Anthony Darrell Womack...graduated from Gretna (VA) High in 1987...his No. 7 jersey was the first retired by the school...played collegiately at Guilford College (NC) in 1989 and 1991...earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from Guilford in 1992...went on to earn master's degree in sports management at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro...was the co-recipient, along with 1B Kevin Young, of the '97 Roberto Clemente Award, which is given annually (since 1973) by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America to a player who demonstrates the values Clemente displayed in commitment to community and understanding the value of helping others.
2006
CIN's Opening Day 2B, but appeared in only 28 games and was designated for assignment by both CIN (April 24) and CHI
(June 30)...acquired by CIN from NYY on Dec. 8, 2005...played in just 9 games with CIN and was released, May 2...signed
a minor-league contract with CHI, May 18...after 5-game stint with Iowa of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, had contract
purchased, May 26...played in 21 games with CHI, including 17 starts at 2B...was released on July 6.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Went 1-for-2 with a double, 2 walks and a run scored on Opening Day, April 3 vs. CHI...
tied career-high with 4 hits on May 28 vs. ATL...hit lone home run June 8 at CHI (solo shot off Bronson Arroyo).
2005
In his first season with the Yankees
appeared in 108g and ranked T7th in the American
League in stolen bases (27)...made 80 starts (38gs in LF,
22gs at 2B, 17gs in CF, 3gs in RF)...twice in a 4-game
span recorded 4 stolen bases (5/11 vs Sea, 5/15 at
Oak), tying his career high (third and fourth times) and
the club single-game record (17th and 18th times, first
since Gerald Williams on 6/2/96 at Oak)...from 5/11-5/
24 stole 13 consecutive bases successfully...produced a
pair of game-ending RBI with a single in the ninth
inning vs Tor on 4/30 and a single in the 11th on 7/31 vs
LAA...on 5/9 vs Sea produced another game-winning
RBI with a single in the eighth inning...his start in LF on 2006 Reds
5/3 at TB was his first in the outfield during the regular season since he played RF on 10/1/99 vs SD while with Ari...his
start in CF on 6/26 vs Mets was his first at that position since 7/18/99 at Sea while with Ari.
2004
Hit .307 (170-for-553) with 5HR, 38RBI and 26SB in 145 games for St. Louis...his .307 batting
average and .349 on-base percentage were both career highs...finished tied for the team lead (with Albert
Pujols) and tied for 10th in the National League in multi-hit games with 52...his 38 infield hits were the most by
a Cardinal since Vince Coleman had 43 in 1989...batted .322 (93-289) in 76 home games...was the Cardinals
leadoff batter in all 125 of his starts and never played anywhere but 2B...was stellar within the division, batting
.348 (104-299) with 50 runs scored vs. teams from the NL
Central...hit safely in 36 of his last 44 games, batting .363 (58-
for-160) and in 19 of his last 20 starts (29-for-85, .341)...compiled
a team season-high 14-game hit streak from 9/5-21, batting
.367 during the stretch (22-for-60)...also had a 13-game
hit streak from 8/15-27, batting .469 (23-for-49)...the Cardinals
were 16-1 when he scored two-or-more runs...batted .346 (36-
for-104) in June (8th in NL) with seven doubles and a .391 onbase
percentage...stole three bases in Cards' season opener on
4/5 vs. Milwaukee and was 1-for-3 with 2BB...had four straight
hits on 4/9 at Arizona...it was the first of three four-hit games
on the season, each equaling his career high (15 times)...started
on 4/30 vs. Chicago and went 2-for-4...was first start since
4/20, a span of nine games...his RBI-single in the 11th inning
on 7/26 at Cincinnati snapped 5-5 tie and accounted for GWRBI...matched season high with four hits on
8/19...stole two bases in Game 1 vs. Pittsburgh on 8/20 to reach 20 on the season for the seventh time in his
career...batted .214 (12-for-56) with 2RBI and 3SB in 15 postseason games.
2003
Began the season with the Diamondbacks, recording a .237 average (52-for-219) in 61 games.
Was traded by the Diamondbacks to the Rockies for RHP Mike Watson on July 18.
Was traded by Rockies to Cubs for RHP Enmanuel Ramirez, August 19.
Finished the season by batting .235 (12-for-51) in 21 games for the Cubs.
2002
Tony enjoyed a consistent offensive season at the plate that featured a big jump in run production over his 2001 campaign, while also returning the bunt hit to his arsenal and displaying patience at the plate ... he scored 90 runs, 24 more than 2001, and tied his career-high with 57 RBI, 27 more than the previous season ... Womack also took advantage of his speed, dropping 15 bunt hits, a dozen more than his total in b01 ... his year began as the classic leadoff catalyst, going 6-for-10 in the opening series against San Diego, opening each contest with a hit ... after a 1-for-22 drought through the first 6 road games, Tony turned things around by hitting at a .350 clip (14-for-40) over his next 10 games featuring 11 runs and 5 doubles ... that stretch was highlighted by his 11th career 4-hit game on April 17 against St. Louis, including a pair of doubles ... Womack opened May in the throes of another drought, 6-for-42, and for the second straight season was moved to the lower part of the batting order, where for the second straight year he flourished ... he hit .378 (17-for-45) over his first 12 games in the bottom-third of the order with 9 runs and 10 RBI ... he remained in the lower part of the order through July 1, then 2 days later was returned to his familiar leadoff spot, where he remained for all but 3 of his remaining starts ... from July 3-28, the Diamondbacks won 9 of 11 home games and Tony had a huge impact in those contests, hitting .395 (17-for-43) ... included was the 6-game homestand sweep of Colorado and San Diego, with Womack hitting .500 (12-for-24) with 7 runs and 6 RBI ... the aforementioned homestand kicked off a season-ending stretch in which Tony batted .308 (73-for-237) in his last 58 games with 37 runs, repeating a second half trend that he began during the title season of 2001, posting a .327 mark after the All-Star break ... his 2002 second half work featured a 12-game hitting streak from August 10-23, hitting .352 (19-for-54) then following a 2-game 0'fer that encompassed 11 at bats, he went on another tear hitting in 11 consecutive starts at a .378 clip (17-for-45) ... from August 10-September 9, Womack hit safely in 24 of 26 starts at a .327 clip (36-for-110) with 15 runs scored and 18 driven in ... among the significant individual moments in that stretch was an eighth inning double off the Cubs' Kerry Wood to snap a 2-2 tie and give Arizona a 3-2 victory on August 23 ... Tony also had a huge game on September 1 at home against San Francisco, as the D'Backs were in danger of being swept by the Giants and trailed by a 5-0 count entering the bottom of the first inning ... Tony opened the home half of the first with his sixth career leadoff home run, then tacked on a 2-run shot in the fourth to pull Arizona to within a run at 6-5, where it remained until he delivered a bunt hit to load the bases in the ninth and set the stage for David Dellucci's game winning double ... it was Tony's first career 2-homer game, both of which came off of Ryan Jensen ... Womack closed out Arizona's 5-1 mid-September homestand with a 13th inning single off of former mate Nelson Figueroa to stake the Diamondbacks to a 6-5 victory ... he recorded milestone hit #1,000 on September 26 against Colorado, reaching on a bunt hit to ignite a 3-run third inning of a 4-2 win over the Rockies ... defensively he was charged with 20 errors at short, but had a 32-game errorless streak from July 16-August 30 ... Tony served as the leadoff man in all 3 NLDS games against the Cards, finishing 2-for-13 ... he was 1-for-5 in the series opener, then picked up a hit and walk in the middle game.
2001
The 2001 season was the ultimate rollercoaster ride for Tony, both on and off the field, but climaxed with some of his best overall offensive production in a Diamondback uniform...in fact his post All-Star break average (.327) and on-base pct.(.370) was tops among starting shortstops in the N.L....he opened the year hitting .407 (11- for-27) through 6 games and was hitting .302 through 14 games, then hit a mini-offensive drought that was nothing compared to his personal life...on April 22 he received a shocking phone call that his father, Thomas C. Womack, had passed away...Tony physically left the club for a week, but emotionally struggled for the majority of the first half...he returned to the lineup on May 3, but combined with the slump that had begun before his father's passing, his season average dropped to .212 due to a 2-for-36 slide...Bob Brenly attempted to take some of the pressure off of Tony by moving him from his familiar leadoff role to the seventh spot in the order and he responded by going 11-for-33 (.333) in a 9-game stretch...his season average rebounded to .248 and he returned to the top of the order on May 18, but hit another slide that dropped his mark to .217 and he was moved to the eighth spot on June 13...Tony experienced another offensive resurgence after that switch, hitting .321 (18-for-56) in a 14-game stretch featuring a couple of key contributions to the club's success...he had an amazing afternoon on June 17 against the Tigers, honoring his dad's memory by going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and a grand slam to lead Arizona to an 8-3 Father's Day victory...5 nights later in Colorado, Womack had 2 hits including a 10th inning tie-breaking double to stake the D'Backs to a 4-3 win...as if things hadn't been difficult enough, Tony suffered a right calf strain while running out a ground ball on July 21 in San Francisco and was forced to the disabled list until August 6...once healthy, he hit at a .323 clip (10-for-31) in his first 8 games back, but ran into another stretch of inconsistency at the plate and was in the starting lineup for only 8 of the next 18 games...Womack returned to the lineup for keeps on September 8 and saved his best production of the year for the stretch drive, hitting safely in 11 straight games from September 8-27 at a .434 clip (23-for-53), featuring 9 multi-hit games in that span...the hitting streak was climaxed with a huge 3-game set at home against the Brewers going 8-for-15 (.533) with 7 runs scored and 6 RBI...he tied a career-high with 4 RBI on September 26 vs.Milwaukee then tied a team record by scoring 4 runs in the series finale the next night...he closed the campaign by hitting safely at a .388 clip (33-for-85) with 12 multi-hit games in his final 19...included was a game-opening home run on October 5 in Milwaukee, the first by a Diamondback since Tony did it on May 14, 2000, and the fifth of his career...2001 POSTSEASON: While his overall post-season average wound up at .246 (17-for-69), Tony will be long remembered around the Valley for a pair of ninth inning hits that enabled the Diamondbacks to achieve World Champion status...he snapped out of a 2-for-12 beginning to the Division Series by going 3-for-5 in game #5 vs. the Cardinals, capped by the series-winning hit under the toughest of circumstances...Womack came to the plate with runners at first and third and one out in the ninth inning of a 1-1 game with southpaw Steve Kline on the hill...a failed squeeze attempt on a pitch out of the strike zone represented the second out while pinch runner Danny Bautista advanced to second base on the play...Tony followed with a single into left-center field driving home Bautista and sending the D'Backs into their first NLCS...he hit .200 (4-for-20) against the Braves in the NLCS, with half of those hits and 3 runs coming in Arizona's 11-4 thrashing of Atlanta in game #4 at Turner Field...Tony's first career World Series experience started slowly but he apparently saved the best for last, finishing the Fall Classic by going 8- for-21 (.381) in the last 4 games...he singled to open game #4 of the Series in Yankee Stadium, snapping a per- sonal 0-for-15, but that only scratched the surface of what was to come...he was the catalyst in Arizona's 15-2 triumph in game #6 against the Yankees, opening the contest with a double to right off of Andy Pettitte and finishing the night with 3 hits including a double, 2 runs and 2 RBI...despite the tremendous sixth game effort, Tony still had one more thrill up his sleeve and he saved it for the ninth inning of the deciding seventh game...with 1-out and runners on first and second, Womack pulled a Mariano Rivera pitch into right field for a run scoring double tying the contest at 2-2 and putting the eventual go ahead run at third base...a hit by pitch later, Luis Gonzalez hit the now famous looper over the drawn-in infield and the Diamondbacks were World Champions.
2000
Led the league in triples with a club record 14, breaking David
Dellucci's previous team standard of 12 in 1998...was bothered
throughout the latter months of the season with a left knee injury
that required surgery on September 26 bringing his year to an
abrupt end...still managed to establish career highs in RBI (57),
home runs (7) and triples...he also finished fourth in the N.L.
with 45 stolen bases, the first time in 4 seasons that he didn't
win the league theft crown.
Season started slowly offensively, hitting just .133 through his
first 10 games (6-for-45)...he returned from his maternal
grandmother's funeral in North Carolina on April 18 and had a
3-hit game against the Rockies, igniting an 8-game hitting
streak.
Opened the month of May with a 3-hit effort in Milwaukee on May
2 which triggered a career-high 24-game hitting streak, the
longest in the N.L. during the 2000 season, matched in July and
August by Houston's Tony Eusebio...Womack batted .360
(40-for-111) during his streak with 23 runs scored.
Hit his fourth career game-opening home run on May 14 in San
Diego.
Finished the first triple play in franchise history on May 31,
taking Damian Miller's throw and tagging out Edgar Renteria of
St. Louis at third base after Mark McGwire's fly ball was caught
by Steve Finley and relayed to Miller, catching Placido Polanco
as he tried to score.
Had a 10-game hitting streak in mid-June, his second of 4
streaks of at least 10 games during the 2000 season...had
another 10-game streak from July 2-14, then had a 12-gamer
from August 3-15.
Recorded his 10th career 4-hit game on June 21 against the
Padres, highlighted by a pair of triples, tying his own club
record...Womack is the only Diamondback to triple twice in a
game.
Established a franchise record with 4 stolen bases vs. the
Braves on August 3, tying a personal best established while
with Pittsburgh in Cincinnati on September 6, 1997.
Matched personal high for any month by stealing 17 bases in
August...was caught stealing only once during the month and
had 15 consecutive successful steals...finished the year by
making good on 25 of his last 27 theft attempts.
Most dramatic of his 7 home runs was the first walk-off homer
of his career staking Randy Johnson to a 3-2 win over the
Cardinals on July 20, hitting a game-ending 2-run shot off of
Dave Veres.
1998
Tony's second full season with the Pirates, he led the National
League in stolen bases for the second straight year, pilfering 58
bases, the second in the majors to Rickey Henderson (66), the
first Pirate since Omar Moreno (1978-79) to lead the league in
thefts in consecutive seasons...he was the second toughest to
double-up in the N.L., hitting into just 4 double plays, a 1 in
every 164 at bat ratio (Andy Fox led the league with just 2 GDP's
in 502 AB's)...Tony established a major league record by going
918 at bats without grounding into a double play (May 27, 1997
to August 5, 1998), spanning 220 games and 980 plate
appearances...Tony led the Pirates with 56 multi-hit games,
10th best in the N.L....he had 32 infield hits, including 11 bunt
hits...he was Pittsburgh's opening day second baseman for the
second straight year, but closed the year with 5 starts in
centerfield...his first homer of the year on June 1 vs. the Mets
was also his third career leadoff blast...he tied a career-high
with 4 hits on July 5 at Wrigley Field...Tony had a career-best
16-game hitting streak from July 3-22, the longest streak by a
Buc in '98, hitting a sizzling .507 (34-for-67), raising his season
average from .241 to .284...he had the second inside-the-park
homer of his career on July 13 vs. the Cubs, the 500th in
franchise history...he swiped 20 consecutive bases from July
5-August 16, the second best streak of his career...he was
50-for-56 (89%) when attempting to steal second base and
8-for-10 when trying to take third.
1997
His first full season in the majors, Tony led the National League
in stolen bases (60), the 3rd best mark among big leaguers in
'97...he ranked 8th in the N.L. in hits (178) and 3rd in at bats
(641)...he was the 6th toughest to double-up, grounding into 6
DP's, a 1 in 106.8 AB ratio...all 6 GDP's came before May 28...he
led the Pirates with 51 multi-hit games, 8th best in the league,
and had a team-high 28 infield hits, including 9 bunt hits...his
60 thefts were the most by a Pirate since Omar Moreno swiped
60 in 1982 (Moreno was also the last Pirate to lead the N.L. in
steals with 77 in 1979)...Tony stole a club record 32 in a row
between April 6 and July 4, breaking Max Carey's mark of 31 in
1922...he was named to the National League All-Star squad,
just the 5th Pittsburgh 2nd baseman to be named to the team,
joining Carlos Garcia (1994), Phil Garner (1980-81), Bill
Mazeroski (1958-59, 1962-64 & 1967) and Frank Gustine
(1946)...hit his first major league homer on April 16 at San
Diego off of Dario Veras...had a team-high 13-game hitting
streak from April 30-May 14, hitting .436 (24-for-55)...collected
first career inside-the-park homer on May 26 vs. the Cubs...Tony
hit his first career leadoff homer on July 27 at San Francisco,
hitting Mark Gardner's first pitch of the first game of a
doubleheader...he then set a career-high with 4 hits in the 2nd
game of the twinbill...added another 4-hit effort on August 3 vs.
the Rockies, including a 2-run homer...he hit his 2nd
game-opening homer on August 19 off of San Diego's Pete
Smith in Three Rivers...he went 4-for-4 with a club record tying 4
stolen bases on Sept. 6 at Cincinnati (Moreno was also the last
Pirate to swipe 4 in a game on June 2, 1980)...he closed the
year with 13 consecutive thefts...he was 44-for-49 (90%) when
attempting to steal 2nd base, and 16-of-18 (89%) when swiping
3rd...Tony swiped 2nd and 3rd in the same inning 6 times...he
had off-season surgery to repair soft tissue injury in his left
knee.
1996
He spent the full-season with Calgary (AAA), earning the fans'
vote as the Cannons' Most Popular Player...he ranked 2nd in the
PCL in stolen bases (37), while his 11 triples were the 2nd
most in team history...he hit safely in 23 of the 25 games in
April...went 5-for-5 on July 21 vs. Tacoma, tying the club mark for
triples in a game with 2...he played 79 games at shortstop, 40
at 2nd base and 16 in centerfield...Tony led the PCL in sacrifice
hits with 14...his contract was purchased by Pittsburgh on Sept.
4, and he made his first major league start in centerfield on
Sept. 8 in Los Angeles...he was just 1-for-10 in first 8 games as
a Pirate, then had 2 hits with 3 RBI on Sept. 15 at San Francisco
in the 2nd game of a doubleheader...he made 3 starts in center
and 2 at 2nd with the Pirates, while also playing rightfield on
Sept. 27 at Chicago.
1995
Opened the year on the Calgary roster, but was optioned to
Carolina (AA) on June 3...despite abbreviated season with
Carolina, he led the club with 31 stolen bases...he stole home
on August 7 at Port City...Tony homered on July 25 at
Jacksonville, his first pro homer since May 24, 1993.
1994
Began the year with Buffalo (AAA)...he swiped 3 bases on April
17, the first Bison to steal 3 in a game since John Cangelosi on
Sept. 4, 1990...he duplicated the 3-theft feat on May 2 at
Louisville...he was recalled by the Pirates on May 31, appearing
in 2 games for the Bucs, going 1-for-6...was optioned back to
Buffalo on June 8...he had 3 RBI on July 7 vs. New Orleans, his
only multi-RBI game of the year...was recalled again on July 20,
going 3-for-6 in 3 games for the Pirates...included was a 2-hit
game on July 21 at Houston...he was optioned once again on
August 2, finishing the year with Buffalo...he led the club and
ranked 2nd in the American Association in stolen bases with
41...set a Buffalo franchise record for most at bats in a year
without a home run (421), breaking Felix Fermin's mark in 1988
(352 at bats)...led the Bisons with 30 infield hits, including 14
bunt singles...he also led the league in sacrifice hits with 12.
1993
Split the year between Salem (A) and Carolina, combining the 2
stops for a .301 mark with 41 RBI and 49 stolen bases in 132
games...was 2-for-19 in first 5 games with Carolina, then hit
.320 (73-for-228) over his final 55 games with the Mudcats...his
contract was purchased by the Bucs on Sept. 8 and he debuted
2 nights later as a pinch runner vs. Colorado...Tony made 5
starts at short for the Pirates and collected his first major
league hit on Sept. 21 off the Mets' Dave Telgheder...picked up
his first 2 major league stolen bases on Sept. 29 vs. Philly.
1992
Spent the entire year with Augusta (A), swiping 50 bases in 75
tries, ranking 4th in the league in thefts.
1991
His first professional season, Tony signed as a 7th round pick
by the Pirates and spent the year with Welland (Rookie)...he tied
for 4th in the league with 26 stolen bases (32 attempts).
