At a recent instructional night for youth baseball in Nebraska, Alex Gordon told Ken Hambleton of the Lincoln Journal Star that there’s “no truth” to the recent report that the Royals have been told they have “no chance” of re-signing their longtime left fielder. (Though it should be noted, the initial report said “no chance” based on the club’s current offer as opposed to “no chance” in a general sense.) As is the case with any player, Gordon almost certainly wouldn’t publicly rule out a destination — especially not one where he has spent his entire career to date. Gordon spoke fondly of his time in as a member of the Royals when talking with Hambleton. “We had so much fun, and to be around to see a team grow like Kansas City did and win the World Series was unbelievable,” he explained. “Right now I’m unemployed and I pay an agent 4 percent to make the calls, take the calls and let me know what’s going on,” he continued.
More from the AL Central…
- Hambleton also spoke to Gordon’s longtime friend and current free agent Brian Duensing (another Nebraska native). “Waiting for a new contract is very scary and stressful, but you can’t let it bother you,” said the former Twins lefty. “They say you never have too much pitching, but I’m waiting to see that come true.” Duensing spent the past seven seasons with the Twins and, after initially seeing a good deal of work as a starter, settled into a bullpen role. Duensing, 33 in February, has a 3.82 ERA over his past 164 innings of relief (three seasons’ worth of work), but his strikeout rate has plummeted in recent seasons, and he’s long been susceptible to right-handed hitters.
- Royals assistant GM J.J. Piccolo said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio today that right-hander Kyle Zimmer is someone the team envisions helping in its rotation, possibly as soon as early 2016 (Twitter link). Zimmer, a former No. 4 overall draft pick, has seen his career slowed by shoulder problems but has put together an impressive resumé when healthy. The 24-year-old worked mostly in relief last year while returning from injury but worked to a 2.39 ERA in 64 innings between Class-A and Double-A, and he has a lifetime 3.28 ERA with 10.8 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 in 216 2/3 minor league innings. Durability will be a question for Zimmer until he proves he can handle a full season’s worth of innings, but his upside is substantial.
- It makes little sense for the White Sox to add Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie if a significant outfield addition is not on the horizon, opines Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Sox have made a pair of upgrades in the infield but still have questions at both corner outfield spots and DH. And, while some believed that owner Jerry Reinsdorf would be reluctant to spend heavily in back-to-back offseasons after a disappointing 2015 season, Van Schouwen notes that the White Sox have long operated in a win-now capacity and are clearly doing so this winter. Adding an outfielder and trading Avisail Garcia or giving Melky Cabrera more DH at-bats would deepen the Sox’ lineup and serve to complement a promising core of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Carlos Rodon, Adam Eaton, Jose Abreu, David Robertson and the newly acquired Frazier.
I think the Sox are poised to add Upton, since he is the only substantial OF free agent left with a lot of RF experience, though it is definitely possible for Gordon and Cespedes to relocate to RF. Really any significant OF addition would give the Sox the best outfield in the division, though.
Tigers still have the best OF…. JK I think with JD he carries it
Melky Cabrera could also move to RF, so I definitely don’t rule out Cespedes or Gordon. I especially think Cespedes is a good fit in that lineup and clubhouse.
Cubs tanked for years to acquire best young team in baseball. Chitown is mainly a Cubs town. How about a Cespedes for the rest of us -on the Southside! Don’t give up a draft pick -even if it’s only27th for your second choice free agent outfielder. It’s time to pry open Jerrys wallet and spend like you belong in the third largest city in the country. Give Sox fans someone to be excited about! Go get your Yoenis!!!
Given their respective makeups, I don’t think the Cubs are any closer to a World Series than the White Sox. Sure, they have an easier path to the playoffs with that offense and playing in a terrible league, but the Cubs really have no chance in the playoffs with the Mets and Diamondbacks having multiple high end aces in the rotation. The Cubs are just going to outhit bad pitching all year and then get swept again, short of picking up two high end starters.
The White Sox do still need an outfielder and they are in a tough league to make the playoffs, but they’ve already got three really good pitchers that can beat anyone in a playoff series.
No thanks, I want Gordon or no one. As for the Draft pick.. Because the Williams/Hahn team again finished so poorly, their draft pick is protected.
Gordon really doesn’t make that much sense. As a player, sure he’d be a nice fit. But when you factor in his age, likely contract, and draft pick compensation, it’s just not that smart of a move unless Cespedes and Upton go for SIGNIFICANTLY larger contracts.
The only way it’d make sense giving up the draft pick is if they sign Upton, who is considerably younger and will be in his prime the majority of the time you have him.
If you want to win, Gordon is the only one that makes sense. If you want to trick people into buying tickets in Jan, you get Upton. Pretty simple
You want to avoid a significant contract, like six years to Upton, for four years of a worse player.
That’s how the White Sox got into the mess they’re in.
Upton would be in the fifth year of a deal before he got to how old Gordon is right now. You’re getting a ton of prime years in any deal with Upton. You get a couple with Cespedes. You get nothing but regression years with Gordon, who is once again the worst of the three already.
The White SOX got into this mess because they never look past next year. They Draft poorly and spend on has been players.. Kenny wanted in their prime 6 years ago.
So your solution is to sign a guy that might still be good this year to a five year deal? And give up a high draft pick to get him?
The things you are saying don’t line up. If you really believed what you said, Alex Gordon would be the last person on your list.
Also, only their first is protected. They would lose their compensation pick, number 27 overall, if they signed Gordon. 27 is a really high pick, and quite a high price to pay for an old outfielder.
Lol Sporting, that has to be the most homerish thing I’ve read all day. Seriously? Cubs are in the toughest division in all of baseball. Top three teams came out of the NLC, 1st time in history. With all due respect, have you honestly analyzed the make up of your team? You can’t honestly believe the thongs you’re typing. I’m hoping my Orioles land Cespedes. We need him a lot more than you.
The National league sporting 6 of the worst 7 teams vying for the worst record in baseball last year. The Central did have three of the top five teams in the NL last year. But their records were more a function of a down national league than anything else.
Did someone honestly refer to Shelby Miller as a “high end ace”? I
Unless you put stock in won=loss record on a bad team, it’s hard not to view him that way. Forget how dominant he was last year, in his career he’s got over a hundred starts and a 3.22 ERA. It’s time to stop thinking about him any other way, the sample size is large enough. He’s really good and obviously improving.
It doesn’t matter what the sox do until they dump Ventura!!!
Keep going up that chain, Hahn and Williams need to go as well.
Hahn is far from the issue. Ridding themselves of Robin and Kenny would be the smartest thing they could do.
Hahn isn’t the issue. He’s actually rather good. It’s Kenny always overriding everything he does. I think Jerry is finally realizing that Kenny is only hindering Hahn from doing his job.
Jerry needs to go too or at least hand it off to his son. Jerry is running this team like a “mom and pop store.” He needs to start running this team with his head instead of his heart. Ventura should have been gone after 2014 but since he’s a former Sox, Jerry won’t fire him or let Hahn fire him. It’s great seeing so many former players working for the team but eventually you have to draw a line.
Williams and Hahn are the problem. They believe this is the 1990s-2000s in the way to build a team. You need to build a franchise that’s sustainable. Their farm system is a joke, the last quality position player the SOX drafted and played in the majors is before the Williams era started 15 years ago. I dare you to take a look at the White SOX drafts from 2001-15, and not laugh.
Jerry gets some of the blame to for not bringing in baseball people to run the baseball operations. This team is reminding me of the CUBS from a decade ago.
The drafting is horrible but that’s not really on Hahn. It’s Williams who drafted almost all of those guys when he was GM. When Williams was GM, he had pretty much full control of the team and could do what he wanted. Hahn doesn’t have that option. Everything he does is scrutinized by Williams who constantly overturns his decisions. It was Williams who wouldn’t let Hahn trade Shark at the trade deadline for some prospects.
Like I said earlier, it seems Jerry is seeing the friction and giving him more power in the organization which is good.
Some interesting opinions here. I don’t believe the Cubs to have an easy path than the white sox. There some quality teams in each league. You can defiantly debate the American League is more challenging, when facing 9 pure hitters vs 8 and a pitcher. The Mets may have all the pitching in the world but that offense is suspect. I’m intrigued by Arizona, not sure why the Dodgers haven’t made more trades, if the Nationals will ever live up to the hype, if the cardinals will continue to age like a fine wine, and the Pirates are very solid but can always use more pitching. White sox need to sign cespedes and with no draft pick compensation they can attempt at building from within with two top 35 selections. Laroche and danks off the books next year should allow more financial flexibility, as well as the opportunity to address depth, more arms for the bullpen and back of the rotation. I’m unsure why I don’t see the white sox signing veteran pitchers to use as potential trade bate if things don’t work out as planned or even in the event that they bounce back and provide valuable innings. Plenty of pitchers who are affordable out on the market. I like the Cubs approach with assembling washed up starters and converting them to long relief for situational pitchers out of the pen. Cubs have also flipped a few starters who bounced back for prospects. If anything the white sox could try to replicate that would be it
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Why not pick up a lead off hitter like Fowler he could play LF and stick with Garcie in RF that’s a good Of and Milky as a DH now that’s a better team
The white sox have a bigger need for a manager! FIRE VENTURA NOW