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jan |
Carlos Gomez |
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (01/30/08 5:52 PM) |
Carlos Gomez, OF: The most Major League-ready of the quartet of players landed by the Twins, Gomez only retained rookie status in 2007 because he broke a
hamate bone in his left hand in July, which sidelined him for two months after he made his Major League debut in May. At 21, he was the youngest player in the
National League at the time. Before his callup, Gomez had been somewhat overlooked when discussing Mets outfield prospects because of all the talk surrounding
teenage sensation Fernando Martinez. But Gomez had cruised through the organization, skipping from Class A Hagerstown in 2005 to Double-A Binghamton in 2006,
showing no apparent need for some time at Advanced A. He hit .281 with 41 steals in the Eastern League at age 20. He has all the tools you look for in a
premier outfielder, with the speed for center and the arm for right. He was hitting .286 at Triple-A New Orleans with 17 steals before his spring promotion,
and then batted .232 with 12 more swipes in 125 at-bats with the Mets before his injury. The Twins' current outfield mix features Michael Cuddyer, newly
acquired Delmon Young, Jason Kubel and veteran Craig Monroe. Look for Gomez to charge right into that pack to make a claim for one of the spots. - Lisa Winston
Last Edited By: jan 07/03/08 9:24 AM.
Edited 2 times.
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jan |
Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (01/31/08 8:51 AM) |
Prospect with huge spikes to fill
Carlos Gomez will get his chance to replace Torii Hunter in center field for the Twins but might have to grow into the job. By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune Last update: January 30, 2008 - 11:30 PM It was in an interleague series at Shea Stadium last June when Mets outfielder Carlos Gomez displayed enough ability to get the attention of Twins players. Attention as in: Who is that kid? "I remember I hit a ball down the left field line and [Gomez] closed on it like he was a wide receiver," said Torii Hunter, who left the Twins for the Angels as a free agent in November. "It was pretty impressive. This guy can fly." Gomez's speed -- he's earned a top rating of eight on the scouting scale -- is the first thing that stands out about the Mets prospect who's about to become a Twins prospect. Or perhaps the replacement for Hunter in center field this season. There's no centerpiece to the deal that will send two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana to the Mets for Gomez and three pitching prospects, but Gomez is the closest thing to it because of his potential. Righthanders Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra are also part of the deal, which will be finalized as soon as all players involved pass physicals and Santana agrees to a contract extension. But Guerra, reputed to have excellent potential, is 18 years old and has not yet pitched above the Class A level. Humber and Mulvey are projected to be No. 3- through No. 5-caliber starting pitchers, at best. That leaves Gomez as the most likely player in the deal to make an impact with the Twins in 2008. "Every lineup there are three of four guys you remember throwing against, and he was one," said Twins righthander Kevin Slowey, who faced Gomez while at Class AA New Britain in 2006. "You knew he could lay down a bunt and there was a chance he could beat it out. Just watching him play, he covers more ground than you think." The expectations are that the 6-4 Gomez will be more than a speed demon, that he will become a better-than-average hitter and ultimately drive pitches over the fence. Add his strong arm and it makes him a five-tool prospect and a big reason why Gomez, 22, was ranked the Mets' third-best prospect by Baseball America before the deal. "With that bat speed, he's going to have 20-plus home run power,'' Mets General Manager Omar Minaya told the New York Post in June. "It's just a matter of time." The Twins have been impressed with Gomez for years: They dangled reliever J.C. Romero at the Mets in 2005 before sending Romero to the Angels for Alexi Casilla. Gomez spent this offseason playing for Escogido of the Dominican Winter League, hitting .262 in 29 games. "You have to be patient," Hunter said. "This guy is young and he might take his lumps, Two or three years from now, maybe next year, he's going to do some damage. Give him a chance." Gomez played in two of the three games during the Mets-Twins series last season, going 1-for-5 with a single -- off Santana, of all people. "I remember that he could fly and had decent bat speed," Twins third base coach Scott Ullger said. "He looked a little susceptible to the off-speed pitch, the curveball and slider, as most kids are." That's the biggest question surrounding Gomez. But there's no better example of a player being able to adjust at the plate than Hunter, who spent hours with Ullger, his former hitting coach, learning to recognize breaking balls and hit them. "Same thing with me," Hunter said. "When I was 17, I didn't know what a slider was." Gomez has other rough edges to smooth out. Minaya said in the June interview that Gomez runs so fast he sometimes slows down to round bases and needs to learn how to run with rhythm. Gomez also was scolded by manager Willie Randolph and teammates in June for "styling" after hitting his second career homer. "When you're a rookie, you have something on your mind, you think this is how you played in the minor leagues," Gomez told the Post. "But you learn you have to give other teams respect, and how to respect other teams, you do the right thing." Gomez batted .232 in 58 games with two homers and 12 RBI in his debut season. He batted .299 in June but broke the hamate bone in his left hand while checking his swing during a July 4 game and missed two months. One NL East scout said Gomez's game could mirror that of Toronto outfielder Alex Rios if he can make the required adjustments at the plate. If Gomez can beat out Denard Span and Jason Pridie for the starting center field spot in spring training, he'll get to make those adjustments as a major leaguer. "I would think the opportunity is there for him to be our starting center fielder," Ullger said, "He's a very impressive kid with a lot of tools." Two views on Gomez Last update: January 30, 2008 - 9:49 PM Here's two early scouting reports on Carlos Gomez, acquired by the Twins from the Mets in the Johan Santana deal and the possible Opening Day center fielder: NL CENTRAL SCOUT "Gomez has a lot of talent. He has ability. He hasn't hit tremendously, but I would say he has a chance to do some things. He labors with the slider. There are about 400 other guys who have that same problem." NL WEST SCOUT "He's never hit for the power you want [to see in a prospect]. He has a chance to be a solid player, with a chance to be an above-average player. He kind of got his feet wet up there [last season], but he wasn't ready to be in the big leagues. There's still some growth that needs to be done with this guy. The ability to hit the major league breaking ball, that's everyone's challenge, and Gomez handled himself pretty well." LA VELLE E. NEAL III |
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jan |
Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (02/01/08 9:37 AM) |
01/31/2008 9:56 PM ET
Notes: Gomez reacts to Santana trade Ready to take over in center field if deal is finalized By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com MINNEAPOLIS -- Carlos Gomez didn't seem surprised that many people have reacted negatively to the four-player package the Twins will be receiving from the Mets in return for ace Johan Santana. After all, he has barely heard his own name mentioned in the trade news. "The only thing I heard about was Santana, Santana, Santana," Gomez said Thursday when reached at his home in the Dominican Republic. "Nothing in the news was said about Gomez, or nothing about the other players traded to the Twins. But I think all us prospects have the tools to play in the big leagues." The news of his trade to Minnesota, along with pitchers Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra in exchange for Santana didn't come as a complete surprise to the 22-year-old outfielder. Gomez said that he had heard all the rumors for the last few months that his name was being included in Santana trade talks. Gomez tried to brush off all the talk for most of the offseason and just prepare as normal for Spring Training. But on Tuesday the call came from his agent with the news that he indeed had been traded to the Twins, pending the Mets and Santana agreeing to a contract extension by 4 p.m. CT on Friday and all players passing physicals. And Gomez's initial reaction to the news? Excitement. "This is my opportunity to be a center fielder," Gomez said. "I have to prepare for a new organization, but I'm ready. The only thing I want is to play baseball and play every day." The most Major League-ready of the four prospects the Twins received in the trade, Gomez is expected to fill the hole in center field left by Torii Hunter's departure. He could possibly take over the leadoff spot in the club's lineup as well. In his first Major League season with the Mets last season, Gomez batted .232 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 58 games. That included missing two months of the season after fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand in early July. Many scouts have listed Gomez as a five-tool player. He's already known for his blazing speed, solid defensive ability, and an accurate arm. The one question mark that has plagued Gomez has been his inconsistent offense. Mets GM Omar Minaya has said that he believes Gomez can eventually develop into an above-average hitter with decent power given some time in the big leagues. But scouts say it's his inability to hit the breaking pitch which has hampered the young outfielder's progress. Gomez said that was something he tried to work on this winter when playing for Escogido of the Dominican Winter League. He batted .269 in 29 games. "I know I can hit," Gomez said. "I'm a young player and I have to practice every day, and see what happens. But this winter ball was good for me. They throw me a lot of breaking balls and I feel like I'm learning." While Gomez said he was excited about the chance to play in Minnesota, he didn't want to completely commit to his new organization until the deal was finalized. He mentioned seeing the reports on the Internet on Thursday afternoon that Santana and the Mets were still far apart in contract negotiations, although a deal is still expected to be finalized before the deadline. If Gomez does get the chance to compete for the Twins' center-field spot this spring, he will clearly have big shoes to fill. Trying to replace a seven-time Gold Glover in Hunter is not an easy task to ask of anyone. And Gomez said that he isn't going to try to match Hunter's skills. "I don't want to say I can play like Torii, that guy is unbelievable," Gomez said. "I'm just going to be Carlos Gomez. But I think I can play center. I have speed, I like to hustle and I like to slide. I think I play a good center field and hopefully the fans will get to see that." [more] |
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Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (02/02/08 7:34 PM) |
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Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (02/03/08 8:44 PM) |
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jan |
Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (02/07/08 9:16 AM) |
Minnesota Twins need to make the most of Gomez's speed
Pioneer Press Article Launched: 02/07/2008 12:01:00 AM CST I'm with all those fans who believe the Twins didn't get nearly enough for Johan Santana. Instead of stockpiling only prospects, they should have insisted on getting at least one player from the New York Mets who already had proven himself to be successful in the major leagues. That said, Carlos Gomez is intriguing. Very intriguing. Twins general manager Bill Smith says Gomez will battle Jason Pridie and Denard Span for the chance to play center field for the Twins. If Gomez wins the job and has more than 500 at-bats, he will steal 40 to 50 bases. Even if he doesn't become the starting center fielder, he can steal a slew of bases. He should be kept on the major league roster, even if it means using him primarily as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. (His batting average hasn't been dazzling at any level, and it's probably what would keep him from starting in center for the Twins.) Last season, in 125 at-bats with the Mets, Gomez had 12 stolen bases despite batting just .232. Extrapolated over 500 at-bats, that's 48 steals. In 2005, Gomez stole 64 bases in the minors. Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who had 78 stolen bases last season, has said Gomez is faster than he is. On a team that will need runs to offset all those young arms, Gomez's speed can provide run-scoring opportunities. With his speed and ability to make it work, Gomez needs to be with the Twins this season. Bob Sansevere can be reached at bsansevere@pioneerpress.com. |
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jianfu |
Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 1180 (02/07/08 12:14 PM) Hall of Famer |
Quote: Someone needs to remind Sansevere that you can't steal first base. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hopeless about Gomez. I rather like his potential. But every well-informed observer I've read--from Sickels to Chris Constancio to BA to Kevin Goldstein--seems to to feel Gomez should play in Rochester, at least to start the year. Have experts been wrong in the past? Absolutely. And sure, the Twins maybe don't have anyone significantly better than Gomez to play center, anyway. If it's really an open audition between Pridie, Span, and Gomez and Gomez makes it a no-brainer, fair enough. But for now I'll consider their opinion a little more than Bob Sansevere's. EDIT: Also, keeping Gomez on the big team even if he's only ready to be a pinch-runner/defensive replacement would seem to be lacking some "big picture" mindset, to say the least. ==================
Nobody knows nothing. --Joe Posnanski |
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drivlikejehu |
Re: Carlos Gomez of - ndfa/nym-02/tr-08 | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 1874 (02/07/08 6:38 PM) Hall of Famer |
There is zero question Gomez should start in Rochester. He was totally overmatched with the Mets last year and hasn't actually hit much in the minors yet, either. He has a lot to learn.
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jan |
Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (02/18/08 7:40 PM) |
Howard Sinker had this youtube video of Gomez in action. He had a base hit, stole second and stole third. Bad news...he dived head-first into both bases.
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jan |
Re: Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 21081 (02/27/08 8:45 AM) |
Twins future arrives
Gomez must live up to high expectations By DAVID DORSEY ddorsey@news-press.com February 26, 2008 An outsider has the inside track on replacing a former franchise fixture in center field for the Minnesota Twins. Carlos Gomez, 22, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound native of Santiago, Dominican Republic, joined the Twins on Feb. 2 after spending the previous five seasons in the New York Mets system. The Twins received Gomez and three pitchers in exchange for two-time Cy Young Award winning pitcher Johan Santana. Gomez, Jason Pridie and Denard Span will compete for the starting job in center field. Torii Hunter vacated that spot on Thanksgiving Day, when he signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Anaheim Angels. Weve got three young ones in camp in Pridie, Span and Gomez, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. You cant go wrong when youve got three very talented people. But when you start comparing them to Torii Hunter, then theyre going to fall short. Theyre going to fall short. Hes the best. So you cant do that. The Twins usually promote from within, like when Joe Mauer took over for A.J. Pierzynski at catcher and when Justin Morneau took over for Doug Mientkiewicz at first base in 2004. But Span and Pridie have yet to appear in a big league game, and the Twins wanted as many options as possible. Gomez signed with the Mets at the age of 16 in 2002. He rose through the minor league ranks quickly with his calling card of speed: 64 stolen bases in 2005 for Class A Hagerstown; 41 stolen bases in 2006 for Double-A Binghamton and 31 steals last season, including 12 in the big leagues for the Mets. Gomez hit .232 with two home runs, 12 RBI and the 12 steals in 58 big-league games last season. Im just going to try to do my job, Gomez said. I think the thing that will help me is my speed. I know Im happy to be here. Philip Humber, one of the pitchers obtained by the Twins in the Santana trade, compared Gomezs speed to that of another former teammate, Mets shortstop Jose Reyes. Gomez grew up with Reyes in the Dominican. Reyes stole 78 bases last season. I put him on par with Jose Reyes, Humber said. Theyre toe-to-toe. On top of that, hes got a great throwing arm. If he can hit just a little bit, hes going to be great. Also at stake in this job competition could be the leadoff hitters role. Gomez has hit leadoff for most of his minor league career. Ive played ball since I was four years old, Gomez said. My dad played baseball. He didnt play professionally. But I saw him play when I was three, four years old. Gomez said he welcomes the high expectations he faces, especially considering he was traded for a player with Santanas resume. They traded a big guy, Gomez said. I know I have a chance. I just have to do my job and help my teammates. I know I have competition. But the competition will help us. The thing about it, is when you play hard, the fans, the media like it. Im going to play hard every day. I want to see what happens. Gardenhire did not want to get into ranking the players at this stage, but about Gomez, he did say this: Gomez has had a little more time and played a little more, but theyre all young, and theyre all exciting players. Were going to watch and let them play. |
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 20512 (03/06/08 7:52 AM) |
Cocky Gomez confident he can make an impact
Tom Powers Article Last Updated: 03/06/2008 12:14:04 AM CST FORT MYERS, Fla. - Carlos Gomez was asked if he thought it would be difficult to play center field in the quirky Metrodome. "If Torii Hunter can catch the ball there, why can't I catch it there?" he said matter-of-factly. I really get a kick out of this kid. Most youngsters are quiet as church mice as they tiptoe around the clubhouse in spring training. Gomez has had a bounce in his step since he arrived in Fort Myers. A key figure in the Johan Santana trade, he is convinced he is about to become an impact player with the Twins. "Sure!" he said the other day. "They don't have no speed like me. I know I can help this team. Especially when I hit ahead of Morneau and the catcher and the other guy." I mentioned that the catcher's name is Joe Mauer. Gomez nodded. He isn't real big on details, but he doesn't lack confidence. "They will all have more RBIs," he insisted. Don't get the wrong idea. There's a difference between being cocky and being arrogant. Gomez, from the Dominican Republic, is an enthusiastic kid who is quite sure of himself. He's very likable. "Cutty-er!" he said out of nowhere. Oh, Michael Cuddyer, the other guy who will get more RBIs with Gomez hitting leadoff. Got it. "My dad was fast," Gomez said. "When I was a kid and I worked out with my older friends, they all worked out so hard for their running. I do nothing. They say, 'Why are you so fast when you don't do nothing?' I tell them that my dad was fast." His dad, by the way, didn't play professional baseball. He was just, well, fast. Here's the deal: Gomez, 22, is 6 feet 4 and can fly. He has a big-league arm in center field. He also has what some consider an overly aggressive swing. A vicious swing usually means a lot of strikeouts. And that's not what the Twins want from their leadoff man. And they see Gomez as a leadoff man. "He's a very confident kid," noted Paul Molitor. We noticed. "He has a big-league presence. The obvious things are there: speed, throwing, power. His challenge is going to be tightening the holes as a hitter by being a little bit more in control. He's still a little bit rough around the edges." Molitor, like everyone else, is impressed with Gomez's speed. "He has such a long stride - explosive," he said. "He's got a body on him." Manager Ron Gardenhire let Gomez bat five times against the Yankees on Wednesday. Clearly he is taking a very, very close look. I'm sure the Twins would like Gomez to make the team because it would be nice to have something to show for Santana this season. "He's going to have to learn to understand what his job is," Rod Carew said. "He can't try to hit every ball over the fence. That won't help the ballclub. You want him to be aggressive at the plate, but he has to tone it down a little. "If you swing as hard as you can every time, and don't make contact, you aren't helping anyone. If he can control those swings, he'll be OK." Carew and Molitor, hall of famers who work as instructors in camp each spring, agree: Gomez needs to learn patience and bat control. It may not surprise you to learn that Gomez says, no problem. "That's what I'm working on," Gomez said. "I know that they say I strike out a lot. But I can do the job. I can bunt when I get a chance. When I played with the Mets last year, I hit eighth. With the pitcher behind me, I never got asked to bunt. They want to see me swing. But when I get a chance, I can do it." Don't think he feels any pressure about being traded for Santana, either. He laughs when it's mentioned. "It was a big surprise," he said. "Everybody back home was saying, 'Oh, Carlos is going for Santana.' I was like 'yes!' For two weeks I had been after them. Come on, do something! I want them to trade me." Before spring training is over, Denard Span may have something to say about who opens in center field. Span, at one point the heir apparent to Hunter, isn't going to go down quietly. "I'll just do my job," Gomez said. "We'll see what happens. I'm excited and happy. I'll try to show the manager and coaches what I can do and be a good leadoff hitter." And maybe someday they'll be saying that Johan Santana was the man traded for Carlos Gomez, instead of the other way around. "Sure, maybe someday," Gomez said with a laugh. Tom Powers can be reached at tpowers@pioneerpress.com. |
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jan |
Carlos Gomez | ||
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Hall of Famer
Posts: 20607 (03/10/08 7:30 AM) |
FORT MYERS, FLA. - There will be days when Twins center fielder Carlos Gomez will look scintillating. Then there will be days such as Sunday, when the young and immensely talented Gomez goes 0-for-3 against the New York Yankees and gets pulled aside by the manager.LEN3 |
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