St. Louis Cardinals rookie LHP Marco Gonzales, #1 draft pick, 19th round in 2013 June Amateur Draft from Gonzaga University. His career between the minors and the majors has been a roller-coaster for the young prospect.
Almost a year after being drafted, pitching at the Double-A level in Springfield in 2014, 2.33 ERA with 46 SO in 34.2 innings pitched. June 24th, he was called up to the majors to join the Cardinals
at Coors Stadium to start against the Colorado Rockies. Starter Jaime Garcia had gone down with yet another shoulder issue. Gonzales traveled to Denver for the game on June 25.
Being a native of nearby Fort Collins, CO, family and friends were in attendance for his debut. As
we have seen from rookies, his first outing was not a sharp as he wanted to be. He did go five innings, but gave up 1 HR/5 ER/2 BB/3 SO. With the Cardinals winning the game, he came away with a no decision for his first major league appearance.
He made two more starts, with little improvement and was sent back down to the minors to refine
and regroup.
When called back to St. Louis, against the Chicago Cubs; and, his second start in Busch Stadium,
we saw definite improvement with a 1.50 ERA going six innings, only allowing three hits and one earned run. He remained with the Cardinals and over the course of September, being placed in the bullpen, he held a 2.45 ERA bringing his high 9.00 of June, down to a 4.15 by the close of his
short season.
He got the nod for postseason, remaining in the bullpen and proved to be very effective in his first
5.1 innings pitched - only allowed three hits, three earned runs, issued one walk, and had four strikeouts. It was his last 0.2 inning that his game got away from him against the San Francisco Giants during the World Series. He allowed only one hit, but for three earned runs. Even though, in his postseason experience he was 2-1/4.50 ERA, For a rookie and the pressure of postseason play,
not a bad showing by the young prospect.
In 2015, Gonzales was invited to Spring training and was in the running for the #5 rotation spot, along with Carlos Martinez. Martinez's sat at 3.94 after 16 IP over five appearances (four starts). Gonzales has posted a 0.71 ERA over 12 2/3 IP in four appearances (three starts). Decisions are not made on ERA alone, and it was Gonzales BB/SO imbalance that sent him back to the minors, as Martinez received the nod from manager Mike Matheny as the fifth starter for the Cardinals 2015 season. Martinez struck out 16 batters, walking five. Gonzales, seven K's while walking four. Spring training is a short period to judge, but with factors on the whole, a judgement call is made.
During the 2015 season in Memphis Triple-A, Gonzales experienced shoulder issues of his own which kept him on and off the DL, and back on again. However, after some rehab, he was recalled to St. Louis with disastrous results. He was only able to pitch 2.2 innings, gave up four earned runs on seven hits, one walk, one strikeout for a 13.50 ERA. Was it fair to bring him up? There could be viable arguments in that regard. He had pitched 69.1 innings, 51 strikeouts but had given up 10 HR/42 ER for a 5.45 ERA.
Fast forward, Gonzales has joined the early arrivals at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter FL for the 2016 Spring training camp, He has had full rest in the off-season, experiencing no shoulder discomfort, and ready to compete for major league duty. According to Gonzales, (Derrick Goold, St. Louis Post Dispatch)
“Ups and downs, being hurt, being healthy,” Gonzales said. “It’s all part of the process. So (is) learning this game, learning myself and my character. Maybe I just needed to be served some humble pie last year. We all do sometimes.”
Gonzales has already had time on the mound at RDS in the informal workouts. Maturity and self-reflection does play a major part in one's ability to perform their best, in my opinion. Also, I feel (as I always have), that Marco has a bright future in the majors. I believe he has finally found "the between the ears" mindset and understands the mechanics that will make him better, make him stronger on the hill. I believe his mind in now in the right place to become one of our best.
Spring training officially begins the coming Wednesday with pitchers and catchers reporting. Gonzales is geared up for all to begin; along with the support of his wife as Gonzales was married in the off-season. I feel the rookie left-hander is now grounded, grown through experience, knows his strengths and weaknesses to be a strong piece in the Cardinals bullpen in 2016.
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