Juan igor gonzalez biography meaning

Puerto Rican baseball player (born )

This article is about the Puerto Rican baseball player. For other uses, see Juan González (disambiguation).

In this Spanish specify , the first or paternal surname is González and the second or maternal family name is Vázquez.

Baseball player

Juan González
González in
Outfielder
Born: () October 20, (age&#;55) Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Batted: Right Threw: Right
September 1,&#;,&#;for the&#;Texas Rangers
May 31,&#;,&#;for the&#;Cleveland Indians
Batting average
Home runs
Runs batted in	1,
Stats at Baseball Reference&#;

Juan Alberto González Vázquez (born October 20, ) is a Puerto Rican former baseballoutfielder.

He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams, but is most identified with the Texas Rangers, for whom he played from to and again from to One of the premier run producers and most feared hitters of the s and early s, González hit over 40 home runs five times and amassed at least runs batted in (RBI) eight times.

He also had a batting average of or higher in five seasons.

In his career as a whole, González averaged 42 home runs, RBI, 81 extra-base hits, and total bases per games, placing him well within the foremost ten all-time in these season-adjusted statistics.

González was known as a line drive hitter, not a fly-ball home run hitter, as were many power hitters of the s.^[1] He was a full-time player at the age of 21 and a two-time Most Valuable Player before his 30th birthday.^[2] González explained his propensity for bringing runners home by saying, "I fixate more when I see men on base."

Early life

González grew up in a rough area of Puerto Rico, where as a young boy he learned to hit bottlecaps and corks with a broomstick handle in the Alto de Cuba barrio.^{[citation needed]} In the Puerto Rico youth league, González batted cleanup behind future Yankee center fielderBernie Williams, where both competed against González's future teammate Iván Rodríguez.^[3] When the Yankees scouted the teenage Williams, he requested that they also bring his acquaintance González to their scouting camp on the east coast; however, due to a lack of funding, González would remain in Puerto Rico.^[4]

Professional career

Minors

The Texas Rangers signed González as an amateurfree agent on May 30, , at the age of González has always wanted to attend as a role model for the kids of Puerto Rico, as they are faced with the downfalls of drugs and prostitution frequently.

González avoided such temptations growing up. His father, a math teacher, and mother, a housewife, made sure González and his two sisters behaved properly and stayed away from negative influences.

Everybody knows Igor, a.k.a. Juan Gonzales (he embraced the nickname as a toddler after watching a pro wrestler of the same name on television). For one thing, he’s the husband of Olga Tañón, a.

González moved his family out of the barrio initial in his MLB career. He paid utility bills for down-on-their-luck friends and plans on productive to construct recreation facilities and a baseball diamond in his home town.

One of Juan's managers, Johnny Oates, believed that until you've walked where Juan González has walked, you just won't understand. Speaking from exposure, as Oates has walked the streets of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, during visits multiple times, he had this to say: "I don't think you can appreciate how far he's approach until you've been there", Oates said.

"We might be making choices between going to the movies or going to the skating rink. But look at the choices the kids there were faced with growing up – do you want to do drugs or get overcome up? I think it says so much about him that he was able to ascend above the peer pressure in Vega Baja.

He had enough intelligence to say, 'I don't want to do that.'"^[5]

In Puerto Rico he is known as "Igor", the nickname he has carried since he was a nine-year-old fascinated by the professional wrestler "Igor the Magnificent." "I watched wrestling all the hour and I still like it", González said.

"One day when I was nine, I told another guy, 'I'm Igor.' And he said, 'Okay, your label is Igor from now on.' And I've been Igor since then."^[6]

González debuted with the GCL Rangers and finished with batting average, on-base percentage, and a slugging percentage in 60 games.

He only had five extra-base hits (none of them residence runs) in AB and struck out 57 times. He tied Harvey Pulliam by grounding into a Gulf Coast League-leading 9 double plays.

In , González showed some improvement with the Gastonia Rangers, though Mark Whiten and Junior Felix were deemed better outfield prospects in the South Atlantic League.

In ratings by Baseball America, González tied Ryan Bowen for 10th place on the prospect listing. He finished with batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage with 14 home runs and 74 RBI.

González spent with the Charlotte Rangers and batted /~/ with 8 home runs in AB.

One of his outfield teammates that year was Sammy Sosa. The next year, he showed more improvement with the Tulsa Drillers hitting /~/ with 21 home runs and led the Texas League with total bases. He outhomered Sosa by 14 and was third in the League in home runs, behind teammate Dean Palmer (25) and Chris Cron (22).

González was rated the league's No. 4 prospect by Baseball America, behind Ray Lankford, Andy Benes and José Offerman. Lankford and Warren Newson joined him in the TL All-Star outfield.

Texas Rangers (–)

González was called up by the Texas Rangers in September of that year, but only hit // During his time with the Rangers that year, González only hit one home run.

He became the youngest player in Rangers history (19 yrs old) to clap a home run.

In , González – playing with the Oklahoma City 89ers – led the American Association in abode runs (29), RBI () and total bases (). He made the AAA All-Star outfield alongside Lankford and Bernard Gilkey and was named the league MVP.

Baseball America named him the top prospect in the league in a poll of managers. He finished with /~/ for the 89ers. In the AAA All-Star Game, González hit 4th for the AL prospects and played as a designated hitter. He went 2 for 5 with a double, one of the game's two homers, two runs and two RBI in the AL's 8–5 loss.

González was again called up by the Rangers and did far better this time, batting //

In , Texas gave González a chance to be an everyday player. He batted while hitting 27 home runs and recording runs batted in (RBIs). González came up as a center fielder, as did teammate Sammy Sosa; but the Rangers opted to keep González and trade Sosa.

González split his time in the OF between CF (93 games) and LF (92 games). González thrilled the club in his first complete season at the young age of 21, as his 27 home runs led the Rangers. His RBI was good enough for 2nd on the club, and 7th in the AL.

In , González finished with a batting average, 43 residence runs, and RBIs. He spent most of his time in CF in '92, playing games there, 31 in LF and making just one appearance in RF, while DH-ing 4 games. He was the American League home run champion (one more than Mark McGwire) while also ranking 3rd in TB (), 4th in extra-base hits (69), 5th in slugging percentage (), 7th in RBIs () while winning his first Silver Slugger Award.

Winning the home race crown at the age of 22 made him the youngest player to lead the majors since Johnny Bench in

In , González broke through to true stardom. He led the AL for the second consecutive year with 46 bombs, while raising his batting average an impressive 50 points to , all this to go along with a league-leading slugging percentage of That production garnered González an invite to his first All-Star team.

During the All-Star Weekend, he participated in the only Home Run Derby of his career. González and Ken Griffey Jr. put on an amazing display of raw-power, as they each golfed 7 homers a piece. González, however, wowed the national audience even more, becoming the first player to hit a homer into the facade of the upper deck in left field (estimated feet) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the green wall behind the center-field fence (estimated feet).^[1] González then defeated Griffey in a winner-take-all playoff for the individual Home Run Derby title, 5–4.

When asked about the title, González responded: "It was very exciting to surprise everybody. I never thought in my mind that I'd conquer the Home Run Derby. I even surprised myself."^[6] He also finished fourth in voting for the AL MVP and earned his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award.

In , the Rangers moved from Arlington Stadium to The Ballpark in Arlington. González batted 19 home runs in during the strike-shortened season, but belted 27 home runs in , in just 90 games.

From –98, González was an RBI machine, averaging more than an RBI per game ( RBI, games).

This made him the first player since Earth War II to drive in a run per game for any four-year period. He won two MVP awards in this stretch ( and ). The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract listed him as the player who had the top ratio of slugging percentage to on-base percentage in baseball history at that time, ahead of Dave Kingman and Tony Armas and 4th in RBI per game by an outfielder (behind Sam Thompson, Joe DiMaggio and Babe Ruth).

James also ranked González as the 52nd-best right fielder in baseball history as of mid

In , González had one of his top seasons hitting with a slugging percentage. He edged Alex Rodríguez by one first-place vote (11–10) and 3 award points (–) in a very close vote to win the American League MVP.^[7] He won his third Silver Slugger as an outfielder and was second in the AL in slugging (87 points behind McGwire).

He was selected to the Associated Press Major League All-Star Team and The Sporting News AL All-Star squad at season's end. González was also named the Puerto Rico Pro Athlete of the Year by Associated Press and the DFW Metroplex Pro Athlete of the Year by the Dallas All Sports Association.

He received the honorable selection of American League Player of the Month in July, leading the majors in batting (), homers (15), RBI (38), slugging () and total bases (99). González was also the AL Player of the Week for July 29 – August 4.

González had a pair of game hitting streaks, June 25 – July 19 and August 8–31, matching the 3rd longest hitting streaks in team history with Mickey Rivers () being the only other Ranger with 2 game hitting streaks in the equal season.

He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball MLB for four teams, but is most identified with the Texas Rangersfor whom he played from to and again from to He also had a batting average of. He paid utility bills for down-on-their-luck friends and plans on working to construct recreation facilities and a baseball diamond in his home town. Speaking from experience, as Oates has walked the streets of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, during visits multiple times, he had this to say: "I don't think you can appreciate how far he's come until you've been there", Oates said.

On July 30, González went 5–5 vs. New York, a career best and tied the club record for hits in a game. González was also chosen as a member of the Major League Baseball All-Star Team that traveled to Japan for an eight game exhibition series in November, batting (10–20) with one homer and 3 RBI in 7 games.^[8] That year, the Texas Rangers made the playoffs, and in the American League Division Series, González homered five times in four games and batted // with 9 RBI.

Texas ended up losing in four games to the New York Yankees. González tied Jeffrey Leonard's NLCS record by homering in four straight post-season games and joined Reggie Jackson and Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players to strike five home runs in a single post-season series.^[3] González, however, accomplished this feet in less games (4) than Leonard, Jackson and Griffey Jr; all of whom needed at least 5 games to accomplish said feat.

Combining the regular season and postseason, González hit with 52 home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage in

In , González batted // as a DH-RF for the Rangers, winning his fourth Silver Slugger Award. In games he was 4th in slugging, 6th in total bases (), third in homers (42) and RBI (), 10th in extra-base hits (69) and tied for 6th with 10 sacrifice flies.

González missed the first month of the season and was not activated from the DL until May 2 due to a torn ligament in his left thumb. Despite the injury he still managed to earn American League Player of the Month honors in September (, 10 home runs, 26 RBI) and was the Rangers Player of the Month in both August and September.

González was selected to Baseball America's American League All-Star Team.

In , he reached the RBI mark before the All-Star divorce (), being the first player (and still most recent) to do so since Hank Greenberg 63 years earlier.^[3] He smash cleanup for the AL in the All-Star Game and decisively won the AL MVP award.

González was 10th in the AL in batting average, second in slugging, fourth in OPS, 6th in hits (), 4th in total bases (), first in doubles (50), tied for fourth in home runs (45), first in RBI () in games, tied for 8th in OPS+ (), second in extra-base hits (97), tied for third in sac flies (11), tied for sixth in intentional walks (9) and tied for third in double plays ground into (20).

In April, he drove in 35 runs, a major league record for the month that still stands today. González produced the 5th season ever of at least 50 doubles and 40 home runs. González started games in Right and 36 as the DH.

González became the 1st 5-time winner of the Rangers Player of the Year Award and was also named as the AL's Most Valuable Player by USA Today and USA Today Baseball Weekly.

González was selected to major league all-star teams selected by the Associated Press (OF) and Baseball America (DH) and to the Sporting News AL all-star squad (OF). He was named as an outfielder on the AL Silver Slugger Award team for the 5th day in his career, his 3rd consecutive year.

González shared Rangers Player of the Month honors with Iván Rodríguez in April and won the award outright in May. González also received the American League Player of the Week, for August 31 – September 6. He received 21 of 28 1st place mvp votes and 7 2nd place votes for total points to defeat Boston's Nomar Garciaparra, who had 5 1st place votes and points.

González also became the 1st native of Latin America to ever beat multiple MVP's since the award was instituted in This award also made him the 16th player to capture 2 MVP's in a 3-year span. The Rangers reached the playoffs, only to be swept by the Yankees.

The Rangers offense was miserable in the Division Series, scoring just one run on a Pudge Rodriguez single after doubling to lead off the inning.

In , González was 9th in the AL in average, 4th in slugging, 6th in OPS, 10th in runs (), 6th in total bases (), 6th in home runs (39), 5th in RBI (), 7th in extra-base hits (76) and 2nd in sacrifice flies (12).

However, he and the Rangers wound up being swept for the second consecutive year by the Yankees in the Division Series. González wasn't qualified to do much in the 3-game series, hitting // with one home run, but his solo bomb was the only run the Rangers scored in the series.

González announced just before the All-Star Game that if the fans did not elect him to the starting lineup, he would refuse an invitation to be added to the roster (as a finding he was not invited). González believed that the system was flawed; he thought the managers and players should vote for the starters.

A few weeks later González didn't dress for the Hall of Fame exhibition game because (according to the media) the uniform pants the Rangers brought for him were too large. González later had this to say about the incident "I couldn't play because my right wrist was sore.

The pants they gave me were size I wear They were clown pants."^[9]

Detroit Tigers ()

Following the season, with one year left on his contract, the slugger was traded by the Texas Rangers along with Danny Patterson and Gregg Zaun in a blockbuster nine-player deal with the Detroit Tigers for Frank Catalanotto, Francisco Cordero, Bill Haselman, Gabe Kapler, Justin Thompson, and Alan Webb.

Pro Baseball History. The neighborhood he grew up in Puerto Rico was harsh and filled with drugs and crime, resulting in the family moving and working to retain Gonzalez from falling victim to the town. Gonzalez became a baseball fan at a adolescent age and idolized fellow Puerto Rican great Roberto Clemente and outfielder Dave Winfield. He began to practice baseball with bottlecaps, corks, and broomstick handles as baseballs and baseball bats.

He became the first two-time MVP to be traded since Dale Murphy was sent from Atlanta to Philadelphia in Detroit Tiger general manager Randy Smith was paying a high price for González by trading multiple immature players, but he couldn't go by up on acquiring González, whom he referred to as "a two-time MVP and future Hall-of-Famer," even though González would more likely be a one-year rental (and was).

Gambling that they would be able to prolong his contract past the season, the Tigers reportedly offered González an eight-year, $&#;million contract soon after the deal was struck. González refused, which turned out to be the bigger gamble. He began the season unfavorably, hobbled by foot pain and unable to adjust to the spacious dimensions of Detroit's modern Comerica Park, where the left-center field fence stood nearly feet from home plate (he did however hit the park's first home run on April 14).

By mid-season he had announced that the Tigers would own to bring the fences in if they wanted to re-sign him as a free spook.

Detroit shopped González before the trading deadline, but a deal that would have sent him to the Yankees for outfielder Ricky Ledée and two trivial leaguers was scuttled when the outfielder made it clear that he didn't want to engage in New York.

The Puerto Rico native stumbled through the rest of the season and saw his production dip to an all-time low (22 dwelling runs, 67 RBI in games).

Among them, Igor, as he was nicknamed in his native Puerto Rico, excelled, with the high point of his year career inwhen he was was the Most Valuable Player in the American League. Juan A. Juan also grew up in Vega Baja. From a fresh age, he liked baseball, but also played basketball and volleyball and was a fan of wrestling.

After missing the last weeks of the season, he was granted free agency on November 1.

Cleveland Indians ()

On January 9, , he signed a one-year $10&#;million contract with the Cleveland Indians. González opened the season with a excellent start, batting (40–) with 9 homers and 32 RBIs in season's first 25 games through May 2.

González completed the first half on a torrid pace. He was voted in as an All-Star starter and batted 5th in the All-Star Game. González hit with 23 home runs and 83 RBI in 79 games in the first half.

He appeared to be on his way to easily capturing the RBI title, but an RBI drought at the end of the season (0 RBI in last 10 games) allowed Bret Boone to pass him by one.

González hit over in each of season's 1st 5 months before dropping to for the month of September. His top months were (36–93) in April and (26–73) in July. González was hitting as high as on June 5, then went 17–64 () in next 17 contests, dropping to through June Had a (73–) mark in next 56 games and was at overall, 2nd in the AL, through September 9.

After this he hit just (6–46) in final 13 games, going 3–34 () in last 10 contests. González was hitless in his final 15 trips after his single on September Despite his cold streak over the last week and a half of the season, he still finished with a // slash line and a OPS+, close to his MVP seasons.

He also won his sixth Silver Slugger and finished fifth in the MVP voting.

Juan Gonzalez - Society for American Baseball Research: Juan Gonzalez was one of the American League’s most feared and consistent hitters in the ’s and early ’s. Manning the outfield for the Texas Rangers from through , Gonzalez amassed two MVP Awards, two all-star selections, and five Silver Slugger Awards.

His average was one point shy of his career high () and marked his 5th season, his third in the last four years.

He was sixth in the AL in batting average, 5th in slugging, 6th in OPS, 9th in home runs (35), second in RBI (, (in games) one behind leader Bret Boone), 8th in OPS+, tied for third in double plays grounded into (18) and led the league with 16 sacrifice flies.

González was also a 2nd team selection on Baseball America's Major League all-star squad and was named as the Indians player of the year by Baseball America. This proved to be the last season in which González averaged an RBI a game. Although González finished the regular season rather slowly, he showed up in a big way in the playoffs where he hit // for Cleveland in the Division Series with 3 doubles, 2 homers and 5 RBI in 5 games.

Despite this Cleveland still fell in defeat.

González had a season best game hitting streak from August 29 – September 19 at (20–58) and hit safely in 10 straight games from April 17– González also had a 4 hit game April 11 at the Chicago White Sox.

González batted (43–) vs. left-handers, 3rd best in the AL and had a (53–) mark with runners in scoring position, the 8th highest. As the DH, he hit (31–79), this was the highest average in AL among players with 35 or more DH at bats, with 8 homers and 33 RBI in 21 games.

Through 11 full major league seasons (), González had homers and 1, RBI, an average of 36 homers and RBI per year. His RBI total was the most in MLB in during that time frame by 40, despite having 1, fewer plate appearances than the player with the second-most RBIs for the time period, Jeff Bagwell (who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in ).

Second stint with Texas Rangers (–)

On January 8, , González made his return to Arlington by signing a two-year $24&#;million shrink with the Texas Rangers. He hit // (94 OPS+) the first year in 70 games.

On June 18, he participated in the first MLB game ever with four players with + home runs to that point. Rafael Palmeiro and Fred McGriff joined Sosa and González in a game which Texas lost to the Chicago Cubs, 4–3. His first season support in Arlington he had a (29–81) average versus Lefties and hit (21–64) with runners in scoring position while posting a mark(42–) in Arlington.

He smash just (6–35) with 2 homers and 4 RBI as the DH. He had Texas' only hit, a leadoff double in the 8th, off Cory Lidle on July 19 at Oakland.

In , González started the first few weeks rather behind. He had a average with 4 homers and 8 RBI in his first 18 games through April He quickly picked it up though and went on a (29–83) tear with 9 homers and 24 RBI in his next 21 games, improving to by May 5.

As of May 7, González was tied for the Major League Lead in home runs with He followed that up by going just 8-for () in his next 9 games, falling to through May He started a hot streak yet again though by hitting (42–) with 10 homers and 36 RBI in the next 34 games.

Publicar un comentario. Juan A. Varios equipos estaban interesados, los finalistas vinieron a Toronto y Texas. Sus padres siempre le inculcaron valores morales.

But his season was cut brief by a tear in his calf muscle on July At the time, González was hitting and ranked 3rd in residence runs (24) 4th in slugging percentage () and 7th in RBI (70) in the AL. González was on pace to recapture his Indians form, but the tear lingered and the injury proved to be the end of his season.

González hit 2 homers in a game 4 times: April 5 vs. Seattle; April 29 and May 1 at Toronto and July 10 against Minnesota. His 47 career multi-homer games are 12th most all-time. He also hammered 5 homers in 3 games, April 29 – May 1 at Toronto, the 4th time in Rangers history that feat had been accomplished.

He had a season best 5 RBI on April 29 at Toronto and drove in 4 runs in a game on 3 occasions. González had 18 RBI in a 9-game span, April 22 – May 1, including 10 in 3-game series at Toronto, April 29 – May 1. He was selected as AL co-player of the week for April 28 – May 4.

He also had a season high 9-game hitting streak, June 3–

He started 57 games in right field and 24 games as the designated hitter. He did not make an error in total chances in the outfield and was tied for 6th in the league in outfield assists (10), despite his short season.

He ranked 5th on the club in home runs (24), and completed his 11th season with 20 or more house runs. The Rangers, however, were preparing for a youth movement and on October 26, , he was granted free agency.

Kansas City Royals ()

On January 6, , González was signed by the Kansas City Royals to a one-year, $ million deal with an option for the next season.^[10] However, his back worsened in the middle of May and his season came to an end after May He ended up hitting // with five home runs and 17 RBI in 33 games.^[11] The Royals declined to renew his option, making him a free agent.^[12]

Second stint with Cleveland Indians ()

He was signed by the Cleveland Indians for the season, and was activated in May.

Despite a thorough workout regimen, González suffered a major hamstring injury (he tore his right medial hamstring totally off the bone at the knee joint) in his first plate appearance of the season while running out a grounder. This put him out for the season after just one at-bat.

González signed on with the independent Atlantic League in , playing for the Distant Island Ducks. He hit // in 36 games, with 6 home runs and 23 RBI. His time was again limited by injuries.

The St. Louis Cardinals invited González to spring training prior to the season.^[13] He was one of 26 non-roster invitees, participating in occupied roster workouts that began on February 19, ^[14] He strike with a slugging percentage in spring training with 1 place run, 1 double and 5 RBI in 9 games.

However, he was put on the inactive list with an abdominal strain and he returned to Puerto Rico with an invitation to rejoin the Cardinals once he was healthy. González decided to stay in Puerto Rico, and did not rejoin the Cardinals.^[15]

In June , González was invited to become a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.

He declined the invitation at the time, saying, "I closed the Texas Rangers chapter in my life a long time ago."^[16][17] A couple years later, though, he approved the invitation and was inducted on July 11, González is the Rangers' all-time leader with home runs, 1, RBIs and a slugging percentage.

His RBIs in and slugging percentage in are also club records. González ranks in the top 5 in club history in almost every other major offensive category.^[18]

Career statistics

In four American League Division Series covering 15 games, González hit (for) scoring 11 runs, with 8 home runs and 15 RBI.

Career in Puerto Rico

In the – Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League, González smash /~/ for the Criollos de Caguas and hit 9 residence runs, one less than former league leader Greg Vaughn.

During the – season, he batted for the Santurce Crabbers and won the league MVP award despite not playing until after the All-Star break.

He knock 7 home runs and led the league despite playing in only 66 games. González did not accompany Santurce to the Caribbean Series. The next season, he ended up hitting with 7 homers, 3 behind Phil Hiatt.

In , González united the San Juan Senators for the Caribbean Series and smash with 6 RBI as the Puerto Rican "Dream Team" won the title.

González hit 5th, between Carlos Delgado and Rubén Sierra on a team that also boasted Roberto Alomar, Bernie Williams, Carlos Baerga and Edgar Martínez. San Juan outscored their opponents 49–

During the – Puerto Rican League, in 33 games playing for the champion Carolina Giants, González hit with 18 RBIs and 4 homers.

In 12 playoff games, he batted with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs. González claims he is healthy and no longer feels pain in his legs. He was 10 for 26 () in the Caribbean Series and made the All-Star team at DH.

Presently, he is the owner of the baseball team in his hometown, Vega Baja, in the Confederative Baseball League in Puerto Rico, where he also plays as a DH.

Aside from baseball, he focuses on helping the community, with the condition that no attention from the media occurs when he becomes committed in a cause, stating "What value does it have to help someone and then publicizing it in newspapers?

That is not giving. I help, but I ask them to please not say anything."^[19]

For the season, González served as coach of the Double A Vega Baja team, the Caimanes del Melao Melao. However, after a tape , he was fired.^[20]

Steroid allegations

González was one of several players whom Jose Canseco claimed to hold introduced to steroids.

Canseco made these allegations in his best-seller, Juiced, but without citing any corroborating evidence.^[21] González was also briefly mentioned in the Mitchell Report regarding a incident in which an unmarked bag in the Indians' team luggage was detained by customs in Toronto, Canada.

González's assistant stated that the bag belonged to Angel Presinal, a prominent personal trainer for a number of professional players, but Presinal claimed that the bag belonged to González. It was also disputed whether or not the bag actually contained steroids.

Although Presinal claimed the bag was not his, he said that he was aware of its contents and that they were not, in fact, steroids. He stated that the bag contained Soladek (a painkiller), Dolo-neurobion (a vitamin B complex used in fighting the flu), and Clenbuterol (a stimulant similar to ephedrine, which is believed by some to promote muscle tone and weight loss).

González immediately cut ties with the trainer following the incident. In , ESPN published an article about Presinal on its website, describing him as "fitness guru, massage therapist and personal trainer to baseball's Latino elite." In the same article, ESPN asked John Hart, the Indians' former general manager, about the incident involving Presinal.

Hart said that the team looked into the matter and ultimately exonerated Gonzalez.^[22]

In , Rangers' owner Tom Hicks speculated that González had used steroids, saying in an interview that the team had acquired "Juan González for $24&#;million after he came off steroids, probably, we just gave that money away."^[17] Hicks later known that his statement was not based on personal knowledge, only a suspicion that steroids were the cause of injuries: "The way his body broke down at a young age and his early retirement makes me suspicious."^[17] Luis Mayoral, a former Ranger employee and good confidant of González, reasoned that Hicks' comments were why González declined his first invitation to connect the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in ^[17] Instead, he was inducted in

Like his former teammate, hall-of-famer Iván Rodríguez, who was also accused of steroid use, González has consistently stated over the years that he has never taken steroids, and is, in fact, a vegetarian.^[23] "I have nothing to hide," said González.

"Nothing. And I offered to be tested, whenever they wanted. If you have nothing to hide, there is nothing to worry [about]," González said.^[24] In Rodriguez's case, similar unproven allegations from baseball's "steroid era" did not hinder him from being elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.^[25]

Personal life

González has been married four times.

He was married to Puerto Rican volleyball player Elaine López, sister of fellow major leaguer Javy López, during the early s. This marriage broke down when a local newspaper released a cover photo of singer Olga Tañón kissing González during a concert in San Juan.

A scandal followed, with González divorcing Elaine López and marrying Tañón, who said she had no idea González was married to Lopez when she kissed him. González and Tañon had a daughter together, Gabriela González Tañón, in They got married in December González and Tañon divorced less than two years later.

His daughter later became one of only 50 people in the world (and the first Puerto Rican) ever to possess been diagnosed with Sebastian syndrome, a mild blood clotting disorder.

González has a friendship with George W. Bush which began when González debuted with the Texas Rangers who at the time were owned by Bush.^[26][27][28] González stated that "a friendship that goes beyond baseball was created between them" and during his time in office Bush invited González to the Light House twice.^[29] The first of reunions took place on April 16, and the second on December 3, ; in this reunion he was accompanied by historian Luis Rodriguez Mayoral.^[30] The discussion lasted 35 minutes and involved González's future in the Major Leagues and other baseball related topics, as well as the happenings of their respective careers.^[29] During this visit to Washington, D.C.

González was also involved in a meeting with Rudy Giuliani and a see to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in order to stop by Puerto Rican soldiers that were injured in the Iraq War.^[31]

After a history of personal setbacks, González stated in a interview that his personal life was now in order.

"I'd rather have health and my family, my relationship with God than money," he said. "How many people who can buy whatever they want have committed suicide? God is first, then your kids, your family, good health."^[23]

Success as manager of Puerto Rico national team

After serving as a coach in , González was named manager and head coach of the Puerto Rico national baseball team in , foremost the team to gold medals in both and ^[32]

González made his debut as manager at the Central American and Caribbean Games (CACG).^[33] Unable to ask for athletes contracted to MLB (or active in MiLB), González assembled a team consisting of players active in foreign independent leagues, the local Double A amateur league, and veteran free agents with previous professional experience, making the final cut following a preparatory tournament.^[34] González made his official debut as manager in a victory over Venezuela.^[35] In its next outing, Puerto Rico defeated Cuba to snap Cuba's year (game) winning streak at the CACG.^[36] This was followed by wins over the Dominican Republic () and Mexico ().^[37] González closed his first participation as manager by leading Puerto Rico to the CACG gold medal, defeating second-place Colombia ^[38]

In , González found continued triumph by guiding Puerto Rico to win gold at the Lima Pan American Games, going undefeated and besting Canada in the final.

This was Puerto Rico's first-ever gold medal in baseball in the history of the Pan American Games.^[39]

Also in , the Puerto Rican Baseball Federation announced that González would be the manager of the Puerto Rican National Team in November’s WBSC Premier12, the biggest international baseball event of the year, in preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games.^[40]

Accomplishments

• 2-time American League MVP (, )
• 5-time Top MVP (4th, ; 1st, ; 9th, ; 1st, ; 5th, )
• 3-time All-Star (, , )
• 5 40+ HR Seasons (, 43; , 46; , 47; , 42; , 45) and 1 HR Season ()
• His slugging percentage ranks 15th on the all-time list
• His career home runs rank 47th on the all-time list
• Ranks 4th all-time in plate appearances/HR with (No.

  1 Mark McGwire – , No. 2 Babe Ruth – , No. 3 Sammy Sosa – )

• Ranks 5th all-time in HR/ games with 42
• Ranks 5th all-time in TB/ games with
• Ranks 6th all-time in RBI/ games with
• Ranks 6th all-time in XBH/ games with 81
• Ranks 12th all-time in career multi-homer games
• Ranks 15th all-time in AB per HR with AB/HR
• 6 Silver Slugger awards (, , , , , )
• 2-time American League Home Run Champion (, )
• Finished Top 5 in RBI 6 times (, 4th, ; , 2nd, ; , 3rd, ; , 1st, ; , 5th, ; , 2nd, )
• Finished Superior 5 in slugging percentage 7 times (, 5th, ; , 1st, ; , 2nd, ; , 4th, ; , 2nd, ; , 4th, ; , 5th, )
• Became just the second player in major league history to have at least RBI before the All-Star break ( in , second to Hank Greenberg who had )
• Holds all-time record for RBI in the month of April (35 in )
• One of only six players after with over RBI in a single season
• Hit his th home run in the fewest games in American League history (1,)
• 9th Youngest ever to strike Career HR (28 years, days)
• Tied for 1st in postseason history for HR in a unpartnered division series with Ken Griffey Jr., but in fewer games (Gonzalez – 5 HR in 4 games in , Griffey – 5 HR in 5 games in )
• Tied for 2nd in most HR in a single playoff series with 5 HR in just 4 games in (Reggie Jackson , 5 HR in 6 Games; Follow Utley , 5 HR in 6 Games; Ken Griffey Jr.

  , 5 HR in 5 Games; Nelson Cruz , 6 HR in 6 games)

• Ranks 2nd in postseason history in slugging percentage in a single playoff series ( in )^[41]
• Ranks 2nd in postseason history in OPS in a single Division Series ( in )
• Ranks 5th in postseason history in OPS in a single playoff series among qualified leaders ( in )
• Tied for 2nd with 10 other players in extra base hits in a single Division Series (5 in & )
• Ranks 3rd in postseason history in total bases in a single Division Series (22 in )
• Ranks 7th in postseason history in RBI in a single Division Series (9 in )
• Tied for 2nd in postseason history in career HR in the Division Series (8 HR)
• Ranks 4th in postseason history in career slugging percentage in the Division Series ()
• Ranks 7th in postseason history in career extra base hits in the Division Series (12)
• Ranks 8th in postseason history in career OPS in the Division Series ()

See also

References

External links