Most of the people in the front office today weren't there when Gordon was drafted. And at this point he's not even their guy anymore. He's hardly played, and when he's played he's played poorly. Since then, Gordon's played in just 61 games and he's got a. He wasn't the new George Brett, but the new Tim Wallach, maybe? 333 and finished second in the MVP balloting). In the event, Gordon did not play well as a 23-year-old rookie (when George Brett was 23, he batted. He was, it seemed, as sure a thing as you'll find. Particularly after he ripped through Double-A pitchers in his first professional engagement. But there was absolutely no reason to think he wouldn't become one of the game's best third basemen. He never had a great chance of actually doing that. He wanted to become the next George Brett. What's more, Gordon grew up in Nebraska and wanted to play for the Royals. As I recall, everyone had Upton and Gordon one-two on their lists. It's incredibly difficult to criticize the Royals for drafting Gordon. And Upton, Zimmerman, Braun, Tulowitzki, and McCutchen have already been All-Stars, or will be. With the exception of Gordon and Maybin, all the rest are currently playing key roles in the majors. With the exception of Townsend (a bust because of injuries), each of these guys has played in the majors. The only thing more discouraging than getting sent back to the Nebraska is probably sitting on the bench and watching Alberto Callaspo and Chris Getz and Jose Guillen play because - so you're told - they're better than you.Įarlier in the post, Joe mentions the five infielders taken among the top seven picks in the 2005 draft, and how well most of them have done. I think Rany Jazayerli will argue, when he gets around to it, that it's better for Gordon to play every day in Omaha than sit on the bench in Kansas City. And the Royals will once again wonder why good things always seem to happen to other teams. And everyone will talk about that old “change of scenery” thing. Then Gordon will end up with another team, and if he’s still young enough and that team gives Gordon a real chance and appreciates his strengths, then I suspect he will blossom. It’s more likely that as Getz proves he can’t hit, and Yuni’s on-base percentage plummets, and the Royals continue to believe it just isn’t worth the pain to put Callaspo back at second base, they will at some point bring Gordon back, but without expectation and without a position, and it won’t work, and this will be proof to those who need proof that Gordon is a bust. It’s more likely that Gordon is discouraged. Yes, Gordon might hit his way back up and force the Royals hand. When you send him to the minor leagues after only 12 games, it doesn’t matter what you say. It’s rearranging furniture on the Titanic to make room for the wagon wheel coffee table. If you put Getz at second, you have to move Alberto Callaspo to third, that way you can keep Scott Podsednik in left, and Rick Ankiel in center when he gets healthy, and Jose Guillen at DH … see, the Royals have no choice! This isn’t just rearranging furniture on the Titanic. He’s going to range up and the middle and, especially, into the 4-3 hole”). No, they are sending him down so they can get the unseen value of Chris Getz into the daily lineup (“It may not be those standout things like a double in the gap or the great diving play every night,” Royals manager Trey Hillman told the Star’s Bob Dutton, “but he’s going to turn the double play. Of course, the Royals insist they are not giving up on Gordon. Gordon, even a disappointing Gordon, is one of the better players on this team. I think the Royals have made a huge mistake here sending Gordon down. Instead he's back in Triple-A, and Joe Posnanski isn't impressed. You remember Alex Gordon? He was supposed to be an All-Star by now. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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