Alexander Jose Escobar...single...attended El Santuario High School in Valencia, VEN...played five years in Criollitos
Independent League and was selected the Most Valuable Player twice.
2006
Posted stellar numbers in limited at-bats due largely to platoon situation and injuries...one of 9 Nationals centerfielders,
and was limited to just 33 games (19 starts) after beginning the year at Double-A Harrisburg and missing a combined
76 games due to left hamstring, right hamstring and right shoulder injuries...hit .356 (31-for-87) with 4 homers and a
career-high 18 RBI...had contract purchased from Harrisburg, May 20, and went 2-for-4 as the starting CF that night
vs. BAL...went on the 15-Day DL May 22 with a strained left hamstring...missed 42 games before being reinstated
on July 6...hit safely in his first 6 games (3 starts) back, going 9-for-17 (.529) with 2 homers and 7 RBI...hit .441 (15-
for-34) with 3 homers and 12 RBI in first 11 games after DL stint...sustained strained right hamstring on July 21 vs.
CHI while running to first on his game-winning 2-run single in the 8th...was limited to pinch-hitting duties for next 15
games...jumped back into the starting lineup, playing CF, on August 9 vs. FLA....August 25 at ATL, separated his right
shoulder in the 9th inning as he dove back to first base on a Brian Schneider lineout to Jeff Francoeur in right...was
placed on the 15-Day DL, August 26, and missed the season's final 34 games...had surgery on September 7 to repair
the shoulder, a procedure performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Reached base safely in 6 straight plate appearances, July 9-16, going 4-for-4 July 9 vs.
SDP (L9-10), stroking a game-tying, pinch-hit RBI single in the 7th inning, July 15 at PIT (L6-7), and connecting for
a game-tying, pinch-hit 2-run homer in the 7th the next day at PIT (W8-4 in 11)...smacked 2 game-winning hits in a
3-game span, July 18-21...hit a 2-out RBI single in the 9th, July 18 at FLA, in Washington's 7-6 win...July 21 vs. CHI,
had a 2-run single in the 8th that gave Washington a 7-6 triumph...in Kirk Gibson-like fashion, circled the bases with a
strained right hamstring during his pinch-hit, 2-run homer in the 6th inning July 22 vs. CHI...had a pair of sacrifice flies
Aug. 9 vs. FLA...was 3-for-3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly before separating his right shoulder, Aug. 25 at ATL.
In Minor Leagues: Hit .298 (28-for-94) with 8 doubles, 4 homers and 19 RBI in 28 games with Harrisburg before
having his contract purchased by Washington, May 20...went on the 7-Day DL, April 10, with a strained right groin.
Rehab Assignment: Following his left hamstring injury, began a rehab assignment June 21...went 11-for-35 (.314)
iwth 8 RBI during a 10-game rehab stint with the GCL Nationals and Harrisburg.
2005
Acquired from the White Sox in February for outfielder Jerry Owens last February. ... Missed the entire 2005 season because of a foot injury.
2004
Began season with CLE, but was claimed off waivers by CWS on August 16...played in just 62 games for CLE and
Buffalo of the Triple-A International League due to a navicular fracture in his right foot...did not see action after July
4...was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List, by the ChiSox, on August 17...earned spot on first Opening Day roster...hit
.276 for CLE in April, but just .170 thereafter...made 21 starts in CF, 15 in RF and five in LF....remarkably, recorded 9 OF
assists in just 42 games (prorated 35 per 162 games)...hit .305 with 10 RBI, 12 runs scored and a .423 on-base percentage
in 18 games from April 20-May 17...hit safely in a career-high 7 straight games, April 20-30...hit .450 during the 7-
gamer...collected season-high 3 RBI on May 9 at BAL...was optioned to Buffalo on June 11...hit .286 with 4 home runs
and 10 RBI in 16 games with the Bisons...went 4-5 with two home runs and five RBI on June 24 vs. Durham...went 15-
43 (.349) in final 12 games with Buffalo before the injury.
2003
Spent most of the season at AAA Buffalo, and after shaky start, put together an outstanding season at AAA
Buffalo...Continued his comeback from off-season knee surgery in Cleveland to end the season with a combined
29 HR & 92 RBI on the year (146 G) after missing all of 2002 with a left knee injury.
Started slowly in Buffalo, hitting .158 (12-76) in 20 April games with 3 2B, 3 HR & 10 RBI and started year 3 for
30 w/15 K (7 G)...Over the last three and a half months of the Triple A season he hit .270 (98-363) with 18 2B, 21
HR & 68 RBI in 98 games...Was recalled to Cleveland on August 15 and at the time of his recall he was leading
the International League in homers (24), was tied for 2nd in RBI (78) and was tied for 4th in extra base hits
(47)...Was named to the Triple A All-Star Team...Despite missing the last 3 weeks of the Buffalo season he ended
up 2nd in the league in HR.
Had one 2 HR game with Buffalo (June 9 vs. Rochester) and homered and drove in a season-high 6 runs on May
9 at Indy...Homered in 4 straight games from August 6-9... He appeared in 91 games in right field, 8 games in
center and 5 games in left for the Bisons...Hit .290 (36-124) with RISP and .302 (19-63) with RISP and 2
outs...From July 1 thru the end of his tenure in Buffalo he hit .281 (41-146) with 12 HR & 29 RBI in 43 games.
Was recalled to Cleveland on August 15 after Bradley was placed on the DL...Started off slowly, hitting .188 (9-
48) over his first 14 big league games (3 HR, 4 RBI) since 2001 before hitting .353 (18-51) over his final 14 games
of the season w/2 HR & 10 RBI (.874 OPS)...Set a new career-high w/3 hits on three different occasions (9/10,
9/11, 9/17)...Hit .350 (14-40) off LHP.
Hit a career-high 6 straight games from Sept. 9-14...Hit his first AL home runs on August 16 vs. Tampa
Bay...Season ended after game Sept. 23 at Minnesota due to stiffness and irritation in his next area...MRI/Exam
of Sept. 25 was negative...Played winter ball in Venezuela beginning in December (.273, 22 G, 2 HR, 16 RBI).
2002
Season ended abruptly on a windy, brisk Florida day at the start of spring training...Alex tore the anterior
cruciate ligament in his left knee making a catch against the centerfield wall on 3/4 in Bradenton against the
Pittsburgh Pirates...The injury occurred in the 4th inning off the bat of Rob Mackowiak...Was off to a nice start
during his first spring in the organization, going 5 for 10 (.500) with a run scored in 5 games...Had surgery on
3/21 in Lutheran Hospital by Dr. Mark Schickendantz & Dr. Louis Keppler to repair his torn ACL and meniscus
(cartilage) in his left knee...Began working out with the major league team in September and reported to the club's
Fall Instructional League in Winter Haven on 9/17...Rehabbed in Cleveland after IL before going to winter ball in
Venezuela on 11/24, but did not appear in a game due to the national workers' strike.
2001
Began the season with Norfolk (AAA) of the International League and was recalled by the Mets on 5/8...Went
1-4 with an RBI single on 5/8 at Colorado in his first major league start/debut...Collected his first big league hit,
a single, in the sixth inning off Pedro Astacio...Was optioned back to Norfolk on 5/16 and recalled again on 6/
20...Collected his first home run, a solo shot, on 6/23 off Atlanta's Tom Glavine, an opposite field shot at Shea
Stadium...Was optioned back to Norfolk on 6/26...Was recalled for a third time from Norfolk on 9/11 after the
conclusion of the minor league season...Enjoyed his first multiple-home run game of his career on 10/5 vs.
Montreal (Thurman and Mota)...Had a career-high four RBI in the contest...Was selected to play in Major League
Baseball's Annual Futures Game during the All-Star Weekend Festivities at Safeco Field in Seattle, but did not
play...Hit .293 (51-174) with 11 doubles, eight home runs and 48 RBI with runners in scoring position at Norfolk...
Went 5 for 5 in his final regular season game at Richmond with a run scored and 5 RBI...Hit .441 (15-34) over
his final 11 games on the year with 2 HR & 12 RBI before hitting .333 (6-18) in the International League playoffs
with a double, HR and RBI in 5 games...After the season he hit .221 (19-86) in the Venezuelan Winter League with
2 HR and 8 RBI in 25 games...Was named the #1 prospect in the New York Mets organization & the 18th best
prospect overall in MLB by Baseball America for 2001.
2000
Was named the Eastern League's Rookie-of-the-Year and was selected to the Eastern League Post-Season
All-Star team...Selected to participate in Major League Baseball's Futures All-Star Game in Atlanta on 7/9...Won
the Doubleday Award at Binghamton, emblematic of his team's Most Valuable Player...Ranked sixth in the League
in home runs, fifth in triples, seventh in runs scored and slugging percentage (.487).
1999
Began the year on the Disabled List with a fractured vertebra...Was on rehabilitation assignment from 6/18-
21...Placed back on the DL again on 7/8 until the end of the season with an injury to his left shoulder...Injuries
limited him to only three games, one with St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League on 6/21 and two with Gulf Coast
Mets (6/18-19)...Underwent season-ending surgery to repair a labral tear in his left shoulder on 7/9...The surgery
was performed by the Mets' Team Physician, Dr. David Altchek, at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.
1998
Voted to the Topps/NAPBL Class (A) All-Star team as he helped his Capital City Bomber team to the South
Atlantic League Championship...Was named to both the SAL's mid-season and post-season All-Star teams and
was named to the Baseball America Class A All-Star Team...Was voted the league's Top Major League Prospect
by Baseball America...Also was a recipient of the Doubleday Award, emblematic of his team's Most Valuable
Player...Ranked 2nd in the league in slugging % (.584), 3rd in extra base hits (55), 2nd in steals (49), 5th in RBI
(91) and runs scored (90), 4th in home runs (27), 4th in total bases (243) and 8th with a .310 batting average.
1997
Hit .455 (5-11) in the Gulf Coast League Playoffs...Appeared in 1 game at shortstop during the regular season.
