Former Toronto Blue Jay infielder Alex Gonzalez has emerged from his short retirement with a renewed excitement for the game and will be making his signature diving stops on the field for the Kansas City Royals in 2007.

Gonzalez, who entered the 2006 season as a backup infielder with the Phillies, retired last May after racking up poor offensive numbers and spending most of his days on the bench. The adjustment from everyday player to the bench didn't sit well with Gonzo, who found himself unhappy and pondering his commitment to the game. After a few months away from the diamond though, the once highly touted shortstop started "reviving" his frame of mind and physique and found himself "hungry for the game". He was reinstated on Nov 1 and signed a minor league contract with the Royals on Jan 12.

While he may not be a shoe-in for the Royals' starting line-up, Gonzalez is certainly trying to prove his worth: in the 8th inning in the Royals 4-3 win over the Wite Sox on Monday, he drove in the winning run with a single and prevented a run with a gritty diving stop. If he doesn't make the roster though, Gonzalez has a clause in his contract that will force the Royals to release him. "It is either here or another club," Gonzalez said, though he's 100% committed to winning the spot with KC.

For the Royals, picking up Gonzo may just be the ticket: 2B Mark Grudzielanek will likely start the season on the Dl following knee surgery earlier this month, and shortstop Angel Berroa has never lived up to the high standards he set in his rookie season. Gonzalez could challenge for the starting SS role, or fill in at second while Grud' rehabs. In either case, the Royals have an experienced vet who can field, and you can never have too much defense up the middle!

This post was added on Tuesday, March 20th, 2007 at 9:09 am and is filed under Player Acquisitions . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.