| Fernando González | |
|---|---|
 González in 1978 | |
| Second baseman | |
| Born: (1950-06-19)June 19, 1950 (age 75) Utuado, Puerto Rico | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 15, 1972, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 23, 1979, for the San Diego Padres | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .235 |
| Home runs | 17 |
| Runs batted in | 104 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
José Fernando González Quinones (born June 19, 1950) is a retiredMajor League Baseballinfielder. After the end of his major league career, he spent one season with theSt. Lucie Legends of theSenior Professional Baseball Association. He batted and threw right-handed.
González originally signed with the short-livedSeattle Pilots as an amateur free agent in1968, and remained part of the franchise through its move toMilwaukee. He played his first professional season (in American baseball) with their Class AClinton Pilots in1969. He was released by theMilwaukee Brewers at the start of the1970 season, and sat it out before catching on with thePittsburgh Pirates for1971. He batted .321 with nineteenhome runs over two seasons in theirfarm system, and led theEastern League indoubles (43) and total bases (256) in1972 to earn a call up to the majors that September.[1] He had twopinch hitat-bats, and struck out both times. Though they weren't teammates very long, González was part of several search parties that went looking forRoberto Clemente's body after Clemente's plane crashed on New Year's Eve, 1972, as he'd grown up idolizing Clemente.[2]
He split the1973 season between the Pirates and triple ACharleston Charlies, batting .224 with fiveruns batted in at the major league level and hitting his first major league home run on May 27 off theHouston Astros'Dave Roberts.[3] After the season, he andpitcherNelson Briles were traded to theKansas City Royals forKurt Bevacqua,Ed Kirkpatrick and minor leaguer Winston Cole.[4]
He appeared in just nine games for the Royals when he was optioned to triple AOmaha on May 3 to make room forGeorge Brett on the major league roster. Two days later, his contract was sold to theNew York Yankees.[5] In his only season inNew York City, González batted .215 backing upSandy Alomar Sr. atsecond base. He failed to make the club out ofSpring training the following year, and was released. He caught on with the Petroleros Poza Rica of theMexican League before signing a minor league deal with the Pirates on July 17,1975.
González led theInternational League with 31 doubles in1976, and batted .310 in a little over a season as a minor leaguer before returning to the Pirates in1977. He spent the entire season in the majors, batting a career high .276 with four home runs and 27 RBIs. He got most of his playing time atthird base, but he also played someoutfield and second as well. As apinch hitter, he was 10-for-27 with nine RBIs.
González started off slowly in1978, and was placed on waivers by the Pirates with a .190batting average at the start of June. He was selected by theSan Diego Padres June 5,[6] and took over as the club's startingsecond baseman.
His fortunes turned around pretty immediately with his new club. González had a two home run game against theChicago Cubs on July 14[7] (his only two of the season and the fifth & sixth of his career), and completely tore up his old club when the Pirates came toSan Diego for a three-game set later in the month (four-for-ten with four RBIs to help his team sweep the series).[8] He batted .250 for the Padres in 1978. Coupled withOzzie Smith atshortstop, he also provided his club with one of the steadier defenses up the middle in theNational League (.982fielding percentage).
His final season in the majors was arguably his best. Though he batted just .217 in1979, he more than doubled his career home run total with nine, and had a career high 34 RBIs. Regardless, the Padres acquired formerAll-Star second basemanDave Cash from theMontreal Expos during the off-season, and released González. He signed a minor league deal with theCalifornia Angels in1980, but never returned to the majors. During the1981 season, he returned to Mexico, and competed in the Mexican league until1984, when he returned to the Yankees organization as a member of theSouthern League'sNashville Sounds as a player/coach. He joined the St. Lucie Legends of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in1989.
· Baseball Almanac, orSports Illustrated