:Miguel Alfredo González

{{Infobox baseball biography

| image = Miguel Alfredo González in 2015 spring training.jpg

| width = 250

| caption = González in 2015 spring training

| name = Miguel Alfredo González

| position = Pitcher

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| birth_date = {{birth date|1983|9|23}}

| birth_place = Havana, Cuba

|death_date = {{death date and age|2017|11|23|1983|9|23}}

|death_place = Havana, Cuba

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = September 3

| debutyear = 2014

| finalleague =MLB

|finaldate=September 27

|finalyear=2014

|finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 0–1

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 6.75

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 5

| debutteam = Philadelphia Phillies

| teams =

Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|2014}})

}}

Miguel Alfredo González Puebla (September 23, 1983 – November 23, 2017) was a Cuban professional baseball pitcher. He played in the Cuban National Series, for the Cuban national baseball team, and in 2014 for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Professional career

=Cuban baseball career=

González pitched for La Habana in the Cuban National Series from 2007 through 2009. He played for the Cuba national baseball team in the 2009 World Port Tournament and 2009 and 2011 Baseball World Cups.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130606&content_id=49837998&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |title=Seven teams watching Cuban prospect throw in Mexico |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=June 6, 2013 |access-date=August 31, 2013}} He was playing for the Artemisa team when he was caught trying to defect in January 2012 and he was suspended from playing in the league at that point.{{cite web|url=http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=87007 |title=Cuba Loses Pitcher Miguel A. González |publisher=Havanatimes.org |date=February 2, 2013 |access-date=August 31, 2013}} He succeeded in defecting from Cuba to El Salvador in 2013, and then moved to Mexico.{{cite web|url=https://www.martinoticias.com/a/lanzador-cubano-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez-/39320.html |title=Cubano Miguel Alfredo González "viene por el home" |language=es |publisher=Martinoticias.com |date=August 5, 2014 |access-date=November 25, 2017}}

=American baseball career=

González pitched in some games for the Toros de Tijuana of the Liga Norte de México as a showcase for American scouts,{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsmedia101.com/atlantabraves/2013/07/18/atlanta-braves-interested-in-signing-cuban-defector-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez/ |title=Atlanta Braves Interested in Signing Cuban Defector Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez |publisher=Sportsmedia101.com |date=July 18, 2013 |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203041221/http://www.sportsmedia101.com/atlantabraves/2013/07/18/atlanta-braves-interested-in-signing-cuban-defector-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez/ |url-status=dead }} including those from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs.{{cite web|date=June 6, 2013|first=Dylan |last=Hernandez |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez-20130606,0,5818743.story |title=Dodgers eyeing Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=August 31, 2013}}{{cite web|author=Danny Knobler |url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/danny-knobler/22564820/dodgers-cubs-red-sox-others-watch-cuban-pitcher-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez |title=Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, others watch Cuban pitcher Gonzalez |publisher=Cbssports.com |date= |access-date=August 31, 2013}} On July 26, 2013, stories in the press reported that González agreed to a six-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, worth $60 million.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130726&content_id=54885096&vkey=news_phi&c_id=phi |title=Phillies reach deal with Cuban prospect Gonzalez |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=July 26, 2013 |access-date=August 31, 2013}} However, the Phillies never confirmed the report and subsequent reports mentioned that the deal might not happen.{{cite web |last=Schreiber |first=Andy |url=http://zozone.mlblogs.com/2013/08/06/deal-for-cuban-might-not-happen-at-all/ |title=Deal for Cuban Might Not Happen At All « The Zo Zone |publisher=Zozone.mlblogs.com |date=August 6, 2013 |access-date=August 31, 2013 |archive-date=September 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905064237/http://zozone.mlblogs.com/2013/08/06/deal-for-cuban-might-not-happen-at-all/ |url-status=dead }} On August 30, 2013, the Phillies announced they had signed González to a three-year, $12 million contract with a vesting option for 2017.{{cite web|last=Adams |first=Steve |url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/08/phillies-sign-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez.html |title=Phillies Sign Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez: MLB Rumors |publisher=MLBTradeRumors.com |date= August 30, 2013|access-date=August 31, 2013}}

File:Miguel Alfredo González pitching in 2015 spring training (1) (Cropped).jpg]]

Entering spring training, it was still unknown whether he would be a member of the big league starting rotation, bullpen, or whether he would start the season with the Phillies Class AAA affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.{{cite web|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|title=Miguel Gonzalez: Man of Mystery|url=http://zozone.mlblogs.com/2014/02/13/miguel-gonzalez-man-of-mystery/|work=The Zo Zone - MLBlogs Network|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|access-date=February 14, 2014|date=February 13, 2014|archive-date=February 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213225924/http://zozone.mlblogs.com/2014/02/13/miguel-gonzalez-man-of-mystery/|url-status=dead}} Ultimately, he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list (DL) "after not exactly impressing in a poor spring";{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Brad|title=Philadelphia Phillies have too many 'ifs' to be much more than a .500 team - if that|url=http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/brad-wilson/index.ssf/2014/03/philadelphia_phillies_have_too_many_ifs_to_be_much_more_than_a_500_team_-_if_that.html|access-date=March 31, 2014|newspaper=The Express-Times|date=March 31, 2014|location=Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania}} the official reason for his placement on the DL was "right shoulder tendinitis".{{cite news|last=Gross|first=Stephen|title=Philadelphia Phillies roster anything but set|url=http://articles.mcall.com/2014-03-28/sports/mc-phillies-pirates-on-deck-notes-0329-20140328_1_john-mayberry-jr-ruben-amaro-jr-on-deck-series|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407060114/http://articles.mcall.com/2014-03-28/sports/mc-phillies-pirates-on-deck-notes-0329-20140328_1_john-mayberry-jr-ruben-amaro-jr-on-deck-series|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 7, 2014|access-date=March 31, 2014|newspaper=The Morning Call|date=March 28, 2014|location=Allentown, Pennsylvania}} Upon returning from injury, Gonzalez ascended through the Phillies' minor league system on a rehab assignment, compiling 54 strikeouts in {{frac|46|1|3}} innings pitched. Used primarily out of the bullpen in his rehab stint, Gonzalez completed his minor league assignment with a 3.11 earned run average (ERA) and .231 opponent batting average. Deemed healthy and ready to begin his MLB career, Gonzalez was activated and assigned to the Phillies on September 2 as part of the roster expansion call-ups.{{cite web|last=Kring |first=Jake |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140831&content_id=92376896¬ebook_id=92377170&vkey=notebook_phi&c_id=phi |title=Phils' callups could include Franco, Gonzalez |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=January 20, 2016 |access-date=November 25, 2017}} He recorded a 6.75 ERA in {{frac|5|1|3}} innings pitched in the major leagues.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/notable-cuban-defectors-in-mlb-1.9726806 |title=Notable Cuban defectors to play in MLB |publisher=Newsday |date=December 18, 2014 |access-date=November 25, 2017}}

A poor spring training in 2015 led to the Phillies outrighting González to the minor leagues and removing him from the 40-man roster.{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/phillies/index.ssf/2015/04/miguel_alfredo_gonzalez_outrighted_to_iron_pigs_al.html|title=Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez outrighted to Iron Pigs along with Phillippe Aumont|first=Matt|last=Lombardo|work=NJ Advance Media|date=April 1, 2015|access-date=April 1, 2015}} He was released by the Phillies on April 1, 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/04/phillies-release-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez.html|title=Phillies Release Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez|last=Todd|first=Jeff|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=April 1, 2016|access-date=April 1, 2016}}

Death

González was killed in a traffic accident in Havana, Cuba, on November 23, 2017.{{cite news|last1=Trezza|first1=Joe|title=Former Phils RHP Gonzalez dies in accident|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/former-phils-rhp-miguel-alfredo-gonzalez-dies-c262394906|access-date=November 26, 2017|work=MLB.com|date=November 24, 2017}}