The 2017 season has been a funky one for Carlos Gonzalez. While the Rockies took the league by storm with their impressive play – early on, at least – Colorado’s cornerstone struggled to figure things out on the diamond.
Coming off of a career year in 2016, Gonzalez was out of sync for virtually the entire 2017 season.
Gonzalez is hitting just .243 on the year with eight home runs and 45 RBI; it’s not a good look for the 31-year-old free agent to be.
Although he’s struggled for a majority of the season, Gonzalez has kept a positive attitude and work ethic, and it’s starting to pay off for him at the plate. As Colorado heads off to Los Angeles and then on to Arizona for a pair of crucial four-game series, Gonzalez is starting to heat up.
Since July 18, Gonzalez is hitting .313 with 14 doubles, 24 RBI and 17 runs scored. His .279 batting average in the month of August ranked above teammates Nolan Arenado, Ian Desmond and Mark Reynolds.
Baseball is a game of peaks and valleys, and Gonzalez knew that his hard work would pay off eventually.
“No. Same me, man,” Gonzalez said with a smile, when asked if he’s changed anything during his struggles. The approach, mindset, and routine have all remained consistent. Nothing’s new, other than the fact that he’s shown flashes of the ‘CarGo’ of old over the course of the past several weeks.
“I’m feeling good at the plate lately,” Gonzalez said. “I continue to work no matter what. If it’s good or bad, you just keep moving forward. I think this is a good opportunity for me and for the team to start playing good baseball, especially late in the season and finish what we started.”
Gonzalez has come on strong recently, hitting safely in 29 of his last 39 games since July 18. His offensive resurgence led to Rockies manager Bud Black slotting Gonzalez back into the coveted third spot in the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants.
“I think it’s more of what we have seen the last week or so,” Black said of the decision to move Gonzalez up in the lineup. “The harder contact; better takes, better swings.”
Colorado owns a two-game lead on the St. Louis Cardinals for the second National League Wild Card spot. With the schedule narrowing by the day, it’s essential that the Rockies put their recent struggles behind them and sharpen up for the postseason push. This starts with Gonzalez. He has been with the franchise through the lowest of lows and now has an opportunity to help push the club over the top.
The Rockies have put themselves in prime position to makes the postseason without the usual production from Gonzalez. If he can get going consistently, he would bring an added veteran presence to round out Colorado’s already stacked lineup. What has happened to date this season with Gonzalez doesn’t matter. The most important games of the season are still ahead for the Rockies, and that presents the opportunity for Gonzalez to return to ‘CarGo’ form and help lead the charge for the team.
Twenty-three games stand between the Rockies and their first postseason berth in a decade. The time is now for Gonzalez to step up and help finish the fight for a club that has picked him up regularly throughout this season.
“There’s nothing special about me right now,” Gonzalez said. “It’s all about the entire group. All I’m trying to do right now is help the club in any way possible. [Whether] if it’s pinch hitting, hitting third, or any spot in the lineup, I just want to get the job done and help this team win.
