From Hialeah to Jose: Why playing for the Marlins is so important to Gio Gonzalez
Gio Gonzalez sat down for his first Zoom press conference as a Miami Marlin on Tuesday with a custom Hialeah Marlins throwback hat on his head, a lifetime of Miami baseball stories in his heart, and a feeling of pure joy and appreciation at finally getting to play for his hometown team.
He began by telling a story about catching a foul ball hit by Luis Castillo sometime when he was in middle school. The 35-year-old recalled days crossing paths with some of his childhood idols — like Dontrelle Willis, Josh Beckett and Craig Counsell — throughout his 13-year MLB career.
He laughed about the time he pitched in South Florida for the first time, when he was starring for the Washington Nationals, and had to buy more than 600 tickets so his friends and family could watch him play at Marlins Park.
He also cried about one of the most tragic stories in baseball history — one that hits particularly hard for the Cuban-American pitcher from Hialeah.
Gonzalez spent more than a minute trying to compose himself when it was mentioned he might get to wear the same jersey as Jose Fernandez. The two pitchers, with their Cuban roots, became close friends and offseason fishing buddies before Fernandez died in a boating accident in 2017. Gonzalez’s brother, he said, was one of Fernandez’s best friends. He sniffed back tears and wiped water away from his eyes until he could muster a few words.
“It’d be an honor,” the left-handed pitcher said.
“I know the city loved him and we loved him, and it’s just tragic all around,” he added after another 30 seconds or so. “He’ll always have a special place in this baseball world.”
Gio Gonzalez, the starting pitcher
Gonzalez, who signed a minor-league deal with Miami on Wednesday, is now in Jupiter for spring training, hoping he’ll prove himself worthy of donning the same jersey his late friend did at some point this season.
The lefty faced real hitting for the first time Tuesday when he threw a live bullpen session on the back fields around Roger Dean Stadium. With the Marlins off before resuming Grapefruit League play Wednesday against the Houston Astros in Jupiter, Gonzalez pitched one inning against a group of hitters, which included South Florida natives Lewis Brinson and Eddy Alvarez.
Gonzalez — who won two state championships at Hialeah Senior High School, graduated from Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens and originally committed to play for the Miami Hurricanes before the Chicago White Sox picked him in the first round of the 2004 MLB draft — said his shoulder feels good after he dealt with an injury last year and spent the offseason rehabilitating at Pinecrest Physical Therapy
“I thought he looked healthy. We’re talking about a veteran that kind of knows who he is,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said. “It’s just a matter of him getting some reps and fine tuning some stuff. He had some misses in there that he was aware of and a little bit more on the attack early, but those are things we’ll talk about. He looked healthy, though.”
Gonzalez said he hasn’t talked much with Stottlemyre, manager Don Mattingly or any other higher-ups within the organization about what sort of specific role he could have with the Marlins, but he’s at camp to compete for a spot on the Major League roster. He has started 328 games in his career and come out of the bullpen 16 times, but he appeared as a relief pitcher eight times with the White Sox last season and posted a 4.83 ERA in 12 games. He brings some versatility to the Marlins, as well as some veteran depth for a young, talented starting rotation.
If everyone is healthy, pitchers Sixto Sanchez, Pablo Lopez, Sandy Alcantara and Elieser Hernandez are likely to be the top four starting pitchers, with the fifth spot up for grabs.
“Representing the Marlins was always any kid’s dream to be from South Florida,” Gonzalez said. “To finally get a chance and an opportunity to put on that uniform, and use whatever you can in the tank to go out there and makes sure I pitch for them.”
Gio Gonzalez, the veteran pitcher
He doesn’t want to step on the dynamic the Marlins’ pitching staff already has, though. He singled out Lopez, 25, as “the captain” of the rotation after he started 11 games with a 3.61 ERA last season. He said all the young pitchers, though, remind him of some of the elite arms he has played with throughout his career.
“I’ve been fortunate in my career to see some pretty damn talented arms and, to look at it now, there’s still some pretty damn talented arms,” he said. “All these guys have such potential and bright futures. This is going to be one of those things that you can’t miss a show. One of these guys is probably going to throw a no-hitter, perfect game. They have the capability of doing that kind of stuff.”
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Gio Gonzalez, the South Floridian
Still, Gonzalez couldn’t hide his unbridled excitement about potentially pitching for the Marlins this year.
For the special occasion Tuesday, he wore a hat to highlight his roots — a black snapback, with the old Florida Marlins logo and “HIALEAH” printed in front of it. He got it from Cool J’s, a shoe store in Miami, after a friend texted him a picture of the perfectly Gonzalez cap. It’s sort of a prized possession, along with a signed Counsell jersey, which he got when he was playing for the Milwaukee Brewers manager in 2018 and 2019.
Gonzalez said he worked out for some other teams before the Marlins called, yet he was always waiting for his shot with the Marlins. When he was growing up, he said his dream was to either pitch for the Marlins or the Hurricanes. Now he wants to make the most of his chance.
“I really wanted the Marlins to come right away, but better late than never. It’s better than sitting at home with my feet up and just expecting a job,” Gonzalez said. “I’m happy the Marlins gave me an opportunity, and I’m happy I convinced them and changed their mind to kind of bring me along to see how it works out.”
