Kansas City Royals Alex Gordon retires at the end of the season after 14 years with the team

Kansas City, Missouri – Royals’ Alex Gordon, whose career led him from near Depression to All-Star Winner and Golden Glove, will retire after this season.

He said during a press conference at Zoom on Thursday that the epidemic reinforced his feelings that he wanted to spend more time with his family and “catch up with the things that I have missed all my life.”

Gordon signed a one-year deal to play for the royal family, and now he will do what few have done in professional sports: end his team career where it began.

Gordon, who turns 37, said in February, “It’s tough. I think any baseball player would say that. You grew up playing this game, it’s a game you love, but you come to that day when you know it’s over – – Difficult.”

After 14 years of hard work and dedication to my # the Royal familyAlex Gordon is retiring from baseball.

Thank you for always giving you your all, Gordonii.# 4 Ever Royal pic.twitter.com/S5A0Y7ASFq

Kansas City Royals (Royals) September 24, 2020

Gordon contemplated retirement last year, when royals were hiring Mike Matheny to replace longtime manager Ned Yost and the team seemed to be rebuilding. But with team-mates like Danny Duffy and Salvador Perez staying at the club, Gordon decided to continue playing for a team he thought was close to winning.

That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the game closed, Gordon realized this would be the end.

“At the end of the day I feel that I miss my children and their activities more than I will miss,” he said. “It’s bittersweet because it’s hard for me to do. That’s what I’ve done all my life. But at the same time I’m excited to be with my family, being with my kids and just catching up with things I’ve missed my whole life.”

Gordon said his immediate plans are to hit the bonds. He often plays golf with teammates Witt Merrifield and Greg Holland during the season, and Gordon wants left-handed defeats by this time next year.

And after sticking so hard to a healthy diet, he’s dying for some pizza.

“It’s very difficult to express your feelings and emotions at a time like this,” said Royals General Manager Dayton Moore, but Alex set the standards on the field off the field. His work ethic and commitment have truly reached legendary status.

Gordon was the second overall pick in the 2005 First Player of the Year draft after a notable career in Nebraska, winning the Golden Spikes as Best Amateur in Baseball. He made his league debut two years later, and after a few years of hopping back and forth to the palace, he made the move from third base to the field and finally achieved success.

He ended up playing his 14-year career in Kansas City, joining George Brett and Frank White as central players with this long-running franchise. It heads into a series of four weekend matches against Detroit with the third-highest number of walks (682), the fourth largest number of players (190), the fifth-largest number of players (357) and the sixth most matches (1749) in club history.

The Three-Time All-Star also holds the dubious distinction of being the Royals’ professional leader in being hit through the courts.

He said, “There will always be ups and downs, but that’s part of life. You have to keep looking ahead.”

Although he never reached the mediocre level the royals were hoping for, Gordon through fierce determination transformed himself into one of the best defensive players in the game. He is the only defensive player to have won seven gold gloves in a nine-year period, a number that tracks only eight to White to the most in franchise history, and there are enough replays for him as he crashes the pitch wall at Kaufman Stadium or throws a runner on the board to run for hours.

Gordon won his first three Best Defensive Player Awards in 2014, when he helped Kansas City return to the World Series for the first time since the 1985 tournament. The royals ended up losing to the Giants in seven thrilling matches, but they returned to Fall Classic the following year and defeated Mets in five matches to win the World Championship.

During the 2015 season, Gordon struck one of the leading figures in the history of the royal family. His equalizer shot Mets close Jeurys Familia in the first game forced extra rounds, and the royals won 14 to set the tone for the rest of the World Series.

“I’ve always had respect and admiration for the way Alex played the game, but also the way he dressed the shirt. He is one of the players who has embodied the style and distinction that comes with the Kansas City Royals brand,” said Matheny.

Gordon admits he rarely cries – his wife, Jimmy, often scolds him about it. But he’s finally torn apart this week when text messages poured in from his teammates, competitors and old friends. And when Gordon thought about spending more time with his two sons and young girl, it was hard to stop them.

He said, “I remember telling my teachers that I wanted to be a major baseball player in the league, and it sure happened.” “This game has been great for me throughout my career, but at the same time I’m very happy to do it as long as I do. But it takes family time. It’s kind of bittersweet. I miss my mates over there and compete with them, but at the same time I’m excited for the next chapter in my life.” . ”