Alexander Luis González (born February 15, 1977) is a Venezuelan former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the ...

. González played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park. The ...

(1998–2005),

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

(2006, 2009),

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

(2007–2009),

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

(2010),

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

(2010–2011),

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

(2012–2013) and

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

(2014). He was given the nickname "Sea-bass" while playing in Florida. He bats and throws

right-handed In human biology, handedness is an individual's preferential use of one hand, known as the dominant hand, due to and causing it to be stronger, faster or more Fine motor skill, dextrous. The other hand, comparatively often the weaker, less dext ...

Playing career

Florida Marlins

In 1999, while with the

, González made the

Major League Baseball All-Star Game The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...

. In 2001, he led all Major League shortstops with 26 errors. González played an important role in the

2003 World Series The 2003 World Series (also known as the Centennial World Series) was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2003 Major League Baseball season, 2003 season. The 99th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-s ...

against the

Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. They are one ...

. After going 1-for-13 in the first three games of the World Series, he hit a

walk-off home run In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will not have an opp ...

in the 12th inning of Game 4 to give the Marlins a 4–3 victory and a 2–2 tie in the Series. The extra innings happened because Florida's closer

Ugueth Urbina Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal (; born February 15, 1974) is a Venezuelan former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the 1999 season and helped the Florida Marlins ...

blew a 3–1 lead in the ninth. In Game 5, González hit a two-out game-tying

double Double, The Double or Dubble may refer to: Mathematics and computing * Multiplication by 2 * Double precision, a floating-point representation of numbers that is typically 64 bits in length * A double number of the form x+yj, where j^2=+1 * A ...

and later scored, helping the Marlins take a 3–2 series lead. González added an extra

run Run(s) or RUN may refer to: Places * Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia * Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant People * Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...

in the sixth and final game, when he slid around

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...

Jorge Posada Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta (born August 17, 1970) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Posada recorded a .273 batting average, 275 home runs, and ...

, eluding him and brushing the plate with his left hand. Florida beat the odds with a 2–0 victory and won the World Series. One of his most productive seasons came in 2004, when he posted career highs in

at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, ...

s (561) and

games played Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. Associat ...

(159), tied a career high in

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

s (23), yet also had a career high in

strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

s (126).

Boston Red Sox

Before the 2006 season, the

signed González as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

to a one-year contract worth $3 million, plugging a hole in the starting lineup after the trade of shortstop

Édgar Rentería Édgar Enrique Rentería Herazo (; born August 7, 1975), nicknamed "the Barranquilla Baby", is a Colombian former professional baseball shortstop. He threw and batted right-handed. He played for the Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston ...

to the

. He reunited with former Marlins' teammates

Josh Beckett Joshua Patrick Beckett (born May 15, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). A three-time MLB All-Star, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Afte ...

and

Mike Lowell Michael Averett Lowell (born February 24, 1974) is a Puerto Rican former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees (1998), Florida Marlins (1999–2005), and the Boston Red Sox (2006& ...

who were traded from Florida to Boston earlier. González's signing with the Sox marked the second time he had replaced Rentería as the shortstop; Renteria had just left the Marlins for the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

before González joined the team in 1998.

Cincinnati Reds

On November 18, 2006, he signed a three-year, $14 million contract with the

. In 2008, an

MRI Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and rad ...

showed that Gonzalez still had a fracture in his left knee. He was named Player of the Week for the week of April 29, 2007. When González was hurt in February, it looked like he'd be back in the middle of April. Gonzalez had surgery on the knee in July, however, and ultimately missed the entire 2008 season.

Boston Red Sox (second stint)

On August 14, 2009, González cleared waivers with the Cincinnati Reds and was traded back to the Boston Red Sox with $1.1 million for Single A shortstop Kristopher Negron. From August 15 through the end of the regular season, González appeared in 44 games for Boston, batting .284 with 5 home runs and 15 RBIs.

Toronto Blue Jays

On November 26, 2009, González signed a one-year deal with the

, with a club option for a second year.

Atlanta Braves

On July 14, 2010, González was traded along with prospects Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky to the

for shortstop

Yunel Escobar Yunel Escobar Almenares (born November 2, 1982) is a Cuban-born American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Na ...

and Jo-Jo Reyes.

Milwaukee Brewers

On December 8, 2011, González was signed in free agency by the

. He signed a one-year deal with a vesting option for 2013 if he has at least 525 plate appearances in 2012. He will make $4.25 million in 2012, and would make $4 million in 2013. On May 5, 2012, Gonzalez was placed on the 15-day disabled list after suffering a right knee injury earlier in the day in a game at the San Francisco Giants. He was then placed on the disabled list after revealing that he had a torn ACL, and remained there for the rest of the season. During the offseason Gonzalez played in the Venezuelan Winter League for the

Leones del Caracas The Caracas Base Ball Club C.A., better known by its commercial name as the Leones del Caracas, is a professional baseball team of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVPB). The owner and sole shareholder of the sports club is Ricardo C ...

. González filed for free agency after the World Series, but ultimately re-signed with the Brewers on a one-year, $1.5 million deal. He was released on June 3, 2013.

Baltimore Orioles

On January 31, 2014, González signed a minor league contract with the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

. He never appeared in a game with the Orioles.

Detroit Tigers

On March 24, 2014, González was traded to the

in exchange for Steve Lombardozzi Jr., who never played in Tigers uniform. In his Tigers debut Opening Day against the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...

, Gonzalez hit an RBI-triple to tie the game in the seventh inning, and later hit a walk-off single in the ninth to give the Tigers a 4–3 victory. He was released on April 20, 2014.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Alex 1977 births Living people Atlanta Braves players Boston Red Sox players Brevard County Manatees players Charlotte Knights players Cincinnati Reds players Detroit Tigers players Florida Marlins players Gulf Coast Marlins players Kane County Cougars players Leones del Caracas players Louisville Bats players Major League Baseball players from Venezuela Major League Baseball shortstops Milwaukee Brewers players National League All-Stars Pawtucket Red Sox players Baseball players from Aragua Portland Sea Dogs players Toronto Blue Jays players Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Canada Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States