Josh Paul #8

Played collegiate baseball at Vanderbilt, batting .336 (75-223) with 12 home runs and 46 RBI in 1996...was named preseason second team All-America and ranked as 28th-best college prospect by *Baseball America*...named first team All-SEC as a sophomore after hitting .388 with 11 home runs, 50 RBI and 25 stolen bases...Attended Buffalo Grove (Ill.) High School, where he hit .529 with 7 HR and 31 RBI as a senior...Josh was inducted into the Cape Cod League Hall of Fame on November 4, 2006...Josh is the only Cape Leaguer to win the batting title, MVP and Outstanding Pro Prospect Award in the same season (1995, Cotuit)...Josh is writing a book on the mental game of baseball...On Feb. 8, 2006, Josh had the opportunity to fly with the Blue Angels out of the Naval Air Facility in El Centro, CA...flew with Lt. Kevin Davis of the Blue Angels...Enjoys playing bass guitar.

2007

Thirty-two year-old veteran catcher made 30 starts for the Rays...missed more than two months (May 20-July 26) with a left elbow strain and made just one pinch-hitting appearance the final three weeks of the season due to low back tightness...First injury occurred May 19 vs. the Marlins on a collision at home plate with Miguel Olivo. Batting .245 at the time of the injury (12-49), including 5-for-14 (.357) with runners in scoring position...Hit at a .143 clip after his return (8-56)...Hit his lone HR in his first game back, July 28 vs. Boston off Jon Lester...was his second home run as a Devil Ray, first in over a year (May 22, 2006 at Toronto)...was his first as a Devil Ray at Tropicana Field...Rays went 13-17 in his starts...caught Edwin Jackson's CG SHO Aug 11 at Texas...in fact, was the receiver for all three Rays complete-game shutouts over the last two seasons (also Scott Kazmir July 3, 2006 vs. Boston, and Mark Hendrickson April 6, 2006 at Baltimore, Joe Maddon's first victory as Rays skipper)....Staff worked to a 4.89 ERA with him behind the plate (151-ER, 277.2-IP)...Gunned down 9 of 22 potential base stealers (40.1%) after just 9 of 52 (17.3%) in 2006...Hit lefties (.242) 75 points better than righties (.167)...as a Ray hit lefties to a .292 clip and righties at .207...Had 5 RBI through his first 7 games (April 23)...did not collect his first RBI in 2006 until May 22...Last start was Sep 7 vs. Toronto.

2006

Appeared in a career-high 58 games and recorded a career-high 146 AB...made his 6th Opening Day roster...was one of 5 Rays to be active for every game - also Shawn Camp, Carl Crawford, Damon Hollins and Brian Meadows...Made 47 starts, all at catcher...caught 9 of 43 (17.3%) potential base stealers...Saw action in LF late in the game May 22 at TOR, the 9th appearance there in his career...First start of the year he caught Mark Hendrickson's 2-0 shutout April 6 at Baltimore which gave manager Joe Maddon his first victory as Rays skipper...His 4.61 catchers ERA was lowest among Rays' three regular receivers on the season...Average was at a season-low .223 on July 18...batted .327 (17-52) the rest of the season to finish at .260...Was aided by a 10-game stretch from July 25-Aug. 26 in which he went 12-for-28 (.429) with 4-2B and 4-RBI...at one point reached 14 of 26 trips to the plate (10-H, 4-BB)...Hit lefthanders nearly 100 points better than righties (.333 to .234)...Belted his only HR of the season May 22 at TOR off Casey Janssen, and with it, his first RBI....Had 3 straight multi-hit games May 21-27 that included a pair of hits off Curt Schilling and a pair off Dontrelle Willis...Collected two doubles July 25 vs. LAA and a RBI...was his first game with 2 extra-base hits since Aug. 29, 2001 with the White Sox at Detroit. » Collected season highs Aug 5 vs. Boston in hits (3) and RBI (3)...also stole a base...had just 4 RBI all season before that game.

2005

Spent second season with Angels as third catcher on roster...Made just three appearances since Aug. 7 and just eight at-bats since July 1 (29 ABs from April-June)...Activated from DL Sept. 1...Appeared in nine rehab games at Salt Lake (.273; 9/33, 4 2B, 6 RBI)...Placed on 15-day DL Aug. 12 (retro to Aug. 8) with sprained right thumb...Two of seven hits on season were HRs...Made 9th start, Sept. 28 at Oakland...8 of 9 starts came with Paul Byrd on mound...Reserve catcher made fifth career Opening Day roster.

2004

Made 18 starts with Angels (16 as catcher).... Connected for first career grand slam, Aug. 19 at Tampa Bay. ... Posted first two hits of season, June 9 vs. Milwaukee becoming the final position player from any Opening Day roster with a hit. Made fourth career Opening Day roster as non-roster player in Spring Training.

2003

Josh's contract was purchased from Iowa (AAA) September 1...saw action in 3 games for the Cubs (including 2 starts)...Made his first Cubs start September 17 vs. New York - and was behind the plate for a Kerry Wood shutout (2-0)...Signed as a free agent with the Cubs' organization July 4 - as he was designated for assignment by the White Sox June 23 (and elected free agency)...In 47 games for Iowa, he hit .253 with 2 homers and 15 RBI...Appeared in 25 games at catcher, 10 in left field, 6 in right field and 1 at first base...began the year with the White Sox - and also spent time with their Charlotte, SC (AAA) club ...In 13 games with the Pale Hose, he went 6-for-17 with 4 RBI.

2002

Josh played in 33 games for the White Sox and in 65 for Charlotte, SC (AAA)...With the South Siders, he batted .240 with 4 doubles and 11 RBI...Began the year at the Triple-A level before joining the White Sox June 14...Despite going 10-for-20 in 6 games, he was optioned back to Charlotte June 30...Returned to the White Sox July 30, appearing in 27 additional games...Played in 32 games at catcher for the Sox...Also started 1 contest in leftfield (September 29 at Minnesota)...In 65 games for Charlotte, he batted .273 with 15 doubles and 17 RBI.

2001

Saw his most extensive major league action, appearing in 57 games for the White Sox and batting .266 with 11 doubles, 3 homers and 18 RBI...Saw action in 56 contests behind the plate -- including 43 starts...Was on the Opening Day roster for the second straight year...Was hitting .207 on June 30 when he was optioned to Charlotte, SC (AAA)...After batting .280 in 22 Triple-A games, he returned to the majors August 17...After rejoining the White Sox, he hit .365 over his final 23 games (19-52) with 15 RBI...Went 4-for-5 with a homer and 4 RBI August 29 at Detroit...Hit a 3-run homer off Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia September 8...Following the tragic events of September 11, he work No. 41 on his chest protector in honor of Mark Hindy, a former college teammate at Vanderbilt who was killed in the attacks...Hit a game-winning 2-run double off the Yankees' Andy Pettitte September 20 in a game he dedicated to Hindy.

2000

Split the campaign between the White Sox and Charlotte, SC (AAA), appearing in 87 total contests...With the White Sox, he hit .282 in 36 games...Opened the season on the big league roster...Was in the majors Opening Day-May 23 and August 31 through the end of the season...Hit his first M.L. homer April 24 off Baltimore's Mike Mussina...Added a triple and 3 RBI as part of a 2-hit evening...Was on the White Sox's postseason roster -- and was utilized as a pinch runner in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against Seattle...In 51 games for Charlotte, he batted .238 with 10 extra-base hits...Was on the disabled list July 5-August 3 with a broken finger on his left hand.

1999

Appeared in his first 6 big league games in September after spending the minor league campaign at Birmingham (AA)...Was recalled September 7 and made his M.L. debut that evening against Anaheim as a defensive replacement...Made his first start September 10 vs. Cleveland...Recorded his first M.L. hit September 14 -- a single off Detroit's Matt Anderson...In 93 Double-A contests, he batted .279 with 19 doubles, 4 homers and 42 RBI...Had a .992 fielding percentage (5 E/597 TC)...Threw out 38 of 99 runners attempting to steal (38.4 percent).

1998

Spent the season at Winston-Salem (A), hitting .255 in a career-high 123 games with 20 doubles, 11 homers and 63 RBI...Had a .997 fielding percentage in 109 games behind the plate (3 E/939 TC)...Threw out 35.5 percent of the baserunners attempting to steal against him (60-169).

1997

Was limited to just 34 games at Birmingham (AA) due to a broken right hamate bone...Was on the disabled list April 13-July 13 -- including a brief 5-game injury rehab stint with Sarasota (Rookie)...Batted .300 (30-100) after returning from the injury.

1996

Led Hickory (A) in batting .327 during his first professional campaign...Also appeared in 1 games for Sarasota (Rookie).