Long road back for Alex Gonzalez

CINCINNATI - It's been a long, lonely, horrible stretch for Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez, but he's finally reaching the point where he can see himself playing shortstop again.

One of the best defensive shortstops in the game, Gonzalez went through a horrible personal problem involving his family which landed him on the bereavement list three different times in 2007. In spring training, Gonzalez fractured his knee cap and he's been out ever since.

"I'm starting to run straight ahead and I feel like I'm on the way back," said Gonzalez in the Reds' clubhouse. "I hope in another couple of weeks to go out and play some games (on rehab) and then I'd love to come back and start playing. I'm excited the way I feel. It's been a long, long injury and it's been very tough. But I feel good right now and I can't wait to play again."

If you've forgotten how good this guy was consider in '06 with the Sox he played in 111 games and committed only 7 errors. He had a 57-game errorless streak from April 11-June 30 of '06. He won a championship with the Marlins in '03 on the same team with Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett. Pitchers love him playing behind them because they feel he saves them runs. In fact, people have commented about Dontrelle Willis' recent struggles that he doesn't have someone like Gonzalez making outstanding play after outstanding play behind him anymore.

"I'll still be myself when I come back," said Gonzalez, who was fielding grounders at shortstop during BP today. "I can still field the ball. That's not gonna change."