Adrian Gonzalez
Gonzalez with the Red Sox on April 26, 2011
Boston Red Sox – No. 28
First baseman / Right fielder
Born: (1982-05-08) May 8, 1982 (age 30) San Diego, California
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 18, 2004 for the Texas Rangers
Career statistics (through May 30, 2012)
Batting average	.292
Home runs	199
Runs batted in	669
Hits	1,167
Teams
Texas Rangers (2004–2005) San Diego Padres (2006–2010) Boston Red Sox (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) 3× Gold Glove Award winner (2008, 2009, 2011) 1x Silver Slugger Award winner (2011)

Adrian Gonzalez (born May 8, 1982) is a Mexican-American professional baseball first baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.

Gonzalez was the first overall pick in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft by the Florida Marlins. He was traded to the Texas Rangers, and later to the San Diego Padres, where he was an All-Star selection four times and two-time Gold Glove winner. The four-time Padres team Most Valuable Player (MVP) was traded to the Boston Red Sox before entering the final year of his contract during the 2010 offseason.

Gonzalez was born in San Diego, but played for Mexico in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic. His nicknames include Gonzo^[1] and A-Gon.^[2]

Professional career[link]

Florida Marlins (2000–2003)[link]

Gonzalez was projected to be a late first-round pick out of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, California, but he advanced with his senior year performance.^[3] In June 2000, Gonzalez became the first infield position player to be drafted first overall since Alex Rodriguez in 1993. He was given a $3 million signing bonus by the Florida Marlins.^[4] While in the Marlins organization, Gonzalez played with the Gulf Coast League Marlins, Kane County Cougars, Utica Blue Sox, Portland Sea Dogs (2002), Albuquerque Isotopes (2003), and Carolina Mudcats (2003). With the A level Kane County Cougars in his 2nd professional season, Gonzalez hit .312 with 17 home runs and 103 RBI's in 127 games.

Texas Rangers (2004–2005)[link]

After a wrist injury, the Marlins felt Gonzalez would be hindered swinging the bat, so the Marlins included Gonzalez in a June 2003 trade with the Texas Rangers, along with Ryan Snare and minor leaguer Will Smith, to acquire a relief pitcher, Ugueth Urbina, to aid their championship drive.^[5] He played in 16 games for Texas in 2004 and in 43 games in 2005.

After the season, Gonzalez was traded to the San Diego Padres along with pitcher Chris Young and outfielder Terrmel Sledge. In return, the Rangers received Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka. Originally seen as an eventual replacement for Ryan Klesko at first base, Gonzalez was given the job when Klesko underwent shoulder surgery.

San Diego Padres (2006–2010)[link]

Gonzalez after a swing with the Padres on May 11, 2008

With extended playing time at first base in 2006, Gonzalez continued to improve his hitting and defense. On July 23, 2006, he was named the NL Player of the Week.^[6] In his first full season, he led the Padres in batting average (.304) and home runs (24). He was the first player in Petco Park history to have more than one multiple home run game. He was named the Padres' MVP for 2006.^[7]

On March 31, 2007, Gonzalez agreed to a $9.5 million, four-year deal, with a club option for $5.5 million in 2011.^[8] In the 2007 season, he led the Padres in home runs again, with 30, and had a team-high 100 RBIs. He led all Major League first basemen with 161 games and a career-high 46 doubles.^[7]

In the 2008 season, Gonzalez finished with a .279 average and once again led the Padres with 36 HRs and 119 RBIs. He was elected to the 2008 MLB All-Star Game as a reserve. He went 1 for 3 with a single and a sacrifice fly, scoring Miguel Tejada of the Houston Astros. He won his first Gold Glove Award in 2008 at first base. Gonzalez set career highs in games played (162), home runs (36), RBI (119), runs scored (103), walks (74) and slugging percentage (.510). He was named the Padres MVP for the second time.^[7]

Gonzalez played winter ball in the Mexican Pacific League for the Venados de Mazatlán. In the 2009 Caribbean Series, he led his team past the Dominican Republic's Tigres del Licey with a record-setting 3 home runs on February 4.^[9]

Gonzalez hit 23 homers and led Major League Baseball in that category at the end of May, 2009. This despite playing his home games at Petco Park, which Padres statisticians describe as an “extreme pitcher's park.”^[10] On May 18, Gonzalez was described as being one of the two most underrated players in the National League according to a poll of Major League executives and managers conducted by MLB.com.^[10] On April 1, Gonzalez was named the NL Co-Player of the Week for the second time in his career. During that week, Gonzalez hit four home runs, tallied 10 RBIs, and had a 1.000 slugging percentage.^[11] Gonzalez was elected to the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game after voting by fellow players, managers and coaches.^[12] He subsequently participated in that year's Home Run Derby where he hit two home runs in the first round. On August 1, Gonzalez finished 6-for-6 with three RBI as the Padres topped the Milwaukee Brewers 13–6. Gonzalez's six hits are the most by any Padre in a nine-inning game. Three others have accomplished the feat, but did it in extra-inning contests. Gonzalez hit five singles and a double.

He led the majors in walks in 2009, with 119,^[13] while hitting 40 home runs for the first time in his career. He was named the Padres team MVP for 2009, his third time honored.^[7]

Gonzalez started the 2010 season playing well. On May 24, he was named the NL Player of the Week for the fourth time in his career.^[14] On June 2, Gonzalez hit a walk-off grand slam in extra innings to lead his team toward a 5–1 victory over the New York Mets.^[15] In July, Gonzalez was elected to participate in his third consecutive All-Star game.

During the 2010 season, Gonzalez had 176 hits in 591 at bats, good for a .298 batting average, his highest since hitting .304 in his rookie season (2006). He had 93 walks and 114 strikeouts. His 93 walks put him in third place in the NL behind only Prince Fielder (114) and Albert Pujols (103). He finished with 31 home runs and 101 RBI, the third time in his career he had 100 RBI or more. Gonzalez played in 160 games on the year, tying him with Rickie Weeks for 5th in the NL. He scored 87 runs on the season, compiling 302 total bases, which also tied him with Weeks, for 6th in the NL. Gonzalez was named team MVP for the third consecutive year and the fourth time overall with the Padres.^[16]

Gonzalez would have been in the last year of his contract in 2011, but the Padres were not going to meet Gonzalez’s open market value especially with Jeff Moorad’s purchase of the Padres from John Moores not completing until around 2013.^[17][18]

Boston Red Sox (2011–present)[link]

Gonzalez at the 2011 All-Star Game

On December 6, 2010, Gonzalez was traded to the Boston Red Sox for a package of right-handed pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, outfielder Reymond Fuentes, and a player to be named later, later determined to be Eric Patterson.^[19][20]

On April 15, 2011, Gonzalez and the Red Sox agreed to a seven-year contract extension worth $154 million through the 2018 season.^[21]

On June 19, 2011, Gonzalez hit his 1,000 career hit: a triple off of Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo.^[22]

On July 3, Adrian Gonzalez was selected to represent the Red Sox at the 2011 All Star game in Arizona along with fellow teammates Josh Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, and Jon Lester. Gonzalez hit a home run in the game and was responsible for the only run for the American League. Additionally, Ortiz selected Gonzalez as one of three sluggers to join him in the Home Run Derby, where he finished second to Robinson Cano. Gonzalez tied a record for most home runs in the final round of the home run derby at 11, which was then surpassed by the victor Cano.

Gonzalez was named AL Player of the Month for June 2011 with a .401 average (40 for 99) – the best in the Majors for that month.^[23] After placing second in the 2011 Home Run Derby, Adrian Gonzalez faced a home-run slump until he hit five home runs in ten at-bats on August 23–25.

He appeared on the cover of baseball video game MLB 12: The Show.^[24] On November 21 the AL MVP ballots came out, with Adrian in seventh place and his team mate Ellsbury in 2nd, both losing to Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

Personal life[link]

The son of Mexican parents, Gonzalez spent his youth in Tijuana, Mexico & Bonita, California. His brother is former Padres teammate Edgar Gonzalez. Their father was a member of the Mexican national baseball team.^[25]

Gonzalez is a born-again Christian and engraved on his bats is "PS 27:1" for verse 1 from Psalm 27.^[26]

Gonzalez and his wife Betsy reside in San Diego.^[27] The couple created The Adrian and Betsy Gonzalez Foundation, which is focused on empowering underprivileged youth in areas of athletics, education and health.^[28]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal

• List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Adrian Gonzalez

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Official website
• The Adrian and Betsy Gonzalez Foundation

Carl Crawford
Carl Crawford with the Red Sox
Boston Red Sox – No. 13
Outfielder
Born: (1981-08-05) August 5, 1981 (age 30) Houston, Texas
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
July 20, 2002 for the Tampa Bay Rays
Career statistics (through 2011 season)
Batting average	.293
Stolen bases	427
Runs	830
Hits	1,609
Home runs	115
Teams
Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2002–2010) Boston Red Sox (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star selection (2004, 2007, 2009, 2010) Gold Glove Award (2010) Silver Slugger Award (2010) 2009 MLB All-Star Game MVP 4× AL Stolen Base Champion (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) Tied an MLB record with 6 stolen bases in a game (May 3, 2009 vs. Boston Red Sox)

Medal record
Men’s baseball
Competitor for  United States
Baseball World Cup
Silver	2001 Taipei	National team

To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, the introduction of this article may need to be rewritten. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and read the layout guide to make sure the section will be inclusive of all essential details. (July 2011)

Carl Demonte "The Perfect Storm"^[1][2] Crawford (born August 5, 1981, in Houston, Texas) is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed. Crawford has more triples (110) than any other active baseball player.

Early life[link]

Crawford, a native of the Fifth Ward area of Houston, attended Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, Texas,^[3] and was a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. In baseball, he batted .638 as a senior. Crawford was offered scholarships to play basketball as a point guard at UCLA.^[4] He also had an option to play college football as an option quarterback at Nebraska,^[4] USC, Oklahoma, Florida, and Tulsa. He had originally signed a letter of intent to play football for Nebraska but he turned down both offers in favor of a baseball career.^[4]

Professional career[link]

Crawford was drafted by the Devil Rays in the second round (52nd overall) of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft.

Minor leagues[link]

In 2002, the Tampa Bay chapter of the BBWAA named Crawford the Devil Rays' Most Outstanding Rookie and he earned International League Rookie of the Year playing for the AAA Durham Bulls.^{[citation needed]}

Major leagues[link]

Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2002–2010)[link]

2002–06[link]

Crawford entered the major leagues at the young age of 20 and played in 63 games for the Devil Rays in 2002, batting .259 with 9 stolen bases. As of the 2009 season, he was the longest tenured member of the team.

In 2003, he played nearly every day, batting .281 with 54 RBI and led the league with 55 steals. Along with Juan Pierre, Crawford was co-winner of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum James "Cool Papa" Bell Legacy Award for 2003.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, Crawford stole 59 bases, again leading the league and posting the second-highest total in the majors that season. He batted .296 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs. Crawford also hit a league-leading 19 triples. He was selected for the All Star Game, played in his hometown of Houston, and was named Devil Rays team MVP in 2004 by the BBWAA.

Crawford batted .301 in 2005, becoming just the third .300 hitter in Devil Rays history, joining Aubrey Huff (.311 in 2003) and Fred McGriff (.310 in 1999). Crawford also posted career highs in hits (194), home runs (15), and RBI (81). He again led the league with 15 triples and placed third in steals (46).

Crawford going back to the dugout in 2006

On July 5, 2006 against the Boston Red Sox, Crawford became only the eighth player in history to get 200 stolen bases before his 25th birthday.^{[citation needed]} Crawford finished the season with career highs in batting average (.305) and home runs (18), joining Hall-of-Famer Rogers Hornsby as the only players in Major League history to increase their batting average and home run totals every year for five straight years.^[5] He won a Fielding Bible Award for his defensive excellence in left field during the season.^[6]

2007–10[link]

Crawford was named an All-Star for the second time in 2007, becoming the first Devil Ray to receive the honor more than once. He homered in the 6th inning of the All-Star Game, on a 3–2 pitch from Francisco Cordero of the Milwaukee Brewers.

In the second half of the season, Crawford had a sore right wrist which had been bothering him for some time, and he did not hit a home run for a period of 42 days. Prior to a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, he had an MRI and was listed as doubtful to play because of the wrist. However, he pinch hit as the game went into extra innings and promptly hit a walk-off home run, ending his drought. This kicked off a run of four homers in ten games.^[7]

In August, ESPN.com named Crawford the Devil Rays' "Face of the Franchise".^[8]

On April 11, 2008, Crawford accumulated his 1000th hit, making him only the eighth player to hit 1000 and steal 250 bases before turning 27.^{[citation needed]} In game four of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, Crawford tied an ALCS record with five hits in one game, going 5–5 and stealing two bases. After the season, he won his second Fielding Bible Award.^[9]

On May 3, 2009, Carl Crawford tied a modern era record by stealing six bases in a game against the Boston Red Sox, part of a team-record eight total stolen bases.^[10][11][12] On July 14, 2009, Crawford represented Tampa Bay in the 2009 All Star Game, where he was named MVP for a leaping catch at the top of the 8-foot outfield wall to prevent a possible go-ahead home run from Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe.^[13]

In 2009 he had the best range factor of all starting major league left fielders (2.34).^[14] He won his second consecutive Fielding Bible Award and third overall at left field.^[15]

On July 31, 2010, Crawford reached 400 stolen bases. He is only the 7th player in history to reach that mark before his 29th birthday.^[16]

On August 17, 2010, Crawford hit the 100th triple of his career, joining Ty Cobb as the only major league players to hit 100 triples and steal 400 bases before the age of 30.^{[citation needed]}

The Tampa Bay chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America voted Crawford the Most Valuable Player for the Rays in 2010.^[17] Following the conclusion of the season, Crawford was given the Gold Glove Award, as well as the Silver Slugger Award.^[18][19]

Boston Red Sox[link]

On December 8, 2010, Crawford signed a 7-year, $142-million contract with the Boston Red Sox. His signing came two days after Adrian Gonzalez was traded to Boston.^[4][20] Crawford struggled to begin the 2011 season, batting .137 and stealing only 2 bases in his first 12 games.^[21] On May 3, he hit his 1,500th career hit, a single against Dan Haren of the Los Angeles Angels in the 3rd inning, becoming the 588th player with 1,500 or more career hits. For the season, he batted .255 with an on base percentage of .289.^[22]

Through 2011, he had the third-best career fielding percentage (.990) among all active major league left fielders, behind Ryan Braun and Reed Johnson.^[23]

Awards and accomplishments[link]

Crawford with the Rays

• American League All-Star (2004, 2006, 2009, 2010)
• Gold Glove Award (2010)
• Silver Slugger Award (2010)
• Fielding Bible Award (2006, 2008, 2009)
• American League Stolen Base Champion (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
• All-Star Game MVP (2009)
• MLB modern-era, single-game, stolen-base record: 6 (May 3, 2009)^[24]
• International League Rookie of the Year (2002)
• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum "Cool Papa Bell Legacy Award" (2003)
• Tampa Bay Chapter/BBWAA Devil Rays Most Valuable Player (2004, 2010)
• Tampa Bay Chapter/BBWAA Devil Rays Most Outstanding Rookie (2002)
• Rays single-season runs record: 110 (2010)
• Rays single-season triples record: 19 (2004)
• Rays single-season stolen base record: 60 (2009)
• Rays' all-time leader in at bats, plate appearances, RBIs, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, strikeouts, stolen bases, and singles.
• Named the Rays' "Face of the Franchise" by ESPN^[25]

See also[link]

Baseball portal

• List of Major League Baseball stolen base records
• List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
• List of Major League Baseball triples champions
• List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Carl Crawford

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• CarlCrawford on Twitter