"Priceless" Lessons for Gonzales

(Jupiter, FL) When Marco Gonzales spoke at the St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warm-Up, he suggested that perhaps a bit of “humble pie” was served last season as he experienced injury and setback for the first time in his career. Sitting down after his Spring Training workouts, the young left-hander elaborated on that thought.

“Absolutely, I learned a lot of lessons,” said Gonzales. “Patience and just kind of finding my character and really just digging deep and pushing through the process and just trusting I would come back. That’s tough when the past years just flew by, jumping level to level and things like that.

“Sometimes, you need to slow down and look around you. Those lessons–last year is priceless, I think. A lot of people might call it a failure year or a down year, but for me it was–as a player and from the lessons I learned about myself, I think it was priceless.”

His handling of the situation has not escaped the attention of his manager.

“With that struggle physically, there’s normally challenges and I think those challenges begin to weigh on you and your confidence mentally which then really puts you in a spot where you have to evaluate yourself and your character–how you respond to things not going your way, great life lessons too,” said Mike Matheny.

“Marco’s very perceptive. He saw all that and you have opportunity. You either get better from that adversity or you wait and learn it the next time because it’s going to happen again.”

Now physically stronger and equipped with a new series of exercises to help ensure he avoids future shoulder impingements, Gonzales is looking to once again compete–whether it be in the bullpen or rotation.

“A couple of years ago, I might have said I’ve been a starter my whole life, this is what I’m comfortable with; I’m gonna be a starter; I just want those innings,” he began in terms of having a preference. “But having pitched out of the ‘pen, I loved it. I loved the adrenaline, I loved everything about it. I loved being down in the bullpen and getting called on a moments notice.”

The now 24-year old Gonzales made 11 appearances out of the bullpen for the Cardinals in 2014–including five consecutive scoreless outings in the playoffs.

“My presence as a baseball player has been versatility since I’ve known–playing first base, outfield, and hitting in college I was always just like ‘yeah, whatever I can do today let me know, I’m in’ so for me there’s no hesitation whether it’s in the bullpen or starting.”

While the St. Louis Cardinals starting rotation is currently set there is room in the bullpen for at least one if not two pitchers to claim their spot. Gonzales, along with the likes of Tim Cooney, Mitch Harris, and Tyler Lyons are in that competition. In Spring Training and through the early part of the Grapefruit League, all three left-handers are expected to be stretched out and work as starters before any decision is made to cut back on their innings.

photo credit: Brian Stull/STLBaseballWeekly.com