September 17, 2011
Gose gets jump on Fisher Cats' stolen base record
by Roger Brown/
Anthony Gose broke the New Hampshire Fisher Cats' franchise record for stolen bases in record time. A second-round pick by Philadelphia in 2008, Gose was traded last year to the Blue Jays' organization as part of the Phillies' three-team deal for Roy Oswalt. (photo: Dave Schofield)
The fact that New Hampshire Fisher Cats outfielder Anthony Gose broke the franchise record for stolen bases in a season this year came as no surprise to those who regularly watch him play. The surprising thing is when he did it.
Gose established a record when he swiped his 47th base during a 6-5 loss to New Britain on July 25. It came during New Hampshire’s 101st game.
Darin Mastroianni set the previous record last year, but he needed 132 games to do it.
Gose, New Hampshire’s center fielder, has above-average speed — he’s run the 60-yard dash in 6.4 seconds — but he’s quick to point out that it takes more than speed to be a threat on the basepaths.
“Working on jumps and the first move by the pitcher has a lot to do with it,” Gose explained. “Working on that every day has been the biggest thing. The count has quite a bit to do with it, too. I wouldn’t say I’m exceptionally fast, but I’m not crawling down there either.
“Can’t give you all my secrets because if the pitchers read the story they’re gonna catch on.”
He also benefits from having a manager, Sal Fasano, who spent 11 years trying to prevent stolen bases as a catcher in the major leagues.
“Sal’s really good at picking up things a pitcher’s gonna do,” Gose said. “When they’re gonna throw over, or when they’re gonna throw home. He’s really good at that.
“He lets me know how long it’s taking the pitcher to get the ball to the plate. He knows when it’s time to go, and when it’s not time to go.”
The most impressive thing about Gose’s efforts on the basepaths this season may not be his number of stolen bases. Instead, it may be the number of times he’s been caught.
Gose, 21, has reduced his stolen base/caught stealing ratio significantly since last season, when he led the Class-A Florida State League with 45 stolen bases. He was thrown out 32 times, a 58 percent success rate.
This year, he’s closer to the 80 percent success rate that many managers like to see from their best base stealers. When Gose stole his 47th base, he had been caught 14 times (77 percent success rate).
“He’s made tremendous improvements and has a better understanding for when it’s time to steal and when it’s not,” Fasano said. “He’s definitely been making better choices.
“Stealing 70 bases in Double-A is a whole lot different that stealing 70 bases in A-ball.”
Gose, who bats and throws left-handed, led all of minor-league baseball with 76 steals when he played for Class-A Lakewood in 2009.
“Things went my way (on the basepaths) in ’09; they’re going my way this year,” Gose said. “Last year was just a down year for me. Mentally just not really focused on what I should have been. This year coming back humbled and ready to go has made a big difference in what’s going on on the basepaths.
“Just getting better jumps really. Being smarter. I’m a little bit smarter this year than I was last year.”
The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Gose out of Bellflower (Calif.) High School in the second round (51st overall pick) of the 2008 draft. He remained with the Phillies until last year, when he was traded to Toronto in a three-team deal (Toronto, Philadelphia and Houston) that involved pitcher Roy Oswalt.
The Phillies traded Gose, shortstop Jonathan Villar and pitcher J.A. Happ to Houston for Oswalt. Then Houston shipped Gose to Toronto in exchange for first baseman Brett Wallace.
“It’s part of the business,” Gose said. “Teams need to win at the big-league level, and they’re going to do what it takes to improve their team. The Phillies were gonna do what they needed to do to get a pitcher.”
Before the 2011 season, Baseball America rated Gose as the No. 4 prospect in Toronto’s organization. Aside from his base-stealing ability, his best attribute might be his arm. Fasano said arm strength could allow Gose to play one of the corner outfield positions when he reaches the major leagues.
“God blessed me with a great arm, and I like to show it off,” Gose said.
Gose has hit first, second and third in New Hampshire’s batting order this season, and ranked fourth on the team with 12 home runs through 112 games. He does have an obvious flaw in the offensive part of his game, however: too many strikeouts. Gose had a team-high 125 strikeouts in 421 at-bats through 112 games this season.
He called changeups and breaking balls his Kryptonite.
“My hitting coach, Justin Mashore, says I have to be more focused in my approach,” Gose said. “Gotta stay consistent with my approach. Looking for the pitch that I want rather than swing at anything. Look for that pitch and wait ’til I get that pitch.”
Although he has never been on a pace to threaten the Eastern League record for stolen bases in a season — Quebec City’s Larry Lintz holds the record with 92 in 1972 — Gose said that has never been his goal. He said he’s just looking for a way to move up the organizational ladder — even if he has to run his way there.
“I didn’t really have any goals this year,” Gose said. “Just wanted to have a good season. Whatever happens is gonna happen.”
This article originally appeared in the September 2011 issue of New England Baseball Journal.
Roger Brown can be reached at feedback@baseballjournal.com
