PORT ST. LUCIE — Joey Gallo hit 208 homers over his 10-year profession as a significant league hitter.
On Sunday, he introduced he was giving up his bat following a big drop in manufacturing the previous three years to develop into a pitcher.
Anthony Gose doesn’t have Gallo’s résumé — and didn’t flame out in The Bronx like he did — however the lefty swinger and thrower did play 140 video games with 535 plate appearances because the Tigers on a regular basis heart fielder in 2015.
And he’s now attempting to increase his profession as a lefty reliever with the Mets.
“All I wanted to do was hit and play center field,” Gose stated at Clover Park. “I did it as long as I could. It took me a while to stop having a hitter’s mentality.”
He took a step again on the plate in 2016 and continued his downward trajectory heading into 2017.
“I just didn’t hit enough,” Gose stated. “Teams liked me as a pitcher coming up out of high school. I threw 97 mph. But I wanted to hit. I had a good year in 2015 and got off to a slow start in 2016 and never got out of it.”
So Gose — then 27 — went to the Tigers entrance workplace in spring coaching of 2017 and instructed he return to pitching.
He headed again to Excessive-A and ended up within the Rangers group a yr later, the place he obtained as much as Double-A Frisco earlier than signing with Cleveland.
Gose labored his means again to the majors by 2021, pitching six video games for Cleveland that season and 22 extra for them a yr later earlier than his profession was derailed once more by Tommy John surgical procedure later that season.
He returned a yr in the past, spending many of the season at Triple-A Columbus, however obtained into three video games with the Guardians.
Now, he desires to be a left-handed possibility for the Mets, the one crew that provided him a minor league contract this previous offseason.
“Jobs are hard to come by,” Gose stated.
He acknowledged he didn’t pitch in addition to he wished within the majors in 2024.
“I didn’t make the most of my opportunities last year when I had them and got exposed,” Gose stated. “I know there’s more in there. I think I can pitch another 10-12 years with what I have in my arm.”
Gose credited the Mets for working with him and stated he’s able to take any project they offer him.
“They were honest with me,” stated Gose, who might be ticketed for Triple-A Syracuse.
“I’ll go wherever they want, as long as I have a uniform on.”
Gose, 34, has allowed 4 hits, 4 walks and a run in six Grapefruit League innings, whereas hanging out 5, hitting 95 mph along with his four-seamer, however worrying scouts with an absence of command. He stays dedicated to the transition and hasn’t picked up a bat since he returned to pitching.
“Why would I?” Gose stated. “That part of my career is over.”
However he insists he doesn’t imagine he’s achieved.
“I think I’ve done everything I could do so far, but I still have more to do,” Gose stated. “I’m not looking back. I’m just looking forward and I hope I get another chance to throw the ball the way I can.”
