Dodgers 2013 review: Adrian Gonzalez

The Dodgers first baseman was a consistent run producer in his first full season in Los Angeles. He even showed his humorous side, embracing the fun-loving Mickey Mouse ways during the NLCS.

What went right

Health. The first baseman was the rock among Dodgers position players, with 157 games played and 149 starts. Andre Ethier was second on the team in both categories with 142 games and 129 starts. But for the iron man Gonzalez, this represented his lowest participatory output since 2006.

Gonzalez hit .293/.342/.461 with 32 doubles, 22 home runs and 100 RBI, numbers that weren't spectacular but were very much needed in a lineup that was constantly missing injured players all season. In the lower offensive environment that was 2013 — the National League averaged 4.00 runs per game this year, the lowest output since scoring 3.88 runs per game in 1992 — Gonzalez put up a 126 OPS+, an improvement over 2012. The Dodgers got above average production relative to NL first baseman (as measured by sOPS+) for the first time since 2006.

He was especially productive with runners in scoring position, hitting .323/.378/.532.

Gonzalez continued his production in the playoffs, hitting .316/.366/.605 with three home runs and two doubles in 10 postseason games.

What went wrong

Gonzalez committed a career-high 11 errors, tied for second-most among major league first basemen. But he was still above average defensively per Total Zone Rating, Baseball Info Solutions and Ultimate Zone Rating, and was named one of three finalists for a Gold Glove Award at first base in the National League.

The closest thing Gonzalez had to an injury was neck stiffness that saw him scratched from the starting lineup three straight days in San Francisco from May 3-5, though he did deliver a two-run single as a pinch hitter in the finale of that series.

He hit just .208/.306/.264 with no home runs in 17 games against the Giants.

Gonzalez hit .248/.304/.400 in June, his worst month of the season.

2014 status

Gonzalez is under contract through 2018 with $106 million total for the next five years. He is due $21 million in 2014, with the Red Sox kicking in $3.9 million as part of the Punto Trade.