TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Colorado Rockies have figured they can't ask more of Luis Gonzalez than what he gave them last season, so they won't.
Gonzalez arrived at Spring Training as an unknown, taken from Cleveland in the Rule 5 draft. All Gonzalez did was earn spring Most Valuable Player honors, then spend the season functioning well as a utility man. He batted .292 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs.
So, despite the abundance of young projected starters who have a lot to prove, the Rockies will not be throwing Gonzalez into the mix for a starting job.
"We're going to move him all around," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He'll get some time at third. He'll play a game or two at short. He'll be all over.
"It's not like he's taken three months off, either. He just finished a winter ball campaign, where he played all over the field. He got another 50-some games in. If anything, we don't need to take as focused a look at Luis Gonzalez as we did last spring."
Expecting to return to his utility role, Gonzalez, 25, played in Venezuela the way he did with the Rockies.
"I got to see my family, then started to play over there just like during the season," said Gonzalez, who batted .341. "I played third base, second, outfield. I practiced with the same routine that I had here. I focused every day and played well."
He seems to be a talented player, and he's going to be playing for/in Colorado. I was thinking of taking a flier on him with a bench spot in one of my deep leagues. What do you think the chances of him turning out to be like Figgins are?
StlSluggers wrote:I was thinking of taking a flier on him with a bench spot in one of my deep leagues. What do you think the chances of him turning out to be like Figgins are?
He might have the position eligibility like Figgins had but I don't see him putting up useful numbers unless it's a deep league.
Maine has a good swing for a pitcher but on anything that moves, he has no chance. And if it's a fastball, it has to be up in the zone. Basically, the pitcher has to hit his bat. - Mike Pelfrey
In a very very deep league, he is a very reasonable player to take late. He has some value because of that position versatility and Coors Field. Whether or not he gets enough playing time to matter or not is the gamble. If you're in a league where Matt Riley is getting drafted, then this guy should be somewhere in the mix.
I have him at 319th between Paul Loduca and David Eckstein. I even have him two slots ahead of Utley this year. Of course, I'm assuming he gets reasonable playing time, as the clipping seemed to indicate.
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by StlSluggers » Fri Mar 11, 2005 1:34 pm 
It was for a spot on my Minors (read: Reserve) roster. It's not my 25-man roster.
