Jon Lieber #32

Jonathan Ray Lieber... Married Jessica Conway (10/18/92); one daughter, Jillian (10/22/97) and two sons, Jared (7/27/00) and Justin (5/8/03)...1988 graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School (Council Bluffs, IA)...Attended Iowa Western CC (1989-90)...Attended the University of South Alabama (1991-92)...Honored as a distinguished alumni by the university in 2005...Hobby: Hunting.

2007

Was placed on the 15-day DL, 3/30, during spring training (right oblique strain)... Made one rehab start with Clearwater (A) before being activated on 4/9... Began his season in the bullpen, making his first 2 appearances in relief; his first relief appearances since 8/16/98... Allowed 3 ER in 2.1 IP in relief and was moved back to the starting rotation... Made his 1st start of the season, 4/20 at CIN (5.2 IP, H, BB, 5 SO)... Posted a 2.50 ERA (11 ER, 39.2 IP) through his first 6 starts... Pitched his 5th career SHO, 6/9 at KC (9.0 IP, 3 H, 11 SO); his first double-digit SO game since 9/10/00 vs HOU... Allowed 13 ER in 10.1 IP (11.32 ERA) in his final 2 starts before going on the DL on 6/23 (retroactive to 6/21) with an avulsion of the peroneus longus tendon (ruptured tendon in right foot)... Had season-ending surgery on his right foot, 7/6 (Dr. Mark S. Myerson)... Was transferred to the 60-day DL on 7/14.

2006

Was the Opening Day starter for the 2nd straight year (7th time in career)...Led the NL and finished 2nd among all ML pitchers in fewest BB/9.0 IP (1.29)...Ended the season with a 35.1-inning walkless streak, the longest streak on the team...Issued just 2 walks in his final 57.0 innings (9 GS)...Also had walkless streaks of 20.1 IP, 19.2 IP and 17.2 IP...Lost his first 4 starts of the season for the 1st time in his career (7.99 ERA, .327 opp. avg.)...Went 3-1, 3.45 ERA in his next 4 starts...Did not walk a batter in 5 of his first 9 starts...Issued just 5 BB in his first 57.1 IP...Took a perfect game into the 7th inning, 5/13 at CIN, before allowing a 2-out single to Adam Dunn (W, 8.2 IP, 2 H, 6 SO)...Placed on the 15-day DL on 5/30 (strained left groin muscle)...Made 3 rehab starts before being activated on 7/6...Pitched back-to-back complete games vs NYM, 8/5 at Shea Stadium (8.0 IP) and 8/16 at Citizens Bank Park (9.0 IP), which was his 4th career shutout and first since 2001...Went 5-3, 3.38 ERA (27 ER, 72.0 IP, 4 BB, 45 SO) with 2 CG in his final 11 starts of the season.

2005

Seventeen wins were his highest total since winning 20 in 2001, and the second-highest of his career. ... Threw one of four complete games for the Phillies on June 14, at Seattle. ... Logged 218 1/3 innings, his third-highest total.

2004

Led the AL in fewest walks per 9.0 innings (0.9 BB/9.0 IP)...Went 11-3 at home, the most wins by a NYY pitcher at home since Mike Mussina went 11-5 in 2001...Is 27-6 (.818) in home games since 2001, the best winning % of any ML pitcher during that span (min. 20 wins)...His 14 wins were the most by a former 20-game winner in his first year back in the majors after missing an entire season since 1946, when both Tex Hughson (21- 6 for the Red Sox) and Kirby Higbe (17-8 for the Dodgers) did it after returning from military service...Began the season on the 15-day DL (strained abductor muscle in his right thigh)...Was on the DL from 3/29-5/1 (missed the season's first 23 games)...In his first start of the season, and first since 8/1/02, he earned the win, 5/1 vs KC; it was his first ML win since 6/21/02 vs STL...Walked Carlos Pena to lead off the 3rd inning, 7/5 vs DET, the first walk he issued to lead off an inning since September 2001, a span of 236 consecutive leadoff batters faced...Pitched 7.0 shutout innings, 9/2 vs CLE; his first scoreless start since 4/9/02 vs NYM...Struck out a season-high 9 batters, 9/7 vs TB; his highest single-game SO total since 9/10/00 vs HOU (10 SO)...Pitched 6.2 no-hit innings, 9/18 vs BOS, before David Ortiz launched a solo HR with two outs in the 7th inning...Recorded his 100th career victory, 9/29 vs MIN (gm 2)...Went 5-0, 3.12 ERA in his final 6 starts of the season (40.1 IP, 50 H, 14 ER, 2 BB, 31 SO)...NYY went 18-9 (.667) in his 27 starts.

2003

Missed the entire Major-League season rehabilitating from "Tommy John" surgery on his right elbow...surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews on 8/8/02...made three minor-league rehab starts for the Yankees' two Tampa affiliates (8/15, 8/22 and 8/27), allowing 13H and 6ER in 8.0IP (0BB, 10K).

2002

Was 6-8 with a 3.70 ERA in 21 games started for the Cubs...season ended on 8/1 due to repeated bouts with right elbow tendinitis...walked just 12 batters (1 intentional) in his 21 starts and had 12 no-walk performances...issued a season-high three walks on 5/24 at Houston...in 12 starts after that outing spanning 335 batters, he allowed only five walks...at one point, he faced 93 batters between walks issuedbas he had three consecutive no-walk outings from 6/21-7/2...the Cubs won won 16 consecutive games he started at Wrigley Field from 5/24/01 through 5/6/02...had a personal mark of 13-0 during that span...the 16 straight winning starts tied for the longest winning stretch for a pitcher at Wrigley Field since the ballpark was built in 1914 (the club also won 16 straight Lon Warneke starts from 5/27/32 - 4/18/33)...made his fifth career Opening Day start and third consecutive on 4/1 at Cincinnati (did not figure in the decision in the Reds' 5-4 victory)...in his second start on 4/9 against the Mets, he earned his first win of the season in a 2-0 contest, allowing 2 hits in 8.0 innings...picked up his second victory in a rain-shortened 5-1 contest on 4/14 at Pittsburgh...stayed in the game after a 1-hour, 33-minute rain delay in the bottom of the 5th to record the final 2 outs and qualify for the win...suffered his first loss of the season 5/1 at San Diego despite pitching a complete-game...the loss snapped his personal six-game winning streak...on 6/21 vs. St. Louis (2-1 win), he threw 107 pitches in 9.0 innings and allowed 3 hits, a J.D. Drew 1st-inning homer and no walks while striking out seven batters...the complete game was his last victory of the season, as he went 0-4 over his final seven starts...in his last game on 8/1 vs. San Diego, he allowed 2 runs over 7.0 innings, but did not figure in the decision in an 8-7 win...due to continuing discomfort in his right elbow, he was placed on the disabled list the next day...on 8/8, he underwent "Tommy John" reconstructive surgery on the elbow (Dr. James Andrews).

2001

Was one of the National League's top pitchers, going 20-6 with a 3.80 ERA in 34 starts...was a member of the N.L. All-Star team and finished 4th in the N.L. Cy Young Award voting...was the Cubs' first 20-game winner since Greg Maddux (20) in 1992, reaching the milestone in his final start of the campaign on 10/3 vs. Cincinnati...the victory total ranked 4th in the league...also ranked among the league leaders in innings pitched (232.1 - 5th), complete games (5 - tied for 2nd), winning percentage (.769 - 4th) and fewest walks per 9.0 innings (1.6 - 3rd)...the Cubs went 24-10 in his starts - the highest number of wins by the club for a starter since 1969, when they were 25-15-1 in Bill Hands' 41 starts and 25-17 in Fergie Jenkins' 42 starts...went 17-3 with four complete games over his final 25 starts, allowing just 25 walks in 169.1 innings...was 12-1 in his 17 Wrigley Field starts - the highest Wrigley Field victory total since Greg Maddux went 12-4 in 1992...since the Cubs moved to Wrigley Field in 1916, only one other pitcher - Lon Warneke (14-1 in 1932) - had a doubledigit victory total at Wrigley while losing only once...on May 24 vs. the Reds at Wrigley Field, he allowed just 1 hit in a 3-0 victory...needed just 78 pitches (55 for strikes) in the 1-hour, 48-minute contest - the lowest 9.0-inning pitch total for a Cubs pitcher since pitch counts began getting logged in 1987...allowed just 2 baserunners - a Juan Castro single in the 6th inning and a walk to Castro in the 9th...induced 2 double plays in facing the minimum 27 batters....the shutout snapped Cincinnati's N.L.-record stretch of having scored in 208 consecutive games...the contest was the front half of consecutive 1-hitters tossed by Cubs pitchers, as Kerry Wood followed up with a 1-hit 1-0 blanking of Milwaukee on 5/25...went 5-0 in six starts against Cincinnati...was the first Cub to win at least 5 games against any opponent in one season since Fergie Jenkins went 6-0 in 6 starts against Philadelphia in 1971, and record 5 wins in one season against the Reds since the 1945 campaign - when Claude Passeau, Paul Derringer and Hank Wyse all posted 5-0 marks vs. Cincinnati...made his first trip to the Midsummer Classic, pitching 1.0 inning in the 7/10 contest in Seattle, allowing homers to the Yankees' Derek Jeter and the White Sox's Magglio Ordonez...recorded his 1,000th Major-League strikeout on 8/25 vs. St. Louis (Craig Paquette).

2000

Saw more mound action than any other big league pitcher, hurling 251.0 innings in his 35 starts...went 12-11 with six complete games and a 4.41 ERA, as he established career highs in starts, complete games, innings pitched and strikeouts (192)...was the first Cub to both surpass the 250.0 innings mark and lead the league in innings pitched since Greg Maddux in 1992 (268.0 innings)...tied for the M.L. lead in starts... on 4/27 at Houston, he earned his 50th big league victory (12-3), tossing the first complete game in Enron Field history...on 7/3 vs. Pittsburgh, he threw a 2-hit shutout in a 3-0 win....on 7/8 vs. the White Sox, he tied his career high with 12 strikeouts in throwing his second straight complete game...for his efforts, he was named the N.L.'s Player of the Week for the week ending 7/9.

1999

Jon established career highs in innings pitched (203.1) and strikeouts (186), going 10-11 with a 4.07 ERA in 31 starts ... ranked among the National League Top 10 in strikeouts (8th), strikeouts per 9.0 innings (3rd, 8.2) and fewest walks issued per 9.0 innings (6th, 2.0) ... walked just 46 batters (6 intentionally) ... had a 4.0-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio ... tossed 3 complete games, include back-to-back route-going victories to end the season September 25 vs. Pittsburgh (3-1) and October 1 at St. Louis (3-2) ... in the September 25 contest, he struck out a career-high 11 batters ... also had a 10-strikeout affair against his former team July 5 at Pittsburgh ... struck out 118 batters in 111.2 innings in his last 17 starts (while walking 23) ... over his final 5 starts, he walked 1 batter in 37.2 innings while striking out 40 ... made his Cubs debut April 8 at Houston and earned the win in a 2-1 decision in a game played in 2 hours, 6 minutes ... threw 95 pitches over 8.0 innings -- 72 for strikes ... was on the disabled list April 29 (retroactive to April 21) through May 8 with a right eye contusion ... on April 24 while manning the bucket behind second base during batting practice, he was struck in the eye by an errant throw ... on May 14 vs. Atlanta, he pitched his first big league shutout in the Cubs' 9-0 victory ... he scattered 7 singles and 3 walks while fanning 7 ... in a 7-4 victory over St. Louis May 30, he helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk, 1 run scored and a run-scoring double ... went into the All-Star break with an 8-3 record and a 3.26 ERA -- the 7th-best ERA in the league ... went 0-8 in his first 14 second-half starts.

1998

Jon saw action in 29 games (28 starts) in his final campaign with Pittsburgh and went 8-14 with 2 complete games and a 4.11 ERA ... in 171.0 innings, he issued only 40 walks while striking out 138 batters ... averaged 3.5 strikeouts for every walk issued and 2.1 walks for every 9.0 innings pitched ... walked 2 or fewer batters in 23 starts, including 7 no-walk outings ... over a 16-start span May 18-August 8, he issued only 14 bases on balls ... recorded a 3.86 ERA through his first 17 starts, but had just a 5-10 record ... in the 10 losses, the Pirates scored a grand total of 15 runs ... picked up his second major league save in his only relief appearance of the campaign, fanning Mark McGwire on 3 pitches to preserve the Pirates' 4-1 victory August 16 in St. Louis ... was on the disabled list August 21-September 14 with a left oblique muscle strain ... struggled in 2 late-season starts after being activated, surrendering 11 runs (6 earned) in 5.0 innings.

1997

Won a career-high 11 games, going 11-14 with a 4.49 ERA in 32 starts ... walked 51 batters-an average of 1.6 per start ... issued more than 2 walks in only 4 of his outings ... made his second career Opening Day start April 1 in San Francisco, but did not figure in the decision in a 5-2 win ... had 8 RBI, tying Houston's Mike Hampton for the highest RBI total among M.L. pitchers.

1996

Spent his first full season in the majors, splitting time between the starting rotation (15 starts) and the bullpen (36 games) ... went 9-5 with 1 save and a 3.99 ERA, walking 28 batters in 142.0 innings of work ... was 7-2 with a 3.91 ERA in his starts and 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA as a reliever ... tossed 3.0 scoreless innings of relief April 16 at St. Louis to pick up his first M.L. save (13-3).

1995

Split the year between the Pirates and Calgary (AAA) ... in 21 big league games (12 starts), he went 4-7 with a 6.32 ERA ... was Pittsburgh's Opening Day starter, taking the loss in a 6-2 decision vs. Montreal ... had a 7.48 ERA in 11 starts when he was optioned to Triple-A June 18 ... returned to the majors September 5.

1994

Made 17 starts for the Pirates in his first M.L. action after his contract was purchased from Buffalo (AAA) May 12 ... went 6-7 with a 3.73 ERA ... made his big league debut May 15 at Philadelphia and allowed 1 run in 6.0 innings, but took the loss in a 1-0 decision ... in his next start May 21 vs. Montreal, he allowed 3 hits in 8.0 innings and picked up his first win (6-0) ... in a 7-4 win over St. Louis June 17, he recorded his first M.L. hitba single off Bob Tewksbury ...tossed his first complete game July 14 in an 8-2 decision vs. Houston ... made 3 starts for Carolina (AA) and 3 for Buffalo en route to joining the Pirates, going 3-1 with a 1.49 ERA.

1993

Pitched for three teams during the campaign b Kansas City's Wilmington (A) and Memphis (AA) affiliates and Pittsburgh's Carolina farm club ... combined to go 15-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 27 games ... went 9-3 with a 2.67 ERA for Wilmington, including an 8-game winning streak to open the season ... was promoted to Memphis July 11 and made his first 4 Double-A starts before being traded to the Pirates' organization July 31.

1992

Saw his first professional action with the Royals' Eugene (Rookie) and Baseball City (A) clubs, combining to go 6-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 12 games.