Ben Broussard #23

Full name Benjamin Isaac Broussard...Married, wife's name is Brenda (12/19/97)...Has one daughter, Mia (6/17/05)...Resides in Beaumont, TX...Was a nursing major at McNeese State (LA) University, where he set single-season and career school records for runs, hits, home runs and RBI...In his senior season ranked second in the nation with 91RBI...In 1999 was a College Baseball Insider All-America selection...Also in 1999 was a finalist for the Dick Howser Award, given to the nation's top collegiate baseball player by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association... Was selected by the Reds in the second round of the June 1999 first-year player draft (65th pick overall in draft)...He and Brenda are active in the community, participating in the First Energy Grand Slam Summer Literacy Program, the Major League Lunch & Feed the Need Programs, the RBI Larry Doby Program, Giant Eagle Baseball Camps and a free baseball clinic with Cleveland State University for kids from the RBI Program and Cleveland Baseball Federation...Put out a solo music album in 2005 and is an avid guitarist and song writer... Graduated from Hardin-Jefferson High School in Sour Lake, TX in 1995.

2006

Broussard joined the Mariners on July 26, coming over after a trade with Cleveland. Broussard hit his career-best 20th home run of the season on Sept. 10. Had four hits for the third time of the season in that game. The other two times came when he was with the Indians. Broussard hit a home run in his first game with the Mariners.

2005

Patrolled first base for most of the season as he was again Eric Wedge's first baseman against RHP...Had an inconsistent offensive season, but came on over the last 6 weeks of the season to post a career-high 19 homers in 142 games...On the year he made 112 starts at first base and 2 starts at the DH spot...Had a pair of two homer games on June 25 vs. Cincinnati and on August 13 vs. Oakland (game-winner in the 8th inning), bringing his career 2HR game total to four...His 5RBI on August 13 equaled a career-high (4th time) as he drove in all 5 Cleveland runs that evening...Hit a game-ending "walk-off" home run on August 19 vs. Baltimore off Steve Kline in the 10th inning (entered the game in the 9th inning)...From August 19 thru the end of the season he hit .258 (31-120) w/10 2B, 8HR & 26 RBI in 39 games...Hit a career-high 3 doubles and drove in 4 runs on Sept. 24 vs. Kansas City...At first base he compiled a fielding % of .992 (1151TC, 9E) in 138 games at first base, the 7th best mark among league first basemen...Had the only 2 error game of his career on Sept. 13 vs. Oakland...Was the 4th hardest batter in the American League to double up (1GIDP per 116.5 AB) and was 4 for 14 (.286) as a pinch-hitter.

2004

Had a solid offensive season after getting off to a slow start to begin the campaign...Finished 4th on the team with a career-high 80RBI in just 415 at bats...Led all American League hitters in RBI among those with 425 at bats or less...Only Barry Bonds (101, 373) and Jason Bay (82, 411) had more in the Major Leagues. Also became just the 4th player in major league baseball history and the first since Darryl Strawberry in 1998 to hit 2 pinch-hit grand slams in the same season...Hit PH grand slam #1 on June 23 at Chicago-AL (off Jackson) and PH grand slam #2 on August 12th vs. Toronto (off Chulk)...On the year he hit 3 grand slams (other coming on 8/9 CWS off Diaz), which equaled the AL lead with Hank Blalock & Ruben Sierra...The PH grand slam on June 23 at Chicago was the first by an Indians player since Casey Parsons on August 6, 1987 vs. Toronto and was the first PH homer for Cleveland since Lofton on 6/19/01 vs. Minnesota...The bat he hit the 2nd PH HR with was requested and sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame...On the year he hit .636 (7-11) with the bases loaded with 3HR & 23RBI. Sprained his left ankle on opening night after going 4 for 4 (2nd career four hit game) covering a bunt play on April 5 at Minnesota and missed 6 games... Went on to hit .304 (14-46) in April w/1HR & 8RBI in 16 games before struggling in May (.200, 15-75, 22G), enduring an 0 for 27 stretch from May 18-30...Rebounded after that, as he hit .290 (87-300) with 16 HR & 64 RBI in 112 games from May 31 thru the end of the season...Hit .297 (19-64) w/3HR & 20 RBI in 24 June games and .326 (28-86) with 6HR & 18 RB in August...Hit .253 (23-91) in Sept./Oct, but finished strong by hitting .351 (20-57) w/4HR & 16 RBI over his last 16 games. Had two 5RBI games to equal a career-high (5/25 vs. Colorado, Sept. 21 at Detroit)...Went 4 for 4 w/an RBI and game-winning HR on July 23 vs. Kansas City...Went 4 for 14 as a pinch hitter w/2HR &10RBI, which was 2nd behind Ruben Sierra (11) among AL pinch hitters...Slugging % in the 2nd half was .595 compared to .380 in the first half after hitting .300 (63-210) with 13 2B, 13 HR & 43 RBI after the break...The .595 2nd half slugging % was 7th in the AL in the 2nd half among players w/at least 200AB. Appeared in 133 games at first base, making 107 starts...Finished 8th among AL first basemen in fielding % at .994 (1074TC, 6E)...Made 56 starts in the #7 hole in the order and hit in the #3 spot 5 times over the final week of the season, where he hit .391 (9-23)...Hit .292 (47-161) with 6HR & 32 RBI from the 7th inning on...His .451 (32-71) average on the first pitch was the 6th best mark among American League hitters.

2003

Spent most of the season in the major leagues with Cleveland and teamed with Travis Hafner in the second half to solidify the first base position...Began the season on the 15-day DL after straining his right oblique muscle on 3/14...After a short rehab assignment in AAA Buffalo, Ben was activated from the DL and optioned to AAA Buffalo on 4/8...Was recalled from AAA Buffalo on 5/13 and made his 2003 debut vs. Seattle...Hit his first HR of 2003 on 5/14 vs. Seattle (Garcia)...Had a career night on 7/11 vs. Chicago-AL, collecting career-highs in runs (3), hits (4), HR (2) & RBI (5)...Also had a two-homer game on 9/1 at Detroit...Hit in a career-high 10 straight games from 9/1-11, but hit .106 (5-47) from 9/12 thru the end of the season (2HR, 7RBI, 13G)...Ben finished 8th among AL rookies in RS (53), 10th in OBP (.312), 6th in slugging % (.443) & tied for 7th in HR (16) along with New York's Hideki Matsui... Was 7th among AL batters in % of first pitch put in play (44.2%)...Hit .288 (40-139) with no outs (8HR, 14RBI) and .296 (29-98) when leading off an inning.

2002

Was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds on 6/7 and split the remainder of the 2002 season between AAA Buffalo and the big leagues with Cleveland...Began the 2002 season at AAA Louisville, hitting .295 (26-88) in April with 4HR & 18 RBI in 24 games... Was named the Cincinnati organization's best hitter for average and sixth-best prospect by Baseball America entering the 2002 season...Hit a pair of homers on 5/13 vs. Syracuse (3-5, 3RS, 3RBI) and homered in 4 of 6 games (5HR) from 5/10-16...After being acquired he was assigned to AAA Buffalo where he appeared in 14 games (12-49, .245) before being recalled to Cleveland on 6/22 when Todd Dunwoody (ankle/foot sprain) was placed on the DL...Made his major league debut that night in a pinch-hitting appearance at Montreal and made his first start in LF on 6/23 at Montreal, notching his first hit in the 2nd inning off Tony Armas, Jr...Hit his first home run on 6/26 at Boston off Pedro Martinez (also first career RBI)...Collected season/career-high 3 hits on 7/19 at KC and did not post a multiple RBI game...He appeared in 31 games with Cleveland from 6/22 to 8/1 (31G, .234, 22-94, 3HR, 7RBI) before being optioned back to AAA Buffalo on 8/1...Was recalled for 2nd time after the conclusion of the AAA playoffs (.333, 7-21, 3 2B, 3RBI) and appeared in 8 games in September, going 5 for 18 (.278) w/a HR & 2 RBI...On the year with Cleveland he made 29 starts in left field (32G) and 3 starts at first base (4G).

2001

Split season between Class A Mudville and Class AA Chattanooga, combined to hit .303 with 28 HR and 90 RBI...At Chattanooga hit .320 (23 HR, 69 RBI, 10 SB) to win the Southern League batting championship...Also led the SL in slugging percentage (.592), ranked second in on-base percentage (.428) and ranked fifth in home runs (23) and was a TOPPS Class AA All-Star...Among all Reds minor leaguers ranked T-2nd in HR, fourth in RBI and fifth in hitting...Was named Southern League Batter of the Week 3 times and on the year appeared in 123 games at first and 3 in the OF...Was a member of Team USA that won a silver medal in the 2001 Baseball World Cup in Taiwan along with Josh Bard and Jason Stanford...Also played for Pollos in the Dominican Winter League...On 11/6 was added to the Reds' 40-man roster.

2000

Selected to the Southern League All-Star Game but was sidelined with a broken right wrist...Was named Southern League Player of the Week for 4/14-4/20...Ranked T-4th in the Southern League with 72 walks...On 5/ 9 vs. Birmingham suffered a broken right wrist while sliding for a ball...Prior to the injury ranked second in the Southern League in hitting (.353)...Returned to the Lookouts on 6/29 and the rest of the season hit .214...In the 2-1 victory on 6/29 at Orlando scored the winning run by stealing home...Appeared in 70 games in the OF and 15 at first base...Appeared in 17 games for Grand Canyon in the Arizona Fall League (.193, 0 HR, 7 RBI).

1999

Was a Pioneer League All-Star, winning the league batting crown with a .407 average...Was named Pioneer League Player of the Week for 7/12-7/18 and in his first professional season made the jump from Rookie League to Class AA...At Billings, Clinton and Chattanooga combined to hit .332 with 24 HR and 75 RBI...Among Reds minor leaguers ranked second in hitting and T-3rd in home runs...Began his professional career by reaching base safely in each of his first 44 games...Began the year at Billings, where he hit .407 (14 HR, 48 RBI) in 38 G...In a 16-8 win on 7/12 at Great Falls went 5-for-5 with 3 homers, including a grand slam, and 11 RBI...In that game had a sixth plate appearance but was walked intentionally with the bases loaded...Established new Pioneer League records with 11 RBI and 16 total bases...From 7/1-7/18 had a 16-game hitting streak (.557, 8 HR, 29 RBI)...When promoted to Clinton was leading the Pioneer League in home runs (finished 3rd), on-base percentage (.527), slugging percentage (.800), hits and extra-base hits (27) and was second in batting and RBI...Was named to the Baseball America Short-Season All-Star Team...Appeared in only 5 games at Clinton (11-20, .550, 2 HR, 6 RBI) before he was promoted to Chattanooga on 7/31...For the Lookouts recorded 8 HR and 21 RBI in just 35 games...Following the season almost won the California Fall League's Triple Crown by hitting .387 with 9 HR and 34 RBI for San Bernardino...Led the CFL in homers and RBI and finished second in hitting...Also led the CFL with 21 extra-base hits, ranked second with a .757 slugging percentage and .497 on-base percentage and ranked third with 43 hits and 34 runs scored...Combined on the year he appeared in 53 games in the OF and 24 at first base...Was selected by the Reds in the second round of the June 1999 first-year player draft (65th pick overall in draft).