Franklin Gutiérrez
Franklin Gutiérrez | |
---|---|
Gutiérrez with the Seattle Mariners | |
Outfielder | |
Born: Caracas, Venezuela | February 21, 1983|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 31, 2005, for the Cleveland Indians | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 24, 2017, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .257 |
Home runs | 97 |
Runs batted in | 361 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Franklin Rafael Gutiérrez (born February 21, 1983), nicknamed "Guti", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers. While primarily a center fielder throughout his career, Gutiérrez transitioned to right field for the Mariners in 2016. He is currently a special assignment coach for the Seattle Mariners organization.
Professional career
[edit]Cleveland Indians
[edit]On November 18, 2000, Gutiérrez was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent.[1] On April 3, 2004, Gutiérrez was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers with a player to be named later (Andrew Brown) to the Cleveland Indians for Milton Bradley[1] and was assigned to Double-A Akron. He entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and the top position prospect, possessing five-tool ability. Previously, Los Angeles refused to include Gutiérrez in a deal over the winter that would have landed the Dodgers first baseman Richie Sexson.
In 2005, Gutiérrez posted a .261 batting average and 42 RBI for Akron, and hit .254 with seven RBI in 19 games with Triple-A Buffalo (then affiliated with the Indians). Between his two minor league stops, he stole 16 bases in 22 attempts. He was among the players that the Indians called up when major league rosters expanded on August 31.
In 2006 after batting .278 in 90 games for Triple-A Buffalo, Gutiérrez played 43 games in the majors after being called up on June 16 and he stayed in the majors the rest of the season. In 2007, he once again began the season in Triple-A Buffalo, but after batting .341, he was called up for good on May 6.
On May 27, 2008, Gutiérrez hit his first career grand slam in an 8-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.[2]
Seattle Mariners
[edit]On December 10, 2008, Gutiérrez was traded to the Seattle Mariners as part of a three-team trade.[3] Mariners' general manager Jack Zduriencik noted that the trade would not have gone through had Gutiérrez not been included in the trade.
In 2008, Gutiérrez ranked 3rd among qualifying big league outfielders in ultimate zone rating, an all-inclusive fielding statistic.[4] Gutiérrez won a Fielding Bible Award as the top fielding right fielder in MLB.[5] Dave Niehaus called Gutiérrez "Death to Flying Things" after a diving catch,[6] a nickname that previously belonged to Bob Ferguson.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/001U1253_Franklin_Guti%C3%A9rrez_%28cropped%29.jpg/125px-001U1253_Franklin_Guti%C3%A9rrez_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In 2009, Gutiérrez had the most errors by a major league center fielder (7), due in part to the significant number of batted balls that he gets to.[7] He led all of Major League Baseball in UZR and UZR/150, and was 6th in the AL in wins above replacement. Gutiérrez won another Fielding Bible Award as the top fielding center fielder in MLB.[8] He batted .283/.339/.425, and ranked second in the American League with 13 sacrifice bunts.[9]
On January 6, 2010, it was reported that Gutiérrez and the Mariners were working on a 4-year contract extension for $20.5 million with a team option for a fifth year.[10]
In 2010, Gutiérrez was awarded his first Gold Glove. He finished the season with a 1.000 fielding average in 146 games as an outfielder. He also came in second place for Defensive Player of the Year on MLB.com awards. He batted .245/.303/.363.[9]
In 2011, in 92 games he batted .224/.261/.273 with one home run.[9] In 2012, in 40 games he batted .260/.309/.420 with 4 home runs.[9]
On April 22, 2013, Gutiérrez spent 60 days on the disabled list due to hamstring injuries (trying to catch a ball), and was activated on June 22 against the Oakland Athletics, but injured his hamstring again after six innings.[11]
On February 13, 2014, he informed the team that he would not be able to play during the 2014 season due to ankylosing spondylitis and irritable bowel syndrome.[12]
On January 26, 2015, the Mariners re-signed Gutiérrez to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite. On June 24, he was recalled from AAA Tacoma to re-join the Major League club. On July 21, 2015, he hit a pinch-hit grand slam against the Detroit Tigers.
Los Angeles Dodgers
[edit]On February 20, 2017, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Gutiérrez to a one-year, $2.6 million, contract.[13][14] He played in 35 games for the Dodgers, primarily as a pinch hitter, and had 13 hits in 56 at-bats (.232 average) with one homer and eight RBI.[15] His season was shut down for good in June because of a recurrence of ankylosing spondylitis, which had caused him to also miss the 2014 season.[16][17] He elected free agency on November 2.
Coaching career
[edit]On January 27, 2021, it was announced that Gutiérrez had joined the Seattle Mariners organization as a special assignment coach.[18]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Franklin Gutierrez Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ^ "White Sox vs. Indians - Game Recap - May 27, 2008 - ESPN". ESPN. May 27, 2008. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ^ "Mariners announce three-team, 12-player trade with Mets and Indians". Seattle Mariners. December 11, 2008. Archived from the original on May 11, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ^ FanGraphs leaderboards
- ^ "The 2008 Awards". The Fielding Bible. Archived from the original on November 11, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
- ^ Wash makes it through 7mynorthwest.com
- ^ "MLB Player Fielding Stats – As cf – 2009," ESPN, accessed October 6, 2009
- ^ "The 2009 Awards". The Fielding Bible. Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Franklin Gutierrez Stats, Fantasy & News | MLB.com
- ^ Jim Street and Jesse Sanchez (January 6, 2010). "Gutiérrez, Seattle on verge of extension". Major League Baseball. mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
- ^ Lommers, Aaron (July 16, 2013). "Mariners pitchers to start for AquaSox". The Herald. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Mariners Franklin Gutierrez will miss 2014-season as gastrointestinal problems return". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
- ^ Gurnick, Ken (February 20, 2017). "Dodgers sign Gutierrez to one-year deal". mlb.com. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
- ^ Stephen, Eric (February 10, 2017). "Dodgers reportedly add Franklin Gutierrez to crowded outfield mix". SB Nation. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
- ^ "2017 Los Angeles Dodgers Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ^ DiGiovanna, Mike (June 25, 2017). "Rare condition sends Dodgers' Franklin Gutierrez to the disabled list". LA Times. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ^ Hoornstra, J.P. (September 8, 2017). "For Dodgers' Rob Segedin, tests come on and off the baseball field". Orange County Register. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ^ Gustafson, Brandon (27 January 2021). "Mariners announce player development and minor league coaching staffs". Seattle Sports. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Baseball Fever report at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
- 1983 births
- Living people
- Akron Aeros players
- Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
- Cleveland Indians players
- Gold Glove Award winners
- Gulf Coast Dodgers players
- Jacksonville Suns players
- Las Vegas 51s players
- Leones del Caracas players
- Los Angeles Dodgers players
- Major League Baseball outfielders
- Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
- Baseball players from Caracas
- Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
- Seattle Mariners players
- South Georgia Waves players
- Tacoma Rainiers players
- Vero Beach Dodgers players
- Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States