He’s Getting Ahead by Backing Up : Angels: Utility infielder Gonzales got his chance when Schofield was traded to the Mets.

When he played in Baltimore, Rene Gonzales’ picture could have illustrated the dictionary definition of the word “redundant.”

Being a backup infielder generally means playing on Sunday afternoons and staying ready in case someone pulls a hamstring or breaks a fingernail. Being the backup to Oriole shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., as Gonzales was for four seasons, means you will have a lot of idle time.

“While I was there, he was involved in that every inning thing,” Gonzales said of Ripken, who has played more than 1,500 consecutive games and played every inning of every game from June 5, 1982, to Sept. 14, 1987. “It was a running joke, that I was the only backup shortstop never to play shortstop. But if you’re going to play behind somebody, it might as well be a Hall of Famer.”

Gonzales has always played behind somebody since he debuted in the big leagues with Montreal in 1984. He usually plays behind a lot of somebodies because he is versatile enough to fill in almost everywhere.

The Covina native, who worked as an usher at Dodger Stadium while he was in college, played every infield position but pitcher and catcher with Toronto last season. He played first, second, short, third and right field for the Orioles in 1990. With the Angels, who signed him as a free agent in January, Gonzales has started three games at third and one at second besides filling in at short and first.

“Growing up I never said, ‘Someday I want to be a journeyman in the big leagues,’ ” said Gonzales, a career .214 hitter. “It’s not the career I idealized, but it’s been great. I don’t care where they put me, as long as it’s out there. Shortstop has always been my first love--that’s what I came up as--but wherever they want me to play is fine. All the tools I gathered playing shortstop enabled me to play all the other positions.”

Gonzales played well on the Angels’ just-completed trip, going four for 10 with a home run to raise his batting average to .429 (six for 14). He also played solid defense, allowing Manager Buck Rodgers to feel he isn’t losing anything when he inserts Gonzales into the lineup.

“In many cases you gain things on a temporary basis,” said Rodgers, who managed Gonzales in Montreal and Indianapolis, the Expos’ top minor league club. “He’s above average at every position and in the short term he can do a lot of things.”

As the Angels open a three-game home stand tonight against the Mariners, Gonzales is becoming comfortable with his role--but also hoping he can expand it.

“Sometimes it’s difficult, when you do get in there and you try to do too much,” said Gonzales, who was known as a defensive player when he attended Glendale College and Cal State Los Angeles. “I’m not going to be hitting a lot of home runs. If I try to do that, I’m in trouble.

“I just have to constantly remind myself what my game is and what I can do for the team, and that’s hitting behind the runners and getting guys over and being a pest. It’s almost more gratifying for me when the team wins and I’m in the lineup and didn’t do anything big than if I had a big day. If we win and I just contributed, that’s fine.”

Winning the American League pennant last year with Toronto was fun for Gonzales, although he played in only 71 games during the season and two playoff games.

“There’s no getting around it, I knew that was going to be my role in Toronto and I settled in and accepted it,” he said. “But whether you’re playing in the big leagues or a beer league, nothing compares to playing every day.”

He was ticketed to play in triple-A Edmonton when the season started because the Angels, unable to trade Dick Schofield after giving Gary DiSarcina the starting shortstop job, carried Schofield as a spare infielder. Gonzales, 30, wasn’t sure he wanted to play in the minors after being in the major leagues since late in the 1987 season.

After contemplating his options, he reported to Edmonton--only to be told the Angels had traded Schofield to the New York Mets and had purchased his contract. He returned in time to play against the Brewers April 12.

“It was very disappointing. I thought I would always be beyond that, and as long as I was playing up to my capabilities there would always be a spot for me in the big leagues,” Gonzales said of his demotion. “I went because quite honestly, I knew things would work out. . . . I am hitting the ball better than I have in the past and I worked exceptionally hard over the winter and I made some adjustments. I said to myself, ‘At this point, what team knows what kind of ballplayer I am better than the Angels?’ ”

Gonzales worked diligently last winter to bulk up, adding 15 pounds of muscle. He thinks the change has helped him at the plate, although he says he’s trying to drive the ball and not trying to drive it over the fence.

“I’m stronger, more mature and into my body. I made some adjustments where I’m using my size and strength,” he said. “You think of middle infielders and you’re surprised that I’m 6-3, 210.”

As long as he puts up big numbers offensively, he hopes he will get more playing time. “You would think performance gets rewarded that way. Some people look at it as, ‘We’ve sat him. He’s done well. He can do it,’ ” Gonzales said. “It’s tough getting a label (as a utility player). It’s always having to prove yourself. . . . I feel I’m here to stay this season. I’m not ever going to look back.”