, Hansen, Bowden, and Lowrie, not to mention a pair of unheralded kids in Mark Wagner and Reid Engel, the one thing the Red Sox don't in their talented farm system is a highly-regarded third base prospect. (David Laurila)
2008-01-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)What says Pecota on Alex Gordon? More or less an extension of his 2nd half?
(dtimmeny from NYC)		More or less: we have him at .270/.346/.465. What's a little discouraging is that it doesn't see him getting a whole heck of a lot better hereafter: his peak is projected to come in 2010 at .271/.357/.475. He could be an always-a-bridesmaid type of player. With that said, there are still a couple of very encouraging names like Jim Thome lower down his comp list. (Nate Silver)
2008-01-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)Rank these third baseman long term: Zimmerman, Alex Gordon, Ryan Braun, Andy LaRoche, and Evan Longoria.
(chris from chicago)		Zimmerman (man, he's about to have a year), Longoria, Braun, LaRoche, Gordon.

I might flip the last two because I'm not sure the Dodgers won't screw up with LaRoche. There are a ton of good young third baseman, huh?

Here's a better question: which of these guys ends up being Hank Blalock? (Joe Sheehan)


BP Roundtables

DateRoundtable NameComment
2008-09-29 10:30:00Tigers/White Sox Play-In GameGreg Pizzo (China, Maine) asks: "Does the terrific September by the Royals mean anything? Before the season started, we probably would have thought 75 wins was pretty good, but did they find out anything about their 2009 Royals using this September?"

I'm not so sure all that much progress was made. Guys like Billy Butler and Alex Gordon didn't take steps forward, they got a harsh reminder that Brian Bannister doesn't have a lot of upside, and even things that were good for them to have sorted out--like Tony Pena Jr. and Mark Teahen aren't regulars--didn't necessarily turn out perfectly well. It seems that guys like David DeJesus and Mike Aviles need to move from center and short, respectively. Their defense is a bit of a mess, there are questions over who plays where, and there's a mistake like the Jose Guillen contract to live down. On the plus side, Hillman seemed to get his bullpen sorted out well enough, Greinke's settling in, and Hochevar and Davies don't seem too far behind. They're still a few Gloads shy of having all the bricks to build a lasting foundation, but they're getting there. (Christina Kahrl)
 

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