Franklin Gutiérrez
Encyclopedia
Franklin Rafael Gutiérrez (born February 21, 1983, in Caracas, Venezuela), nicknamed "Guti" & "Death To Flying Things", is a Major League Baseball
center fielder
for the Seattle Mariners
. He bats and throws right-handed and is regarded as one of the game's best defensive outfielders.
as an amateur free agent. 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 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 Gutierrez in a deal over the winter that would have landed the Dodgers first baseman Richie Sexson.
In , Gutiérrez posted a .261 batting average
and 42 RBI
for Akron, and hit .254 with seven RBI in 19 games with Triple-A Buffalo
(Which are now the Columbus Clippers). 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 August 31.
In 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 , 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, , Gutiérrez hit his first grand slam.
as part of a three-team trade. Mariners' General Manager Jack Zduriencik noted that the trade would not have gone through had Gutierrez not been included in the trade.
In he ranked 3rd among qualifying big league outfielders in UZR, an all-inclusive fielding statistic. Gutiérrez won a Fielding Bible Award
as the top fielding right fielder in MLB. Dave Niehaus
called Gutierrez "Death to Flying Things" after a diving catch, a nickname that previously belonged to Bob Ferguson.
In 2009, he had the most errors by a major league center fielder (7), mostly due to the immense number of batted balls that he gets to. He led all of Major League Baseball in UZR and UZR/150 and was 6th in the AL in wins above replacement. Gutiérrez won a Fielding Bible Award
as the top fielding center fielder in MLB.
On January 6, , 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.
In 2010 was awarded his first Golden Glove for outfielder. He finished the season with a 100.0% fielding average. Also came in second place for Defensive Player of the Year on MLB.com awards.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
for the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. He bats and throws right-handed and is regarded as one of the game's best defensive outfielders.
Cleveland Indians
On November 18, 2000, Gutiérrez was signed by the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
as an amateur free agent. 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
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
for Milton Bradley and was assigned to Double-A Akron
Akron Aeros
The Akron Aeros are a minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio, USA. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.The Aeros play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 9,097 fans...
. He entered the season ranked by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
as the No. 3 prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
organization and the top position
Position player
In baseball, a position player is a player who on defense plays as an infielder, outfielder, or catcher. This is generally all players on a team except for the pitcher, who is considered separate from the position players; in the American League, there is also a designated hitter, who bats but...
prospect, possessing five-tool
Five-tool player
In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities....
ability. Previously, Los Angeles refused to include Gutierrez in a deal over the winter that would have landed the Dodgers first baseman Richie Sexson.
In , Gutiérrez posted a .261 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and 42 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
for Akron, and hit .254 with seven RBI in 19 games with Triple-A Buffalo
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
(Which are now the Columbus Clippers). Between his two minor league stops, he stole
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
16 bases in 22 attempts. He was among the players that the Indians called up when major league rosters expanded August 31.
In 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 , 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, , Gutiérrez hit his first grand slam.
Seattle Mariners
On December 10, , he was traded to the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
as part of a three-team trade. Mariners' General Manager Jack Zduriencik noted that the trade would not have gone through had Gutierrez not been included in the trade.
In he ranked 3rd among qualifying big league outfielders in UZR, an all-inclusive fielding statistic. Gutiérrez won a Fielding Bible Award
Fielding Bible Award
A Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in Major League Baseball based on statistical analysis. John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions conduct the annual selection process...
as the top fielding right fielder in MLB. Dave Niehaus
Dave Niehaus
David Arnold Niehaus was an American sportscaster. He was the lead play-by-play announcer for the American League's Seattle Mariners from their inaugural season in until his death after the 2010 season. In 2008, the National Baseball Hall of Fame awarded Niehaus with the Ford C. Frick Award, the...
called Gutierrez "Death to Flying Things" after a diving catch, a nickname that previously belonged to Bob Ferguson.
In 2009, he had the most errors by a major league center fielder (7), mostly due to the immense number of batted balls that he gets to. He led all of Major League Baseball in UZR and UZR/150 and was 6th in the AL in wins above replacement. Gutiérrez won a Fielding Bible Award
Fielding Bible Award
A Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in Major League Baseball based on statistical analysis. John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions conduct the annual selection process...
as the top fielding center fielder in MLB.
On January 6, , 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.
In 2010 was awarded his first Golden Glove for outfielder. He finished the season with a 100.0% fielding average. Also came in second place for Defensive Player of the Year on MLB.com awards.