26-year-old switch-hitting outfielder has shown tremendous potential at minor league level, compiling .287 career avg. with 117 2Bs, 84 HRs, 296 RBI and .488 slugging pct. over 542 games...hammered 30 HRs at triple-A Fresno during 2005 campaign in which he led all of minor league baseball with .682 slugging pct....was originally SF's Sandwich selection (41st player overall) in 2001 First-Year Player Draft, but did not begin career until 2002...joins Brad Hennessey (21st overall) and Noah Lowry (30th overall) as Giants' 1st round picks in 2001 draft class...was named organization's Player of Year by USA Today during 1st professional season in 2002...has reached big leagues in 4 of his 6 professional seasons, including 121 games over last 2 years.
Graduated from Central Kitsap (Silverdale, WA) High School...lettered 4 years in baseball, 2 in football and 1 in basketball...earned All-State baseball honors in 1998...attended University of Washington and Louisiana State University...transferred to LSU prior to 2001 season...earned 2nd team All-SEC honors in 2001, hitting .312 with 65 runs, 14 2Bs, 3B, 20 HRs and 76 RBI in 66 games for Tigers...was tabbed top prospect in 2000 Cape Cod League by Baseball America after hitting .322 with 4 HRs and 25 RBI for Chatham...was also named to Baseball America's All-Summer Team in 2000...single.
A Giant in the Community:
Participated in Oracle Summer Reading Program, visiting Millbrae Library and reading stories to children...visited with patients at Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento...helped coach Special Olympic athletes in baseball skills clinic...attends KNBR/Giants Winter FanFest...served as waiter at Giants Community Fund Guardsman Crabfreed, which benefited childrens charities...has participated in "Picnic in the Park", event held on field at AT&T Park following game for season ticket holders...participated in Olympian Night at AT&T Park with 2004 US Olympians.
2007
Batted .245 with home run and 11 RBI in 115 games between Marlins and Giants ... established career highs with 115 games, 184 at bats, 21 runs, 45 hits, 19 walks, four stolen bases ... went 12x53 with home run and two RBI as pinch hitter ... hit only home run of season
July 7 at Los Angeles-NL off D.J. Houlton, his first career pinch-hit home run ... Hit .271 with home run and eight RBI in 85 games during two stints with Marlins, after he was claimed off waivers from Giants on May
18 ... matched career high with three hits August 7 at Philadelphia, the third three-hit game of career... hit walkoff single scoring
Reggie Abercrombie in 12th inning on September 12 vs. Washington ... spent time with Albuquerque (AAA), as he was outrighted
June 8 and selected by Marlins June 26 ... appeared in 14 games with Albuquerque, batting .375 with home run and 10 RBI ... Began season with Giants and batted .182 with three RBI in 30 games, before he was designated for assignment on May 10.
2006
Overcame tough start and concluded year with his best ML effort of career...struggled in Spring Training and was sent to triple-A Fresno to open season, then was on Disabled List April 12-May 21 with ligament injury on left thumb...hit .278 with 12 2Bs, 5 HRs and 23 RBI in 52 games with Grizzlies, and was recalled by SF prior to July 14, 2nd-half opener...career .207 big league hitter entering campaign, batted .273 (21-for-77) in 61 contests with Giants...made most strides batting left-handed, hitting .302 (16-for-53)...by contrast, had hit just .202 (39-for- 193) off right-handed pitching from 2003-05...hit safely in 7 of his 11 starts with SF (7 in LF, 4 in RF)...played 40 games in LF and 12 in RF, handling 41-errorless chances...continued his strong play in Puerto Rico Winter League, while playing for Mayaguez...hit .341 with 16 runs, 5 2Bs, 4 HRs, 7 RBI and 4 SBs in 25 games, while logging .541 slugging mark and .456 on-base pct.
2005
Parlayed exceptional season with triple-A Fresno into extended duty in SF, but endured times of growth and struggle in big leagues...led all of minor league baseball with .682 slugging pct., while tying for 2nd in Pacific Coast League with 30 HRs and ranking 5th with .437 on-base mark...in 95 games overall with Grizzlies, batted career-high .321 with 25 2Bs and 80 RBI...despite logging 3-week stint with SF June 14-July 4, was still leading PCL in both HRs and RBI at time of 2nd recall Aug. 12...was named to circuit's post season All-Star squad, while earning SF Organizational Player of Month honors for Fresno in both May and July...batted .216 with 4 HRs and 13 RBI in 60 games overall with Giants, but was 27-for-113 (.239) during 2nd ML stay...hit at .300 clip (9-for-30) with 2 2Bs and HR while batting right-handed...however, was just 28-for-141 (.199) from left side...compiled career-best 6-game hitting streak Aug. 14-19, going 12-for-25 (.480) with 4 multiple-hit games...however, ended campaign in 8-for-59 (.136) tailspin over his last 26 contests...did deliver game-winning hit Sept. 16 vs. LA, driving in winning run with 1-out, 9th-inning single off Duaner Sanchez that snapped 4-4 tie...also played a very good defensive outfield, logging 18 games in left and 40 games in right...while in LF, made game-ending defensive play Sept. 20 at Washington, making diving grab to leave 2 runners on in 4-3 SF triumph.
2004
Had best power campaign of posted career highs in games (130), runs (93), 2Bs (28), HRs (23) and RBI (75) at triple-A Fresno...ranked 9th in Pacific Coast League in runs and, among organizational leaders in HRs (2nd) and RBI (4th)...promoted to SF June 3-13 and saw action in 10 contests, while starting in 5 (all in LF)...helped lead SF to 7-3 victory at Tampa Bay June 8 with 2-for-4 night, including pair of runs scored...recalled from triple-A Fresno Sept. 7, marking 2nd time up with club...appeared in 6 contests (1 start), going 1-for-9...overall with big league club, batted .156 (5-for-32) with 6 runs, 2B, RBI and 5 walks over 16 games...spent winter playing for Magallenes of Venezuelan Winter League.
2003
Completed meteoric rise up Giants' organizational ranks when he had contract purchased from triple-A Fresno Aug. 17...eventually became 1 of 9 SF players to make ML debut during campaign and showed flashes of offensive potential, going 8-for-38 (.211) with 2B, HR and 6 RBI in 18 games...was originally summoned to big club when J.T. Snow was disabled, and made ML debut Aug. 18 in Montreal...started in LF vs. Expos, going 0-for-4...was sent back to Fresno next day when Giants acquired Eric Young, however was immediately recalled Aug. 20 when Jesse Foppert landed on Disabled list...collected 1st big league hit Aug. 23 vs. Florida, lifting 2B to left field (off Josh Beckett)...produced 1st ML RBI Aug. 24 vs. Marlins, delivering run-scoring pinch-1B...slugged his 1st career homer Sept. 21 in LA, 3-run shot in 2nd inning (off Kazuhisa Ishii) which landed in loge level down left field line at Chavez Ravine...became just 12th player in Dodger Stadium history to reach loge level, 8th opponent...played in Arizona Fall League following campaign, hitting .316 (31-for-98) with 7 2Bs, 3B, 4 HRs and 15 RBI in 25 games for Grand Canyon Rafters.
2002
Kicked off professional career with bang, combining to hit .301 with 82 runs, 28 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 15 HRs and 62 RBI in 140 games between Shreveport and Fresno...Texas League All-Star ranked 4th among Giants farmhands in avg. and tied for 3rd in HRs...spent majority of campaign with Shreveport, hitting .314 with 64 runs, 26 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 12 HRs and 52 RBI in 111 games...tied for 4th in TL for avg., while finishing 2nd with .419 on-base pct...was selected to play in Double-A All-Star Game...led Swamp Dragons in avg., runs scored, HRs and finished 2nd in RBI...earned Shreveport's Player of Month honors for May, hitting .402 with 16 runs, 7 2Bs, 3B, HR and 15 RBI in 29 games...was also named HOWE SportsData's Texas League Player of Week twice (June 6-23 and July 8-14)...earned promotion to Fresno Aug. 4...appeared in 29 games for Grizzlies, hitting .250 with 3 HRs and 10 RBI...played for Grand Canyon in Arizona Fall League following season...hit .269 (32-for-119) with 19 runs, 4 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 3 HRs and 13 RBI in 36 games.
2001
Was SF's supplemental 1st round pick (41st overall) in draft...however, did not sign until late in summer...reported to Instructional League in Arizona.
