Alex Gonzalez

From SoSH

Alex Gonzalez is the starting shortstop for the Cincinatti Reds. He was born on February 15, 1977 in Cagua, Venezuela. Gonzalez signed as an undrafted free agent by the Florida Marlins in 1994, and played with the Marlins from 1998-2005, until signing with the Red Sox in February 2006 as a free agent. After one year with the Red Sox, Gonzalez signed a three-year free agent contract with the Cincinatti Reds in November 2006.

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Gonzalez's Moment in the Sun 3 Trivia 4 Awards 5 Quotes 6 Transactions 7 External Links

Overall Career

AGon is mostly known for high gold-glove-caliber defense, although he’s never actually won one. He was an All-Star in 1999 with the Marlins, and a member of the 2003 World Series Champion Florida Marlins.

Gonzalez batted 9th in the order as a member of the Red Sox and set the Red Sox record for consecutive games at SS without an error (52). Gonzalez was acquired by Boston to fill the hole left by Edgar Renteria, who was traded to Atlanta in the 2005 off-season. Renteria was a defensive hazard up the middle by committing 30 errors in 2005.

Gonzalez's Moment in the Sun

"Yankee Killer" Alex Gonzalez hit a lead off, walk-off home run in bottom of the 12th off Yankee Jeff Weaver in Game 4 of the 2003 World Series. Gonzalez hit a 3-2 pitch down the left-field line for a 4-3 win and a 2-2 tie in the Series. Other current Red Sox who were then members of the Marlins were Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell.

Gonzalez cites his game-winning three-run homer in the Caribbean Series to beat the Dominican Republic as his proudest moment. "This homer is even more important than the one I hit for the Marlins in the [12th inning of Game 4 of the 2003] World Series," Gonzalez said. "This was for my country."

Trivia

• Alex Gonzalez has no middle name, which makes him difficult to distinguish from the other Alex Gonzalez. (Alex Scott Gonzalez, former Philly, Devil Ray, Padre, Expo, Cub, and Blue Jay who retired in 2006).
• Gonzalez (.985) was the first Boston shorstop to lead the AL in fielding since Rick Burleson (.980) in 1979.

Awards

• 1999 National League All-Star

Quotes

• "Big crowds every night - it'll be very different from Pro Player Stadium."
• "That's one of the things I want to do this year," Gonzalez said. "I want to win a Gold Glove. I know I can win that."

Transactions

• April 18, 1994: Signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Florida Marlins
• February 6, 2006: Signed as a Free Agent by the Boston Red Sox to a one-year contract
• November 20, 2006: Signed as a Free Agent by the Cincinnati Reds to a three-year contract with a mutual option for 2010

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Gonzalez's ESPN Player Card