Desmond (Desi) Lamont Relaford...resides in Jacksonville, Fla., with his wife, Cass, and
two children...graduated from Sandalwood (Fla.) High School in 1991, where he received all-state honors
in baseball...turned down a full scholarship to University of Tennessee to sign with the Mariners.
2004
Saw action at six different positions for the Royals in 2004, playing 42 games (36 starts) at third
base, 36 games (34 starts) at second base, 22 games (18 starts) in left field, 12 games (nine starts) at
shortstop, nine games (six starts) in right field and three games (no starts) in center field...hit .221 with 6
homers and 34 RBI in 114 total contests...the switch-hitter batted .214 from the right side of the plate and
.223 with 5 of his 6 home runs from the left...was on an Opening Day roster for the seventh consecutive
season...strained his left hamstring in his first at-bat of the year on April 5 vs. the White Sox...was placed
on the disabled list April 6 and activated April 29...that same hamstring forced him to miss three games
from May 19-21...batted .356 (26-for-73) during the month of August, the ninth highest average in the
American League...hit safely in 18 of his 21 games in August, which included a seven-game hitting streak
from July 31-Aug. 11 (.480, 12-for-25) and a season-best 11-game hitting streak from Aug. 18-31 (.375, 15-
for-40)...recorded at least one RBI in a career-high six consecutive games, Aug. 22-29 (8 total)...started at
four different positions in four straight games from Sept. 1-5.
2003
Made an Opening Day roster for the 6th straight season, his 1st with Kansas City.
Proved to be a valuable utility player for the Royals, making 127 starts for KC at 6 different
positions: 2B (83), 3B (23), SS (4), RF (10), DH (3) and CF (4).
Hit .254 and played in 141 games on the year, 1 shy of his career-best 142 in 1998 with
Philadelphia...had a career-high 59 RBI, 70 runs, 20 stolen bases, 500 at bats and matched a career-best with
27 doubles and 8 home runs.
Was on pace for some impressive numbers before injuring his left wrist...the switch hitter was hitting
.288 (72-250) with 14 doubles, 3 triples, 6 home runs and 33 RBI through June 30.
Was forced to hit left-handed from July 1 through the remainder of the season because of the injury
and hit just .220 (55-250) with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs and 26 RBI.
Was hitting .338 (23-68) with runners in scoring position .382 vs. left-handed pitchers at the
All-Star Break...his average vs. lefties was 5th-best in the A.L. at the break...Relaford finished the season
hitting .300 against lefties.
Became the Royals every day starter at 2nd base after Carlos Febles was designated for assignment on
Aug. 12.
Threw Shane Spencer out at 3rd base with a throw from right field in the 9th inning at Cleveland on April
11 to help preserve a 1-0 win for the Royals and extend KC's record to 8-0.
Hit a pinch-hit double and scored in the 9th inning to assist in KC's 4-run, 9th-inning rally at
Chicago on April 15 for an 8-5 win...it was KC's 1st pinch hit of the season.
Notched his 1st home run of the season vs. Detroit on April 19...finished the game with 2 hits and 2
RBI in the 9-2 win.
Recorded his 2nd homer (2-run shot) of the season in the Royals 7-6 win vs. Boston on May 5...was hit
by a pitch in the 9th inning of that game to drive in the tying run...Sweeney scored the winning run on a
2-out error by Nomar Garciaparra in the 9th.
Had a season-best 12-game hitting streak from May 27-June 10, going 16-for-49 with a .327 average
during the streak...it was tied for the 2nd-longest hitting streak of the year (Randa-16).
Hit safely in 22 of 26 games from May 27-June 29, hitting at a .298 clip (31-104) during that span.
Started in 20 consecutive games (1st 20 in May), 1 shy of his career best 21 (set with the Phillies
from Aug. 27-Sept.17, 1998).
Batted .282 (29-for-103) in May with 16 RBI...was 2nd on the team in hits (29) and at bats (103) and
was tied for 2nd in games played (26) in May.
Delivered a 2-out pinch-hit triple and scored in the 9th inning of KC's 7-6 loss to Oakland on May
31...KC left runners on 1st and 3rd in the losing effort.
Doubled, singled and tripled in his 1st 3 at bats at Colorado on June 7 (G1)...went hitless (groundout
and 2 strikeouts) in his final 3 at bats of the game...was 1 of his 9 3-hit games on the year.
Notched an RBI single in the 7th inning of KC's 7-3 win vs. Arizona on June 10...proved to be the
game-winning RBI.
Homered on June 13 for his 1st since May 9...5 of his 8 home runs came at home.
Hit the 1st leadoff home run of his career at St. Louis on June 20...it was the 56th leadoff home run
in Royals history and the 1st since August 25, 2002 (Chuck Knoblauch vs. Minnesota).
Recorded his 2nd career lead-off homer vs. St. Louis on June 29...it was the 57th leadoff home run in
Royals history and his 2nd in 8 games (also June 20 at St. Louis).
Smacked his 7th home run at Detroit on July 27, leaving him 1 shy of his career-best (2001 with New
York-NL).
Went 2-for-5 vs. Chicago on July 31 in his 1st start as a leadoff hitter since July 1.
Surpassed a career-best 46 RBI (set in 2000 with PHI and SD) with 59 RBI this season.
Homered at Minnesota on Aug. 24, his 1st since July 27...tied a career-high with 8 home runs (2001
with NY-NL).
2002
Named Mariners Unsung Hero by Seattle chapter of BBWAA.
Showed versatility in his 1st season in the AL, making starts at 5 different positions...started 34 games at short, 25 at 3rd base, 14 in left field, 5 at 2nd base and 4 in right field.
Hit safely in 59 of 82 starts...Mariners were 47-35 when he started...also made 11 pinch-hit appearances and 4 as a pinch-runner...appeared at 2 different defensive positions in a game 18 times, including 3 different (3B, SS, LF) once.
Started at 3rd base April 11 at Anaheim before moving to left field, his 1st career appearance in the outfield...started in left field April 19 vs. Texas for 1st ML start in outfield.
Had a pinch-hit sac-fly in the 9th inning April 20 vs. Texas to tie game at 2-2...Seattle won, 3-2, in 11 innings.
Hit an RBI-single in the 8th inning vs. New York on April 27 for the Mariners only hit in a 1-0 win.
Started in right field for 1st time in ML career April 28 vs. New York.
Walked 4 times in 4 plate appearances May 11 vs. Boston.
Reached safely in 6 straight plate appearances (2 singles, 4 walks) May 25-26 before pop-out in 4th inning May 26 vs. Baltimore.
Hit safely in 12 of 13 games May 17-June 5 (14-37, .378), including a 7-game hit streak, May 30-June 5 (9-24, .375).
Started 10 straight games at shortstop, June 1-10 (11-34, .324)...had a 6-game hit streak June 23-29 (7-20, .350)...hit .286 (22-77) in June.
Homered in the 8th inning at Anaheim on July 20 to tie game at 6-6...the Mariners lost 7-6.
Hit for the cycle over 4 consecutive at bats Aug. 13-14 vs. Boston...was 3-for-3 with a double and a triple on Aug. 13 and homered in his 1st at bat Aug. 14.
Hit a home run Aug. 29 at Minnesota to break a 0-0 tie in the 8th inning of 2-0 Mariners win.
Tied career-best with 4 hits (4-7) on Sept. 8 at Kansas City.
Posted a career-best 13-game hitting streak from Aug. 27-Sept. 12 (28-58, .483), including 8 straight multi-hit games from Aug. 31-Sept. 9.
Career Notes:Has seen extensive big league action at 2nd base, 3rd base and shortstop...has been successful on 26 of 31 stolen base attempts (84 percent) over last 2 seasons, and has career 77 percent success rate (43-56) in swiping bags.
2001
Spent the season with New York (NL) and established career highs in average (.302), doubles (27), home runs (8) and stolen bases (13).
Played in 112 games, including 69 starts...saw action at 2nd base (54 games), 3rd base (20) and shortstop (25)...began campaign 0-for-7, but was 91-for-294 (.310) over the final 113 games.
Hit .315 vs. right-handers (79-251) with 7 home runs...collected 24 multi-hit games, including 16 2-hit contests, 6 3-hit games and pair of 4-hit efforts...fashioned 1st career multi-homer game May 8 at Colorado, connecting for a pair of solo shots off Pedro Astacio.
Made his ML pitching debut May 17 vs. San Diego...worked a perfect 9th inning, fanning Padres' Jose Nunez.
Tied a career-high with 4 hits Sept. 8 at Florida, finishing 4-for-6 with a double and 3 RBI...
Was 39-for-124 (.315) over his last 48 games.
2000
Began 2000 with Philadelphia before being traded to San Diego in exchange for IF David Newhan Aug. 4...hit combined .215 with 5 HRs and 46 RBI in 128 games.
Was perfect 13-for-13 in stolen base attempts, joining Carlos Beltran as the only Major League players to swipe as many as 13 bases without being caught.
Hit .337 with runners in scoring position, which ranked 10th in NL.
Made 122 starts at shortstop (80 with Phillies, 42 with San Diego)...had a career-high 5 RBI May 27 at Los Angeles...was hitting .221 (56-253) with 12 doubles, 3 home runs and 30 RBI in 83 games for Philadelphia at time of trade.
Hit .205 (32-157) with 2 home runs and 16 RBI in 45 games with San Diego.
1999
Was limited to just 65 games in 1999 due to torn ligaments in right wrist, hitting .242 with 1 HR and 26 RBI...was placed on DL June 17 and underwent surgery June 25, performed by hand specialist Dr. Randall Culp.
Was activated Sept. 13...had career-high 12-game hitting streak April 6-24, going 14-40 (.350) with 9 RBI.
1998
Spent 1st full season in Majors as Phillies' everyday shortstop in 1998...played in career-high 142 games.
Belted his 1st big league home run April 26 vs. St. Louis, connecting off John Frascatore.
Strung together 11-game hitting streak June 11-July 16, tied for tops among all NL rookies...hit .385 (15-39) during binge.
Had career-high 4 hits with 4 RBI July 4 vs. Milwaukee.
Drilled home run off Mets' southpaw Al Leiter Sept. 10 for 1st career right-handed homer.
1997
Had a solid Triple-A campaign with Scranton in 1997 and was rewarded with his 2nd big league call-up to Philadelphia...was named International League's Best Defensive Shortstop and Best Infield Arm by Baseball America's poll of managers.
Led all International League shortstops in assists (373), double plays (81) and chances (587), while finishing 2nd in putouts (180).
Offensively, hit .267 and matched his best professional power output with 9 homers...also had 34 doubles, 4 triples, 53 RBI and 29 stolen bases (in 37 attempts).
Was on triple-A DL May 22-June 1 with a strained left hamstring....was recalled by the Phillies Sept. 2 and was 7-for-38 with 6 RBI and 3 stolen bases in 15 games.
1996
Began 1996 in the Seattle organization, playing for triple-A Tacoma...was dealt to Philadelphia July 31 in exchange for LHP Terry Mulholland.
Made his Major League debut with the Phillies Aug. 1, starting at shortstop in the nightcap of a doubleheader vs. St. Louis...collected 1st big league hit, singling off Cardinals' Andy Benes.
Was optioned to triple-A Scranton Aug. 10, but was recalled to stay Sept. 3...overall with Philadelphia, played in 15 games and hit .175 (7-for-40) with 2 doubles and 1 RBI.
Minor League Notes
Selected to Southern League's All-Star squad in 1995 after hitting .287 with 7 HRs and 27 RBI in 90 games for double-A Port City...named Southern League's "Best Defensive Shortstop" and "Most Exciting Player" by league managers...was promoted to triple-A level for 1st time Aug. 3, hitting .239 with 5 doubles in 30 games with Tacoma.
Began 1994 at double-A Jacksonville, but was optioned to single-A Riverside May 14 after hitting just .203 in 37 games...had outstanding campaign with Riverside, batting .310 with 27 double, 5 triples, 5 home runs, 59 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 90 games...was named starting shortstop on California League's All-Star team.
Spent 1st full year at double-A level with Jacksonville in 1993...played in 133 games, hitting .244 with 9 home runs, matching best professional total.
