COLLEGE BASEBALL: Gonzalez glad he stayed

After grabbing title, pitcher signs with Tampa Bay

Jino Gonzalez endured his share of highs and lows the last three years with the Community College of Southern Nevada baseball team, but, fortunately for the Cimarron-Memorial graduate, he'll leave the school on a high note.

The left-handed power pitcher recently helped lead the Coyotes to the junior college national title and, just a couple of days later, signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Gonzalez, who has been drafted three times by Major League Baseball, is glad he chose to stay at CCSN.

"I came close to signing with Tampa Bay last summer. I wanted to go, but I decided to stay and it was the best move I ever made," he said. "I knew this was the team. I had a feeling from the get-go. This is the best way to go out."

Gonzalez, who went 10-1 as a freshman at CCSN, sat out last season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but bounced back to go 8-2 with a 2.65 ERA this season, scattering 56 hits in 78 innings, with 36 walks and 100 strikeouts.

Gonzalez suffered just his second loss of the season in CCSN's opener at the Junior College World Series -- a 7-6 defeat to Seminole Community College (Fla.) -- but came back, on just two days' rest, to shut out Spartanburg Methodist, 10-0.

"I just wanted to keep my arm healthy (this year), since I was coming back from surgery," Gonzalez said. "I started (the Series opener) on two days' rest and made another start on two days' rest, and my arm felt great. That was a personal goal of mine."

Gonzalez, who was also the starting pitcher in wins at the conference, region and district tournaments, gave up five hits in five innings, with a walk and five strikeouts for just his second complete game of the season.

The win was one of five straight in the World Series by the Coyotes, who finished 55-10 overall and beat San Jacinto-North (Texas), 4-1, for the title.

"We're finally going to get the respect we've deserved the last four years," Gonzalez said. "I heard comments coach (Tim) Chambers couldn't win the big one. I wanted this one for him. He deserves this, he worked his butt off."

Gonzalez, who chose to attend CCSN, in part, to stay close to his mother, who was suffering from breast cancer his senior year in high school, formed a special bond with Chambers over the last three years.

"Jino's been a special person to me," Chambers said. "Last year, he sat in my office and cried like a baby. He was hurt and didn't want to sit the season out, but he was young when he came to us -- he was only 17 -- and I told him, 'you need to sit out a year and have a great season next year.'

"He did that, got in the best shape of his life, and then he had a phenomenal year. Even though Jabe (Beard) got more wins, we still considered Jino our No. 1 pitcher. He was a true team leader, and when Jino was on the mound, we felt we had a chance to win."

While Jino's record was better as a freshman, Chambers said he's a much better pitcher now.

"As far as wins and losses, he was better as a freshman, but as far as his abilities as a pitcher, he was offered $1,000 then, and now he (signed) for about $300,000," Chambers said. "He has great stuff. He's a big, strong lefty, with a fastball that hits 92 (mph), and a slider and a change. He's a pure power pitcher."

Gonzalez, who was drafted in the 27th round out of high school by the San Francisco Giants, then in the 31st round by the Colorado Rockies, and finally, in the 46th round by the Devil Rays, after sitting out a year, shudders to think what would've happened had he went straight to the pros out of high school.

"If I had signed out of high school, I would've been blown up. I probably would be sitting at home right now and not playing," he said. "Coming here was huge. Coach (Glen) Evans helped me tremendously. My strength and the mental part of my game has improved a ton since my freshman year.

"I'm becoming a pitcher, instead of just going out and throwing the ball. I'm 15-20 pounds heavier than my freshman year and that's huge."

Gonzalez, who said team chemistry was the big difference for CCSN this season, is confident he can make Tampa Bay's big-league roster within three years.

"I don't see why I couldn't be playing, in 2 1/2 to three years, on their 40-man (roster)," he said. "(Tampa is) struggling with its pitching, and there's no left-handed pitching at all. I should have a chance to move up in the organization quickly."

Chambers is equally optimistic.

"Jino has a very good chance to be in the big leagues in three to five years," he said. "He has to be able to locate all of his pitches a little better, but he has big-league stuff right now.

"He'll learn in the minors how to set people up and get advanced hitters out."

He's already adept at dealing with adversity.

"He went through a lot of tough times personally," Chambers said. "Not a lot of things bother him."


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