Married to the former Adriana Ortiz...Has one child, Geronimo Jr. (8/31/99)...His father, Geronimo Sr.,
played in the Mexican League...Signed by Dodgers scout Mike Brito...Played 4 games for Mexico City
Reds in 1995...Name is pronounced HEEL.
2006
Was in spring training with Baltimore, but played season with Mexico City in the Mexican Summer League...posted career highs in batting average (.387), runs (58), hits (120), total bases (188), doubles (32), RBI (71) and slugging percentage (.606) for the Red Devils...ranked second in the Mexican League in batting average and T4th in doubles...batted .313 (15-for-48) vs. lefties and .401 (105-for-262) against right-handers...hit .505 (48-for-95) with runners in scoring position and batted .500 (23-for-46) with RISP and two outs...hit .368 (35-for-95) in April and also drove in 30 RBI, the second-most in the league during the season's first month...batted .465 (40-for-86) in May, league's second-highest average in that month...hit safely in season-high 16 straight from June 4-21, during which he batted .400 (24-for-60)...hit safely in 67 of 84 games, including 35 multi-hit contests...played the majority of his games in the outfield, appearing in 76 contests, all in right field...also made five appearances at first base and three at catcher...drove in season-high 5 RBI in just his second game of the season April 2 at Monterrey...went 5-for-5 with three doubles and three RBI on May 21 vs. Yucatan...played for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, batting .250 (3-for-12) with a double and two RBI in three games...played in six spring games for the O's, but was released on March 29 after it was determined the club would not carry three catchers in '06...batted .284 with 13 HR and 41 RBI over 63 games for Hermosillo in Mexican Winter League.
2005
Gil sustained an injury-plagued season as he missed two months with a sprained right thumb. He returned in September and played in 11 games. Hit two home runs in a June 21 win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
2004
Spent most of the season at AAA Ottawa and joined the Orioles when rosters expanded in
September.
Appeared in 12 games for the Orioles over the final month, hitting safely of 7 of 8 starts...Batted .281
and was the only one of 4 back-up catchers the Orioles used during the season who hit above .170.
Had a 2-run double in his first major league game of the season on September 2 at Tampa Bay...Had a
season-high 2 hits on September 26 vs. Detroit.
Threw out 3 of 6 runners attempting to steal, including two on October 1 against Boston...For his
career, has thrown out 30.1% (50 of 166) of runners attempting to steal.
After batting .209 in April, hit .287 the remainder of the first half and was the Lynx' lone representative
at the Triple-A All-Star game.
Was batting .278 through the end of July, but hit just .198 in 24 games in August.
Has more career at-bats (681) without a triple than any active major league player.
Played for Obregon Yanquis in Mexican Winter League and batted .327, with 7 homers and 21 RBI
in 46 games.
2003
Spent the majority of the season with the Orioles and had a six-week stint at AAA Ottawa...Began the season as the Orioles' everyday catcher...Started 12 of the first 16 games and 37 of the first
63 games of the year...Batted .173 (9-52) with one home run and 3 RBI through his first 22 games of the season...Had only
one multi-hit game during that time...Hit safely in 12 of 17 games with an at-bat in May, batting .339 with 2 home runs and 9 RBI...Batted
.186 with one home run and 7 RBI in all other months of the year...Matched a season-high with 3 hits, including a 2-run home run, and scored a career-high 3 runs in the
Orioles' 12-4 win over Anaheim on May 27...Also had 3 hits against the Angels on May 20...Went 5-for-36 (.139) with no home runs and 2 RBI in June...Started only two games after July 1 and
was optioned to Ottawa on July 20...Hit safely in 30 of 36 games for the Lynx, including an 11-game hitting streak, August 2-13, in which he
batted .400 (18-45)...Had 13 of his 17 RBI in his final 18 games with Ottawa...Went 1-for-16 in the International League playoff series vs. Pawtucket and was recalled by the Orioles
following the Lynx' elimination...Collected two hits in his first game back with the Birds but appeared in just three more games, going
1-for-9...Has the most career at-bats (649) without a triple of any active major league player...Threw out 10 of 48 runners (20.8%) attempting to steal with the Orioles...For his career, has thrown out
29.6% (47 of 159) of runners attempting to steal...Batted .277 (49-177) with 4 HR and 29 RBI in 50 games for Obregon in Mexican Winter League.
2002
Became the first rookie catcher to start for the Orioles on Opening Day since Andy Etchebarren in
1966...Appeared in 125 games in his first full season in the major leagues.
Following the season, was selected as catcher on Topps' All-Rookie team...Was one of 4 unanimous
choices on 10-member team selected by major league managers.
Threw out 33 of 91 (36.3%) runners attempting to steal, the 2nd best percentage in the American
League behind Anaheim's Bengie Molina (32 of 75, 42.7%).
Beginning May 24, he threw out 28 of his final 66 runners (42.4%) attempting to steal...Nailed 21 of 44
runners (47.7%) after June 25...Entered defensively in the 9th inning on August 16 vs. Detroit and threw
out 2 would-be base stealers.
Began the season 8-for-46 (.174) through his first 14 games...Hit safely in 13 of his next 16 games, April
23-May 23, batting .391 (25-64) with 6 home runs and 20 RBI.
Average reached a season-high .300 on May 23, when he homered for the second straight game and
matched a season-high with 3 hits...After that point, he batted .208 (65-312) with 5 home runs and 21
RBI in his final 95 games of the year.
Hit .213 or lower in 3 of the last 4 months of the season...Batted .296 in July and drew 10 of his 21 walks
on the year.
Hit his first major league home run off Tampa Bay's Travis Phelps on April 11...Hit 12 home runs, the
most ever by a Mexican-born rookie...Vinny Castilla had 9 for Colorado in 1993.
Had his first career 2-home run game on April 23 vs. Boston...Both home runs came off the Red Sox'
Frank Castillo...Hit another home run off Castillo on April 29 and 4 of his 12 home runs on the season
came against the Red Sox, most versus any team.
Missed 7 games, April 30-May 6, with groin and hamstring injuries suffered on April 29 at Boston while
covering home plate...Had a career-high 6-game hitting streak, April 23-29, which ended in his first game
back on May 7.
Hit a game-winning home run in the 14th inning on August 14 at Minnesota...Was his first homer since
June 18 at Arizona...Also drove in the winning run with a 10th-inning sacrifice fly in an 8-7 win on May
31 against Seattle.
The Orioles went 55-62 (.470) in games in which Gil started and 8-33 (.195) in starts by other catchers.
Led the American League with 19 passed balls...Had 3 games with 2 passed balls and was charged
with a passed ball in 3 straight games, June 4-7.
Caught 22 of Rodrigo Lopez's 28 starts, marking the first Mexican-born battery since 1987 when Los
Angeles' Alex Trevino was behind the plate for 5 of Fernando Valenzuela's starts.
Batted .266 with 6 homers and 20 RBI in 49 games for Obregon of the Mexican Winter League...Played
only 6 games at catcher while seeing most of his time at 1B (21 games), OF (12), DH (9) and 3B (1).
2001
- Began the season in the Los Angeles Dodgers system and was acquired by the Orioles on July 31 along with RHP Kris Foster in exchange for RHP Mike Trombley.
- Reported to Rochester following the trade and hit safely in 15 of 23 games with the Red Wings, including an 8-game hitting streak, August 7-19.
- Contract was purchased from Rochester on September 7...Made his major league debut the next night and started 17 of the final 22 games of the season.
- Collected his first major league hit off Toronto's Kelvim Escobar on September 18.
- Batted .320 (15-47) in his final 13 games after a 2-for-11 start...Hit safely in 6 of his last 7 games, batting .391 (9-23).
- Went a combined 5-for-9 in consecutive games, September 22-23 vs. New York...Had 5 RBI on September 22, the most by an Orioles player on the year.
- Threw out 4 of 16 baserunners attempting to steal (25.0%)...Orioles staff had a 3.84 ERA with him behind the plate, lowest among Birds' catchers.
- Was a non-roster invitee to the Dodgers spring training camp but was sent to AAA Las Vegas...Batted .222 (16-72) over his first 22 games but hit .321 (67-209) with 9 home runs and 33 RBI in his last 60 games before being traded.
- With Rochester, hit safely in 13 of his last 17 games, batting .313 (20-64)...While with Red Wings, nabbed 25.8% of attempted base stealers (8 of 31).
2000
Spent most of season with AA San Antonio...Spent most of his time behind the plate but did see action in 23 games as an outfielder or third baseman...Was named the Texas League's best defensive catcher...Was promoted to AAA Albuquerque and batted .380 with 2 homers and 22 RBI in 15 games...Had .600 slugging pct. and .421 on-base pct. with Dukes.
1999
In 2nd season with AA San Antonio, tied for team lead with 15 home runs...Caught 74 games but also played 26 games in outfield.
1998
Split time between catcher, outfield and first base in first season at AA San Antonio...Was 4th on team in batting and tied for 3rd with 17 doubles.
1997
Split time at catcher for Class A Vero Beach.
1996
In first pro season, caught majority of games for Class A Savannah as Sand Gnats came from 7th place to win South Atlantic League championship.
