Say what you will about George Springer, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and any other equally productive cog in the Houston Astros lineup and bench. Each and all are important assets that have launched Crush City to the best record in baseball at 38-16. But, what of Marwin Gonzalez, super utility player?
If the reaction to that question makes the baseball world sound like an owl farm, buried in a chorus of “Who?”s, that probably wouldn’t be surprising. But, the next Astro to grace a national magazine cover should rightfully be Marwin, so important to the daily running of the orange rainbow franchise as he is.
Houston begins June leading all baseball with not only a .277 team BA, but in runs scored with 292, and a 5.4 runs per game average. They’re staying on the Rays’ heels for the MLB lead in home runs with 82 (Tampa Bay, 83).
Marwin By the (Surprisingly Bloated) Numbers
Unfortunately, the 28-year-old Marwin Gonzalez lacks, by just a few, the number of plate appearances needed to qualify for MLB stat rankings, but in 130 ABs, at the end of May, he’s hitting .308. Shockingly, he’s whacked 12 home runs, the same number of such noted bomb-launchers as Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and Anthony Rizzo. Plus, he’s second on the team, following Springer’s 13 dingers.
Marwin’s 34 RBIs is knotted for the team lead with Correa (who has 57 more ABs!), three ahead of Springer’s 31. Add to that an OBP of .401, and a slugging percentage of .638, which is only .17 points behind the Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper (speaking of magazine cover boys). It’s easy to see why Houston manager A.J. Hinch chess-piece arranges the lineup, daily, to make sure Marwin’s playing somewhere.
If he qualified, he’d be one of only nine MLB players with an OPS over 1, with a slugger’s solid 1.040.
Related: Marwin, Astros’ Secret Weapon, Could Be AL MVP…If
Hinch certainly knows the value of the switch-hitting Gonzalez. On any given day, he can slot Marwin in at 2B, and give Altuve a day off, or just DH the reigning AL batting champ. Same with Springer; as he did May 31, in the ‘Stros’ eventual 17-6 victory over the Twins, Marwin started in left (going 2-for-5 with a homer), with Springer leading off as DH.
Two games before, in Houston’s 16-8 blowout of Minnesota, Gonzalez started at 1B (going 3-for-5), giving Yuli Gurriel a blow.
Ridding Oneself of “Who?”
Marwin was born in March of 1989, in Puerto Ordaz, Bolivar, Venezuela, and was signed as a 16-year-old, non-drafted free agent by the Chicago Cubs in November 2005.
He was selected by Boston with the 10th overall selection in the 2011 Rule 5 Draft. Three picks later, the Astros selected RHP Marco Duarte with the first selection in the Triple-A phase. Houston and the Red Sox traded these two picks for each other.
Duarte toiled in the Sox’ system for a year, before returning to his native Mexico to play out his career for four years through 2016. He now appears to be out of baseball.
Marwin was 23 when he made Houston’s Opening Day roster in 2012, and he set the MLB record by hitting his first 25 career home runs with no one on base. He got his first non-solo homer on May 6, 2016, with a two-run shot.
Video: Watch Marwin loft a solo shot and a go-ahead grand slam against the Rangers, May 2, 2017
He’s played all the positions for Houston, except catcher and pitcher. The only Astro to ever play all nine positions in one season was Jake Elmore in 2013. Elmore is currently playing for Toronto’s AAA Buffalo affiliate.
Making $3,725,000 in 2017, Marwin makes his home in the offseason in Houston, with wife Noel, two kids, and pooch, Benger. Marwin’s brother, Mario (43), spent four seasons in the Texas Rangers’ farm system from 1992-95, never rising above Class A ball. The Gonzalez boys’ father, also Mario, is currently an international scout for the Tampa Bay Rays.
I’m On a Vote!
Seven Astros are on the All-Star Game ballot. You’d guess correctly if you responded to Jeopardy‘s Alex Trebeck’s “The stat-worthy Astro not on the ballot” clue with a “Who is Marwin Gonzalez?” reply. But, that just puts us right back to the owl farm, now doesn’t it? And, we know better.
We also know there’s a write-in spot on the All-Star ballot.