His major league baseball career has been like that rollercoaster, though, especially when it comes to the 360-degree loops, or the long drop into a pool of water. He's trying to harness his animated contortions when he's facing a major league hitter.
"In high school I was energetic, hyper and able to blow the ball by everyone," Gonzalez said. "Here I need to be more relaxed, stay composed on the mound and not show any emotions."
Gio's Bright Future with the A's
There's no question that Gonzalez is a talented pitcher with an upside as high as the peak of the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland. He was the key component of a trade that brought him, outfielder Ryan Sweeney and right-hander Fautino De Los Santos to Oakland from the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Nick Swisher in January of 2008.
Through June of 2009, he's appeared in 14 major-league contests, including nine starts, and owns a 1-6 career mark with a 7.54 ERA. He's allowed 11 home runs in 51 1-3 innings, an average of one every 4.7 innings pitched. But he also has 52 strikeouts, an indication that he can still blow it by people.
Controlling his Emotions
If only he could get his excitability under control.
"It's a stepping stone," Gonzalez said. "I see it as a learning process. When I'm composed, I can slow the game down and not let it spiral out of control."
Gonzalez, age 23, is part of a starting rotation that bears little resemblance to the one that was scheduled to open the season for the A's. Staff ace and two-time All-Star Justin Duchscherer has not been on a major-league mound since Aug. 18, 2008, and Dana Eveland and Sean Gallagher pitched their way out of the big leagues earlier this season.
Josh Outman was the latest causality. He's out for at least 11 months following surgery on his left elbow. Gonzalez got the call to fill Outman's spot. He's made two starts, and neither has been eye-popping.
He has a chance to stay in the rotation, along with 25-year-old Dallas Braden, 22-year-old Vin Mazzaro and 21-year-olds Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill.
"I see what those guys are doing and they show composure," Gonzalez said. "I watch them every day to see how they go about it. I've been able to learn from them."
Father and Son Playing Catch
He grew up with his father, Max, serving as his personal pitching coach. When things went askew when he was pitching for Monsignor Pace High School in Florida, he'd give his dad a call.
"He was always the one person who would tell me to sleep on it," Gonzalez said. "I'd call him late at night and ask what I was doing wrong."
Now he's getting help from A's pitching Curt Young and Oakland catcher Kurt Suzuki.
"They're able to come out and calmed me down," Gonzalez said. "They keep talking to me, and keep me focused."
Gonzalez has a penchant for the zaniness in life. He flipped his locker room name plate upside down after one start, and he and Cahill tried to empty out "all the bad" in his locker after another. He also shares a passion for oddball T-shirts with A's infield prospect Gregorio Petit.
Once he reigns in that rollercoaster of energy, it should be a smooth ride the rest of the way for Gonzalez.
