He and his wife, Eleanor, have a daughter, Hannah
(1/14/05) and a son, Hudson (11/16/07)...is a 1996 graduate of
Lakeland (ID) High School, where he was named the Most
Valuable Player in baseball while graduating fourth in his
class...currently resides in Trinity, Fla.
2007
Began season with New York Yankees and was the Opening Day starter at first base on 4/2 vs. Tampa Bay.
Batted .306 with six doubles, seven home runs and 31 RBI in 94 combined games with the Yankees and Pirates.
Went 5-for-15 while hitting safely in four of his five games from 4/6-19. Knocked in a run in four of his six contests from 4/18-24.
Connected off Cleveland's Joe Borowski for first home run on 4/19 at Yankee Stadium.
Had three hits on 5/19 at NY (NL). Hit .217 (5-for-23) in nine games during the month of June with the Yankees.
Made 29 appearances (20 starts) at first base and one appearance (4/22 at BOS) behind the plate with the Yankees.
Was designated for assignment on 6/19 and claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh on 6/22.
Made debut with Pirates on 6/24 at LAA as the designated hitter and went 2-for-5.
Hit first home run with Bucs while going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI in start at first base on 7/26 at NY (NL).
Tripled, homered and knocked in four runs on 8/12 at SF.
Made first of two starts behind the plate on 8/13 vs. San Francisco (game two) and hit a solo home run.
Went 10-for-13 (.769) during a season-high seven game hitting streak from 8/17-26.
Had career-high four hits on 8/23 at COL. Had six straight hits from 8/17-23 and 10 hits in 12 at bats from 8/17-26 to raise batting
average with Pirates from .333 to .449.
Hit .516 in August and went 20-for-54 (.370) with four home runs and 16 RBI after 8/1.
Homered as a pinch hitter on 8/20 at COL. His final homer of the season also came as a pinch hitter on 8/25 at HOU.
Made second start behind the plate on 8/26 at HOU. Also caught final two innings on 8/28 vs. CIN (game two)
Batted .436 (17-for-39) with three homers and 11 RBI in his 11 starts with PIT; made nine starts at first base and two at catcher
(opposing runners were 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts).
Made just two starts in September (9/6 and 9/22) and went 4-for-23 in 20 games overall during the final month of the season.
2006
Spent the entire season with Triple-A Toledo (Detroit Tigers), hitting .308 (143-for-464)
with 24HR and 90RBI in 126 games...ranked second among all International League hitters with his .308 average, .532 slugging percentage and 143 hits, and ranked third in the league with his 24HR and 90RBI...hit .322 (49-for-152) vs. left-handed pitching, .304 (73-for-240) with runners on base and .302 (48-for-159) with RISP...Appeared in 87 games at first base and posted a .992 fielding percentage...hit two home runs in a game twice (4/29 at Louisville and 6/19 at Rochester)...hit in a season high 12-straight games from 6/25-7/5, batting .409 (18-for-44) with 2HR and 14RBI
during the stretch...hit 7HR in 14-game span from 7/3-18...collected a season-high four hits on 7/28 vs. Pawtucket, going 4-for-4 with 1HR and 3RBI...hit .363 (29-for-80) with 9HR and 24RBI in 21 July games...Was signed by the Baltimore Orioles to a one-year minor-league contract on
11/10...was selected by the Yankees from the Baltimore Orioles in the Major League
phase of the 2006 Rule 5 Draft on 12/7...was the first Major-League Rule 5 Draft selection by the Yankees since Marc Ronan from the Milwaukee Brewers in the December 1995 Rule 5 Draft.
2005
Opened the season with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after signing with the club during the off-season...hit .266 (42-for-158) with 5HR and 26RBI in 47 games with the Devil Rays...began the season by hitting in his first nine games of the season from 4/4-15, matching a career
high...batted .333 (12-for-36) with four doubles, 1HR and 9RBI during the streak...Equaled a career high with three hits twice during the season: 5/3 vs. New York (AL) and 5/24 vs. Oakland...was designated for assignment by the Devil
Rays on 6/7 and had his contract outrighted to Triple-A Durham on 6/17...in 59 games with Durham, hit .270 (60-for-222) with 14HR and 33RBI...Hit two home runs for Durham on 7/5 vs. Toledo and
7/9 at Indianapolis and finished with eight home runs during the month while batting .295 (28-for-95) with 15RBI in 24 games...posted a 13-game hitting streak from 8/13-26, batting .400 (18-for-45) with five doubles, 1 triple, 3HR and 12 RBI...left Durham on 9/2 to join Team USA for the World Cup in Amsterdam, batting
.325 (13-for-40) with 10 runs, two doubles and 2RBI.
2004
Split the season between the Blue Jays and Indians, batting a combined .251 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI in 103 games...drove in 35 runs over his last 42 games between the two teams...Was acquired by the Indians on Aug. 6 in exchange for 1B Eric Crozier...had spent his entire professional career in the Toronto organization since being selected out of high school in the 10th round of the 1996 draft...was leading the Jays in RBI with 51 at the time of the trade...Hit .313 (15-48) with 6 HR and 22 RBI over his last 14 games leading up to the
trade...included was a 3-for-4, 2-homer, 7-RBI game July 7 vs. Seattle...hit his 2nd grand slam of the season in that game (off Julio Mateo) that landed in the 500 level of SkyDome (435
ft.)...joined Jose Canseco as the only players to have hit two home runs into the upper-most level of SkyDome...first slam was June 2 at Seattle off Joel Pineiro...Hit .303 with Cleveland following the trade...hit .429 (12-28) in Jacobs Field with the Tribe and a career average of .409 (18-44) with 5 HR in 14 career games in Cleveland...Hit his first career pinch-hit home run Sep 25 vs. Minnesota off J.C. Romero...Against the Mariners hit .364 (8-22) with 4 HR and 17 RBI in just 6 games...Appeared in 79 games for the Jays (12 at first base. 67 at DH)...with the Tribe made 7 starts at first base, 13 at DH.
2003
Set career highs in both home runs (20) and RBI (66) ... Batted .268 overall on the season in 119 games ... Ranked 5th in the AL with 17 HBP, 3rd on the team ... Hit in a career high nine straight from May 11-20 and batted .375 (12-32) during the streak ... Recorded four 3-hit games, matching career best ... Picked up his second career stolen base on July 3 at BAL (3B) ... Played in 54 of the club's first 58 games prior to Interleague play ... From June 3-29 started 10 of 24 games ... In the month of June batted .326 in 15 games ... Prior to the break batted .262 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI in 72 games ... After the break hit .278 with 10 home runs and 34 RBI in 47 games ... Was on the disabled list from July 8-24 with lower back spasms ... July 21-23 spent three days at Syracuse on medical rehab assignment ... Homered in four straight games from Aug. 29, 31-Sept. 3 ... In August hit a season high .333 (21-63) with 14 RBI ... Had best power month of the season in September with five home runs and 17 RBI ... Matched career high with four RBI on Sept. 1 vs. NYY ... Made 97 starts as the DH and three at first base ... Hit 18 of 20 home runs as the DH and batted .268 (370 AB) with 58 RBI ... As the first baseman batted .261 with two home runs and eight RBI ... Off the bench was 3-11 (.273) with one RBI and two walks ... Was most productive batting out of the 6th slot in the order at .310 with nine home runs and 27 RBI ... Batted .317 with seven home runs vs. left-handed pitching ... Batted .239 with 13 home runs vs. right-handed pitchers.
Career Notes: Was named AL Rookie of the Month in both August and September of 2002 ... Was 6th in voting for the 2002 AL Rookie of the Year ... Has two career multi-homer games.
2002
Started the season with Syracuse (AAA)
of the International League and was recalled on July 2 by
Toronto... At the time of his recall was leading all of minor
league baseball in home runs (24) and was leading the IL in
RBI (64) and slugging percentage (.658)... In 70 games with
May 5-10 drove in nine runs in four games... In the month of
May hit .313 with nine home runs and 23 RBI in 26 games...
June 27 at Columbus matched season high with four RBI including
24th home run... Collected a hit in his final 11 games
with Syracuse from June 20-30 (.385, 15-39)... In June batted .288 with eight home runs and 22 RBI... Was named to
the triple-A All Star team and was selected to play for Team
USA at the Futures game at Milwaukee, replaced by Kevin
Cash... With Syracuse batted .338 with five home runs and
17 RBI vs. left-handers... Batted .273 with 19 home runs and
47 RBI vs. right-handers... Joined the Blue Jays in Boston on
July 2 and picked up his first ML hit (single) off Tim
Wakefield in game one of a split double-header... Picked up
his first ML RBI on July 4 at Boston with a two run double off
Derek Lowe... From July 2-11 hit in his first eight games after
recall, batting .367 (11-30)... July 16 at Baltimore drove in
two runs with his first career pinch-hit (1B)... July 17 at Baltimore
hit his first ML home run off Jason Johnson (1R)... August
14-18 drove in runs in four consecutive games (six
total)... August 23 at Baltimore was 2-5 with a home run and
a career high four RBI... August 25 at Baltimore made first
career start at first base (1-4, HR, 2RBI)... August 29 vs. New
York Yankees homered twice off Roger Clemens... With the
first home run off Clemens became the 10th player and the
sixth Blue Jay to homer into the fifth deck at SkyDome... August
30 vs. New York Yankees matched career high with
four RBI... Was named AL Rookie of the Month for August after
batting .310 with seven home runs and 30 RBI in 28
games... Tied Eric Chavez for the league lead in August,
first AL rookie to lead the league in RBI for a month since
Tony Clark had 25 to lead the AL in September of 1996...
Was the most RBI in a month by an AL rookie since Garret
Anderson had 31 in July of 1995... In a four game series vs.
the Yankees from August 29-September 1 drove in 10
runs... September 5 at Boston recorded his second career
two homer game (John Burkett-1R, 1R) and was 3-5 with
three RBI... September 14 vs. Tampa Bay was 3-3 with a
home run and tied career high with four RBI... From September
5-19 hit in 12 of 13 games (20-48, .417) moving his average
from .291 to .315... Drove in 43 runs in his final 39
games and had 24 RBI in his last 22 road games... Was
named AL Rookie of the Month for September for the second
consecutive month after batting .338 with six home runs
and 19 RBI... Finished the season tops among AL rookies
with a .309 average and a .562 slugging percentage, third in
RBI (58), tied for third in home runs (15)... Also ranked in the
top 10 among rookies in runs (41), hits (82), total bases
(149), doubles (20), multi-hit games (23), extra base hits
(36) and in on-base percentage (.362)... At SkyDome batted
.280 with six home runs and 25 RBI in 34 games... On the
road batted .333 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 40
games... With RISP batted .363 with two home runs and was
tied for fifth in the AL with a .545 (6-11) average with the
bases loaded... Batted .286 with one home run and 10 RBI
vs. left-handers and batted .315 with 14 home runs and 48
RBI vs. right-handers.
2001
Appeared in eight games for Toronto after an MVP season with Tennessee of the Southern League (AA)...Hit .292 for the Smokies in 138 games and led the league with 36 doubles & 31 home runs and was third in RBI with 97...The 31 home runs are the third most ever hit by a Blue Jays minor league player...Was the Southern League MVP and named to their All-Star team as the catcher and the designated hitter...Selected to Baseball America's Minor League Second Team All-Star as catcher...Named as the R. Howard Webster Award winner (team MVP)...Was twice selected as the SL Player of the Week, for the week April 13-19(.409/9-22, 5-2B, 2HR, 6RBI) and the week of May 4-10 (.429/12-28, 3HR, 9 RBI)...Was the organizational Player of the Month in June, hit .323 with seven home runs and 17 RBI...In July hit .347 in July with five home runs and 27 RBI, his best month for RBI...Had one two home run game with a season high five RBI on June 5 in Jacksonville...Had a season high 16 game hit streak from July 12 to 27...Earned RBI in ten of 11 games from July 22 to August 1...Recorded 80 walks, 17 hit by pitches and an on-base percentage of .407...Slugging percentage was .562...Was recalled to Toronto on September 4 and had one RBI but did not pick up a hit in 12 at bats...Started back-to-back games on September 7 & 8 in Detroit and was 0-4...On September 7 caught a 2-1 win started by Lyon...On October 5 vs Cleveland in game one of a doubleheader was 0-3 but caught Halladay's 5-0 shutout...Started four of eight games...Pitchers posted a 3.16 ERA in his 37.0 innings behind the plate...Hit .333 in 23 games in the Arizona Fall League for Scottsdale with one HR and 11 RBI...Had surgeries on his right knee on November 12 by Dr. Zeman in Phoenix and January 11 by Dr. Scranton in Seattle...Rated the top prospect in the Blue Jays organization by Baseball America.
2000
Was recalled from Tennessee (AA) on June 7 and optioned back on June
22. Made ML debut on June 13 defensively in Detroit, was 0-1. With
the Blue Jays played in only one game.
1999
Led the Florida State League (A) in slugging percentage (.562) and
was second in batting (.328)...Led Dunedin with 88 RBI and was tied
for the club lead in home runs with 20... Opened the season by
batting .436 (17-39) in April with two home runs and 10
RBI...Homered in consecutive games April 16 & 17 and then again June
2 & 3...On May 24 had a season high four RBI...Was selected to the
FSL All-Star game...In July hit .308 with five home runs and 21
RBI...Hit in a season high nine straight games from July 16 to 25
which included a 3-4, 1HR, 5 RBI night on July 19...In August was
selected as the Topps Florida State League Player of the Month after
hitting .393 with 20 runs scored, seven doubles, seven home runs and
27 RBI...Named league Batter of the Week for August 2-8...Hit two
home runs on August 5 at Clearwater...Matched season high hit streak
with nine straight from August 17 to 27...Selected to the end of
season FSL All-Star team...Hit .340 at home with nine HR and .316 on
the road with 11 HR...Rated as the fifth best prospect in the
organization by Baseball America.
1998
Hit .265 with Hagerstown of the South Atlantic League (A)...Started
the season slow hitting only .244 in April and .200 in May...Season
high hit streak was six games from April 10 to 16...May 15 had a
season high four hits at Delmarva...June was his best month with a
.377 (26-69) average, three home runs and 12 RBI...Had a season high
four RBI on June 12 vs Ashville...Hit .315 (58-184) with seven of
his eight home runs in Hagerstown and on the road was a .219 hitter
with one HR and 12 RBI...In five SAL Playoff games hit .278 with a
home run and three RBI.
1997
Hit .210 on the season at Hagerstown with seven home runs and 24
RBI...Hit .364 with three homers in August...Hit .239 at home with
all seven home runs and .181 on the road...Hit in seven straight
games from June 4 to 15...Posted five home runs in his last 17
games...Struck out 80 times in 233 at bats.
1996
Made pro debut in Medicine Hat and hit .241 with five home runs and
29 RBI...Stole five bases...Led the team in being hit by pitch with
six.
