KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Alex Gordon signed with the Kansas City Royals a decade ago, during the final week of the worst regular season in franchise history. The Royals of 2015, winners of the last two American League pennants, would scarcely recognize that team. It endured three managers, led the majors in errors, and staggered to 106 losses.
“Throughout the losing years we had, it was like all the highlights that you saw on the big board or the TV were all about the ’80s,” Gordon said. “We really didn’t have anything to celebrate until now.