TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -The Colorado Rockies are watching Carlos Gonzalez closely in every batting session, bunting drill and outfield station, especially his control at the plate.
Gonzalez, in competition for the starting job in left field and playing time at the other two outfield spots, tends to over-swing and not wait for the right pitches.
“I think I have a good swing if I make good contact,” Gonzalez said. “It is more a matter of being patient. Sometimes when we feel comfortable at the plate we get aggressive and hit the ball far. At the same time, when we feel comfortable, we need to be smart and get a good pitch and make good contact.”
Composure at the plate has been the sticking point early in his career. He struck out 81 times and had 13 walks in 85 games with Oakland last year.
Gonzalez is trying to make Colorado’s 25-man roster this spring after the Rockies acquired him from the Athletics in November in the Matt Holliday trade. Colorado also received reliever Huston Street and left-hander Greg Smith.
contention for the fifth starting spot.
Gonzalez is battling Seth Smith, Ian Stewart and others for the job in left. None of the candidates has a noteworthy edge in experience, leaving the door open for anybody with a productive spring.
“We want to watch him run some balls down, throw the ball, run the bases and swing the bat, and then we will have the opportunity to evaluate that and make any changes we deem are necessary,” Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said of Gonzalez. “He has got some legitimate power, has a very dynamic swing to generate bat speed and squares the balls up. There are a lot of things you like.”
Gonzalez hit .242 with four homers and 26 RBIs in his first major league season with A’s. He slumped in August, batting .176 with 32 strikeouts in a terrible stretch that sent him back in the minors for a short time.
“I played winter ball. We take that serious. It is a big deal,” Gonzalez said. “We go over there to be a better player and take care of our weaknesses. I need to take more walks, not get a lot of strikeouts. That is what I was working on. It is trying to get a better pitch to hit and concentrating on my strike zone.”
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