DENVER – Almost a month into the 2017 season, Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is still mired in a bit of a slump, though there have been recent signs that he is soon to break out, and you never know when he will go on one of his patented hot streaks and remind everyone just how good he can be when he is on.
For now, he is hitting .211 with two home runs and five RBI.
CarGo is also still playing on an expiring $20 million contract, so no matter his production on the field, his future in Colorado remains in doubt. BSN Denver asked Gonzalez on Thursday if the Rockies have been in contact even about just beginning conversations to extend his contract. “No conversations, nothing yet, nothing happening,” he responded.
As we reported earlier in the season, CarGo’s cold start is likely hurting any potential trade offers GM Jeff Bridich might be getting and with this recent revelation that extension talks haven’t begun, one must wonder if Bridich intends to allow Gonzalez to enter free agency at the end of the season.
Of course, one hot month from the star outfielder could change this whole conversation. Manager Bud Black says he thinks he’s coming around. “Better hard contact from CarGo, I’d say the last week,” he said. “When a guy is going poorly at the plate, he’s late on the fastball and way ahead of the off speed. He’s sort of in between, just can’t get the timing right on either one. CarGo seems to be timing up both much better now. He’s on fastballs, the breaking ball he hit last night, he was on that one, you’re seeing harder contact to the opposite field, he’s hit a couple of line drives the other way that have just been caught. But, again, the timing on the off speed and the fastball has been better the last week.”
It should also be noted that like with Trevor Story early, despite the offensive slump, Gonzalez has been quite good defensively, which this team has needed. “You gotta be able to help the pitchers when you are out there, it’s not just about the offense,” he told us.
He knows he makes his money with the bat, though, and despite the low numbers and radio silence from the ballclub about his future, Carlos Gonzalez has all the confidence in the world that he still has that scary offense inside of him. “I’m better,” he says “I’m making progress. But I think winning is the bottom line. I wanna win. I know I’m gonna hit, I’m not concerned about that. I’m concerned about winning. That’s what I want every night, just to help the team win.”
