Gio Gonzalez - Scouting

Scouting

Gonzalez throws four pitches: a four-seam fastball at 92–95 mph, a two-seam fastball at 91–95, a curveball at 78–82, and a changeup at 85–87 that is used against right-handed hitters. His curveball is used frequently when he is ahead in the count, especially against left-handers.

Gonzalez's pitches have above-average whiff rates, with the curveball leading at 36% and the changeup close behind at 35%. His curve also has an outstanding ground ball/fly ball ratio at nearly 7:1. Gio says of his excellent curveball:

My curveball is a blessing. My father taught it to me. He felt that it was a pitch he wanted me to learn, right on the side of the house, and it just ended up working. I never asked what the tricks were, or anything like that. He made it simple for me to use on my own form, and it works for me. I've never changed my grip since the day my dad showed me how to throw it. He taught me how to try to make it look exactly like a fastball.

Gonzalez is a strikeout pitcher, with a rate of nearly 1 per inning over his career. He was fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio in the AL in 2011, and he is second in the NL for the 2012 season (as of 17 August 2012 (2012 -08-17)).