Stephen Bradley Wilkerson...single...a 1995 graduate of Apollo High School in Owensboro, KY...is the school record
holder in 6 batting and 4 pitching categories...finished prep career a .449 hitter with 13 home runs and 198 RBI...on
the mound went 37-10 with a 1.58 ERA and 480 strikeouts in 5 seasons...was named Kentucky's Mr. Baseball in
1995...also excelled in soccer, basketball and as a place-kicker in football...was drafted in the 13th round by Los
Angeles Dodgers in the 1995 June draft, but did not sign...majored in sports management at University of
Florida...hobbies include golf, fishing and playing basketball.
2006
He was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 16 because of a strained right shoulder that ultimately required surgery. He hit .293 with seven home runs and 15 RBI in May, but .181 with five home runs and 20 RBI in his last 47 games and 149 at-bats. He hit .205 with runners in scoring position. He hit .150 (6-for-40) as a designated hitter and .233 as an outfielder. He batted .175 as a leadoff hitter and .259 in the No. 7 spot in the order. He was tied for 17th in the American League in strikeouts despite just 320 at-bats. His 3.15 plate appearances per strikeouts is the third highest in club history for a player with 350 plate appearances in a season. He had seven assists in 80 games in left field.
2005
Hit for the cycle on April 6 against the Phillies, the second time in his career he accomplished the feat. ... Played in 148 games despite playing with a sore left shoulder and forearms. ... Wilkerson had an off year at the leadoff role, hitting .248 with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs.
2004
Took major step forward-especially offensively-in 3rd full big league campaign...established career highs in
most offensive categories, including hits (146), runs (112), doubles (39), home runs (32), walks (106) and slugging
(.468)...was named Expos Player of the Year by Montreal chapter of the BBWAA...served as Frank Robinson's leadoff
hitter for majority of season (107 games)...posted a .382 on-base percentage from the lineup's top spot...was
again Mr. Versatility, starting games 78 games at 1B, 51 in LF, 16 in CF and 9 in RF...when putting the ball in play
(a.k.a. subtracting strikeouts), batted .348 (146-for-420)...became the first Expo to hit 30 homers, score 100 runs and
walk 100 times in a single season...73 of 146 hits, or exactly half, went for extra-bases...led the Expos in games,
runs, doubles, walks, strikeouts and on-base percentage (among players appearing in 100 or more games)...tied
Tony Batista for the club lead with 146 hits and 32 home runs...ranked among NL leaders in games (tied for 5th), runs
(7th), walks (7th), strikeouts (4th with 152) and most at-bats per GIDP (8th, one every 95.3 at-bats)...became just the
8th Expo to ever score 100 or more runs in a single season...with 73, became just the 8th Expo to leg out 70 or more
extra-base hits in a single season...was also only the 4th Expo to walk 100 times in a single season, the first in 30
years...the other 3: Ken Singleton ('73), Rusty Staub ('69, '70) and Bob Bailey ('73)...with career-high 32 home runs,
teamed with Tony Batista (also 32) to become Montreal's only 30-30 homer tandem in the club's 36 seasons of NL
baseball...Batista and Wilkerson recorded just the 11th and 12th 30-homer campaign in Expos annals...they are just
the 7th and 8th players to hit at least 30 homers in a single season as an Expo (they're joined by Vladimir Guerrero
[5 times: 1998-02], Henry Rodriguez ['96], Andre Dawson ['83], Gary Carter ['77], Larry Parrish ['79] and Rusty Staub
['70])...32 home runs rank 2nd in Expos annals among left-handed hitters...only Henry Rodriguez (36 in '96) posted
more...9 June home runs were single-month career high...scored at least one run in a franchise-record 15 consecutive
starts, July 19-August 3...was named Expos Player of the Month for August (.333-7-14) by the Montreal Chapter
of the BBWAA...35 August hits not only led the Expos, they were a single-month career high...for 6 weeks (July 16-
August 31), did not go as many as 2 consecutive games without scoring at least one run out of the leadoff spot...the
15-start run was the longest in MLB since CLE's Kenny Lofton turned the trick in 18 consecutive starts, August 15-
Sept. 3, 2000...ranked 2nd in MLB in both pitches seen (2,954) and pitches per plate appearance (4.29)...trailed just
PHI's Bobby Abreu (3,077 and 4.32) in both categories...hit .259 (105-for-406) with 78 walks when hitting leadoff
(.382 on-base percentage)...batted .486 (17-for-35) with 4 home runs when putting the first pitch in play...hit 16 home
runs both before and after the All-Star break...posted .394 OBP after the ASB...despite getting only 76 starts in the
OF, recorded 8 outfield assists, 5 of which came at home plate...9 home runs off lefthanders were one more than his
career total (8) entering the 2004 campaign...led MLB with 27 home runs out of the lead-off slot (Biggio 2nd with
23)...Brad's 9 first-inning lead-off home runs in 2004: June 22 vs. PHI (Myers), June 28 at PHI (Millwood), July 1 at PHI (Wolf), August 14 vs. HOU (Hernandez), August 25 vs. LAD (Lima), August 27 vs. SDP (Tankersley), August
31 vs. CHI (Prior), September 5 vs. ATL (Thomson) and September 15 at FLA (Pavano)...represented MLB in the
annual series/tour of Japan after the season...served as Bruce Bochy's regular 1B...went 7-for-26 (.269) with 3
doubles, a homer and 3 RBI in 8 games.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Hit 2 homers, June 4 at CIN and Sept. 23 vs. NYM...fresh off getting swept in MIL, had
hair dyed jet black on May 14 in Phoenix...Brad's hue experimentation subsequently sparked the Expos' first series
sweep at B.O.B...established new career high with 21st home run on August 13 vs. HOU off Roger Clemens...hit
game-winning 3-run homer in top of 9th as Expos won, 6-3, for the last time (in their penultimate game), October 2
at NYM...the homer was the last in the 36-year history of the Montreal Expos.
2003
Wilkerson avoided the potential sophomore slump, posting remarkably similar offensive numbers
compared to his award-winning rookie campaign of '02...improved his personal bests in several categories: average
(.268), doubles (34), RBI (77), walks (89), stolen bases (13) and slugging percentage (.380)...tied his personal high in
hits (135) and was one home short (19) of his season rookie record...once again played anywhere and everywhere for
Frank Robinson...played 4 positions: left field (95 games, 80 starts), right field (16, 9) and center field (42, 40), as
well as first base (27,11)...also hit in every spot in the lineup except the 8th and 9th holes...appeared in 146 games...only
Orlando Cabrera (162) played in more among Expos...ranked 3rd in the National League fanning a team-high 155
times...led baseball by seeing 4.37 pitches per plate appearance (Adam Dunn 2nd at 4.33).
2003 Highlights:
ON TOP OF THINGS: Hit leadoff 32 times...Montreal went 14-18 (.438) in those games...reached base safely via
hit or walk at least once in 30 of the 32 games at the top of the order, including the first 24...in all, hit .299 (35-for-
117) and posted a .424 on-base percentage when batting first.
REGGIE, REGGIE: At the urging of Frank Robinson, met with Reggie Smith for a batting "lesson" during the Expos
3-day stay in Los Angeles, August 19-21...Smith worked with Brad while serving as Team USA's hitting coach during
the 2000 Olympics...the tutorial paid almost immediate dividends...during a 20-game span beginning August 23, went
26-for-74 (.351) with 8 doubles, 3 home runs, 12 RBI and 18 walks...reached base 45 times (26 hits, 18 walks, one
HBP) in 93 plate appearances (.484 on-base %) during the surge, which raised his batting average from .259 to .274.
LONG ARM OF THE LAW: Tied for 6th in the National League with a team-high 11 outfield assists...8 of the 11
assists came while playing leftfield...2 came from centerfield, one in rightfield...was a vital cog in an Expo outfield
that tallied 38 outfield assists on the season.
LE CARROUSEL: Became the 5th Expo to hit for the cycle in a 6-4 win on June 24 vs. Pittsburgh...turned the trick
in sequence, becoming the first player to do so since Chicago-AL's Jose Valentin, April 27, 2000 vs. Baltimore...was
the team's first since Rondell White turned the trick on June 11, 1995 at San Francisco...joined White, Tim Raines,
Chris Speier and Tim Foli on the exclusive list...laid down a bunt single in the 2nd inning, double to right in the 5th, down
1-0, hit a 2-run triple in the right-center gap in the 6th for the lead and homered over the center field fence in the 8th
off Salomon Torres...with Wilkerson and Vladimir Guerrero (September 14 vs. New York) both hitting for the cycle in
2003, the Expos are the first club since the 1998 Rockies to have 2 teammates hit for the cycle in the same
season...Dante Bichette and Neifi Perez turned the trick in 1998.
GRAND-IOSE OCCASION: Down 2-0 and facing a 3-2 count with 2 out in the 9th inning, hit his 2nd career grand slam
off Tim Worrell to lift the Expos to a dramatic 4-2 win, August 17 vs. San Francisco...the slam, and win, would prove
to be large as the Expos completed a 4-game sweep of the N.L. West-leading Giants the next day...the win also
allowed the Expos to sweep the season series from the Giants, 7-0...according to home run-guru David Vincent, since
the game-ending slam came on a 3-2 pitch with 2 outs in the 9th inning, Brad became the first big leaguer since 1936
to turn what would have been a shut-out loss into a win via a grand slam with 2 outs in the 9th inning...on May 23, 1936,
Cincinnati's Sammy Byrd hit a game-ending slam with 2 outs in the 9th inning in a 4-3 win vs. Pittsburgh.
GRAND PLAN: Was one of 21 big leaguers to hit more than one grand slam in 2003...hit first slam on April 11 in
Puerto Rico vs. New York off David Cone...was the first Expo to hit more than one slam in a single season since
1997, when Henry Rodriguez hit a pair.
MORE BIG GAMES: Had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, in an 8-5 win in Puerto Rico vs. New York, April 6...posted 3 hits
and 2 RBI in a 9-5 victory at Milwaukee on April 30...reached base 4 times in as many plate appearances (homer,
double, 2 walks) and drove in 4 runs in a 12-9 win vs. San Diego on May 7...went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI,
May 8 vs. San Diego...was 3-for-3 with a triple and a walk on May 30 in a 3-2 win vs. Philadelphia...August 1 vs.
Milwaukee, doubled, homered and drove in 3 runs in an 8-4 victory...had 3 hits and 3 RBI, August 24 at San Diego.
DON'T SEE THAT TOO OFTEN: Became only the 3rd big leaguer (the first outside of New York), the first since 1963,
to hit for the cycle and hit a game-ending grand slam in the same season...the other 2: Jim Hickman (1963 Mets) and
Jackie Robinson (1948 Dodgers)...special thanks to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark and home run-guru David Vincent.
MVP AT PUERTO RICO: Belted 2 home runs on June 7 vs.Texas for his 2nd career multi-home run game...first time,
August 21, 2002 at Colorado...named MVP of the 3-game set against the Rangers, June 6-8...went 6-for-10 with 2
doubles, 2 home runs and 5 RBI...was clutch with the game-winning HR in the 5th inning on June 7 and drove in the
winning run the next night with an 8th-inning double.
HANG 10: Hit .432 (16-for-37) with 3 2B, 3 HR and 9 RBI during career-best 10-game hitting streak, 8/23-9/1.
PINK: Missed 6 consecutive games from May 20-25, while suffering from conjunctivitis (a.k.a. pink eye)...the
Expos went 5-1 in his absence.
MORE HIGHLIGHTS: Montreal went 67-73 (.479) with Brad in its starting lineup...posted 7 multi-hit games in a 10-
game span, June 3-13...hit 3rd career first-inning lead-off home run on August 29 at Florida off Josh Beckett...when
putting the ball in play (a.k.a. subtracting strikeouts), batted .387 (135-for-349)...ranked among the National League's
toughest players to double up (4th, grounded into only 5 double plays in 504 at-bats, or one every 100.8 atbats)...
only Rafael Furcal, Craig Biggio and Jim Thome were tougher...was caught stealing 10 times, tied for 6th in the
National League...hit 3 home runs against left-handed pitching...batted .271 (48-for-177) with 5 home runs at Olympic
Stadium, .333 (24-for-72) with 4 homers at Hiram Bithorn Stadium...went 3-for-8 (.375) with 2 grand slams with the
Wilkerson, Brad
bases loaded...batted .406 (13-for-32) when putting the first pitch in play...homered on the first day of May, August
and September...went 10-for-22 (.455) with 2 home runs and 10 RBI in 6 games against San Diego.
2002
Wilkerson shone in his first full season in the majors, posting numbers worthy of The Sporting News' NL Rookie Player of the Year as part of the publication's off-season awards...Was runner-up to Colorado's Jason Jennings for the NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award, receiving two first-place and 14 second-place votes and 57 points ...Was also a finalist for the Players' Choice NL Outstanding Rookie Award won by Jennings... Hit .266 (135x507) with 20 HR, 59 RBI and 92 runs scored... He added 27 doubles and eight triples, while stealing seven bases... His 20 HR set an Expos' rookie record, while his eight triples fell one short... Also set the team rookie standards for total runs and walks in a season... Defensively, he played 23 games at first base (21 starts) and 129 games in the outfield (114 starts)... Started 70 games in center field and 43 in left field, while making one start in right field... Recorded 13 outfield assists.
- FOLLOW THE LEADER: Led all NL rookies in several categories, including: HR (20), RBI (59), runs (92), hits (135), multi-hit games (39), extra-base hits (55), total bases (238), doubles (27), triples (eight), walks (81) and outfield assists (13)... Finished second among NL freshmen with a .469 slugging percentage and a .370 on-base percentage, while tying for third with seven stolen bases...
- SPINNING RECORDS: Set Expos' season rookie records for most HR, runs and walks... His 20th HR September 27 vs CIN's Elmer Dessens broke the old mark of 19 HR (Andre Dawson, 1977; Larry Walker, 1990)... His 92 runs scored eclipsed the old record held by Pepe Mangual (84 runs, 1975)... His 81 walks surpassed Manqual's record of 74 in 1975...
- A HELPING HAND: Also registered 13 outfield assists, ranking him tops among NL rookies, while placing third in the NL, one assist behind Vladimir Guerrero and COL's Larry Walker... He also placed tied for fifth in the major leagues...
- TRIPLE THREAT: His eight triples fell one short of the team rookie record (Andre Dawson, nine, 1977), while tying for second in the NL, two behind PHI's Jimmy Rollins...
- FLYING HIGH: Recorded a career-high three hits in a game on three occasions during the season (June 14 vs TOR, August 21 @ COL & August 28 @ PHI)... Recorded a career-high three RBI four times (April 20 vs NYM, August 3 vs HOU, August 21 @ COL & August 28 @ PHI)... Scored a career-high three runs May 25 vs PHI and July 7 @ PHI... Collected a career-high 10 total bases August 21 @ COL (3x4, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs)...
- THREE AMIGOS: Hit a HR in three straight games July 4-6 at Philadelphia, falling one game shy of the team record (six players, last – Chris Widger, 1999)... Tied for the team's season high (Vladimir Guerrero, twice – July 11-13 vs ATL, August 9-11 @ MIL)...
- LEADING OFF: Led off for the Expos a total of 72 times... First led off May 16 at Los Angeles... Served as leadoff hitter for the Expos from May 29-August 4 (52 consecutive games)... Hit two leadoff HR during the season (June 16 vs TOR's Steve Parris, July 6 @ PHI's Brandon Duckworth)...
- FOR STARTERS: Hit the second leadoff HR of the game June 16 versus the Blue Jays, after TOR's Shannon Stewart led off with a solo shot in the top of the first inning... Marked the first time in Expos' history since May 1, 1998 that both leadoff hitters homered for their respective teams (ARI's Devon White & MTL's F.P. Santangelo @ MTL)... Also marked the first time in MLB since August 1, 2001 (TEX's Michael Young @ NYY's Chuck Knoblauch)...
- YOU'RE OUTTA HERE: Was ejected in the eighth inning May 3 at Arizona by HP umpire Larry Vanover... Was thrown out for arguing a called third strike... Was his first career ejection...
- BACK-TO-BACK JACKS: Hit back-to-back HR with Jose Vidro June 16 vs TOR's Steve Parris to start off the Expos' batting in the bottom of the first inning... Also hit back-to-back homers with Vidro August 21 @ COL's Shawn Chacon...
- CENTER STAGE: Made his major-league debut in CF May 13 at San Diego, marking his first game in CF since August 16, 2000 with AAA-Ottawa... Would make a total of 70 starts in CF all season... Appeared in LF in 43 starts... Also started in RF once (June 5 vs Pittsburgh) and made 21 starts at first base, including his last 16 games...
2001
Wilkerson missed the 2001 spring training and the first month of the season while rehabilitating from off-season shoulder surgery...Appeared in six games at A-Jupiter as designated hitter May 5-10, before joining AAA-Ottawa...With the Lynx, started 40 games in left field and 10 as a designated hitter...Hit .381 (21-for-55) in 17 games, June 5-22, with four doubles, four homers and 14 RBI to raise his average to season-high .323...Dropped to .270 with a 10-for-61 swoon in the last two weeks...The day his contract was selected by the Expos, hit a solo home run in the fourth inning in Louisville, KY, his home state, the only run in a 1-0 Ottawa victory...Lifted the Lynx to a 7-3 win over Rochester on July 1 with a 15th-inning grand slam... His long-anticipated arrival in the majors came just after the All-Star Break, as he had his contract selected from AAA-Ottawa July 12, when Tim Raines was transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list (left shoulder strain)... Remained with the Expos until being optioned back to the Lynx August 19... Was recalled September 4 and played the remainder of the season with the Expos... Made 34 starts in LF while playing there in 38 games overall.
- DEBUT: Faced the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in his first game, starting in LF... Went 0-for-3 with a walk...
- FIRST HIT: Collected his first ML hit off BOS's Tim Wakefield July 17 at the Big O... Singled to center field in what was his fifth game in the big leagues, snapping an 0-for-10 start...
- TASTY TATER: Hit his first ML homer July 26 vs ATL's Jason Marquis, belting a solo homer to left field on a 3-1 pitch... The Expos went on to win the game 3-2 at the Big O...
- TAMING THE MAD DOG: Went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored July 27 vs ATL, picking up two hits off Greg Maddux for his first career multi-hit game...
- FIRST TIME AROUND: Hit .184 (14x76) with four doubles, two triples, one HR, three RBI and eight runs in 29 games with the Expos before being optioned to AAA-Ottawa August 19...
- IN A PINCH: Singled vs the Mets' Kevin Appier September 25 at the Big O in his first career ML pinch-hitting assignment... Went 2-for-9 with one double and two runs in a pinch-hitting role overall...
- SURGERY: On November 1, had left shoulder arthroscopy for partial cuff tear performed by Dr. James Andrews.
2000
Wilkerson began the 2000 season at AA-Harrisburg, where he nearly broke the franchise record for doubles by midseason, hitting 36 in 66 games before his promotion to AAA-Ottawa on June 15...In his last game with the Senators, collected two doubles to come within one of the modern record...Started the season by hitting .378 with 10 doubles in 21 games in April and .318 with 18 doubles in 28 games in May...Finished at .336 in Harrisburg with 77 hits, six home runs and 44 RBI...B Was selected to play in the second annual All-Star Futures Games, held in Atlanta as part of Major League Baseball's All-Star Week...Selected by Baseball America to the mid-season AA All-Star team and rated by BA at the end of the season as the fourth-best prospect in the Eastern League and the 10th-best in the International League... Was named the Expos' Player Development Player of the Year...On the season, more than half of his hits were for extra bases (68 of 130)... Was the starting center fielder for the gold-winning U.S. Olympic team at the Summer Games in Sydney, Australia, starting each of the nine games...Upon his return, reported to Maryvale of the Arizona Fall League but his stay was cut short to 17 games by shoulder problems...Had surgery on labrum and rotator cuff of his left shoulder on December 5 by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL...Was one of the three outfielders selected on the 2000 Howe Sportsdata All-Prospect Team along with Cubs' Corey Patterson and Tampa Bay's Josh Hamilton.
1999
Wilkerson participated in the 1999 major league spring training camp, going 4-for-9 in exhibition games before being sent straight to AA to make his pro debut...Spent the entire season at Harrisburg, appearing in 138 games...Put up modest numbers, hitting .235 (99-for-422) with eight home runs and 49 RBI...Also added 21 doubles and 66 runs scored for the Senators...Finished fourth in the Eastern League in walks (88) and fifth in games played...Came to terms with the Expos at the proverbial 11th hour on August 24, 1998, the day before classes started at the University of Florida after summer-long negotiations...Reported to the Expos' minor league complex in Jupiter and participated in the Florida Instructional league...During the summer, had played semi-pro ball with the Evansville Outlaws.
