DENVER—Carlos Gonzalez struggled to adjust to major league pitching last summer, but his confidence was anything but shaken.
The 23-year-old outfield prospect boasts that one day he can make Colorado Rockies fans forget all about slugger Matt Holliday, who was sent to Oakland in November for Gonzalez and pitchers Huston Street and Greg Smith.
“I think if I play good and if I get better as a player, I may be the next Matt Holliday,” Gonzalez said. “I trust myself. I know I have the tools. God gave me the strength to play in this game. We’ll see in the future.”
The Rockies are eager to see what they have in Gonzalez, who will play all three outfield positions when spring training opens in Tucson later this month. He’s a natural right fielder but his best shot at making the team is in center field, where he’ll compete with Ryan Spilborghs.
Gonzalez was considered a top prospect in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization when he was dealt to Oakland along with Smith in the blockbuster trade that sent ace Dan Haren to Phoenix before the 2008 season.
He was called up last summer to get his indoctrination into the big league world.
“That was a special time,” Gonzalez said. “Everybody was waiting for me to play in the big leagues because when you trade one of your best players everyone wants to see what player you are. That really helped me when I got there. They treated me really good over there.”
It wasn’t all good times and laughter, however.
Gonzalez hit .242 with four homers and 26 RBIs in 302 at-bats for the Athletics. He struck out 81 times in 85 games, at one point getting sent back to the minors to work things out with his approach at the plate.
“I went 2-for-40 when I got sent down. That was a good move for the Oakland A’s. I was a little down, I got sent down to Triple-A, I got my confidence back,” Gonzalez said. “Everybody knows we’ve got the tools and we can play, but it’s more mental stuff. When I got sent down that’s what I worked on. Then I got my confidence back and that’s when I got sent up.”
Then, less than a year after getting traded for Haren, he was dealt for Holliday, something Gonzalez wears as a badge of honor.
“When you’re involved in big trades like for Matt Holliday and Dan Haren, they believe in you and they have good expectations there,” Gonzalez said. “I’m really excited. I think this year will be really good for me.”
Still, he said he must prove he is worthy of being dealt for two superstars.
“There is a lot of pressure because everybody knows those guys already and they proved they can play. When you’re a prospect, you have to show up here and try to be the best you can and play the game right like them and try to be an All-Star like them,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez concurs with the notion that he’s talented but still somewhat raw.
“They might be telling the truth,” Gonzalez said. “When you’re a young player you have to wait and see how we’re going to make the adjustments in the big leagues.”
“I’m pretty sure those guys, when they started their careers in the big leagues they had their ups and downs. I think it’s normal that I struggled last year a little bit.”
The Rockies are going to be hard-pressed to make up for Holliday’s absence.
A two-time All-Star, Holliday had 128 homers and 483 RBIs in five big league seasons in Colorado. He led the Rockies to their only World Series appearance two years ago, when he won the NL batting title with a .340 average and hit 36 homers with a league-best 137 RBIs.
Right fielder Brad Hawpe disputes the notion that the Rockies will have to play more “small ball” now that Holliday is gone. He noted that Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki are healthy after missing much of last year.
“Those are two of the better players in the National League. We lost one of the better players in the National League and we’re getting two back. I think we’re looking pretty good,” Hawpe said.
“We’ve got 25 guys that have got to contribute every day regardless of who’s here and who’s not.”
Gonzalez aims to be one of those 25.
“I’m pretty sure if they give me the opportunity I won’t let this team down,” he said. “And if I stay here from the first day, I’ll stay here forever. That’s my goal.”
