Pic of the Week

Marwin Gonzalez (9) is greeted by Carlos Correa after
Gonzalez tied Game 2 with a homer in the top of the ninth
off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

One of my chronic rants is about the definition of "super utility player."

Dick Bremer, and a lot of others, use it to describe just about any bench player. Danny Santana was a super utility player to Bremer. He plays short! He plays center! He sits on the bench a lot!

That last rules him out in my opinion. I use the term to describe somebody who

• is in the lineup on a regular basis
• but not at the same position.

Marwin Gonzalez, who hit the game-tying homer Wednesday night in the ninth inning for Houston, fits that definition perfectly.

Gonzalez led the Astros in RBIs, hit .303, slugged .530. He played 134 games and started at least a dozen games at each of five different positions -- shortstop (26 times, mostly during a Carlos Correa injury that sent the star to the disabled list), left field (23), first base (17), third base (12) and second base (12).

He can handle up-the-middle positions, but not so well that you'd be better off keeping him there. He hits well enough to fill a key lineup slot.

That's a super utility guy.