Robert McClure Bowen...1999 graduate of Homestead (IN) High School where he played baseball...All-State
selection 1998-99...named USA Today and Gatorade Indiana High School Player of the Year in 1999...named a
third-team All-American in 1999...signed by Bill Milos (Twins)...contributes to the Garth Brooks Teammates
for Kids Foundation, making a difference in the lives of children across the country.
2007
Was acquired by the A's from the Cubs in the Jason Kendall trade in mid-July and ended up batting .279 with two home runs and five RBI in 21
games with Oakland...the A's were his third team in 2007 as he started the
year in San Diego before being dealt to Chicago...hit .268 in 30 games
with the Padres and .065 in 10 games with the Cubs...combined with all
three teams to bat .231 with four home runs and 18 RBI in 61 games...the
switch-hitter batted .250 (12 for 48) against left-handed pitching and .222
(24 for 108) with three of his four home runs against right-handers...now
has a .221 (17 for 77) career average against southpaws and .219 (46 for
210) with six of his eight home runs against right-handers...hit .258 with
all four of his home runs and nine of his 18 RBI in the seventh inning or
later...seven of his eight career home runs have come after the sixth
inning...had a .172 batting average at his home ballparks and .272 on the
road...now has a .192 (24 for 125) career average at his home
ballparks...was 2 for 5 (.400) with nine RBI with the bases loaded and is
now 5 for 11 (.455) with 14 RBI with bases full in his career...saw most of
his action in the bottom two spots in the order as he hit .223 in 31 games
hitting eighth and .317 in 18 games when batting ninth...made 56 of his
appearances at catcher, including 45 starts...was also 0 for 4 with four
strikeouts as a pinch hitter, all of which came in the National League...tossed out just 4 of 38 (10.5%) attempted basestealers, including 1 of 8 (12.5%)
with Oakland...has thrown out 6 of 62 (9.7%) would be basestealers in his
career...was acquired from the Chicago Cubs on July 16 along with minor
league pitcher Jerry Blevins in exchange for Jason Kendall and
cash...served as the backup to Kurt Suzuki and started 14 of the A's 69
games behind the plate following the trade...was 12 for 42 (.286) in his
starting assignments with Oakland...went 2 for 10 (.200) with no RBI and
one walk over his first nine games with the A's through August 6...then
had his first career two-homer game on August 8 at Texas...homered from
both sides of the plate, marking the seventh time the feat has been accomplished
in Athletics history (last: Nick Swisher, July 26, 2007 at
Seattle)...went 10 for 33 (.303) with two home runs, five RBI and nine
walks over his final 12 games starting on August 8...had a career best five-game
hitting streak from August 8 to 29 (7 for 15, .467)...went 0 for 10
with eight strikeouts over his final three games...was on San Diego's Opening
Day Roster and went 4 for 24 (.167) over his first nine games through
April 18...allowed five stolen bases on April 15 at Los Angeles (NL)...then
went 6 for 11 (.545) over his next three games, including his first career
three-hit game on April 20 at Colorado...had a career-high four walks on
April 24 at Arizona, but that was part of an 0 for 17 streak...had his second
career three-hit game on May 26 against Milwaukee and was 5 for 15
(.333) in seven games in May...now has a .353 (12 for 34) career average
in May, his best for any month...had a career-high four RBI on June 2 at
Washington...had his third career three-hit game on June 14 at Tampa
Bay...went 2 for 4 with his second home run of the season on June 17 at
Chicago (NL) in his final game as a Padre...was traded to the Cubs on
June 20 with minor league outfielder Kyler Burke for catcher Michael
Barrett...singled in his first official at bat with the Cubs on June 21 at
Texas but then went 0 for his next 22...went 2 for 31 (.065) in 10 games
total with Chicago before he was traded to Oakland on July 16.
2006
SUMMARY: In his first full season in the Majors, hit .245 (23-for-94) with five doubles, three home runs, 13
RBI and 22 runs scored in 94 games...one of two San Diego switch-hitting catchers, batted .167 (3-for-18)
from the right side and .263 (20-for-76) from the left...knocked all three of his long balls and collected 12
of his 13 RBI left-handed...batted .233 (7-for-30) with a double, home run, five RBI and five runs scored as
a pinch-hitter...went 12-for-37 (.324) with eight home runs in day games...drove in five runs when batting
with the bases loaded, going 3-for-6 with five RBI...smacked his second homer of the season and first as a
pinch-hitter Aug. 4 vs. Washington...walked a career-high three times July 22 at San Francisco...tied his
career high with two RBI July 1 vs. San Francisco (GM 1)...also drove in two runs April 11 at Florida...hit at
a .304 clip (14-for-46) with 11 RBI before the All-Star break...tallied four hits in 11 at bats in April (.364) and
six hits in 14 at bats in May (.429).
RULE OF THUMB: Placed on the disabled list May 12 due
to a left thumb sprain and missed 14 games...played in two
rehabilitation games at Single-A Lake Elsinore (1-for-7; .143)
before he was reinstated on May 28.
WALK OFF: Knocked his first home run with the Padres and
the team's first walk-off home run of 2006 in the 10th inning on
May 6 vs. the Chicago Cubs to lift the Friars to a 2-1 victory.
THE RUNNING MAN: Entered a game on 21 occasions as
a pinch-runner, coming around to score six times.
MASKED MAN: Made just one error in 159 total chances
over 65 games behind the plate...threw out one runner in
nine stolen base attempts (11%) and yielded three passed
balls...San Diego went 5-3 in games he started at catcher...
also made his first career appearance at first base in the ninth
inning, July 2 vs. San Francisco.
2005
Hit safely in 6 of 7 games, going 8-26 (.308), April 7-18 . . . had
season-high 7-game hit-streak, going 8-24 (.333), May 13-22 . . . was 8-23
(.348) in 6 games, June 1-9 . . . hit safely in 5 of 6 games, going 7-19 (.368),
July 18-25 . . . homered in consecutive games, July 18-19 . . . season-high 4
rbi, July 30 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre . . . was 12-27 (.444) in 8 games, August
2-15 . . . season-high 4 hits, August 10 at Ottawa . . . threw out 27 of 65
(42%) runners attempting to steal.
2004
Began season at New Britain . . . recalled April 8 . . . optioned to New Britain, May 10 . . . had 8-game hit-streak, going 9-28 (.321), May 25-June 2 . . . homered in consecutive games, June 7-8 . . . recalled July 20 . . . optioned
July 22 . . . had 6-game hit-streak, going 9-24 (.375), June 30-July 5 . . . recalled
August 5 . . . threw out 1 of 6 (17%) runners attempting to steal to up career totals to 1 of 14 (7%) . . . optioned to New Britain, August 31 . . . hit safely in 5 of 7 games, September 1-6 . . . threw out 22 of 59 (37%) runners attempting to steal at New Britain . . . played for Grand Canyon in the Arizona Fall League.
2003
Began season at New Britain ...hit safely in 8 consecutive
game,going 13-25 (.520),May 18-30 ...hit safely in 8 of 9 games,
going 13-29 (.448), June 5-13 ...promoted to Rochester,June 16 .
..tied season-high 8-game hit-streak,going 10-30 (.333),July 10-26
...homered in consecutive games, July 22-23 ...recalled August
20 ...made major league debut, September 9 vs.Anaheim ...first
major league hit,off of Jamie Walker,September 26 at Detroit ...
threw out 0 of 8 (0 percent)runners attempting to steal on season.
2002
Began season at Single-A Ft. Myers...knocked a season-high four hits, April 14 vs. Clearwater...hit safely in
six of seven games, May 12-21...drove in a season-high five runs June 9 at Brevard...homered in consecutive
games, June 28-29...had 10 RBI in six games, July 11-18...homered in three consecutive games, July 16-18...
season-high six-game hit streak, going 9-for-23 (.391), July 27-Aug. 2...was second on club in home runs
and third in runs and RBI.transferred to Quad Cities, Aug. 29...threw out 29-of-74 (39%) runners attempting
to steal on the season...played for Phoenix in the Arizona Fall League.
2001
Appalachian League Player of the Week, June 4-10...Twins' Minor League Player of the Week, going 8-17 (.471) with 2 hr, July 7-13...played in league All-Star Game...led club in home runs, slugging (.452) and strikeouts and was second in rbi...led league catchers with .993 (6 E, 829 TC) fielding percentage...threw out 37 of 153 (24%) runners attempting to steal...named best defensive catcher in Midwest League by
Baseball America.
2000
Hit grand slam, July 8 vs. Danville...Twins' Minor League Player of the Week after going 13-23 (.565) with two homers and 11 rbi, July 9-15...threw out 14 of 28 (.500) runners attempting to steal...ranked seventh-best prospect in league by
Baseball America.
1999
Hit safely in five of six games, July 27-Aug.
5...had a season-high four-game hit streak, August 14-19.
