What if you broke into the hotel room of Adrian Gonzalez, looked through his things, and found a diary? What would it say? Here is a possible answer:
June 2000
I DID IT!!!! Today is a day I will never forget. I was the first overall pick of the 2000 draft today. Looks like I am going to Florida! Sure, they are a horrible team, but every first round pick has to start out their career with a horrible team. I’ll just do my best in my time here and try to make it onto a better team. But for now, I did it! My life dream is complete! Florida, here I come.
July 2003
Just heard I was traded to Texas. I would have loved to go to a better team, but I have great confidence in that club. At this point, I don’t even want to win, I just need to make it to the Majors. I can’t even imagine playing with guys like Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Rafael Palmeiro. Wow.
April 2004
What a day! My first game in the Major Leagues. I went 0-for-3, I am not too happy about that, but meeting playing with my idol Mark Teixeira was just incredible. Thanks to the Yankees, I never got my chance to play with A-Rod, but it was kind of cool to play with Alfonso Soriano.
Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I am glad Rafael Palmeiro is gone. I’m telling you, he DEFINITELY took some kind of steroids. Either way, this is it! The beginning of my Major League career. I NEVER want to go back to the minors again!
January 2006
I started in Florida, then went to Texas, and now I am off to San Diego. I must say, all of this trading is kind of depressing, but at least I am going to a better team. The Padres made the playoffs last year. It’s such a bad division that maybe we can make it to the playoffs this year. I hope so. I haven’t traveled all the way across the country for nothing!
June 2010
Starting to hear about some trade rumors. Some teams are looking after me, trying to get a deal done. We are in the thick of a pennant race, so I can’t see any deal getting done. But, I gotta tell you, this team really doesn’t have what it takes to keep up with the Rockies and Giants. I’ll have to just wait one more year.
November 2010
I hit 30 home runs again this year. That’s four years in a row. What do I have to do? Just when it looks like I might get a chance to win it all, our team collapses. I never really wanted to get traded to the Rangers or Padres, but I dealt with it. Now, when I really want to get traded, it just won’t happen. I’m trying to be patient, but come on already!
December 2010
FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY! I’m going to the Boston Red Sox. Great fans, great division, great team! Finally I will know what to expect from my team. Honestly, I can’t wait for the energy when we play the Yankees; it’s gotta be better than when the Padres played the Rockies. Wow! This is awesome.
And, plus, I will finally be hitting in a hitters ballpark. Let’s see if I can break 50 home runs this year. Maybe I’ll have a bet with David Ortiz. Hahahahaha! This is great. Now we are talking about an extension. That would be nice, I don’t want to risk going to another horrible team. I’m 29 years old, and now my career has REALLY begun!
Listen to Jess on What’s on Second: The Seamheads.com Radio Hour Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET. Follow him on Twitter @jesskcoleman or send him an e-mail at jess@jesskcoleman.com.
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