Sports

Another Solid Outing For Chi Chi -- Is It Enough?

March 24, 2015 / 7:40 AM CDT / CBS Texas

By Cory Mageors | @inthemageors

SURPRISE (105.3 THE FAN) -- Chi Chi Gonzalez took the mound for his warmup pitches the last week of Spring Training and threw his first pitch into the dirt.

"Bad start already," I joked with Kevin Hageland.

We talked to Gonzalez earlier in the day and had a good conversation with him about the ins-and-outs of the NCAA tournament and whether or not I should touch every pitcher's shoulder while we're out here for the week. He suggested I don't.

We joked after his second warm-up pitch that was wild and lifted catcher Robinson Chirinos from his set position to reach away and snatch the ball out of the air.
"The kid's nervous," I said.

"He should be, the next two games decide whether or not he makes the team," Kevin said.

More: 105.3 The Fan at Spring Training

At that point, I realized I was kind of rooting for him. There are some open spots on this pitching staff and who wouldn't want to see a hard throwing righty who is young and can flourish in this Rangers system get his career started.

The next pitch, right down the pipe and popped so loud the entire stadium took notice.

A few more warm-up pitches and it was time to get down to the get-down.

He told us earlier in the day he just wanted to get his work in and try to get "80 pitches in 6 innings," or some form of that. The idea being if he stays out in front, he'll be working on the path pitching coach Mike Maddux and head coach Jeff Bannister wanted.

Gonzalez fired a strike to Billy Hamilton then got him to ground out weakly to first base.

Joey Votto almost ripped his noggin off on the next at bat lining one up the middle. Then he battled with former Rangers outfielder Marlon Byrd.

Byrd earlier in the afternoon walked out of the tunnel and took a right heading to the Rangers dugout, a little déjà vu at play there possibly?

Byrd didn't take it easy on Chi Chi, in fact he waited for the right pitch and ripped one up the middle too, but this time, a little weaker than Votto's and a little more towards second base where the Rangers turned a double play. After 16 pitches, 10 of which were strikes, Gonzalez looked in control.

The next inning he cruised through with 10 pitches in a 1-2-3 set.

The third inning was relatively quiet as he had to get out of a couple of runners on base jam, but then in the fourth, a little adversity.

Devin Mesoraco made a deposit just over the left field 379 sign and the game was knotted at 2's. Gonzalez promptly responded with a strikeout and a ground out to short. Quick work and showed some fight.

Gonzalez finished the night out with 5 innings and 6 strikeouts on 82 pitches. Solid work.

I feel like he'll make his way to the Rangers rotation at some point. He's aggressive and attacks the strikezone the way the coaching staff wants, but still as I watched Maddux working with him in the dugout after his outing, he has plenty left to learn.

For a kid that's only played at the AA level, he has all the qualities and just the type of presence on the mound.

He's one of those guys you pull for, and in time, he certainly will be one of the young guns on the Rangers roster.