Norberto González

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Norberto González

|position = Pitcher

|image = Norberto González on March 9, 2013.jpg

|caption = González pitching for the Cuban national team at the 2013 World Baseball Classic

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|10|10|df=y}}

|birth_place = Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos Province, Cuba

|teams =

Cienfuegos (1998–2013; 2015–2017)

|medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{CUB}} }}

}}

Norberto González Miranda (born 10 October 1979) is a former baseball player who was a left-handed pitcher for the Cuban national baseball team and Cienfuegos of the Cuban National Series, where he played for 18 seasons.

Representing Cuba, González was a two-time Olympic medalist, winning gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also won a silver medal at the inaugural edition of the World Baseball Classic in 2006.

Career

González was born on 10 October 1979 in the city of Cienfuegos, Cuba. He made his debut in the Cuban National Series in 1998 with Cienfuegos.{{cite web|title=Norberto González: “Soy feliz y lo seré más cuando mis hijos hagan lo que yo no pude hacer”|url=https://pelotacubanausa.com/norberto-gonzalez-soy-feliz-y-lo-sere-mas-cuando-mis-hijos-hagan-lo-que-yo-no-pude-hacer/|website=Pelota Cubana USA|date=1 March 2019|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Ex lanzador Norberto González sale de Cuba con sus dos hijos en busca de un contrato|url=https://www.periodicocubano.com/ex-lanzador-norberto-gonzalez-sale-de-cuba-con-sus-dos-hijos-en-busca-de-un-contrato-profesional/|website=Periódico Cubano|date=15 June 2024|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}

In the 2005–06 Cuban National Series, pitching alongside national team stalwarts Yosvani Pérez and Adiel Palma, González maintained a 3.97 ERA and notched 90 strikeouts in 133 innings. However, his record was only 6–10, as Cienfuegos stumbled to a 35–54 record.{{cite web|url=http://www.inder.co.cu/indernet/competencias/sinfo/SNacional45/beil1al1.htm#CFG|title=Béisbol Clasificatoria Pitcheo|accessdate=2006-10-21|language=Spanish|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930163649/http://www.inder.co.cu/indernet/competencias/sinfo/SNacional45/beil1al1.htm#CFG|archivedate=2007-09-30}} In 2009, he reached 100 wins in the Cuban National Series.{{cite web|first=Luis|last=López Viera|title=Norberto González ingresa al club de las cien victorias en el béisbol cubano|url=http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2009/11/24/norberto-gonzalez-cien-victorias-beisbol-cubano-pitcher/|website=Cubadebate|date=24 November 2009|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}

González announced his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 Cuban National Series after 16 seasons with Cienfuegos, and a record of 139 wins and 121 losses.{{cite web|title=Anuncia su retiro el lanzador Norberto González|url=https://www.beisbolencuba.com/noticias/anuncia-retiro-lanzador-norberto-gonzalez.html|website=Béisbol en Cuba|date=30 July 2013|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Se retira en Cuba el lanzador Norberto González|url=https://www.mlb.com/es/news/se-retira-en-cuba-el-lanzador-norberto-gonzalez/c-55259470|website=MLB.com|date=30 July 2013|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}} However, in April 2014 it was reported that González would join Italian Baseball League team Netunno 2, where he played in 2014 and 2015.{{cite web|title=Anuncian que Pedroso y Norberto se van al béisbol italiano|url=http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2014/04/03/anuncian-que-pedroso-y-norberto-se-van-al-beisbol-italiano/|website=Cubadebate|date=3 April 2014|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Norberto González jugara en Italia|url=https://www.beisbolencuba.com/noticias/norberto-gonzalez-jugara-italia.html|website=Béisbol de Cuba|date=2 April 2014|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Nettuno 2 confirms Norberto Gonzalez, Osman Marvel, announces Jose Flores

|url=https://www.mister-baseball.com/nettuno-2-confirms-norberto-gonzalez-osman-marvel-announces-jose-flores/|website=mister-baseball.com|date=2 February 2015|access-date=12 March 2025}}

International career

In 2006, González was selected to represent Cuba at the inaugural World Baseball Classic, where he played as a reliever.{{cite web|title=Roster de Cuba para el Clásico|url=https://espndeportes.espn.com/noticias/nota?id=414033|website=ESPN Deportes|date=28 February 2006|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}} He substituted Vicyohandri Odelín (who had replaced starter Ormari Romero) in the final game against Japan in the first inning after Romero and Odelín allowed four runs. He pitched 3.1 innings, giving up no runs, and was replaced by Yadier Pedroso in the fifth inning. Cuba would go on to lose the game 6–10.{{cite web|title=Japan Beats Cuba in First World Baseball Classic|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/20/sports/sportsspecial/japan-beats-cuba-in-first-world-baseball-classic.html|website=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|date=20 March 2006|access-date=12 March 2025}}{{cite web|first=Alexander|last=García|title=El Clásico Mundial de Béisbol 2006: la peor final|url=https://swingcompleto.com/clasico-mundial-beisbol-2006-la-peor-final/|website=Swing Completo|date=4 October 2023|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}

González was part of the Cuban team that participated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and 2013 World Baseball Classic.{{cite web|title=Cuba anuncia a sus 28 jugadores para II Clásico Mundial|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/sports/beisbol-cuba-anuncia-a-sus-28-jugadores-para-ii-clsico-mundial-idUSSIE51I02S/|agency=Reuters|date=18 February 2009|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Nómina del Equipo de Cuba - II Clásico Mundial de Béisbol|url=https://www.radiorebelde.icrt.cu/48snb/clasicos/nominas/clasicos-2-cuba-nomina.html|website=Radio Rebelde|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Norberto González, el orgullo de lanzar en tres Clásicos Mundiales|url=http://mesaredonda.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2013/01/17/norberto-gonzalez-el-orgullo-de-lanzar-en-tres-clasicos-mundiales/|website=Mesa Redonda|date=17 January 2013|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}

Personal life

González has two sons, Andy and Alex, who also play baseball. In June 2024, he and his sons left Cuba for the Dominican Republic, where they settled in Santo Domingo to train at the Yuan Pino Academy, hoping to sign with a Major League Baseball team.{{cite web|title=Dos hijos de destacado expelotero cubano salen del país con el sueño de llegar a Grandes Ligas|url=https://www.cibercuba.com/noticias/2024-06-15-u1-e43231-s27061-nid283640-dos-hijos-destacado-expelotero-cubano-salen-pais|website=CiberCuba|date=15 June 2024|access-date=12 March 2025|language=es}}