[新聞] Gordon nets Aaron nomination in breakout 2011
KANSAS CITY -- This was the kind of year Alex Gordon was expecting.
The second-overall pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft seemed lost after
struggling with injuries and being demoted to Triple-A last year. But thanks
to some health and hard work, those early comparisons to former Royals great
George Brett don't seem quite as outlandish anymore.
Following his breakout 2011 season, Gordon is the Royals' nominee for the
Hank Aaron Award, given to the top offensive performer in both the American
League and National League.
Through Oct. 9, fans can vote for their choice to win the award. A select
panel, including Aaron, will also take part in selecting this year's winners,
who will be announced during the World Series.
In the eyes of Royals manager Ned Yost, this was the start of Gordon
realizing his potential, rather than just a lucky year.
"It's not a flash in the pan when you put together a good year like he has,"
Yost said. "He's worked real hard to put himself in this position. He's
always been a diligent worker, a guy that gives his best effort every time he
steps on the field.
"You can get hot, we've seen it, you can get hot for 100 at-bats, put
together a streak. But to do it over the course of an entire season is very
difficult to do; it's not a fluke."
The 27-year-old credits his work with Royals hitting coach Kevin Seitzer last
offseason for his success at the plate.
"It was a couple little things here and there. If you look at my swing, you
might not be able to tell a big difference," Gordon said. "I definitely think
I'm looser, I think I'm freer, which allows me to have better bat control. I
think the biggest thing has been my approach, just what I go up there trying
to do every time."
Yost noticed the changes from last year and said the work Gordon put in last
winter definitely paid off.
"The swing was a little bit long, a little bit uppercutty, didn't stay in the
zone a whole long time," Yost said. "But this year, after revamping his swing
a little bit during the winter, his bat stays in the zone longer. It allows
him to get to more pitches and drive through more balls."
Seitzer thinks the consistency of Gordon's new approach resulted in the big
offensive production.
"You don't put up the numbers that he's put up this year without maintaining
that mental discipline that he's been able to take into the game every
night," Seitzer said.
According to Fangraphs, Gordon is seventh in the American League in Wins
above Replacement, which measures how many more wins a player is worth than
the average bench player or Triple-A callup. Gordon's 6.9 WAR ranks above the
Yankees' Robinson Cano (5.6).
Gordon's big RBI totals come even though he's been hitting leadoff for most
of the season. He had all five of the Royals' leadoff home runs in 2011. And
when the bottom of the Kansas City lineup gets on base, Gordon tends to bring
them home.
The breakout year couldn't come at a better time for a young Royals team
looking to start contending next season and beyond. Gordon's balanced mix of
offense -- whether measured by hits, on-base percentage, power or steals --
shows what can happen when talent, hard work and patience finally click.
"In these cases where you allow them to have a chance to grow, have failure,
recoup from it, it pays off," Yost said. "And Gordon's a good example of it."
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 219.81.162.221
Royals 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章