Colorado Rockies: How long is the leash for Carlos Gonzalez?

By Aaron Hurt | Apr 4, 2018

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Carlos Gonzalez #5 of the Colorado Rockies during a regular season MLB game between the Colorado Rockies and the visiting San Diego Padres at Coors Field on September 17, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Getty Images) /

The six-month wait to once again enjoy Colorado Rockies baseball is over. It didn’t take long for slick defensive plays by Nolan Arenado and bombs hit by Charlie Blackmon to remind me just how much I love the Rockies.

Unfortunately, there was something that tried to hinder my enjoyment. Something that haunted me throughout most of last year.

After watching Carlos Gonzalez swing and miss at another low and outside breaking ball and rolling over another grounder to the right side of the infield, it got me thinking. What if CarGo repeats his April/May performance of last year or goes into a prolonged slump? How long does manager Bud Black and GM Jeff Bridich wait until they pull the plug?

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Now I am not suggesting that he is struggling and that its time to sound the alarm. He has played well in the first few games … but I feel that this is a fair question that needs to be pondered.

Again, I am not saying he is playing bad. So far, he is 5-for-21 with a pair of RBI, a walk, and a stolen base in five games. Those hits includes a solid RBI double in Monday night’s win over San Diego and the Rockies’ hardest hit ball this year with his rocket single (116 MPH exit velocity) that almost took the head off of Arizona’s Robbie Ray in the fifth inning of Friday’s game.

What has been concerning is that Gonzalez is still prone to chasing pitches outside of the strike zone as he has already struck out six times this year. Also keep in mind that, historically, CarGo is a slow starter. Last year, he hit 44-for-186 (.236) with four homers,17 RBI and 42 strikeouts in the months of April and May.

If things do happen to go awry, what might make the decision easier this time around is his contract. Last year, in what was the final year of a seven-year, $80 million deal, he was making $20 million. This year, he is only costing the Rockies $8 million. A smaller contract plus two solid insurance policies in David Dahl and Raimel Tapia, who are waiting in Triple-A Albuquerque, could result in a shorter leash for CarGo if things start to go south.

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Best-case scenario, Gonzalez plays like the CarGo of old and I just wasted time worrying about nothing. Worst case, Bud Black will have an extremely difficult decision to make.

No matter what, it’s great to have baseball back.

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