Rockies' Gonzalez: The losing and struggles 'eats you alive'
Even through the struggles, Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez isn't asking for a change of scenery.
"Giving up is not an option," Gonzalez told Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post.
You could hardly argue if the two-time All-Star sought greener pastures though, as Gonzalez hasn't had a sniff off the postseason since his sophomore year in 2009.
It appears that the Rockies are well on their way to another disappointing campaign, as they currently occupy the NL West basement, 10 games under .500 and 9.5 back of the division leaders.
While the losing has become all too familiar in the Mile High City, it hasn't become any easier to swallow for Gonzalez and his teammates.
"Everybody in here is trying to do something good for the team," Gonzalez said. "And when it doesn't happen, it's frustrating. You just want to break things. ... I don't know what the hell you want to do, but it eats you alive."
Once one of the league's blossoming stars, Gonzalez slashed .303/.369/.545 with 48 home runs, 41 stolen bases and a pair of Gold Gloves from 2012-13. Injuries and inconsistency, however, have derailed his progress since, as the 29-year-old is hitting .241/.301/.427 with 21 home runs and five stolen bases over the past two seasons.
"It's a tough game, a tough league. In this game, I think you spend more time angry or unsatisfied than happy. That's baseball," Gonzalez said.
Under contract through the 2017 season and owed an additional $37 million beginning next year, Gonzalez has shown signs of turning a corner over the past month.
Since the beginning of June, he's hitting .306/.348/.661 with six home runs and four doubles.
"I can't be negative. I'm raising my average and hitting the ball over the fence more often. But I believe I still can get better. I'm a better hitter than what I am right now. It's good for me not to be comfortable with what's happening," said Gonzalez.
"Now I have to get greedy and continue to work. I want more. I know I can hit .300 in this league. But it's not there, so I'm not satisfied."