Upon receiving an interview request via email, Mike Gonzales replied from California: “How about a plane ticket instead?”
His two greatest players will play against each other in Thursday’s Cardinals-Blue Jays opening day in St. Louis.
The El Toro High School coach proceeded to share his phone number. Reached on Wednesday afternoon, the gregarious Gonzales said: “I'm at the field right now — staring at Nolan Arenado and Matt Chapman’s retired numbers on the outfield fence.”
A small number of high school coaches, during the course of their careers, have a player ultimately reach the majors.