Ex-Marlins well-represented in Broward County with two high school baseball coaches

The Marlins in 1999 finished in last place and lost 98 games, but that young team has now produced two Broward County high school baseball coaches.

Alex Gonzalez, who was a 22-year-old shortstop that season and nearly the National League Rookie of the Year, was named Sagemont’s head coach in October. He joins Bruce Aven — who has been American Heritage’s coach since 2012 —as ex-Marlins running Broward baseball programs.

Gonzalez, now 43, spent the past three seasons as a Sagemont assistant, and his ultimate goal is to coach in minor-league baseball and then the majors.

“I don’t need to (coach),” said Gonzalez, who spent 16 years in the majors, making it to the All-Star Game in ’99 and then winning a World Series in 2003. “I do it because I like it.

“What I’m teaching my players, maybe they’ve never seen before. I (train) them at a professional level.”

Gonzalez replaces Armando Sierra, who left to serve as Bradenton Southeast’s head coach.

Sierra convinced Gonzalez — who had two sons on the team at the time — to help him out as an assistant from 2018 to 2020, and Sagemont went 37-23-1 during that span.

“The Sagemont program is in good hands with Alex,” Sierra said. “He brings serenity and, in tight games, the players need that calmness.

“He teaches the kids to respect the game. If you make the fundamental play, you’re halfway there.”

Gonzalez served as Sierra’s third-base coach and also was in charge of the infield, making all the calls on how to handle bunts and other offensive plays that involved his positions.

Going forward, Gonzalez will continue to coach third base because he believes keeping sharp in that skill is what’s best for his prospects of landing a job in minor-league baseball.

Aven, 48, who was the Marlins’ fourth outfielder in 1999 behind Cliff Floyd, Preston Wilson and Mark Kotsay, said Gonzalez was a phenomenal talent who has a lot of wisdom to impart to his players.

“Alex had a lot of tools — great arm, great glove, power. I remember seeing him smash one into the upper deck at Pro Player Stadium,” Aven said of Gonzalez, who hit 28 doubles, eight triples and 14 homers in his rookie year. “Defensively, he and (second baseman) Luis Castillo were amazing. They covered so much ground.

“I think Alex will be good for the kids. He has the laid-back temperament that is good for this generation of players.”

Gonzalez might never had made it to the majors if he hadn’t bolted on a “big test” he was supposed to take 26 years ago.

Instead, Gonzalez wrote just his name on the sheet of paper, handed it to his teacher and walked 15 minutes to the stadium in his native Venezuela where a tryout was being held. He was signed a few days later by Levi Ochoa, the same scout who found Edgar Renteria in Colombia.

Ironically, Renteria — whose game-winning single in the 11th inning of Game 7 gave the Marlins their 1997 World Series title — was traded away after the ’98 season, clearing the way for Gonzalez at shortstop.

Gonzalez, who earned an $8,000 bonus when he signed in 1994, handed that money to his parents and kept on achieving, including a career-high 23 homers (twice) and 42 doubles in 2010.

He clearly knows the game, and perhaps the only issue will be how he handles the parents of high school players who sometimes believe their sons deserve more playing time.

Gonzalez, though, doesn’t see a problem.

“They know,” Gonzalez said, “that the field is my responsibility.”

Gonzalez, who was the head coach of a summer-league team last year, feels prepared for this next step in his career, and people who know him, such as ex-Sagemont student-athlete Dylan Fineberg, agree.

“He brings leadership — he knows how to talk to kids,” said Fineberg, who was a second baseman under Gonzalez’s tutelage and made no errors in 2019. “He is pretty particular in everything. He likes to break down the fundamentals, and if he sees a mistake, he will correct it immediately.

“There was one time we spent an entire practice fielding short ground balls and making sure we got our throwing angle [correct]. He was big on shoulder-to-target and following through.

“I think this is [Gonzalez’s] time. He’s ready.”