StarTribune.com

That’s just GoGo being GoGo

Posted on May 11th, 2008 – 12:47 PM
By Joe Christensen

The more I’m around Carlos Gomez, the more I realize how fortunate I am. For the Twin Cities sports media, he is our Manny Ramirez. Just as silly — or perhaps just as insanely brilliant — only with GoGo, you don’t need an act of Congress to get him to talk to the press.

As Gardy would say, “He just lets it fly.”

The latest example comes in Nick Cafardo’s Sunday baseball column in the Boston Globe:

Catching the speedy Gomez

Over the next few years, you’re going to be compared a lot to Jacoby Ellsbury. What do you think of him?

CG: “Who’s that? I don’t know him. What’s his name?” (Gomez pauses, and a teammate says, “Ellsbury, plays center field for Boston.”) “Oh yeah. He’s a very, very exciting player. His game is a lot like mine. He runs, can play defense, can hit, and has some power. Yeah, I like watching him a lot. I think I played against him in Double A.”

Let us reflect on this for a minute. How do you supposed that one is going over in The Nation?

Jacoby Ellsbury? Never heard of him.

Relax, Red Sox fans. That’s just GoGo being GoGo.

Cafardo’s column continues:

David Ortiz spent a lot of time talking to you before Friday’s game. What did he say?

CG: “Papi is my homeboy. He played on the same team I did in the Dominican, so we’re very close. He just told me not to let anything distract me. He told me to forget about money because the money will come if I’m a great player. He told me to just keep staying focused on baseball and nothing else. He told me to go 100 miles an hour and never let up. I don’t think I’ll ever change that.”

Seriously, let’s hope this 22-year-old doesn’t change. Yes, the Twins would hope he learns some of Manny’s strike zone discipline, but otherwise, here’s hoping he just continues letting it fly.

16 Responses to "That’s just GoGo being GoGo"

Dane says:

May 11th, 2008 at 12:54 pm

That’s funny about Gomez not knowing how Ellsbury was at first.

Jimberly says:

May 11th, 2008 at 1:43 pm

Nothing like ball players just caring about money

Jimbereally says:

May 11th, 2008 at 1:52 pm

That comment above me alllllmmmooooosttt made sense.

Corey says:

May 11th, 2008 at 2:40 pm

Don’t get attached to Gomez.

In 4-5 years, he’ll be wearing NY or B or LA on his cap.

No sense thinking he’s an actual “Twin”.

He’s just a Yankee, Red Sox or Dodger in the making, pure and simple.

Sure, he’s exciting and thrilling and young and talented…just like a certain left-handed Venezuelan pitcher we used to have…

ajpesh says:

May 11th, 2008 at 2:59 pm

Thanks Corey for reminding us again why nobody likes you.

buckshotmike (rivals.com) says:

May 11th, 2008 at 3:11 pm

corey is right. sad but right

Tweety says:

May 11th, 2008 at 3:19 pm

I don’t think that Corey is necessarily right. In line with trends of late (Tampa Bay, Florida, and Colorado in particular) of signing promising young players to long term contracts after only a couple years of MLB experience, and with a substantial revenue boost in line from the new stadium, I wouldn’t be surprised if we signed Gomez to a 5-8 year deal in the next year or two if he keeps showing this kind of promise. That being said, if he doesn’t have a long-term deal with us in the next 2-3 years, I think that Corey probably IS right.

Shaun says:

May 11th, 2008 at 3:27 pm

In 4-5 years? I don’t think Gomez will be anywhere but MN if he continues to develop as a player.

Ken the Star Tribune copy editor says:

May 11th, 2008 at 3:40 pm

He’s walked two days in a row!!!!!!!!!! *choir bells*

sane says:

May 11th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

Recently, the Yanks, the Red Sox and THE TWINS have been changing the way they develop (or not), acquire (or not) and sign (or not) players for their MLB team.
There is a much better chance NOW that all three teams will be developing and retaining their home-grown talent. I hope that includes Carlos Gomez.

thrylos98 says:

May 11th, 2008 at 4:00 pm

I think that, if Carlos Gomez stays healthy and continues developing, the Twins will sign him to a long term contract (same for Young btw) like they did with Mauer, Morneau and Cuddyer. Give them both a couple years to develop (they’ll be 24 and still pre-arbitration) and then sign them to 6-7 year contracts based on the revenue of the club with the new stadium. Look at the deal the the Marlins made from Henley Ramirez. I anticipate that the Twins will make similar deals with Gomez and Young…

I think that with the Morneau, Nathan and Cuddyer extensions, this club has shown that at least is willing to be reasonable with extending players within a limit. Santana practically wanted ARod dollars and the Twins just cannot (and should not) risk that much on a single player. Hunter has 1 or 2 of good ball left in him. He is 32. The Twins offered him a reasonable 3 year deal. It would have not made sense to sign him for longer time…

liondragon says:

May 11th, 2008 at 4:15 pm

remember santana 4 years ago???

“i love the twins so much and i would never want to leave them.”

4 years later

“i hate the twins and they wont give me money… THEY SUCK!”

liondragon says:

May 11th, 2008 at 4:17 pm

one problem with that resign gomez idea…. boras is his agent… gl signing a 8 year deal with him before free agency…

thrylos98 says:

May 11th, 2008 at 5:10 pm

boras with the latest deals with ARos and Lohse has proven extremely ineffective… I don’t see it as an issue

T says:

May 11th, 2008 at 6:16 pm

I can imagine Red Sox Nation will latch onto this quote and roll with it as some sort of reason to hate Gomez.

Which is funny, considering Ellsbury up until recently had probably never heard of Gomez.

ben says:

May 11th, 2008 at 6:59 pm

That doesn’t sound like Gomez. I wonder if they cleaned up his grammar.