BA talks about Gio

[Heads22]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/askba/263003.html

 

Now let's get to a quick question before I get dragged back to work on the 2007 Prospect Handbook, which would make a fine holiday gift, if I say so myself.

 

Following the Freddy Garcia trade, where will Gio Gonzalez rank on the White Sox Top 30 in the Prospect Handbook?

 

Richard Wambach

St. Charles, Ill.

He'll rank No. 3, behind outfielder Ryan Sweeney and third baseman Josh Fields. Gonzalez rejoined the White Sox after we ran that Top 10 in our magazine but before our Phillies list was unveiled, so you'd have to buy the Handbook to check out his scouting report.

 

Because it's the holiday season, however, I'll give you an early gift and present the scouting report written by Chris Kline. Gonzalez would have rated No. 2 on our Philadelphia Top 10.

 

Gio Gonzalez, lhp Born: Sept. 19, 1985. B-T: R-L. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 190. Drafted: HS—Miami, 2004 (1st round supplemental). Signed by: Jose Ortega.

 

Background: The White Sox signed Gonzalez for $850,000 as the 38th overall pick in the 2004 draft, and he might have gone even earlier had he not left his high school team in a dispute over his brother's playing time. Chicago packaged him with Aaron Rowand and minor league lefty Daniel Haigwood in the Jim Thome trade following the 2005 season, then reacquired him 13 months later. The Phillies sent him back, along with Gavin Floyd, in exchange for Freddy Garcia. Gonzalez spent 2006 in Double-A as a 20-year-old, holding his own despite erratic command at times.

 

Strengths: Gonzalez has a fundamentally sound delivery that he repeats well, creating effortless 92-95 mph velocity with his fastball. His low-80s hammer curveball always has been his go-to pitch, and he'll use it in any count. He located his changeup better in 2006, and it shows flashes of being a third plus pitch. Though there were questions about his durability, he pitched a career-high 155 innings and added 16 more in the Arizona Fall League.

 

Weaknesses: Gonzalez will need better command with his fastball and more consistency with his changeup to succeed at higher levels. He fell behind in the count early and often in Double-A, leading to too many homers and walks. He can get top-heavy in his delivery, which causes him to rush his lower half and leave fastballs up in the zone.

 

The Future: The White Sox were delighted to get Gonzalez back. He has all the making of a legitimate No. 2 starter, but they have no reason to rush him. He'll likely return to Double-A at the beginning of 2007.

[DBAHO]

That fastball-curve-change combo is a lot like what B-Mac has now for comparisons sake.

 

And with the change, B-Mac showed how effective he could be as a starter if he could locate that pitch, it was almost a bit like a screwball (from the 1 game I remember that he pitched at Fenway).

 

That's a major challenge for Gio in the upcoming years, to try and get the changeup on that sort of level. Confident he can do so.

[RME JICO]

I am really glad the Sox got him back. That was the one guy I hated to lose in the Thome deal.

[Balta1701]

That fastball-curve-change combo is a lot like what B-Mac has now for comparisons sake.

 

And with the change, B-Mac showed how effective he could be as a starter if he could locate that pitch, it was almost a bit like a screwball (from the 1 game I remember that he pitched at Fenway).

 

That's a major challenge for Gio in the upcoming years, to try and get the changeup on that sort of level. Confident he can do so.

If you think about a guy like Zito for comparison, the big overhand curve ball tends to be more of a dominating pitch from the left side than from the right side at least based on my eyes, so Gio might well be able to get away without having to use the changeup as a murder pitch like BMac needs to because he comes in from the right side, especially if he can throw a low 90's fastball for strikes along with it.

[Whitewashed in '05]

Initially I thought all those homers came from hanging curves. I am sure some did, but I didn't know it was mostly from leaving the fastball up.

 

Can anyone verify that he can pop the fastball at 95 consistently?

[CWSGuy406]

Initially I thought all those homers came from hanging curves. I am sure some did, but I didn't know it was mostly from leaving the fastball up.

 

Can anyone verify that he can pop the fastball at 95 consistently?

 

Two comments:

 

Part of the reason for the increase in homers was due to his home park. Redding is an extreme pitchers park, and IIRC, he pitched two-thirds of his innings this year at home. A higher percentage of his flyballs went out of the yard.

 

And no, he doesn't pop the fastball at 95 consistently. All the scouting reports seem to say 90-93 while occassionaly touching 94-95.