Jason James Kubel (pronounced KOO-bull)...wife, Blake (Tonkin)...son, Owen (1/23/08), daughter, Heidi (5/30/12)...2000 graduate of Highland (CA) High School...named to All-Golden League First Team in 1998-2000...is the brother-in-law of right-handed pitcher Michael Tonkin.
2013
Began second season with Arizona…Placed on 15-day disabled list April 13-28 with left quad strain…Hit .306 (11-for-36) in April and .296 (21-for-71) with 12 RBI in 23 June games before hitting .120 (9-for-75) from July 3-August 26…Designated for assignment August 27...was hitting .265 on July 2, ended at .220 with Arizona…Acquired by Cleveland from Arizona August 30, in exchange for pitcher Matt Langwell…Hit solely against right-handed pitchers for the Indians in September, hitting .167 (3-for-18) with one double.
2012
Established career highs in home runs (30), walks (57),
extra-base hits (64) and runs scored (75) in his first season with Arizona...his 30 home runs tied for the fourth most by a first-year D-backs player (also Reggie Sanders
in 2001) and ranked fifth among all left-handed hitters in
club history...Is the second player to lead the team in home runs and
RBI in his first season with the D-backs, joining Troy
Glaus in 2005...Became the seventh player in club history (eighth time)
with 30 doubles and 30 home runs in a season, joining
Jay Bell (1999), Steve Finley (1999), Matt Williams(1999),
Luis Gonzalez (2000-2001), Mark Reynolds (2009) and
Justin Upton (2011)...Among players with new teams in 2012, tied for the
fourth-most home runs with the Tigers' Prince Fielder
and Angels' Albert Pujols...only the Twins' Josh Willingham (35), Cardinals' Carlos Beltran (32) and A's Josh Reddick (32) had more...Ranked among NL leaders in home runs (T-10th) and
extra-base hits (T-11th)...Reached the 20-homer mark for the fourth time...hit a
career-high 7 home runs vs. left-handers (8 total from
2009-11)...Hit .293 (84-for-287) with 20 doubles, 15 home runs and
60 RBI in the first half, compared to .201 (44-for-219)
with 10 doubles, 15 home runs and 30 RBI after the All-Star Break...was hitting .300 as late as July 22 but batted
only .176 (34-for-193) the remainder of the season...Slugged 18 homers at home, tied for fifth- most in the NL
with the Rockies' Wilin Rosario and were the 10th-most
by a D-backs player all-time...Set a club record with 14 outfield assists, most in the
NL...played in 126 games in the outfield, 28 more than
his previous career high (98 in 2010)...Is 1 of 3 players since 2008 to record at least 14 outfield
assists and hit at least 30 homers in a season (also Reddick
in 2012 and Jason Bay in 2009)...Led the NL with 27RBIin June, a monthly career high...
became the first D-backs player to lead NL in RBI for a
month since Luis Gonzalez in June 2001...Hit a career-high 3 home runs on July 21 vs. Astros, the
seventh player (ninth time) in club history to do so...Collected his 500th RBI on July 22 vs. Astros on a solo
homer, the fifth D-backs player to homer following a
3-homer performance.
2011
Appeared in just 99 games due to a sprained left foot...tied for the team lead with 6 three-hit games and ranked fourth with 28 multi-hit efforts despite playing in his fewest games since 2006 (73)...Played in 50 games in right field, 37 games as designated hitter and 9 in left...recorded 9 outfield assists, tied for ninth place in the American League...committed just 1 error and posted a .992 fielding percentage...Led the AL with a .351 (40-for-114) batting average on May 8...also ranked third in on-base percentage (.402) and 10th in slugging percentage (.518)...hit just .238 (60-for-252) in his final 67 games...On the disabled list from May 31-July 22 with the injured
left foot, including a rehab assignment with Single-A Ft. Myers and Triple-A Rochester...Hit his 100th career home run on Aug. 5 vs. White Sox
(off Mark Buehrle).
2010
Hit the first regular season home run in Target Field history, a seventh inning solo shot off Scott Atchison, April 12 vs. Boston...according to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first player to homer against the Red Sox in their first game of a season in a new park since 1923 when Babe Ruth homered in the opening game of Yankee Stadium...Hit his sixth career grand slam (off Mariano Rivera) in the eighth inning with two outs, capping
off a five-run eighth inning and an eventual 6-3 Twins victory, May 16 at New York (AL)...the
victory helped the Twins snap a 10-game losing streak in Yankee Stadium (dating back to 2007)...Hit walk-off sac-fly in the bottom of the 12th inning, giving the Twins an 8-7 victory, May 22
vs. Milwaukee...Had sixth career two-homer game and five rbi, May 27 vs. New York (AL)...was one of two Twins
players with a multi-homer game at Target Field in 2010 (Jim Thome - twice)...Had career-high 12-game hitting streak, batting .372 (16-for-43) with three doubles, one triple,
three home runs and eight rbi, June 8-20...finished June with a .316 (30-for-95) batting average
with 12 extra-base hits (seven doubles) in 27 games...Hit his seventh career grand slam and second of the season, July 25 at Baltimore...Had the game-winning rbi-single (an infield pop-up that hit the catwalk at Tropicana Field) in the ninth inning, August 5 at Tampa Bay...Homered five times in a 10-game span, collecting 12 rbi and scoring 10 runs, August 2-12...Collected his 350th career rbi with a three-run home run, August 12 at Chicago (AL)...the homer was also his 100th hit of the season...it
was a three-run shot off Gavin Floyd in the seventh inning, leading the Twins to a 6-1 win and a series victory...Finished tied for second in the American League for rbi in August with 23 (Jose Bautista - 24, Adrian Beltre and Paul Konerko - 23)...hit six
home runs in August, which was tied for 12th-most in the American League...Hit his 20th home run, marking his third consecutive season of 20-plus homers, September 25 at Detroit...Tied his season-high with five rbi, September 27 at Kansas City...the five rbi pushed him passed 90 for the season, marking his second
consecutive season of 90-plus runs batted in...Played 83 games in right field, 42 as designated hitter...was used almost exclusively as the Twins right fielder after Michael Cuddyer moved
to first base in Justin Morneau's absence (concussion)...Finished second on the club with 92 rbi, behind Delmon Young (112)...Was one of 12 players in American League with 20 doubles, 20 home runs, 90 rbi and 50 walks.
2009
Had back-to-back four hit games (fourth and fifth of career), April 17 and 18 vs. Los Angeles
(AL)...hit for the cycle, April 17, finishing the cycle with a grand slam (fifth career) in the eighth inning, capping off a seven-run inning and giving the Twins an 11-9 lead and eventual win...became the third player in the last 100 years to finish a cycle with a grand slam (Yankees' Tony Lazzeri in 1932 and the Athletics' Miguel Tejada in 2001)...third career two-homer game, April 25 at Cleveland...fourth career
two-homer game, June 4 vs. Cleveland (six RBI)...career-high 11-game hit-streak, hitting five home runs and collecting eight rbi, June 9-20...hit eight home runs in June, only three other Twins over the last 20 years have hit at least eight home runs during June (Chili Davis - 10 in 1991, Torii Hunter - 8 in 2005, and Justin Morneau - 10 in 2006)...finished the first-half, batting .311 (85-for-273) with 14 home runs and 45 RBI in 77 games...hit .375 (14-for-50) with five home runs and 16 RBI in 12 games, July 9-25...homered in consecutive games, August 30 vs. Texas and 31 vs. Chicago (AL)...fifth career two-homer game and tied season-high six RBI, October 4 vs. Kansas City...named American League Co-Player of the Week (with teammate Delmon Young), September 28-October 5, batting .423 (11-for-26), with two doubles, three home runs, five runs scored, 12 RBI and four multi-hit games...hit his 28th home run of the season in the 163rd game/tiebreaker game, October 6 vs. Detroit...batted .331 (81-for-245) with 20 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 RBI in 67 games vs.
AL Central opponents (.356, 7 HR, 17 RBI vs. CLE)...26 of his 28 home runs were hit off right-handed pitching...finished eighth in the American
League in slugging percentage (.539) and tied for eighth in RBI (103)...batted .322 against right-handed pitching, seventh-best in the AL...was fourth in the league with a 4.99 at-bats-per-RBI ratio...was one of just seven players in the Majors to finish with 25 home runs, 35 doubles,
100 RBI and a batting average of .300-or-higher...he is one of just three players in club history have recorded those numbers in a season (Justin Morneau in 2006 and Larry Hisle in 1977).
2008
Hit third career grand slam (first of season) and had season-high six rbi, April 9 at Chicago (AL)...was 7-for-20 (.350) in five games, April 12-16...had four-game hit-streak, going 6-for-15 (.400), April 19-23...hit first career pinch-hit home run, May 13 vs. Toronto...fourth career grand slam (second of season), May 25 at Detroit...hit safely in 15 of 17 games, going 21-for-61 (.344) with six home runs, 13 rbi and 19 runs scored, June 8-June 29...hit .312 (24-for-77) with six home runs and 15 rbi in 23 June games...hit go-ahead three-run homer on July 31 vs. Chicago (AL) off Octavio Dotel in the seventh inning...second career four-hit game and first career two-homer game, August 5 at Seattle...had eight hits in 10 at-bats with one home run, six rbi and five runs scored in a three-game series vs. Seattle from August 15-17...finished August hitting .326 (28-for-68) with three home runs and 13 rbi in 25 games...went 3-for-4 with two home runs (second career two homer game), a triple, three runs scored and three rbi, September 23 vs. Chicago (AL)...became the first Twin to hit two homers and a triple in the same game since Rich Becker on July 13, 1996...set career-highs in several offensive categories, including home runs (20), rbi (78), runs scored (74), hits (126), walks (47), triples (5), batting average (.273), on-base percentage (.335) and slugging percentage (.472).
2007
Spent the entire season with the Twins...hit safely in five of six games, going 5-for-16 (.313), April 4-12...was 7-for-22 (.318) in five games, April 28-May 3...was 8-for-20 (.400) in five games, May 10-15...hit first home run since July 25, 2006, a span of 172 at-bats, May 15 at Cleveland...hit safely in six of seven games, going 9-for-23 (.391), June 18-27...had five-game hit-streak, going 7-for-14 (.500), July 3-6...second career grand slam and career-high seven rbi, July 6 at Chicago (AL), marked the 15th time in Twins history a player drove in seven-or-more runs...in 22 games from August 22-September 19, hit .351 (27-for-77) with 16 runs, 11 doubles, 11 walks, three home runs and 16 rbi...went 3-for-4 with two doubles, September 19 vs. Chicago, marked his fourth game with two doubles...set career-highs in virtually every offensive category.
2006
Began season with Minnesota...optioned April 16...recalled May 23...had career-high eight-game hit-streak, going 14-for-36 (.389), June 6-15...had game-winning walk-off grand slam (first career) in 12th inning and career-high fourth rbi, June 13 vs. Boston...homered in
three consecutive games, June 13-15...hit safely in five of six games, going 8-for-21 (.381), June 17-24...first career four-hit game, July 1 vs.
Milwaukee...recorded his third three-hit game of the season July 14 vs. Cleveland.
2005
Missed entire season recovering from surgery on left knee.
2004
Began season at New Britain . . . had 10-game hit-streak, going 21-41 (.512), April 8-19 . . . hit safely in 11 of 12 games, going 18-45 (.400), April 23-May 5 . . . hit safely in 30 of 37 games . . . promoted to Rochester, May 21 . . . had 10-game hit-streak, going 15-39 (.385), May 21-30 . . . Twins' Minor
League Player of the Month for May . . . hit safely in 13 of 14 games, going 24-
60 (.400), June 4-17 . . . hit safely in 9 consecutive games, going 16-37 (.432),
July 3-16 . . . played for United States Team in Futures Game, July 11 at Houston
. . . International League Player of the Week, July 20-26 . . . homered in three
consecutive games, July 19-20 . . . had 11-game hit-streak, going 19-45 (.422),
August 4-14 . . . Twins' Minor League Player of the Week, August 7-13 . . .
homered in consecutive games, August 17-18 . . . had second 2-homer game
of season, August 20 vs. Pawtucket . . . named Topps' International League
Player of the Month for August . . . led league in batting . . . named to
International League Post-Season All-Star team and International League
Rookie of the Year . . . recalled and made major league debut as pinch hitter,
August 31 vs. Texas . . . doubled off Mike Wood for first major league hit,
September 4 vs. Kansas City . . . season-high 3-game hit-streak, going 6-11 (.545), September 18-22 . . . hit first major league
homer off John Garland, September 21 at Chicago . . . homered in consecutive games, September 21-22 . . . tied seasonhigh
3 hits and 2 rbi, September 29 at New York . . . was fourth among all minor leaguers in batting . . . named to Baseball
America's Minor League All-Star First Team, ranked second Best Prospect in Eastern League and fourth Best Prospect in
International League by Baseball America . . . played for Grand Canyon in the Arizona Fall League . . . suffered torn anterior
cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments in left knee, October 12.
2003
Hit safely in 9 of 11 games, going 16-44 (.364), April 7-20 . . . season-high 13-game hit-streak, going 20-50 (.400), April 29-May 16 . . . homered in consecutive games, May 5-6 . . . was 16-35 (.457) in 9 games, June 11-26 . . . played in
Florida State League All-Star Game, June 14 at Ft. Myers . . . hit safely in 11 of 12 games, June 28-July 12 . . . tied seasonhigh
4 rbi, August 5 vs. Lakeland . . . tied season-high 4 hits, August 22 at Dunedin . . . led club in doubles, rbi and walks
and was second in hits and total bases . . . tied for second in league in rbi and was fourth in batting . . . led all minor leaguers
in sacrifice flies . . . named to Florida State League Post-Season All-Star team . . . ranked 17th best prospect and best outfield
arm in Florida State League by Baseball America . . . named to Baseball America's High Class A All-Star team.
2002
Had 14-game hit-streak, going 16-53 (.302), April 5-May 6 . . . reached base safely in 28 consecutive games, April
5-May 22 . . . disabled with ligament strain in right hand, April 26-May 6 . . . was 16-36 (.444) in 12 games, May 8-20 .
. . hit safely in 11 of 12 games, going 18-45 (.400), June 15-July 2 . . . had 2-homer game, July 5 at Dayton . . . homered
in consecutive games, July 26-27 . . . Twins' Minor League Player of the Week, going 12-24 (.500), July 27-August 2 . .
. tied season-high 14-game hit-streak, going 23-53 (.434), July 26-August 8 . . . had 3-homer game and season-high 6
rbi, August 12 at West Michigan . . . had 4 homers in 2 games, August 12-13 . . . Midwest League Player of the Week,
August 12-18 . . . homered in consecutive games, August 16-17 . . . had 8-game hit-streak, August 20-28 . . . tied seasonhigh
3 hits, August 31 vs. Lansing . . . Twins' Minor League Player of the Month for August, going 39-117 (.333) . . . led
club in batting, hits, doubles. triples, homers, rbi and slugging percentage and was second in walks and on-base
percentage . . . was third in league in batting and slugging percentage (.521) . . . named to Midwest League Post-Season
All-Star team . . . named to SportsTicker's All-Teen team and Baseball America's Low Class A All-Star team . . . ranked 37th
best outfield prospect in all minor leagues by Baseball America.
2001
Season-high 7-game hit-streak, going 13-27 (.481), July 3-12 . . . season-high 5 rbi, July 5 at GCL Rangers . . . tied
season-high 3 hits, July 10 at GCL Pirates . . . played in GCL All-Star Game, August 11 at St. Petersburg . . . hit safely in 8
of 10 games, going 13-37 (.351), July 28-August 10 . . . led club in rbi and was second in walks.
2000
Had 5-game hit-streak, going 9-22 (.409), July 16-21 . . . tied season-high 3 hits, July 17 at GCL Red Sox . . . season-high 3 rbi, July 19 vs. GCL Rangers . . . tied season-high 5-game hit-streak, July 29-August 3.