Alex Gonzalez

[Redlegs]

Even though our beloved Redlegs came up short last night, watching Alex Gonzalez play short was worth my $32 ticket price. It was an absolute joy to watch that guy pick it all night long as he made play after play. Sometimes a great defensive game needs to be recognized.

Here's to you, Alex! :beerme:

[paulrichjr]

This game was the first one that I have watched all 9 innings on TV and I don't know who these posters on this site who stated that his defense was over-rated and his range was low (and on and on and on) but AGon is simply amazing. And I have been pleasantly surprised by his hitting. It's not great but it is enough considering his amazing glove. Sometimes you just have to watch the game instead of looking "just" at numbers. I think some of those now silent posters have been watching him play gold glove defense.

[George Anderson]

Even though our beloved Redlegs came up short last night, watching Alex Gonzalez play short was worth my $32 ticket price. It was an absolute joy to watch that guy pick it all night long as he made play after play. Sometimes a great defensive game needs to be recognized.

Here's to you, Alex! :beerme:

I think watching a SS play top notch defense is the epitomy of the absolute beauty of the game. Of all my memories of the Reds over the years, my favorites are the ones where Davey Concepcion or Barry Larkin made a jaw dropping defensive play to wow the crowd.

[Redlegs]

One of the best plays he made involved a runner reaching on an infield single. Alex went deep in the hole, picked it and came up throwing. Even though the runner beat it out, the crowd cheered the play. Great play.

[HotCorner]

One of the best plays he made involved a runner reaching on an infield single. Alex went deep in the hole, picked it and came up throwing. Even though the runner beat it out, the crowd cheered the play. Great play.

I was at the game last night and his defense really impressed. The two plays that stuck in my head were the one mentioned above (would have gotten a slower runner) and his sliding catch in CF. The latter was amazing!

[RedEye]

This game was the first one that I have watched all 9 innings on TV and I don't know who these posters on this site who stated that his defense was over-rated and his range was low (and on and on and on) but AGon is simply amazing. And I have been pleasantly surprised by his hitting. It's not great but it is enough considering his amazing glove. Sometimes you just have to watch the game instead of looking "just" at numbers. I think some of those now silent posters have been watching him play gold glove defense.

I too have been impressed by his defense. I'm just not convinced it's that much better than we could get from Castro now or from Janish next year. Likewise, I still think that serious questions remain about the wisdom of signing him for so much money. If I knew he would suddenly start hitting like Omar Vizquel, the quintessential good-field, hit-enough-to-carry-your-weight shortstop, then I would be happy... but a .292 career OBP is frighteningly bad. And $14 million is a lot to invest in that type of player when you are a small market franchise.

[Tom Servo]

I too have been impressed by his defense. I'm just not convinced it's that much better than we could get from Castro now or from Janish next year.
I can't believe people are still saying this. Gonzo is ten times the defensive wizard Castro is, and Janish is still a whiles off from reaching the majors.

[flyer85]

Now if somebody would introduce him to his bat, of course at this point he has a well established track record that says it isn't going to happen.

[reds1869]

Now if somebody would introduce him to his bat, of course at this point he has a well established track record that says it isn't going to happen.

His combination of glove and bat is prefereable to a hard-hitting defensive trainwreck. His offense is not bad enough to negate his defense; I'll take a .300 OBP from a great middle infielder any day of the week.

[edabbs44]

My opinion hasn't changed much from day one...teams like Boston and NY would benefit from a signing like this one, not Cincy. Plug a hole with someone who will help defensively and not be an absolute black hole in the lineup. This team needed a lot more than that and this signing didn't get them any closer to the post-season.

[flyer85]

His offense is not bad enough to negate his even though anecdotally he had a "great" defensive season in 2006, Boston saw enough of his offense to reach the opposite conclusion and had no interest in bringing him back in 2007.

[captainmorgan07]

mark my words agon will win the gold glove

[hebroncougar]

My opinion hasn't changed much from day one...teams like Boston and NY would benefit from a signing like this one, not Cincy. Plug a hole with someone who will help defensively and not be an absolute black hole in the lineup. This team needed a lot more than that and this signing didn't get them any closer to the post-season.

Right now, other than Hamilton, who's not a black hole in this lineup? :bang:

[edabbs44]

Right now, other than Hamilton, who's not a black hole in this lineup? :bang:

Gonzalez was acquired with the knowledge that he would be an offensive liability. This offense was not in the position to take on another one of those, if they wanted to have a shot at the post-season. Spending $14 million with that knowledge is pretty bad.

[11larkin11]

I'd like to see AGon for 2 1/2 years, and traded at the 09 deadline (if any value) to make room for Valaika, who I like better than Janish.

[Redlegs]

My opinion hasn't changed much from day one...teams like Boston and NY would benefit from a signing like this one, not Cincy. Plug a hole with someone who will help defensively and not be an absolute black hole in the lineup. This team needed a lot more than that and this signing didn't get them any closer to the post-season.
We've seen in years past what bad defense can do. You simply cannot give extra outs in the big leagues. You have to pitch well, play very good defense, and MAKE CONTACT at the plate. Those are the keys to winning baseball games. This team's main problem is lack of contact. If they put the bat on the ball more, Gonzo's offense would not be an issue.

[CaiGuy]

If they could have every position filled with guys who can hit AND field, they'd be set. But, this is not realistic. SS is an important defensive position, and the Reds have on who can glove up. The same goes for Phillips. Now find some offense for the corner spots.

...14 million over three years isn't going to handcuff the team.

[Chip R]

He's pretty smooth out there and has been as advertised with the glove and better than advertised with the stick. However, the few errors he has made have sure come at inopportune times.

[hebroncougar]

If they could have every position filled with guys who can hit AND field, they'd be set. But, this is not realistic. SS is an important defensive position, and the Reds have on who can glove up. The same goes for Phillips. Now find some offense for the corner spots.

...14 million over three years isn't going to handcuff the team.

Agreed, it's not the SS position that's killing us in the lineup.

[KronoRed]

mark my words agon will win the gold glove

Marked, but it won't happen.

[BRM]

Agreed, it's not the SS position that's killing us in the lineup.

It's not the position. It's just one of many that's killing the Reds offensively.

[WMR]

and MAKE CONTACT at the plate.

"Ya know, making contact at the plate got me a play named after me."

http://ucsu.colorado.edu/~gillenm/SeanCasey.jpg

[BurgervilleBuck]

This team's main problem is lack of contact.
To me, that's only one facet of the main problem: these guys seem to have a problem with fundamentals. They leave runners stranded, they are inconsistent defensively, the offense can't be counted on to bail out a bad pitching start and the bullpen can't keep a game close.

But you keep on hoping...

[WMR]

To me, that's only one facet of the main problem: these guys seem to have a problem with fundamentals. They leave runners stranded, they are inconsistent defensively, the offense can't be counted on to bail out a bad pitching start and the bullpen can't keep a game close.



Skip: You guys. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? Larry!

Larry: Lollygaggers!

Skip: Lollygaggers.

[AtomicDumpling]

Gonzalez is smooth at shortstop it is true, but I would rather have Felipe Lopez's 4 errors and 24 hits than Alex Gonzalez's 2 errors and only 13 hits.

[M2]

mark my words agon will win the gold glove

Mark my words, with Jose Reyes, Adam Everett, Omar Vizquel and Jack Wilson around he won't even get a sniff of the Gold Glove. Khalil Greene, Jimmy Rollins and Cesar Izturis aren't going to get a sniff either and they're all very good defenders too.

[AtomicDumpling]

Mark my words, with Jose Reyes, Adam Everett, Omar Vizquel and Jack Wilson around he won't even get a sniff of the Gold Glove. Khalil Greene, Jimmy Rollins and Cesar Izturis aren't going to get a sniff either and they're all very good defenders too.

Good point.

Alex Gonzalez has never won the Gold Glove in his career. He wasn't even a full-time player for the Red Sox last year. Besides, when guys like Derek Jeter and Palmeiro win the Gold Glove it shows that being the best fielder is rarely the criterion required for winning the award. Palmeiro only played 28 games at 1B in 1999 but he won the Gold Glove.