Royals option Alex Gordon to AAA

by Ophidian on May 2, 2010 9:40 PM EDT

Everyone's favorite screwy organization has optioned the "franchise saviour" back to AAA again now that they've activated Chris Getz from the DL.

Infos

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm glad they're doing this rather than letting him rot on the bench. At the same time, I doubt Getz or Callaspo will be on the next good Royals team and there's still a decent shot that Gordon will. Then again, this is the same organization that has repeatedly buried Kila Ka'aihue by acquiring inferiour options. The Royals are not playing for this year, so "fielding the best team possible" isn't really much of an excuse. You don't sign the dessicated remains of Jason Kendall when you want to field the best team possible.

The dumber thing is that Gordon missed all of Spring Training with a broken thumb, was rushed back from his rehab stint when Getz got hurt (when the red hot Mike Aviles was an available substitute), predictably struggled to find his swing, and now is getting demoted. I'm not sure if it matters in this case, but since he isn't on a rehab stint anymore, Gordon is no longer accruing MLB service time (remember, they played games with his service time last year).

Basically, this seems like another prime example of a bad team being badly run and making a poor situation worse.

Additional commentary from Fangraphs

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Comments

just noticing

But Gordon has a really bad history of coming back from injury . . .he takes a LONG time to find himself again, doesn’t he?

by mrkupe on May 2, 2010 10:15 PM EDT reply actions

he needs this

It is the big test, can he learn from the demotion and rehab successfully or has the injury finished him. Or does the demotion effect his head too much

by Rickfansince76 on May 3, 2010 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Can't miss

http://twitter.com/FutureSox
http://FutureSox.com

by The Big Hurt on May 2, 2010 10:24 PM EDT reply actions

except

major league pitches apparently. which he misses a lot

by RollingWave on May 3, 2010 3:34 AM EDT up reply actions

nothing to add

but Callaspo is a damn fine player. defense plays well at 3B and guy can really hit.

baseball rules.

by doublestix on May 2, 2010 10:33 PM EDT reply actions

indeed....callaspo is not the problem...

it’s guillens hotstreak/getz/treyton

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on May 3, 2010 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Callaspo is a fine player

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on May 3, 2010 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

not a big deal

He was scuffling right now at the plate. Let him go to AAA, get some regular ABs and try to find a groove. He’ll get some much needed confidence after smacking around some AAA pitching. We cannot even begin to comprehend the amount of pressure he must feel in every AB with the Royals.

JOSH THOLE > carlos santana

by Dewey Finn on May 3, 2010 12:24 AM EDT reply actions

Yea is was poor management to rush him back when he missed all of ST and only rehabbed vs High A. What did they really expect, should of been in AAA for the last 2 weeks getting his swing back.

by hybrid on May 3, 2010 1:38 AM EDT reply actions

Change of scenery candidate.

I’m really having a hard time envisioning him succeed in KC.

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by alskor on May 3, 2010 1:58 AM EDT reply actions

Me neither. I’d be on the phone if I was the O’s, Astros, Cardinals or Angels.

by JP_Frost on May 3, 2010 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

or Twins

I’d gladly take him in Minnesota. Low pressure situation, plenty of other bats and good hitters to learn from.

by purppride1 on May 3, 2010 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Alex Gordon is better than Billy Butler

Due to Gordon’s defense at 3B and Butler’s defense at 1B.

Yet, Gordon gets jerked around by the organization and Butler is basically Royal royalty. Not that that’s unexpected, given the way they run their team… I feel bad that my favorite pitcher will be stuck there throughout his prime.

by oplaid on May 3, 2010 6:32 AM EDT reply actions

Part of the reason bad teams are bad..

They tend to do a really poor job of handling their young players. It’s especially disappointing since a bad team doesn’t have the “heat of the pennant race” excuse to fall back on.

by Ophidian on May 3, 2010 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

BS

Gordon’s best WAR 2.3 (been downhill since then)
Butler’s WAR last season 2.6

by nyy601 on May 3, 2010 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Another ridiculous demotion

This is about as bad as the Iannetta demotion. Gordon received only 38 PAs this year and is walking at a very nice clip.

by Jeff Reese on May 3, 2010 1:21 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Not adding anything new, but pretty much everyone who commented above was right in some respect. Gordon was rushed back from injury before he was ready; he’s consistently undervalued by that organization; and given that last fact, he makes a ton of sense as a change of scenery guy (in fact, I actually advocated the Phillies making a run at him in the offseason).

by PhillyFriar on May 3, 2010 2:58 PM EDT reply actions