ST. LOUIS — As they took the field for stretching and batting practice Monday night at Busch Stadium, Phillies players gathered in a circle in front of the visiting dugout.
Ringleader Jonathan Papelbon took charge of, well, you could call it a welcoming ceremony. Carlos Ruiz provided assistance with the translation to Spanish.
“State your name!” Papelbon demanded. “Where are you from?”
The “ceremony” lasted just a minute and when it was over all the Phillies' players laughed and applauded. Even Severino Gonzalez, the 22-year-old pitcher who will become a made man when he steps on a big-league mound for the first time Tuesday night.
Gonzalez will face the St. Louis Cardinals in his big-league debut, and televisions all over Panama will be tuned to the event as it marks the first time two natives of the country will make up a major-league battery.
“He told me in spring training if he ever got up here he’d like to throw to me,” said Ruiz, who will catch his countryman. “It’s special.”
Gonzalez was not added to the 25-man roster until after Monday night’s 4-1 win over the Cardinals. Gonzalez was on hand to watch Cole Hamels pitch seven innings of one-run ball. He went to school on the Cardinals' hitters and focused on how Ruiz called the game.
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“He’s excited,” Ruiz said. “He likes to compete.”
Assistant general manager Benny Looper, a longtime fan of Gonzalez, confirmed that in spring training.
“I love his makeup,” Looper said. “He’s mature and levelheaded. He’s got good command of four pitches. He works quickly. If he gives up a hit it’s, 'Get your butt in there, I’m ready to go.'"
Gonzalez's path to Tuesday night’s start began in the spring of 2011 when scout Norman Anciana recommended the slightly built pitcher — Gonzalez is 6-1 and weighs 160 pounds, give or take — and the Phillies signed him for the modest price of $14,000. Hey, that’s $6,000 more than Ruiz received as a signing bonus in 1998.
Gonzalez broke through in an interesting way in 2013. He was biding his time in extended spring training in Clearwater, waiting for assignment to rookie league, when an opening arose in the Single A Clearwater bullpen. Team officials asked Gonzalez to temporarily fill the role. He was so good that the temporary assignment turned into a regular assignment. Showing tremendous control and command, Gonzalez pitched his way into a starter’s role and actually ended the season with a start at Double A. He was named winner of the Paul Owens Award as top minor-league pitcher in the system after racking up a 2.00 ERA in 103 2/3 innings. He struck out 119 and walked just 22.
The Phillies sent Gonzalez to Double A last season and he went 9-13 with a 4.60 ERA in 27 starts. Gonzalez continued to exhibit excellent control, walking just 34 (with 115 strikeouts) in 158 1/3 innings. However, he pitched much of the season without one of his best weapons, his cutter. Club officials had him shelve it so he could work on developing his changeup. Gonzalez is now throwing the cutter again, along with his breaking stuff, changeup and a sinking fastball. His repertoire is similar to David Buchanan’s. He has excellent pitching savvy and command, but must locate and keep the ball down to succeed with a low-90s fastball.
“He throws everything,” Ruiz said.
Gonzalez made a cameo with the Phillies in spring training and pitched three scoreless innings against the Braves in March. At Triple A Lehigh Valley, he was 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA in three starts. He joins the Phillies because they need a fifth starter (Sean O’Sullivan is on the disabled list with tendinitis in his knee), and the team does not want to blow out its bullpen.
Gonzalez might not be here long. Chad Billingsley might need just two more rehab starts before he’s ready to join the rotation and Gonzalez could go back for more seasoning. But while he’s here, he will face the Cardinals on Tuesday night and the Marlins over the weekend, and fans back in Panama will be watching.
“We saw him in spring training and I was impressed with the way he set a tone for the game,” manager Ryne Sandberg said. “He got the ball and threw it. That’s really good for your defense. He threw strikes. He’s got a moving fastball and that will be important in getting ground balls.
“The first thing is just relax, settle in and establish the strike zone. That’s always key to a pitcher in his shoes. Make them earn what they get.”