Intro

Just a few years after signing a contract with the Texas Rangers at the age of 16 out of Puerto Rico, Juan Gonzalez paid dividends as an RBI-machine from the cleanup spot. The powerful right-handed batter won a pair of Most Valuable Player Awards and helped the Rangers to three division titles, and the first post-season appearances in franchise history.

Best Season

Won his first MVP Award, batting .314/.643/.368 with 47 homers and 144 RBI in 134 games. The Rangers won their first division title, and Gonzalez slugged five homers in four playoff games.

Factoid 1

Slugger Juan Gonzalez hit eight homers in 15 post-season games, but his teams never won a playoff series.

Transition

May 30, 1986: Signed by the Texas Rangers as an amateur free agent; November 2, 1999: Traded by the Texas Rangers with Danny Patterson and Gregg Zaun to the Detroit Tigers for Frank Catalanotto, Francisco Cordero, Bill Haselman, Gabe Kapler, Justin Thompson, and Alan Webb (minors); November 1, 2000: Granted Free Agency; January 9, 2001: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians; November 5, 2001: Granted Free Agency; January 8, 2002: Signed as a Free Agent with the Texas Rangers; October 26, 2003: Granted Free Agency; January 6, 2004: Signed as a Free Agent with the Kansas City Royals; October 28, 2004: Granted Free Agency; January 11, 2005: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.

Strengths

Power, driving in runs.

Weaknesses

Focus on defense.

Milestones

On June 5, 2002, hit his 400th career home run, off Jarrod Washburn of the Angels, in Anaheim... Collected his 300th homer on September 19, 1998, in Texas against the A's.

Feats

Gonzalez hit three homers in a game three times: June 7, 1992; August 28, 1993; and September 24, 1999... On June 17, 1993, Gonzalez drove in eight runs against the Angels, going 4-for-4 with a double and a grand slam.

Notes

When Gonzalez played for Detroit in 2000, he complained about the cavernous dimensions of Comerica Park as much as he could. That season he had reason to be cranky: he hit .307 with 14 homers and a .545 SLG. At Detroit's new Comerica Park, he batted .267 with eight homers and a .461 SLG.