Carlos Gómez

Infobox MLB player
name=Carlos Gómez


width=250
position=Center fielder
team=Minnesota Twins
number=22
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1985|12|4
birthplace=Santiago, Dominican Republic
debutdate=May 13
debutyear=2007
debutteam=New York Mets
statyear=2008
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.254
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=9
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=71
stat4label=Stolen bases
stat4value=45
teams=
*New York Mets (by|2007)
*Minnesota Twins (by|2008-present)

Carlos Argelis Gómez Pena (born December 4, 1985 in Santiago, Dominican Republic) is an outfielder for the Minnesota Twins.

New York Mets

Along with Fernando Martínez, Gómez was considered one of the top New York Mets outfield prospects and is considered to be a five tool prospect. While they were teammates, Mets shortstop José Reyes, who led the National League in stolen bases and triples for multiple seasons, said that Gómez is faster than him. [cite news |first=Brian |last=Lewis |title=El Duque's Schooling a Hit for Gomez |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/06042007/sports/mets/el_duque_s_schooling_a_hit_for_gomez_mets_brian_lewis.htm |publisher=New York Post |date=2007-06-04 |accessdate=2007-06-15 |language=English |quote=That is how a speedster whose 64 steals in 2005 were second in all of minor league baseball - and who Jose Reyes admits is faster than he is - should be playing the game. ] In fact, while he and Jose Reyes were teammates with the Mets, he routinely beat Reyes in a foot races during Spring training by|2007. [cite web|url=http://metsprospects.blogspot.com/2007/04/gomezs-chances-over-milledge.html|title=Gomez's chances over Milledge|accessdate=2008-09-08]

At just 16 years of age, Gómez signed with the Mets as an international free agent on July 27, by|2002. In by|2006, he played for the Double-A Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League, and was the co-winner of the Sterling Award. He finished second in the league with 41 stolen bases and fifth in the league with eight triples. He also batted .281 (121-430) with 53 runs scored, 24 doubles, seven home runs and 48 runs batted in.

Gómez started the by|2007 season with the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs. Playing every day, by the second week of May he led the Pacific Coast League with 17 stolen bases in 36 games and hit .286 (40-for-140), scoring 24 runs, and hitting eight doubles, two triples, and two home runs. [cite news
url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070513&content_id=1962150&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym
title= Mets recall Gomez, option Pelfrey
publisher=New York Mets press release|date=2007-05-13
accessdate=2007-05-14 ]

Gomez was part of the youth movement in New York, and was the youngest player in the National League at the time of his debut. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/Youngest_leagues.shtml Year-by-Year League Leaders for Youngest Player] ] On May 16, 2007, he appeared in the Mets starting lineup along with Carlos Beltrán and Carlos Delgado, marking the first time in Major League history that a single team had three starters named "Carlos" in their lineup.Fact|date=June 2007. He was nicknamed 'Little Carlos', since he was the third Carlos on the team. He became expendable when Johan Santana, of the Minnesota Twins, became available via trade, and on January 29, 2008, he and pitchers Deolis Guerra, Phillip Humber & Kevin Mulvey were sent to the Twins for the two time Cy Young Award winner. Carlos had quickly become a fan favorite at Shea Stadium.

Minnesota Twins

2008 Season

Gomez is the starting center fielder for the Twins, replacing the now-departed Torii Hunter. He won a three-way race for the center field in 2008, beating out prospects Denard Span and Jason Pridie. Gomez's 40-time has been clocked at 4.29 by the MLB.Fact|date=May 2008 Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has nicknamed him "Go-Go" due to his last name and his blazing speed. Batting first, with Alexi Casilla batting second, Gardenhire has referred to the speedy duo as "Loose Cannon One," and "Loose Cannon Two."

He had an excellent regular-season debut for the Twins, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two stolen bases and two runs as the Twins beat the Angels, 3-2. On April 11, 2008, Gómez hit his first career triple off Yasuhiko Yabuta of the Royals.

On May 7, 2008, Gómez hit for the cycle against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. He became the fourth major leaguer and second in Twins history to hit for the reverse natural cycle. He also became the third-youngest player to hit for the cycle in MLB history. [Willis, Ken. [http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Columnists/MyTwoCents/colHEY042008.htm Hey Willie! Best Style is Winning] . news-journalonline.com. 20 April 2008.]

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