CarGo ready for 'new beginning' with Tribe

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – When the 2018 season ended, Carlos Gonzalez was not sure where his next opportunity would come, but he knew he wanted it to be in the American League.

The Indians announced the signing of Gonzalez to a Minor League contract Tuesday afternoon. The 33-year-old outfielder said he was contacted by the Giants and the Indians around the same time, but favored the Tribe because playing in the American League would give him a different experience.

“I think in the past two years, facing American League pitchers was something I wanted to do," Gonzalez said. "Being stuck in one division, it kind of gets – it doesn’t get tiring, obviously, because you’re playing baseball. You’re playing what you love. But I wanted a new beginning. Be in a new organization. When the opportunity opened, that’s why I took it.”

Gonzalez said that he was surprised that it took as long as it did for him to find a job, although he got a taste of the process last year, having signed with the Rockies on March 12. Even though he might not have expected a Minor League deal at the start of the offseason, he said he’s just thankful that the Indians believe in him.

“I don’t want to let anybody down,” Gonzalez said. “I’m gonna work harder than I worked before and I just want to go out there and prove to people what I’m able to do.”

Gonzalez will not be breaking camp with the Tribe next week. Indians manager Terry Francona said that the team has a month to get Gonzalez ready since he has an April 20 opt-out clause in his contract. Although Gonzalez said he’s been working in the cage all offseason, he’ll need some time to get his body ready and see live pitching. He said he hasn’t faced a pitcher since his last game of the postseason on Oct. 7.

“I feel healthy, I feel strong, I just want to have at-bats and show them what kind of player I am and what can I bring to the table,” Gonzalez said. “That’s what I wanted to do right now, I’m just going to follow whatever they want me to do and just prepare myself for whenever it’s my time to go play.”

A lot of attention has been drawn to Gonzalez’s numbers at Coors Field. Last season, Gonzalez hit .315 (.941 OPS) with 10 homers at home and .241 (.663 OPS) with six homers away from Coors Field.

“It’s like you have to make adjustments on everything, your body, pitchers,” Gonzalez said. “So, that’s why you’ve seen guys struggle on the road because it’s like you’re playing in a different league every time, you’re facing different pitchers, you might face a guy who was struggling the last time you faced him and now he’s dealing because it’s away from a ballpark.

“But I have no doubt that anybody can have a productive year playing in a different stadium. So, it’s all about taking the adjustments and feeling comfortable and staying in one spot for a long period of time. So, I think that’s the difference between playing in Coors and playing on the road.”

Gonzalez has appeared in at least 200 games at all three outfield positions, but said he’s more comfortable in either left or right and it’s likely he’ll be in either of those spots come mid-April. Over his 11-year career, he’s been selected to three All Star Games, won three Gold Glove Awards and a pair of Silver Slugger Awards.

“We’re getting a pro,” Francona said. “I mean everybody you talk to just loves him. Loves having him around. Not just what he does with a bat, just the way he carries himself, the way he’s a professional and I mean in my small interaction with him so far, you can tell you just love the way he carries himself.”