Alex S. Gonzalez
Encyclopedia
Alexander Scott Gonzalez (born April 8, 1973 in Miami, Florida
) is a former Major League Baseball
infielder
, who spent the majority of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays
. Gonzalez established a career-high with 20 home run
s for the Chicago Cubs
in 2003 and hit 20 or more doubles
eight times, although his batting average
(career .243 hitter) and on-base percentage (.302) were always low. Gonzalez is best known for allowing a would-be inning ending double play ball to go off his glove in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series
, allowing the Marlins to win the game and ultimately claim the series over the Cubs. At Killian High School in Miami, Florida, Gonzalez was an All-State pick in baseball as a senior. He was drafted straight out of high school in the 14th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Blue Jays. He is Cuban American
and was also nicknamed "Gonzo" in order to tell the difference between him and the other Alex Gonzalez, who signed with the Blue Jays on November 26, 2009.
. The following season, he moved up to Single-A, playing for the Myrtle Beach Hurricanes in the Carolina League
. In 1993, he moved up in the minors once again, this time to Double-A, spending the season with the Southern League
's Knoxville Smokies. After making the major league team to begin 1994, Gonzalez batted only .151 in 15 games and was sent down to Triple-A Syracuse at the end of April. With Syracuse, Gonzalez batted .284 as he spent the rest of the season in the minors.
Gonzalez was the Blue Jays starting shortstop from 1995 to 2001 with the exception of 1999 when Toronto traded for Tony Batista
. Throughout his career, Gonzalez was plagued by a lack of offense, with decent power for a middle infielder
, but was unable to hit for average. After spending eight years with the Toronto Blue Jays, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs on December 21, 2001, for Felix Heredia
and minor leaguer James Deschaine. Gonzalez had two of his best seasons as the Cubs starting shortstop from 2002-2003. In 2003, he hit a career-high 20 home run
s and advanced to the postseason with the Cubs. Gonzalez had a reputation for strong defensive play; however, in the 8th inning of Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS
, he dropped a routine double play
ball that would have ended the inning with the score 3-1 in favor of the Cubs. Gonzalez's error
led to seven Florida Marlins
runs
which led to the Cubs losing the game, and ultimately the series. This was shortly after an incident in which a fan touched a foul ball that left fielder
Moisés Alou
might have caught. Alou reacted with visible frustration and anger after being unable to catch the ball, although there was no illegal interference on the play. The batter eventually drew a walk
, and it was Gonzalez's error that opened the floodgates. Curiously, Gonzalez's strong point in the postseason was his offense; he batted .275 and hit 4 home runs in 12 postseason games.
On July 31, 2004, the day of the trading deadline, Gonzalez was dealt in a four-team trade to the Montreal Expos
with the Cubs acquiring Boston
's Nomar Garciaparra
to play shortstop. After a brief stint with the Expos, he was sent as part of a conditional deal to the San Diego Padres
on September 16. He became a free agent
after the season and signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
for 2005 as a third baseman, making the switch from shortstop. After a brief, disappointing 2006 run with the Philadelphia Phillies
, Gonzalez retired from baseball. However, he came out of retirement on January 12, 2007, signing a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals
. But despite a strong showing in spring training
during which he batted over .400, Gonzalez failed to make the Royals' 25-man roster prior to the 2007 season, and exercised his right to become a free agent. Shortly thereafter, he signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals
and played 5 games for Triple-A Columbus
before his release.
Gonzalez also has the dubious distinction of being one of the few players in MLB history to strikeout six times in a single game(known as the "titanium sombrero"), which occurred in a 13 inning match as a member of the Blue Jays on September 9th, 1998.
by taking online classes to get a degree in sports management. While he is currently coaching little league and high school baseball, Gonzalez would like to someday be a baseball executive or possibly a coach. He currently resides in Miami, Florida, with his wife and children.
's satirical CBC comedy The Newsroom
in 1997.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, who spent the majority of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. Gonzalez established a career-high with 20 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in 2003 and hit 20 or more doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
eight times, although his batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(career .243 hitter) and on-base percentage (.302) were always low. Gonzalez is best known for allowing a would-be inning ending double play ball to go off his glove in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series
2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...
, allowing the Marlins to win the game and ultimately claim the series over the Cubs. At Killian High School in Miami, Florida, Gonzalez was an All-State pick in baseball as a senior. He was drafted straight out of high school in the 14th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft
1991 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1991 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Other notable players:...
by the Blue Jays. He is Cuban American
Cuban American
A Cuban American is a United States citizen who traces his or her "national origin" to Cuba. Cuban Americans are also considered native born Americans with Cuban parents or Cuban-born persons who were raised and educated in US...
and was also nicknamed "Gonzo" in order to tell the difference between him and the other Alex Gonzalez, who signed with the Blue Jays on November 26, 2009.
Professional career
Gonzalez began his pro baseball career in the minor leagues in 1991 with the Gulf Coast Blue JaysGulf Coast Blue Jays
The Gulf Coast Blue Jays are a Rookie Level minor league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The team, which began play in 2007 replacing the Pulaski Blue Jays in the Blue Jays farm system, is based in Dunedin, Florida at the Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex.-External links:...
. The following season, he moved up to Single-A, playing for the Myrtle Beach Hurricanes in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. In 1993, he moved up in the minors once again, this time to Double-A, spending the season with the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
's Knoxville Smokies. After making the major league team to begin 1994, Gonzalez batted only .151 in 15 games and was sent down to Triple-A Syracuse at the end of April. With Syracuse, Gonzalez batted .284 as he spent the rest of the season in the minors.
Gonzalez was the Blue Jays starting shortstop from 1995 to 2001 with the exception of 1999 when Toronto traded for Tony Batista
Tony Batista
Leocadio Francisco "Tony" Batista is a former Major League Baseball infielder who is currently a free agent. He played in the major leagues from to and to , and with the Softbank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League in .-Career:...
. Throughout his career, Gonzalez was plagued by a lack of offense, with decent power for a middle infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, but was unable to hit for average. After spending eight years with the Toronto Blue Jays, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs on December 21, 2001, for Felix Heredia
Félix Heredia
Félix Heredia Pérez is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who currently plays for Dorados de Chihuahua of the Mexican League. On October 18, 2005, he became the 11th MLB player to be suspended for testing positive for steroids...
and minor leaguer James Deschaine. Gonzalez had two of his best seasons as the Cubs starting shortstop from 2002-2003. In 2003, he hit a career-high 20 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and advanced to the postseason with the Cubs. Gonzalez had a reputation for strong defensive play; however, in the 8th inning of Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS
2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...
, he dropped a routine double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
ball that would have ended the inning with the score 3-1 in favor of the Cubs. Gonzalez's error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
led to seven Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
which led to the Cubs losing the game, and ultimately the series. This was shortly after an incident in which a fan touched a foul ball that left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
might have caught. Alou reacted with visible frustration and anger after being unable to catch the ball, although there was no illegal interference on the play. The batter eventually drew a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, and it was Gonzalez's error that opened the floodgates. Curiously, Gonzalez's strong point in the postseason was his offense; he batted .275 and hit 4 home runs in 12 postseason games.
On July 31, 2004, the day of the trading deadline, Gonzalez was dealt in a four-team trade to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
with the Cubs acquiring Boston
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
's Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
to play shortstop. After a brief stint with the Expos, he was sent as part of a conditional deal to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
on September 16. He became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
after the season and signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
for 2005 as a third baseman, making the switch from shortstop. After a brief, disappointing 2006 run with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Gonzalez retired from baseball. However, he came out of retirement on January 12, 2007, signing a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. But despite a strong showing in spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
during which he batted over .400, Gonzalez failed to make the Royals' 25-man roster prior to the 2007 season, and exercised his right to become a free agent. Shortly thereafter, he signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
and played 5 games for Triple-A Columbus
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
before his release.
Gonzalez also has the dubious distinction of being one of the few players in MLB history to strikeout six times in a single game(known as the "titanium sombrero"), which occurred in a 13 inning match as a member of the Blue Jays on September 9th, 1998.
Post-playing career
Gonzalez is currently going back to school at the University of PhoenixUniversity of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
by taking online classes to get a degree in sports management. While he is currently coaching little league and high school baseball, Gonzalez would like to someday be a baseball executive or possibly a coach. He currently resides in Miami, Florida, with his wife and children.
Acting Appearance
Gonzalez appeared "as himself" in an episode of Ken FinklemanKen Finkleman
Ken Finkleman is a Canadian television and film writer, producer and actor.In Canada, Finkleman is best known as the writer, creator and producer of the CBC Television series The Newsroom, in which he starred as television news producer George Findlay...
's satirical CBC comedy The Newsroom
The Newsroom
The Newsroom is a Canadian television comedy-drama series which ran on CBC Television in the 1996-97, 2003–04 and 2004-05 seasons. A two-hour television movie, Escape from the Newsroom, was broadcast in 2002....
in 1997.