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2006 season Phillies' Gonzalez
constantly striving to get better "I'm not satisfied yet with some of the stuff I've been working on," Gio Gonzalez said when asked about his performance in the Arizona Fall League. The fact that Gonzalez isn't 100% happy with his progress says a lot about the young man from the Miami area, who the Phillies acquired from the White Sox last off-season in the Jim Thome trade. While he's regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the game, Gonzalez knows he still has a lot to learn.
Judging from his numbers in the hitter-friendly AFL, Gonzalez's Fall season looks to have been very productive. The southpaw finished with a 2.81 ERA, 20/10 K/BB rate and only one homerun yielded in 16 innings. The lower homerun total is especially impressive considering he gave up 24 long balls during the regular season. The primary improvement that Gonzalez wanted to achieve in the AFL was working on his leg kick. "I came with something different," Gonzalez said, "and it's been working for me. I'm not saying it's 100% ready, but the hitters, the way they're swinging the bat, have been helping me out in controlling my fastball, working on my changeup and curve ball. They (his pitches) have to be a 'plus' with these guys, because one mistake and it's not going to be here." In addition to his success on the mound, Gonzalez was also a hit with the fans in Arizona, regularly signing autographs and talking to everyone near the dugout before the game. "I try to keep it as humble as possible," he said. "I just walk around with a smile and say 'hi' to fans who have been waving back and saying 'hi' and being friendly with me." That fan-friendliness pays off for Gonzalez. "They've been taking care of me, big time," Gonzalez said in reference to the AFL regulars. "A lot of them have taken me under their wing. Some of the fans have brought me brownies, cookies and stuff like that." "I love to goof around and have fun with the fans." --- Bill Mitchell All photos on the Arizona Fall League Report are credited to Bill Mitchell, unless noted otherwise, and are not to be used for any other purpose without express permission.
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