Editorials

Dodgers News: Adrian Gonzalez Says He’s Not A Home Run Hitter

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been quite the start to the season for Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

The reigning Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winner has hit a home run in each of the first three games, including three of them in the Dodgers Wednesday night victory. He became the first person in history to have five home runs in his team’s first three games. Gonzalez has 10 hits in his first 13 at-bats, to go along with seven runs driven in.



Despite the barrage, the 32-year-old doesn’t think he’s changed as a hitter via Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:

I’m still not a home run hitter,” Gonzalez said despite his 267 career home runs. “I’m just trying to hit line drives.”

Gonzalez is hitting line drives, they just happen to be going over the wall at an impressive clip. On a rainy Tuesday night that saw plenty of balls knocked down, Gonzalez hit a ball of Joaquin Benoit that reached the first few rows of the pavilion in right field and proved that the first baseman is dialed in.

Although he’s seen Gonzalez put plenty of baseballs over the wall, manager Don Mattingly agreed with his veteran’s statement:

I do buy that from the standpoint of — you look at home run hitters, they strike out a lot,” Mattingly said. “Adrian isn’t that guy. He can really hit.”

Not many could have seen this start by the former All-Star, especially after a spring in which he struggled at the plate, but this just adds to the theory that Spring Training stats hardly carry over to the regular season. Now Gonzalez heads to Chase Field for the weekend, where he’s hit .342 in his career with 20 home runs in 65 games.

Whether a home run hitter or just a good hitter, the Dodgers will look forward to more from Gonzalez.

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Vincent Samperio

Vince is currently the Associate Editor and Social Media Manager for Dodgers Nation. Hailing from San Pedro, CA and a student at Cal State Long Beach, Vince has previously written for the Daily 49er and LASF Magazine.

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