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Diabierna 25 September 2020

Alex Gordon retiring after playing entire career with Royals

(AP) — Kansas City Roy- Gordon decided to keep work ethic and commitment he never quite hit with the Series. “You always had re-
als outfielder Alex Gordon, playing for a team he believes truly has reached legendary kind of average the Royals spect and admiration for the
whose rollercoaster career is on the cusp of winning. status.” Gordon was the sec- hoped he would, Gordon did way Alex played the game,"
took him from near bust That changed during the ond overall pick in the 2005 through sheer grit turn him- Matheny said, “but also the
to All-Star and Gold Glove COVID-19 pandemic. With first-year player draft after a self into one of the best de- way he wore the jersey. He's
winner, will retire after the the game shut down, Gordon standout career at Nebraska, fensive players in the game. one of the players that em-
season. knew this would be the end. where he won the Golden He is the only outfielder to bodied a style and excellence
Spikes Award as the best am- earn seven Gold Gloves in that comes with the brand of
He said during a Zoom news “I feel like at the end of the ateur in baseball. He made a nine-year span, a number the Kansas City Royals.”
conference Thursday that the day, I'm missing my kids and his big league debut two that trails only White's eight
pandemic reinforced his feel- their activities more than I'm years later and, after a few for the most in franchise his- Gordon admits that he rare-
ings that he wants to spend going to miss this," he said. years shuttling back and forth tory, and there are enough ly cries — his wife, Jamie,
more time with his family “It's kind of bittersweet be- to the minors, moved from replays of him crashing into often chides him about it.
and "catch up on things I’ve cause this is hard for me to third base to the outfield and the outfield wall at Kauffman But he finally teared up this
missed my whole life.” do. This is what I've done finally found success. Stadium or throwing out a week when the text messages
Gordon had signed a one- my whole life. but at the runner at the plate to run for flowed in from teammates,
year deal to play with the same time I'm excited to be He wound up playing his en- hours. rivals and longtime friends.
Royals, and now he will do around my family, be around tire 14-year career in Kansas Gordon won the first of And when Gordon thought
what so few have done in pro my kids, and just catch up on City, joining George Brett three defensive player of the about spending more time
sports: end his career with things I've missed my whole and Frank White as position year awards in 2014, when he with his two sons and little
the team where it began. life.” players with that much lon- helped Kansas City return to girl, it was hard to make them
“It's hard. I think any base- Gordon said his immediate gevity with the franchise. He the World Series for the first stop.
ball player would say that,” plans are to hit the links. He heads into a weekend four- time since its 1985 champi-
said Gordon, who turns 37 in often plays golf with team- game series against Detroit onship. The Royals wound “I remember telling my
February. “You grow up play- mates Whit Merrifield and with the third-most walks up losing to the Giants in a teachers I wanted to be a Ma-
ing this game, it's a game you Greg Holland during the (682), fourth-most homers seven-game thriller, but they jor League Baseball player
love, but you come to that season, and the left-handed (190), fifth-most doubles returned to the Fall Classic and sure enough it happened.
day when you know it's over Gordon wants to finally beat (357) and sixth-most games the following year and beat ”he said. “This game has
— it's hard.” them by this time next year. played (1,749) in club history. the Mets in five games to win been great for me over my ca-
The three-time All-Star also the World Series. reer, but at the same time —
Gordon thought about re- And, after diligently adhering holds the dubious distinc- I'm very blessed to do this as
tirement last year, when the to a healthy diet, he's dying tion of being the Royals' ca- It was during the 2015 that long as I have — but it does
Royals were hiring Mike Ma- for some pizza. reer leader in getting hit by Gordon hit one of the iconic take away from family time.
theny to replace his longtime “It's very difficult to articulate pitches. homers in Royals history. His It's kind of bittersweet. I'm
manager, Ned Yost, and the your feelings and emotions at tying shot off Mets closer going to miss my teammates
team appeared to be rebuild- a time like this,” Royals gen- “There's always going to be Jeurys Familia in Game 1 in there, and competing with
ing. But with teammates such eral manager Dayton Moore ups and downs,” he said, “but forced extra innings, and the them, but at the same time
as Danny Duffy and Salvador said, “but Alex has set the bar that's part of life. You have to Royals won in 14 to set the I'm excited about the next
Perez still in the clubhouse, on the field, off the field. His keep looking forward.” While tone for the rest of the World chapter in my life.”