Ex-big leaguer Alex ” Chi Chi ” González has new career in the Marlins organization, he’s the team’s bullpen catcher and will try to parlay that into a future coaching position within the team’s farm system or another MLB organization.
In his career the right-hander saw action in 71 games, starting 52 of them for the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees and finally the Miami Marlins before calling it quits in 2023.
In 288⅓ innings primarily as a starter González has a 9-24 record, 5.68 earned run average and 173 strikeouts. The Cuban-American also had 1.50 WHIP and a strikeout ratio of 5.4 batters per every nine innings.
Chi Chi how did you make the transition from being a pitcher to a a bullpen catcher?
So crazy, right? From pitcher to catcher. Yeah. No, I’m very grateful for this opportunity, man. I was, you know, pitcher in the big leagues for five years and you know the Marlins called me. They wanted me to be on the coaching staff. And, you know, Aaron Leinhardt, who goes by Lenny, he was kind of the creator of it. The pitching coaches spots were already taken. So they kind of kind of evolved me into a bullpen catcher because you’re still working with pitchers. But yeah, it was a phone call. It was an idea I caught a little bit in high school, like one or two games. But, you know, I playing catch with these guys is kind of no different. Just squatting down a little bit. Yeah, I’ve been thankful that my eyes are good enough and these guys are, you know, amazing athletes that they’ll just throw it to right where my glove is, man. It’s great.
How do you pan up our latest into future endeavors, like future jobs in Major League?
So my goal is to, you know, from obviously go up the totem pole from here is possibly become a pitching coach somewhere or a possible manager. If it’s not in, in our, you know, Marlins organization, possibly with another organization. But you know, being a being bullpen coach, a bullpen catcher is very valuable. You know, I’m assisting the other coaches as well. So I I envision myself evolving this into being a pitching coach.
Being an ex-pitcher and now that you’re catching these pitches, how do you give them advice like when you see them something’s wrong with their mechanics or in their delivery?
I leave that up to most of the pitching coaches, you know, but if the player wanted to suggest or ask, I’d definitely give them feedback. And It’s made me learn a lot on like pitch design, you know, pitch grips, pitch design and just being around our pitching coaches with so much valuable experience, their experience of being coaches, experience being players, you know, coaching other players. But yeah, I’m kind of here, eyes open, ears open, listening too much as much as I can and just grasping at all that.
Being a native of Miami, how does it feel to work for your hometown team?
Dude, it’s amazing, man. I’m 33, I even got to play with the Marlins. You know, I grew up to South Florida. I was definitely a Florida Marlins fan, but as well. Miami Marlins, yeah, it’s a dream come true, man. You know, in 2023, I was able to sign a minor league deal with them. I got to the big leagues and now I’ve started my coaching career in the big leagues with the Marlins. So I’m very blessed. I’m very thankful. You know, I’m happy that they kept me in mind. I mean, it’s great to be living at home and and coaching for your hometown team.