Probably just pulled him to get Wolters some playing time. Nothing in the article mentions otherwise.
RubberDucks report: Erik Gonzalez looks to fill big shoes in Akron
By August Fagerstrom
Beacon Journal sports writer
Erik Gonzalez has some big shoes to fill.
He’s got a few inches on the recently promoted Francisco Lindor, so that should help.
But on a more serious note, RubberDucks manager David Wallace doesn’t think the players are too different, despite the lack of attention Gonzalez has received in contrast to Lindor.
At least in the field.
“He’s a great defender and that might be underselling him a little bit,” Wallace said. “I mean, he’s very good. Very smooth, under control, long limbs but they’re coordinated. He makes the game look easy. There are a lot of guys that feel his defense is right there with Francisco’s. It’s that good. From what I’ve seen, I’d give Francisco a slight edge right now all-around. But defensively, Erik’s right there with him.”
Lindor likely has the stronger arm, but Gonzalez’s range was put on display early in Tuesday’s game, where he made two nice plays behind second base.
At the plate is where the difference is most apparent. Lindor is much more polished, mostly with regards to discipline.
In a six-game stint at the Double-A level earlier this season, Gonzalez noted that he was being pitched differently.
“They throw sliders, screwballs and changeups for a strike,” Gonzalez said. “In High-A, a lot of pitchers throw changeups and sliders in the dirt. But here, every pitch is a strike.”
This doesn’t surprise Wallace, and is the No. 1 thing he’s looking for in Gonzalez’s adjustments.
“He probably saw a lot of sliders and changeups because they have a scouting report on him,” Wallace said. “And they’re going to do that to him until he proves that he’ll lay off or that he’ll be able to hit it. They’re going to find out what your weakness is and they’re going to expose it. It’s up to you to make the adjustment.”
Though Gonzalez, 22, is two years older than Lindor, he has the frame of a person who doesn’t look like he’s done growing. His nine home runs last season nearly doubled his total of five in the previous three seasons combined, and there could be more to come.
“You look at the kid’s frame and swing and the power’s there. He hits more line drives, but the home runs that I have seen him hit have just been out like that,” Wallace said as he snapped his fingers. “We feel like his offense will catch up to his defense and when it does, you’ve got a pretty special player.”
Gonzalez has the ability to play multiple positions and has done so throughout his minor league career. With Lindor out of the picture, Gonzalez figures to take over as the everyday shortstop in Akron.
“I feel most comfortable at shortstop,” Gonzalez said. “When I was playing in little league, I played shortstop. That’s my favorite position.”
Gonzalez can get comfortable, now, as he has a new home not only at shortstop, but also in Akron.
August Fagerstrom can be reached at
afagerstrom@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the RubberDucks blog at
http://www.ohio.com/blogs/rubberducks. Follow August on Twitter at
http://www.twitter.com/AugustF_ABJ.
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