CHICAGO | Left fielder Alex Gordon confirmed he shares the Royals interest in discussing a multi-year contract once the season concludes.Staying here? he said. Heck, yeah. I love it here. I love the guys here. I love being close to home. I love the fans. I love everything about this place.General manager Dayton Moore previously characterized a long-term deal with Gordon as something well look at once the season concludes. Gordon said Moore repeated that message to his agent in a recent conversation.My agent came through and talked with Dayton, Gordon said. They communicated that they want to wait until the season is over and go from there.Gordon, at 27, is putting together a breakthrough season after years marred by injuries. He has already established career highs in hits and runs, has matched his career high in doubles and is just two home runs and two RBIs shy of career highs.He is also on pace for career-bests in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percent while simultaneously establishing himself as a premier defensive left fielder in his first full season since switching from third base.Gordon recently set a club record with his 18th outfield assist. No outfielder in either league entered Sunday with more than 12 assists.It all positions Gordon for a major raise from his current salary of $1.4 million. Barring agreement on a multi-year deal, he is eligible for arbitration but, under the current labor agreement, wont be eligible for free-agency until after the 2013 season.Treanor clearedVeteran catcher Matt Treanor took a major step toward returning to active duty when he passed the impact test that Major League Baseball uses to gauge a players recovery from a concussion.Everything is a go, he said, and were trying to square away plans for a rehab assignment.Treanors likely destination is a midweek trip to Class AA Northwest Arkansas, which opens a six-game homestand on Wednesday. Class AAA Omaha is currently on a road trip to Salt Lake and Tacoma.Tentative plans call for Treanor to catch five or six innings, take a day off, and then increase his workload. Non-pitchers can remain on a rehab assignment for 20 days.The Royals would need to make a roster move to activate Treanor prior to Sept. 1. Thereafter, the rules permit rosters to expand to 40 players for the remainder of the season.Treanor suffered the concussion July 30 in a collision at the plate with Clevelands Matt LaPorta.Moose in captivityThird baseman Mike Moustakas is now zero for 34 in nine career games against the White Sox. He went zero for three with a walk in Sundays 6-2 loss to the White Sox, which leaves him zero for 22 in six games at U.S. Cellular Field.I didnt really know I was o-fer against the White Sox, he said, but I knew it wasnt good. Thats the game, sometimes.Moustakas overall average is down to a season-low .185 through 51 games. He is batting .124 15 for 121 in 32 games since July 4 while working to correct a swing flaw: a tendency to pull off pitches by opening his right shoulder.The front-shoulder issue is better, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer said. Now, it comes to the approach portion. The more off-speed pitches you get in fastball counts, if youre not sold out to go back through the middle, youre setting yourself up for being vulnerable.Hes doing better, and hes working on it. Hes just having a hard time, as the game speeds up, because he wants to drive the ball and do some damage. Hes had better at-bats, better swings, but he still has some adjustments to make.Seen againJeff Francis quick exit did provide the Royals with an opportunity to find work for two seldom-used rookie relievers: right-hander Nate Adcock and lefty Everett Teaford.Adcock pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in only his second appearance since July 27. He walked the bases loaded with one out in the sixth but escaped when Moustakas made a fine play by turning Brent Lillibridges sharp grounder into a double play.Teaford pitched around a one-out single and a wild pitch in a scoreless seventh. It was his first outing since Aug. 2. Hosmer sitsFirst baseman Eric Hosmer, mired in a three-for-22 slide, wasnt in the starting lineup against White Sox lefty John Danks.It was Hosmers first trip to the bench since June 28, and his absence spawned a major reshuffling in the lineup. Billy Butler started at first, which enabled Melky Cabrera, still nursing a sore left ankle, to serve as the designated hitter.Mitch Maier drew a rare start just his 14th of the season as Cabreras replacement in center field. Cabrera and Butler each dropped one spot in the order, to third and fourth, and Johnny Giavotella replaced Cabrera as the No. 2 hitter.Minor detailsIdaho Falls shortstop Daniel Mateo, serving as the designated hitter, batted for the cycle Saturday night and drove in eight runs in a 15-10 victory at Ogden. Mateo accomplished the cycle in the first five innings.Ogden walked Mateo, a switch-hitter, in the ninth inning, and Runey Davis followed by hitting a grand slam. Mateo is batting .319 with two homers and 30 RBIs in 42 games for the Chukars in the short-season Pioneer League.The Royals signed Mateo, who turned 20 last Wednesday, as a 16-year-old Dominican free agent on Feb. 25, 2008. He spent 2009 in the Dominican Summer League before batting .218 last year in 52 games for Surprise in the Arizona Rookie League. Looking backIt was three years ago Monday Aug. 15, 2008 that Hosmer, then a senior at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla., agreed to club-record signing bonus of $6 million. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.

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Gordon and Royals to discuss long-term deal after season

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

More News

CHICAGO | Left fielder Alex Gordon confirmed he shares the Royals’ interest in discussing a multi-year contract once the season concludes.

“Staying here?” he said. “Heck, yeah. I love it here. I love the guys here. I love being close to home. I love the fans. I love everything about this place.”

General manager Dayton Moore previously characterized a long-term deal with Gordon as “something we’ll look at” once the season concludes. Gordon said Moore repeated that message to his agent in a recent conversation.

“My agent came through and talked with Dayton,” Gordon said. “They communicated that they want to wait until the season is over and go from there.”

Gordon, at 27, is putting together a breakthrough season after years marred by injuries. He has already established career highs in hits and runs, has matched his career high in doubles and is just two home runs and two RBIs shy of career highs.

He is also on pace for career-bests in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percent while simultaneously establishing himself as a premier defensive left fielder in his first full season since switching from third base.

Gordon recently set a club record with his 18th outfield assist. No outfielder in either league entered Sunday with more than 12 assists.

It all positions Gordon for a major raise from his current salary of $1.4 million. Barring agreement on a multi-year deal, he is eligible for arbitration but, under the current labor agreement, won’t be eligible for free-agency until after the 2013 season.

Treanor cleared

Veteran catcher Matt Treanor took a major step toward returning to active duty when he passed the impact test that Major League Baseball uses to gauge a player’s recovery from a concussion.

“Everything is a go,” he said, “and we’re trying to square away plans for a rehab assignment.”

Treanor’s likely destination is a midweek trip to Class AA Northwest Arkansas, which opens a six-game homestand on Wednesday. Class AAA Omaha is currently on a road trip to Salt Lake and Tacoma.

Tentative plans call for Treanor to catch five or six innings, take a day off, and then increase his workload. Non-pitchers can remain on a rehab assignment for 20 days.

The Royals would need to make a roster move to activate Treanor prior to Sept. 1. Thereafter, the rules permit rosters to expand to 40 players for the remainder of the season.

Treanor suffered the concussion July 30 in a collision at the plate with Cleveland’s Matt LaPorta.

Moose in captivity

Third baseman Mike Moustakas is now zero for 34 in nine career games against the White Sox. He went zero for three with a walk in Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the White Sox, which leaves him zero for 22 in six games at U.S. Cellular Field.

“I didn’t really know I was o-fer against the White Sox,” he said, “but I knew it wasn’t good. That’s the game, sometimes.”

Moustakas’ overall average is down to a season-low .185 through 51 games. He is batting .124 – 15 for 121 – in 32 games since July 4 while working to correct a swing flaw: a tendency to pull off pitches by opening his right shoulder.

“The front-shoulder issue is better,” hitting coach Kevin Seitzer said. “Now, it comes to the approach portion. The more off-speed pitches you get in fastball counts, if you’re not sold out to go back through the middle, you’re setting yourself up for being vulnerable.

“He’s doing better, and he’s working on it. He’s just having a hard time, as the game speeds up, because he wants to drive the ball and do some damage. He’s had better at-bats, better swings, but he still has some adjustments to make.”

Seen again

Jeff Francis’ quick exit did provide the Royals with an opportunity to find work for two seldom-used rookie relievers: right-hander Nate Adcock and lefty Everett Teaford.

Adcock pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in only his second appearance since July 27. He walked the bases loaded with one out in the sixth but escaped when Moustakas made a fine play by turning Brent Lillibridge’s sharp grounder into a double play.

Teaford pitched around a one-out single and a wild pitch in a scoreless seventh. It was his first outing since Aug. 2.

Hosmer sits

First baseman Eric Hosmer, mired in a three-for-22 slide, wasn’t in the starting lineup against White Sox lefty John Danks.

It was Hosmer’s first trip to the bench since June 28, and his absence spawned a major reshuffling in the lineup. Billy Butler started at first, which enabled Melky Cabrera, still nursing a sore left ankle, to serve as the designated hitter.

Mitch Maier drew a rare start – just his 14th of the season – as Cabrera’s replacement in center field. Cabrera and Butler each dropped one spot in the order, to third and fourth, and Johnny Giavotella replaced Cabrera as the No. 2 hitter.

Minor details

Idaho Falls shortstop Daniel Mateo, serving as the designated hitter, batted for the cycle Saturday night and drove in eight runs in a 15-10 victory at Ogden. Mateo accomplished the cycle in the first five innings.

Ogden walked Mateo, a switch-hitter, in the ninth inning, and Runey Davis followed by hitting a grand slam. Mateo is batting .319 with two homers and 30 RBIs in 42 games for the Chukars in the short-season Pioneer League.

The Royals signed Mateo, who turned 20 last Wednesday, as a 16-year-old Dominican free agent on Feb. 25, 2008. He spent 2009 in the Dominican Summer League before batting .218 last year in 52 games for Surprise in the Arizona Rookie League.

Looking back

It was three years ago Monday – Aug. 15, 2008 – that Hosmer, then a senior at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla., agreed to club-record signing bonus of $6 million. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.