He and his wife, Kristin, make their offseason home in Long Beach, Calif...earned Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year honors in 1999 at Cal State Long Beach...helped the 49ers to the 1998 College World Series...also pitched at Millikan (CA) High School and Long Beach City College...enjoys frisbee golf and surfing in the off-season...underwent lasik eye surgery in the offseason.
2006
Split last season between Houston and Triple-A Round Rock...began the year on the Astros' Opening Day roster for the first time in his career...made 23 appearances out of the bullpen for Houston in his 4th season with the club, going 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA (16.1 ip, 11 er)...was charged with the loss on May 27 at Pittsburgh, allowing two runs in 1.0 inning of work in an 18-inning defeat...did not allow a run in nine straight outings from May 1-16 (6.0 ip), dropping ERA from 10.50 to 5.25...earned lone win of the season on May 12 vs. Colorado with 0.2 scoreless innings...was optioned to Round Rock on June 2 and spent the remainder of the season with the Express...went 2-0 with a 5.63 ERA (40.0 ip, 25 er) in 33 relief outings...held the opposition scoreless in 17 of his first 21 games, allowing just five earned runs in 17.1 innings pitched (2.60 ERA)...forged a 7.61 figure over his final 13 contests after allowing 20 earned runs in 23.2 innings, including a season-high eight earned runs on July 29 vs. Sacramento in just 2.0 innings of work...the California native pitched for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, allowing two runs in two games and 2.0 innings.
2005
Finished 0-1 with a 2.66 ERA (6ER/ 20.1IP) in 36 appearances...pitched 1.2 scoreless inning in three NLDS appearances...pitched 0.2 scoreless innings in two NLCS outings...pitched 1.0 scoreless inning in two World Series games...allowed 18 hits and walked 10 while striking out 12...did not allow a run in nine consecutive outings from Sept. 4-24 (5.1 IP, two hits allowed, three strikeouts)...streak was snapped when he allowed one run and two walks on Sept. 25 at Chicago...faced one batter with the bases loaded on Sept. 17 vs. Milwaukee and induced a groundout to end the inning...pitched fewer than 1.0 innings in 26 of his 36 outings, including 29 of his last 33...club was 17-9 in those games...allowed only four of 25 inherited runners to score (16.0%)...retired the first hitter he faced in 27 of 36 appearances (75.0%)...did not allow a run in 31 of his 36 outings...pitched 1.1 scoreless innings on Aug. 21 vs. the Brewers...surrendered two earned runs on Aug. 24 at San Diego -- his first runs allowed on the road this season - and snapped a streak of 10.2 scoreless innings over 17 appearances from July 7-Aug. 19...suffered the blown save on July 31 vs. the Mets, allowing an inherited runner to score...pitched 1.0 scoreless inning in his first outing of the season on July 3 at Cincinnati...recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on July 3...went 4-2 with a 3.64 ERA (22ER/54.1IP) in 37 games for the Express in 2005.
2004
Appeared in 69 games for the Astros, finishing with a 2-0 mark and a 4.74 ERA (26ER/49.1IP)...did not allow a run in 15 of his final 17 appearances, a span of 9.1 innings...made three postseason appearances in the NLDS vs. Atanta...tossed one scoreless inning with two strikeouts in his first postseason appearance in NLDS Game 1...earned in his first win of the season in game two of a doubleheader vs. Pittsburgh on Sept. 9...had not recorded a decision or save in first 60 appearances (45 IP)...pitched 1.2 scoreless innings over four appearances from Aug. 10-19...allowed one run over 0.1 innings on Sept. 7 vs. Cincinnati, snapping a string of 13.1 scoreless innings over his first 15 career appearances vs. the Reds...surrendered a season-high three runs on Aug. 5 at Atlanta over 0.1 innings, and on July 24 over 0.2 innings vs. Milwaukee after giving up back-to-back home runs...allowed a three-run homer (Podsednik) to suffer his first blown save of the season on June 11 at Milwaukee...had pitched 7.2 scoreless innings vs. Milwaukee in his career...surrendered his first home run of the season on May 26 vs. the Cubs (Hollandsworth)...allowed his first run of the season on May 14 vs. the Mets, surrendering one run over 0.1 innings, snapping a streak of eight scoreless innings over 11 appearances to start the season...tossed a career-high tying 2.1 innings of relief with no runs in his first start of the season on April 15 vs. Milwaukee, striking out a career-high four batters...started the season at Triple A New Orleans...recalled on April 13...was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0ER/4.0IP) in three games for the Zephyrs, including one save.
2003
- Finished with a 1-0 mark and a 3.00 ERA (10ER/30IP) in 32 appearances in his first stint in the big leagues.
- tossed a season-high 2.1 innings of relief on Sept. 2 at Los Angeles...allowed one hit - a home run (McGriff).
- allowed a season-high four runs on three hits in 0.2 innings on Aug. 5 vs. New York Mets.
- allowed his first run on July 29 at Atlanta...snapped a string of 8.2 scoreless innings in 11 appearances after arriving in the
big leagues.
- recorded his first Major League win with 0.1 innings on July 23 at Milwaukee.
- pitched two shutout innings on July 22 at Pittsburgh.
- pitched one scoreless inning in his Major League debut on July 2 vs. Milwaukee.
- contract was purchased on June 28 from Triple A New Orleans...was 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA (4ER/17.1IP) in 16 games for
the Zephyrs this season.
- posted a 1-1 mark with two saves and a 1.37 ERA (3ER/19.2IP) in 17 games for Double A Round Rock to start the
season...selected by the Astros in the fifth round of the June 1999 draft.
2002
Appeared in 42 games and struck out 93 batters over 88.1 innings for Class A Lexington,
posting a 4-4 record with eight saves while holding a 1.83 ERA...also took the mound in one contest for Double A Round
Rock...held a 1.33 ERA in 20 road contests...struck out 54 in 47.1 innings and held opponents to a .201 batting average
against...ended the campaign with a 0.89 ERA in both July and August...held opponents hitless in five bases-loaded
situations...limited opponents to a .200 average with runners in scoring postiion...allowed only seven extra-base hits in 85 at
bats...
2001
Led Class A Michigan in relief wins (9) and relief innings (84.1) and was second in appearances (44)...held a
3.84 ERA with 67 strikeouts...
2000
Started 13 contests and compiled an 8-3 record for Michigan...carried 4.86 ERA in 90.2
innings pitched...
1999
Last season he saw time exclusively as a starter...at Michigan, went 2-3 in 12 starts with a 5.85 ERA...made three starts at Class A Auburn and carried a 1.23 ERA and a 1-0 record.
