Gonzalez making case for a big role
SS likely will slot in behind Newman
BRADENTON, Fla. — Tucked behind the monster performances of fellow middle infielders Adam Frazier and Kevin Newman so far this spring, Erik Gonzalez is putting together some really quality numbers in the Grapefruit League.
Before Thursday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, the 29-year-old was hitting exactly .400 (12 for 30). Somehow, though, that’s more than 150 points behind Frazier and more than 300 behind Newman.
It’s no fault of Gonzalez’s own, obviously. He’s playing well, and really, that performance has already paid off. On Wednesday, the Pirates cut shortstop Cole Tucker, among others, from their spring training roster.
There were certainly other mitigating factors to the decision, but one reading of the situation could be a vote of confidence for Gonzalez entering his third season with the Pirates.
The unfortunate thing is Gonzalez appears to be tucked behind Newman and Frazier in the battle for starting repetitions at the middle infield positions, too, even if he does seem to be a lock to make the opening-day roster.
“I value a lot the principle and the value of the meaning behind a team,” Gonzalez said through translator Mike Gonzalez. “And when it comes to the competition and how well Newman is doing, I’m happy for him. But my mind is just not on that. I come in here, try to be a good teammate, focus on myself, focus on my career, my work ethic, the things that I’m coming in here to work on — my plan and all that stuff. I’m not caught up in my numbers, his numbers being a little bit, this and that. I wasn’t even paying attention to that. At the end of the day, I want all my teammates to do well, and I’m here to compete. I’m here to do my best. I’m here to work hard every day.”
That is an expected answer, and it has been a common one among any Pirates who have been embroiled in positional battles during the spring.
At the same time, it is an odd reality — Gonzalez could be performing as well as he is and end up as the reserve middle infielder. And it isn’t like spring results will be anywhere near the most important factor in starting decisions for manager Derek Shelton and his staff, but Gonzalez was a prominent character for them last season, too.
He was hitting .288 more than halfway through the season, before a late slide brought his season-long average down to .227. Even still, he led the team in doubles.
The problem Gonzalez faces is even while making a fair contribution, he still struck out 51 times and finished with a well-below-average OPS-plus of 64, mainly due to the fact he went a paltry 7 for 63 with 22 strikeouts in his final 18 games of the season.
“To be honest, I can’t tell you that it was a batting mechanic or just something that was going on in my hitting,” Gonzalez said. “But I just think it was a month where there was a little bit of struggles at the plate, but it had no effect on me because I know that at the end of the day, if I’d had a longer season, then I would have been able to have my time to make my adjustments and been able to get back on top again.”
Gonzalez seems to be motivated by last season in multiple senses. For one, there’s the drive to improve on his individual statistics.
He also got a small taste of what it’s like to play every day, filling in at shortstop and third base, but usually finding his way into the starting lineup in some way thanks to the designated hitter being used in the National League.