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Luis Gonzalez
Born: 1967

OF 1990- Astros, Cubs, Tigers, Diamondbacks

All-Star in 1999, 2001

	Games	Average	HR	RBI
Career	`1437`	`.281`	`164`	`775`
League DS	`7`	`.273`	`1`	`2`

Stats through the 2000 season

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ť Left Field Gold Gloves - National League by Paul White

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If a line were drawn between Gonzalez's statlines of 1998 and 1999, the sets of statistics would look like they came from two different players. Before he was traded from the Tigers to the Arizona Diamondbacks for prospect Karim Garcia in December 1998, Gonzalez was the kind of solid, above-average player every manager likes to have around, but hardly a superstar. A line-drive hitter who made lots of contact, he batted in the .270s and played a decent outfield, despite a popgun arm. But in 1999, at the age of 32, Gonzalez shattered his image as a solid but unspectacular role player by suddenly emerging as one of the top hitters in the game.

In high school, the skinny Gonzalez had played second base and led off in a lineup that included high school star and future Yankee Tino Martinez. Drafted by the Houston Astros, Gonzalez ambled through the minors, finally breaking in in 1991 with a flat swing that sprayed line drives to all parts of the park but produced only occasional power.

After five seasons in a Astros uniform, Gonzalez was shipped to the Cubs in June 1995 but returned to Houston for the 1997 season. In 1998, he signed with the Detroit Tigers to be closer to his Michigan-based sister, and began strength training, adding 10 pounds to his wiry 6'2" frame. But the crucial moment came in batting practice when Bobby Higginson told him, "'You gotta learn to hook the ball to play in this park to take advantage of the short porch in right [in Tiger Stadium]." Gonzo opened his stance and began consciously pulling the ball. The ball didn't exactly jump off his bat that year, but the 23 dingers he slugged were a career high.

The Tigers remained unimpressed and shipped him to Arizona in one of the least heralded moves of the winter of 1998. D-Backs manager Buck Showalter considered using Gonzalez as a leadoff hitter, but after the arrival of the speedy Tony Womack, decided to platoon him with Bernard Gilkey in the third spot in the lineup, between Jay Bell and Williams. The platoon never came off. Gilkey developed eye problems, and Gonzalez began the season with a 30-game hitting streak, followed immediately by a 12-game streak. With Gonzalez batting a torrid .390, Showalter could hardly sit him down when Gilkey returned, and the previously unheralded outfielder finished with career highs of 111 RBIs and a .336 batting average -- a 36-point improvement over his previous best.

Gonzalez's sudden success was so unexpected that D-Backs management had left him off the All-Star ballot in favor of Gilkey, Womack, and Steve Finley. After his hitting streak Gonzo's popularity soared, and, spearheaded by a local radio host, fans began a write-in campaign. The movement took off, eventually prompting a local communications company to set up eight Internet kiosks around Phoenix that garnered 40,000 online votes. Snake fans were so enthusiastic that they used up the D-Backs' allotment of 125,000 ballots by late May, forcing the club to borrow more from Los Angeles and Colorado. Gonzo never cracked the top ten in balloting, but NL manager Bruce Bochy named him to his first All-Star Game anyway.

By the time the All-Star Game had ended, the Diamondbacks realized they had caught lightning in a bottle and promptly signed Gonzo to a three-year, $12.5 million contract extension. For the next two years he delivered, never batting lower than .311 and improving his power totals each year.

In fact, 2001 was a staggering home run year for the skinny Gonzalez. Balls seemed to flee his bat the way birds scatter from a footstep. He slammed 10 homers in April, an NL record, and hit 40 by the end of July. The media talked of an assault on Mark McGwire's single-season home run record, but Gonzalez cooled in August and September, merely breaking the 50-home run plateau for the first time in his career.

While Gonzalez became big-time on the field, he never let it affect him off the field, as he continued to be one of baseball's good guys. With a photographic memory for names and faces, he remembered everyone he met at all the ballparks, from the players and umps to the baggage guys and clubhouse stewards. Gonzalez was considered to be the highest tipper in baseball, sometimes asking a worker's highest tip that year and then topping it by a substantial margin. Known for his ability to socialize with superstars and rookies, he had a reputation for generosity, often picking up the bar tab for lower-paid players, writers, and baseball employees.

With the birth of his triplets in 1998 Gonzalez learned the perspective that comes with having a family, and there is no doubt that Megan, Jacob and Alyssa took center stage in his life. But he also loved the fans, and one of his most treasured possessions was a ball thrown to him before he filed for free agency in 1997, signed by the denizens of Wrigley Field's bleachers. (EPW)

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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY

ť June 28, 1995: The Cubs trade C Rick Wilkins to the Astros for OF Luis Gonzalez and C Scott Servais.

ť August 18, 1995: In a slugfest at new Coors Field, the Cubs defeat the Rockies by a score of 26-7. A two 1/2 hour rain delay interrupted the contest which takes more than six hours to play. OF Luis Gonzalez drives home six runs for Chicago while Sammy Sosa goes 4-for-4, with four RBIs and four runs scored. Several ML records are tied by the Cubs: nine teammates each score two or more runs (Scott Servais and Sosa score 4, while Mark Grace plates 3); 14 Cubs hit safely, and 26 RBIs (ties the National League mark) are collected. The Cubs now have scored 20 or more runs 39 times, extending their ML record. Kevin Foster pitches the first three innings for Chicago, allowing only a Andres Galarraga homer before departing to rest with the Cubs up 91. Anthony Young picks up an easy win with one 1/3 innings of relief.

ť June 17, 1997: Ramon Garcia allows one hit in five innings and Luis Gonzalez's bases-loaded single helps the Astros to a six-run fifth inning, as Houston beats the host Royals, 102. Gonzalez stretches his hitting streak to 21 games, the longest of the season in the National League.

ť June 18, 1997: In Kansas City, Jeff King hits his fourth interleague home run, a grand slam in the first inning, to lead the Royals to a 62 win over the Astros. In Kansas City's six interleague games, King is 10-for-21 with 12 RBIs. Houston's Luis Gonzalez singles to extend his hitting streak to 22 games,

ť July 20, 1997: OF Luis Gonzalez bashes a double and two home runs, and drives in 6, as he leads Houston to a 9-0 white-washing of the Expos. The victory moves Houston two games ahead of Pittsburgh in the National League Central.

ť December 9, 1997: The Tigers sign free agent OF Luis Gonzalez to a 2-year contract.

ť December 28, 1998: The Diamondbacks trade OF Karim Garcia to the Tigers in exchange for OF Luis Gonzalez.

ť May 19, 1999: The Giants beat the Diamondbacks, 8-3, and stop Arizona OF Luis Gonzalez' 30-game hitting streak. It is the longest streak in the NL since Jerome Walton of the Cubs also hit in 30 in a row in 1989.

ť August 22, 1999: The Diamondbacks defeat the Pirates, 7-5. Luis Gonzalez, Matt Williams, and Erubiel Durazo hit consecutive home runs for Arizona in the 1st inning.

ť July 5, 2000: The Diamondbacks trip the Astros, 12-9. Arizona OF Luis Gonzalez becomes the 1st Diamondback to hit for the cycle, hitting a double in the 1st inning, a single in the 3rd, a triple in the 8th, and a home run in the 9th. It is the 1st time the feat is accomplished in new Enron Field. Gonzalez is just the 9th player to both hit for the cycle and have a 30+ game hitting streak.

ť September 23, 2000: The Giants and Diamondbacks split a DH, with Arizona winning the 1st game, 7-5, and San Francisco taking the nightcap, 9-5. Arizona OF Luis Gonzalez hits a 3-run home run in each game, and has a total of eight RBIs on the day.

ť April 26, 2001: Luis Gonzalez bangs two home runs in Arizona's 13-6 win over Atlanta to tie the major-league record for home runs in the month of April with 13 held by Ken Griffey, Jr. His first home run, off Greg Maddux, ties the NL record. Steve Finley also homers off Maddux, a 3-run shot, and adds a triple and single to drive in five runs. Damian Miller has two homers, including a back-to-back shots with Erubiel Durazo in the 8th. Robert Ellis (30) is the winner.

ť June 8, 2001: The Diamondbacks trim the Royals, 11-4, as OF Luis Gonzalez hits three home runs.

ť July 9, 2001: Arizona OF Luis Gonzalez beats Chicago OF Sammy Sosa in the Home Run Derby during the AllStar festivities.

ť August 26, 2001: The Diamondbacks score in the 10th inning to defeat the Phillies, 43. Philadelphia rookie SS Jimmy Rollins is caught stealing in the 3rd inning, the first time in his career after a streak of 35 consecutive steals. Luis Gonzalez receives the ultimate compliment when the Phils give him an intentional walk with the bases empty. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Gonzalez joins Manny Ramirez Jason Giambi, Mike Piazza, and Jim Thome as the only players to receive an intentional pass with the bases empty this season. Ramirez is the only one of the group to have been walked intentionally twice this year with no ducks on the pond.

ť August 29, 2001: The Diamondbacks whitewash the Giants, 20, as OF Luis Gonzalez becomes the 19th player in history to hit 50 home runs in a season.

ť October 2, 2001: Randy Johnson (216) strikes out six batters in seven innings in the Diamondbacks 101 win over Colorado. Arizona stays two games ahead of SF with Johnson's 200th career victory. The six K's give Johnson a season total of 372, and leaves Nolan Ryan's modern day single season record of 383, set in 1973, safe. Johnson also hits Larry Walker with a pitch, giving him 18 HBPs for the year. Mike Hampton (1413) retaliates by plunking Johnson, upsetting the D'Back's bench. Luis Gonzalez hits his 57th home run for Arizona.

ť October 7, 2001: The Giants beat the Dodgers, 2-1, as Barry Bonds extends his major-league record with his 73rd home run of the season. He will finish the year with a slugging percentage of .863 to break Babe Ruth's all-time single-season record. Bonds will have 411 total bases, 3rd in the NL behind Luis Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa. He also is the only player besides Kevin Maas to have more than 20 homers and not double his home run total in RBI. (Maas had 21 home run, 41 RBI, in 1991)

ť October 16, 2001: Randy Johnson stops his postseason losing streak with a 2-0 win over the Braves in the opener of the NLCS. Johnson allows three hits and strikes out 11. Reggie Sanders and Luis Gonzalez drive home runs for the Diamondbacks.

ť October 20, 2001: The Diamondbacks take a 3-1 lead in their series with an 11-4 victory over Greg Maddux and the Braves. Six of Arizona's runs are unearned as a result of three Atlanta errors. Luis Gonzalez hits a 3-run homer for Arizona while Andruw Jones connects for the Braves. Brian Anderson gets the win in relief of starter Albie Lopez.

ť October 27, 2001: The Diamondbacks pound the Yankees in the opener of the World Series by a score of 9-1 behind Curt Schilling. Schilling hurls seven innings to win his 4th game of the postseason. Craig Counsell and Luis Gonzalez homer for Arizona as Mike Mussina takes the loss.

ť November 4, 2001: The Arizona Diamondbacks win the first World Series of their 4-year existence with a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Yankees. Alfonso Soriano breaks a 1-1 tie with a home run in the 8th inning to give NY the lead, but Arizona comes back with two runs in the bottom half of the 9th off Mariano Rivera to get the win. Luis Gonzalez drives home the winning run while Randy Johnson gets the win in relief. Johnson and Curt Schilling share the World Series MVP award.

ť August 14, 2002: Reds C Jason LaRue has a bad first inning with knuckleballer Jared Fernandez on the mound, and allows three consecutive passed balls and a run scoring wild pitch. LaRue will lead the majors this year with 20 passed balls. The Diamondbacks break a tie in the 6th as Tony Womack singles off reliever John Riedling to win, 72, their 18th out of 22 games. Luis Gonzalez misses the game because of a strained rib cage, and breaks his ML high streak of 446 consecutive games played.

ť September 23, 2002: The Cardinals use nine consecutive 2out hits to score 10 runs in the 7th inning on their way to a 131 win over the Diamondbacks. The D'Backs lose more than the game when Luis Gonzalez separates his shoulder in an outfield collision with Tony Womack's knee.