Gio Article

[LostInBoston]

From Yahoo...

 

  Quote

Gonzalez goes 38th

 

By MANNY NAVARRO, mnavarro@herald.com

 

Surrounded by friends, family and former teammates, former Monsignor Pace pitcher Gio Gonzalez spent three anxious hours Monday afternoon sipping soda, clutching his cellphone and pacing in a Red Lobster restaurant in Hialeah.

 

 

Gonzalez, 18, wasn't waiting for a seafood platter to be brought to his table. He was looking to get hooked by a team as high as possible in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft.

 

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The Chicago White Sox finally bit at about 1:30 p.m. when they drafted him with the 38th overall selection, a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds.

 

 

Gonzalez became the highest Dade pick since Luis Montañez in 2000 and the first of six Dade high school players to be picked in the first eight rounds Monday. The draft, which continues today and ends Wednesday, goes 50 rounds.

 

 

"I just want to thank everybody who supported me over the years," said Gonzalez, the second prep left-hander picked. "I can finally breathe.

 

 

"Last night, I got two hours of sleep. Today, when I woke up, I felt like a girl who was getting ready to go to the prom. Everything had to be perfect."

 

 

It wasn't perfect, but the first day of the draft was good for local players as 22 players with South Florida ties were taken in the first 18 rounds. Last year, 15 were taken in the first 20 rounds.

 

 

Among the highlights:

 

 

• Three Dade pitchers -- Belen's Gaby Hernandez, Coral Park's Eddie Morlan and Gulliver's Chris Garcia -- went in the third round.

 

 

• Columbus catcher Alex Garabedian, who signed with the University of Miami and had been projected to go as high as the second round, went in the seventh to the Yankees.

 

 

• Other Dade players taken included Goleman catcher Carlos Medero (eighth round, Dodgers) and Westminster Christian catcher J.P. Arencibia (17th round, Mariners).

 

 

• Broward had four players selected. Nova right-hander Anthony Swarzak (second round, Twins) went the highest.

 

 

Gonzalez was afraid his draft status might slip after he and brother Max were kicked off the Pace team this past season. But that did not play a role in the draft, according to Max Sr., who said his son had received interest from five teams.

 

 

The White Sox ultimately came up with best offer -- an $850,000 signing bonus as well as an agreement to pay for college.

 

 

"Gio is a great kid," Max Sr. said. "The first thing I want to do is buy him one of those little Lexus convertibles. Then an apartment on South Beach. He deserves it."

 

 

Gio Gonzalez said local White Sox scout Pepe Ortega was a huge factor in his selection. Last year, Ortega got the White Sox to draft Coral Park shortstop Robert Valido in the fourth round.

 

 

Gonzalez said he likely will sign with the White Sox on Friday before flying out to Arizona on Saturday to begin training with the club's Single A team.

 

 

There, he will begin working toward a major-league career, earning about $850 a month.

 

 

"I want to play as fast as possible," Gonzalez said. "I haven't pitched in a game in like two months. It feels like forever. I'm going to work hard. I want my dream to come true."

 

Hell yeah! I was concerned about his letter of intent to Miami... I'm excited to see this guy in the next couple years...

[DBAHO]

Wow that is so huge, this guy could really move up the minors fast with that curveball of his. Very similar to Arnie Munoz, and we mite see em both in the White Sox rotation 1 day.

[winninguglyin83]

go gio, go

[greasywheels121]

That's awesome news; the quicker we can get all these guys, the better this is for the future of our organization.

[Chisoxfn]

FutureSox.com

 

The Chicago White Sox and compensatory pick Giovany Gonzalez have made a hand shake agreement. Gonzalez will get a $850,000 signing bonus and will get his college tuition paid for if he chooses to go to college. Gonzalez will then fly out to Arizona to begin training. He will likely be sent to Kannapolis or Great Falls following that.

 

Gonzalez was the 2nd best left handed pitching prospect in the draft, behind only Scott Elbert (Seneca High School, Missouri) and arguments could be made that Gonzalez was in fact the best left handed pitching prospect. Had the off the field issues not happened, he would of been a sure fire first rounder.

 

Gonzalez features one of the best hooks in the draft. It isn't a Barry Zito, slow 12-6 curve, but a very hard tight curveball. Gonzalez also has a good fastball and projects to add another couple MPH on his already plus fastball (90-94). Gonzalez mixes in a good changeup as well.

 

The only questions on Gonzalez entering the draft were the incident where his mom blew up with his high school coach over Gio's brothers playing time. The incident lead to Gio being kicked off the team. The other question is how his body will hold up. At 6ft, 170 pounds he has a very small frame for a pitcher. However, as he develops he should put on a little bit more mass, while hopefully adding leg strength, which should put less stress on his arm.

 

Gonzalez went 6-0 with a .93 ERA. He struck out a whopping 81 batters in 37 innings of work prior to him being kicked off Pace Monsignor's team. Pace was ranked #1 in the country most of the season and they were eliminated from the playoffs by Archibishop McCarthy. It was the first game the team played with Giovany.

 

FS Take: Look for Gonzalez and a few of the other higher draft choices to start in Kannapolis. The Intimidators have a strong pitching staff, but they have a few pitchers worthy of a promotion (McCarthy, Haigwood, Rodriguez, possibly Miller), while the Warthogs, are in dire need of improved starting pitching. Both Gonzalez and fellow compensatory pick Tyler Lumsden have the ability to pitch in Kannapolis' rotation out of the gate.

[CWSGuy406]

I love this kid - once he signs, he officially becomes my favorite pitching prospects!