{"id":19741,"date":"2024-12-21T15:39:41","date_gmt":"2024-12-21T15:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=19741"},"modified":"2024-12-21T15:39:41","modified_gmt":"2024-12-21T15:39:41","slug":"anthony-goses-long-and-winding-road-to-queens-a-most-unconventional-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=19741","title":{"rendered":"Anthony Gose’s Long and Winding Road to Queens: A Most Unconventional Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s not every day the Mets sign a player who has pitched at 99 mph and<\/em>\u00a0stolen 70 bases in a season,and won a Silver Medal in the Olympics, but Anthony Gose isn\u2019t your everyday ballplayer. The newly-minted minor league signee and spring training invitee brings a career trajectory more winding than the Taconic Parkway. Gose started as a speedy center fielder, transitioned into a flame-throwing pitcher, and now, at age 34, finds himself poised to add a new chapter to his baseball story in Queens. It\u2019s a move that is the very definition of \u201clow-risk, high-reward\u201d for the Mets and \u201clet\u2019s see if I still got it\u201d for Gose. If nothing else, it guarantees spring training won\u2019t be boring.<\/p>\n

Let’s dive into the curious case of Anthony Gose’s baseball evolution\u2014a tale where center field meets the pitcher’s mound in a way that would make even a Hollywood scriptwriter raise an eyebrow. If this story doesn\u2019t scream, *\u201cYou can\u2019t make this stuff up!\u201d* I don\u2019t know what does.<\/p>\n

Anthony Gose, was once a Tigers\u2019 fleet-footed centerfielder, who decided to try his luck as a left-handed pitcher in 2017. At 26, with a career that had been more swings and misses than home runs, the Tigers gave him a chance to channel his inner Nolan Ryan\u2014because hey, if Sean Doolittle could do it, why not Gose?<\/p>\n

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In the words of then-Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus, Gose\u2019s idea to pitch wasn\u2019t completely out of left field (pun intended). \u201cHe was a guy who threw in the mid-90s in high school,\u201d Ausmus noted. Apparently, this arm wasn\u2019t just for hurling cannonballs from the outfield\u2014it was capable of pumping fastballs past batters, too. ESPN analyst Keith Law reminisced about Gose\u2019s high school pitching days, describing his \u201csuper fast arm\u201d and a delivery so violent it could moonlight as an action movie stunt double. Law thought Gose had a better shot as a pitcher than as a hitter, and considering Gose\u2019s .209 batting average in 2016, Law might have been onto something.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s not sugarcoat it\u2014Gose\u2019s bat was as streaky as a squeegee windshield cleaning job in the Bronx during rush hour.”. After a decent 2015 season where he hit .254 with 74 runs scored, things went downhill fast. He batted .209 in 2016, struck out 145 times in 140 games, and spent more time shuffling between Triple-A Toledo and Double-A Erie than most people spend in the Starbucks drive-thru.<\/p>\n

His struggles weren\u2019t just at the plate. In Toledo, he had a heated argument with coach Lloyd McClendon, which earned him a one-way ticket to Erie. While Gose might not have won any batting titles, he did win the \u201cMost Likely to Frustrate Coaches\u201d award.<\/p>\n

When Gose approached the Tigers about trying out as a pitcher, Ausmus didn\u2019t laugh him out of the room. Instead, he compared Gose\u2019s situation to Sean Doolittle\u2019s\u2014a former first baseman who transitioned to pitching and reached the big leagues in just a couple of years. \u201cIt\u2019s worth investigating,\u201d Ausmus said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if he still throws mid-90s, but I imagine he does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pitching coach Rich Dubee was equally intrigued. He recalled Gose\u2019s high school days when scouts described him as an \u201cinteresting kid\u201d with electric stuff. \u201cEvidently, he didn\u2019t want to pitch back then,\u201d Dubee remarked. \u201cBut we\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dubee also pointed out that Gose wouldn\u2019t be the first player to swap gloves. \u201cLook at all the catchers that pitched in the big leagues\u2014Troy Percival, Jason Motte. They were catchers first and converted to pitching.\u201d If Gose could harness his natural arm strength, the Tigers figured, maybe he could follow suit.<\/p>\n

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Switching from centerfield to the mound isn\u2019t exactly the easiest career change. It\u2019s like going from driving a bus to piloting a jet\u2014sure, both involve moving people, but the skill set\u2019s a little different. For Gose, though, the Tigers were willing to take a flyer. After all, they didn\u2019t have much to lose.<\/p>\n

Gose\u2019s journey to the mound took a few unexpected turns, but it was one that started with a bang\u2014literally. His debut as a pitcher came on May 22 when he took the mound for the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Florida State League, where he topped out at an impressive 99 mph. And while this was just one inning in his early pitching career, it marked the beginning of a dramatic shift from outfielder to pitcher.<\/p>\n

After the season ended, Gose chose free agency and, on November 30, 2017, inked a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. But just two weeks later, Gose was selected by the Houston Astros in the Rule 5 draft. Unfortunately for Gose, he didn\u2019t get a long look from Houston; by March 5, 2018, the Astros put him on waivers, and he was quickly returned to the Rangers. He spent the 2018 season splitting his time between the High-A Down East Wood Ducks and Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, making 28 appearances from the bullpen, with a 5.19 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 26 innings.<\/p>\n

Still searching for the right fit, Gose signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians) on December 8, 2018. He spent 2019 bouncing between Double-A Akron and High-A Lynchburg, finishing with a strong 2.48 ERA, 35 strikeouts, and 4 saves in 29 innings over 32 games. A step forward, but the real test would come in 2021.<\/p>\n

After a quiet 2020 season (thanks to the pandemic), Gose was invited to the Indians’ major league spring training in 2021. This time, the 30-year-old was added to the 40-man roster and made his MLB debut as a pitcher on September 21, 2021. He was lights out in his first six appearances, posting a 1.35 ERA and striking out 9 batters in just over 6 innings.<\/p>\n

The 2022 season started with promise, as Gose made 22 appearances for the Guardians\u2019 bullpen. He registered a perfect 3-0 record with a 4.71 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 21 innings. But his season took a hit when, in early August, he was placed on the 60-day injured list with a left triceps strain. By September, Gose was on the operating table for Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his 2022 campaign and possibly sidelining him for most of 2023.<\/p>\n

Despite the setbacks, Gose\u2019s journey wasn\u2019t over. In December 2022, the Guardians re-signed him to a two-year minor league deal, giving him a chance to recover from his surgery and return to the mound. By 2024, Gose was back, pitching for Triple-A Columbus. He had a solid season, posting a 5-4 record with a 3.29 ERA, 55 strikeouts, and 10 saves in 35 appearances.<\/p>\n

The Guardians called him up to the big leagues on August 6, 2024, but his return was short-lived. After allowing two runs in 1+1\u20443 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Gose was designated for assignment. He was quickly shuffled between the active roster and the minors, enduring the rollercoaster of waiver wire transactions. Each time he cleared waivers, he\u2019d return to Columbus, but not for long. By September 8, 2024, Gose was once again back in Cleveland, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers. His appearance lasted just one inning, but that was enough for him to be designated for assignment again.<\/p>\n

Despite the whirlwind of roster moves, Gose wasn\u2019t done yet. After another trip through waivers, he chose free agency on October 2, 2024, signaling that, for now, his time with Cleveland was over. Through the highs, the lows, and the uncertainty, Gose\u2019s transformation from a struggling outfielder to a legitimate pitcher remained a story of resilience. Whether it was the fastball or sheer willpower, this lefty kept coming back for more.<\/p>\n

And just when it seemed like his journey might come full circle, Gose got a fresh opportunity. On December 20, 2024, he signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets, marking yet another new chapter in his unconventional career. With the Mets\u2019 reputation for taking chances on pitchers with unique paths, Gose\u2019s resilience and raw talent could find a perfect home, as he looks to prove himself on the mound once again.<\/p>\n

Anthony Gose’s journey has been anything but conventional, proving that in baseball, sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to the most intriguing stories. From a speedy center fielder with promise to a pitcher who has at times shown flashes of brilliance, Gose’s career trajectory exemplifies the unpredictability and perseverance that define the game. At 34, he\u2019s not giving up on his dream of proving himself on the mound, and with the Mets giving him yet another shot, the adventure is far from over. If there’s one thing we know for sure, it\u2019s that Gose\u2019s story will keep us watching, wondering, and maybe even cheering for his next act.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s not every day the Mets sign a player who has pitched at 99 mph and\u00a0stolen 70 bases in a season,and won a Silver Medal in the Olympics, but Anthony Gose isn\u2019t your everyday ballplayer. The newly-minted minor league signee and spring training invitee brings a career trajectory more winding than the Taconic Parkway. Gose started as a speedy center fielder, transitioned into a flame-throwing pitcher, and now, at age 34, finds himself poised to add a new chapter to his baseball story in Queens.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":19742,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nAnthony Gose's Long and Winding Road to Queens: A Most Unconventional Journey - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=19741\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Anthony Gose's Long and Winding Road to Queens: A Most Unconventional Journey - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It\u2019s not every day the Mets sign a player who has pitched at 99 mph and\u00a0stolen 70 bases in a season,and won a Silver Medal in the Olympics, but Anthony Gose isn\u2019t your everyday ballplayer. 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