Gabriel Stefan Kapler...resides in Tarzana, CA with his wife, Lisa and sons, Chase and Dane...attended the 2011 Dodgers Community Caravan, which
included a stop at his alma mater, Taft High School in the San Fernando Valley...attended Cal State-Fullerton and Moorpark Community College...
along with his wife, established the Gabe Kapler Foundation in 2004 in an effort to end the cycle of domestic violence...is a nutrition connoisseur and
has appeared on the cover of several fitness magazines, including Natural Development and Men's Workout...plays the drums and is learning to play
the bass guitar...in 2009, visited sick children at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa and also spoke to high school student for a program called "Action
Team Training," which teaches teenagers how to get involved in their communities...signed by Tigers' scout Dennis Lieberthal.
2010
Played in 59 games for the Rays, including 37 starts - 36 of which came against left-handed starters...had two stints on the disabled list,
first in June (hip) and then for the final month and a half of the season (ankle)...Hit .270 (17-for-63) over his first 27 games (through May 23)...after that, hit .148 (9-for-61) over his final 32 games...Missed 15 games on the DL from June 12-30 with a right hip flexor strain...on Aug. 16 was placed on the DL (retroactive to Aug. 15) with a
right ankle sprain and spent the remainder of the season there, missing the final 46 games...On May 9 at Oakland made the final out of Dallas Braden's perfect game, a groundout to shortstop...he became the first player in Major
League history to bat in the 9th inning with his team facing a perfect game, twice...on July 23, 2009 at Chicago (AL) facing Mark Buehrle,
was robbed by center fielder Dewayne Wise of a leadoff homer in the 9th...On July 6 vs. Boston, faced Felix Doubront, who he managed in 2007 with Class-A Greenville (Red Sox) during his brief retirement...Kapler
went 0-for-1 with two walks off him in three plate appearances...Hit two home runs: April 23 vs. Toronto, a two-run shot off Brett Cecil; and July 18 at New York (AL), a solo blast off Boone Logan...Started one game in the three-hole on May 16 vs. Seattle against Cliff Lee...drove in the go-ahead run on a sac fly off Lee in the eighth inning
in the 2-1 win...was his first start there since Sep 3, 2008 vs. New York (NL) while with Milwaukee...Made his eighth Opening Day roster, second with the Rays (also 2009)
2009
Started 67 games, all in the outfield: 53-RF,
7-LF and 6-CF.
...Batted .276 (49-145) vs. lefthanders with all
8 of his HR and a .552 SLG...also had 23 of
his 24 extra-base hits and 30 of his 32 RBI off
LHP...had more walks (26) than strikeouts (23)
against lefties...was 9-for-60 (.150) vs. RHP.
...Over 2008-09 has a .304 (69-227) average vs.
lefties and a .577 slugging mark, 9th best in
the majors over that span (min. 250 PA)...his
OPS vs. lefties during those 2 seasons is .956,
13th best in the majors.
...Was one of 5 AL players with 2 or more pinchhit
home runs...he hit two of the Rays clubrecord
seven: a game-winner in the 8th inning
on June 12 off WAS Ron Villone and Aug 28 at
DET off Bobby Seay.
...Delivered his first RBI of the season May 12 at
BAL in his 50th plate appearance.
...Didn't homer in his first 34 games, then homered
in 4 consecutive games, June 8-16,
becoming the 3rd Ray to do so (also Jose
Canseco in 1999 and Julio Lugo in 2003).
...In 23 plate apps between June 8-28, went 12-
for-19 with 4 HR, 14 RBI, 5 2B, 1 3B and 4 BB.
...Five of his 8 home runs tied the score or put
the Rays ahead.
...Led all major leaguers with a .500 (11-for-22)
avg., .586 OBP and 1.227 SLG in interleague
play...had 3 HR and 12 RBI.
...Was robbed of a HR by CWS Dewayne Wise
leading off the 9th inning of Mark Buehrle's
perfect game at U.S. Cellular Field on July 23.
...Made his 7th Opening Day roster (6th different
team)...it marked his 11th ML season.
2008
Came out of retirement and signed with the
Milwaukee Brewers after one season managing
in the Boston Red Sox organization...
appeared in 96 games with the Brewers, 43
starts (25-CF, 12-LF, 6-RF).
Hit .294 (20-68) with runners in scoring position...
was the Brewers' top pinch-hitter, batting
.323 (10-31) with a pair of homers (April 5
vs. San Francisco, June 12 at Houston)...were
the first pinch-hit home runs of his career.
Produced a pair of extra-inning walk-off hits...
the first was an RBI single in the 12th inning
on April 22 at St. Louis, and the second was
a solo homer in the 13th inning on Aug 10 vs.
Washington, the first walk-off homer of his
career.
Tied his career high with four hits June 4 at Arizona...
broke up a Chris Young perfect game
with a two-out home run in the 8th inning on
Sep 7 vs. San Diego.
Did not play after suffering a torn latissimus
dorsi muscle in his right shoulder on a throw to
the plate, Sep 10 vs. Cincinnati.
2007
Briefly retired in 2007 and managed
Boston's Single-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League, Greenville, to a 58-81 record and a seventh place finish
2006
Kapler came back from a ruptured left Achilles tendon and played 72 games... He started quickly, getting six hits in his first 17 at-bats... Kapler hit better on the road (.273) than at home (.234).
2005
SUMMARY: After beginning the season with Japan's Yomiuri Giants, Kapler re-signed with
the Red Sox July 15 and joined the club following a D.L. stint and rehab assignment on
July 30...appeared in 36 games for Boston before his season ended when he ruptured his
left Achilles' tendon September 14 in Toronto...finished with a .247 average, a home run
and 9 RBI.
INJURY REPORT: Did not play again after rupturing his left Achilles' tendon September 14 at Toronto...was on first base in the top of the 5th inning, when Tony Graffanino hit a line drive homer to left field...running hard around the bases, Kapler tripped after passing
second base...underwent surgery September 20...the procedure was performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum.
PLAYING THE FIELD: Made 36 appearances (25 starts) in the outfield and did not commit an error...played 22 games (16 starts) in right field, 12 games (9 starts) in center
and 8 games in left.
MORE 2005 HIGHLIGHTS: Upon signing with the Red Sox, was placed on the 15-day D.L.
with a lower back strain...following rehab stints with short-season Single-A Lowell and
Triple-A Pawtucket, joined the Sox July 30 and went 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored in a 6-2
win over the Twins that night at Fenway Park...batted .381 (8-for-21) with a homer and an
RBI in his first 8 games, then hit .211 (16-for-76) with 7 RBI in his remaining 28
games...in consecutive games August 6-7 at Minnesota, went 5-for-8 with a double, a
home run, an RBI and 2 runs scored...his lone homer of the season was an 8th-inning solo
shot off Terry Mulholland of the Twins August 7 at the Metrodome...was 2-for-3 with a
double, 2 RBI and 2 runs August 10 vs. Texas.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Batted .314 (11-for-35) with a homer and 5 RBI vs. lefthanders and .210 (13-for-62) with 4 RBI vs. righthanders...hit .333 (11-for-33) with 2 doubles, a homer and 3 RBI as a center fielder...recorded a .321 average (17-for-53) and a home run with the bases empty and .348 (8-for-21) with a homer and an RBI when leading off an inning...was 2-for-5 with 4 RBI when batting with the bases loaded...was 7-for-19
(.368) with a homer and 2 RBI in 6 games on artificial turf...had 5 hits in 11 at-bats (.455)
with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI when hitting the first pitch...went 7-for-16 (.438) with a
double, a homer, an RBI and 4 runs scored in 5 games against the Twins...was 1-for-4
(.250) as a pinch hitter...78 of his 97 at-bats came batting 9th.
IN JAPAN: Batted .153 (17-for-111) with 3 homers and 6 RBI in 38 games with the Yomiuri Giants to start the season...signed with the Red Sox after being released from his Giants contract.
2004
SUMMARY: In his first full season with the Red Sox, appeared in 136 games, batting .272
with 6 homers and 33 RBI...hit .295 (57-for-193) in his final 94 games beginning June 1 after hitting .227 through the end of May...made a team-high 59 starts in right field, started 9 games in center and 6 in left...led the team with 6 outfield assists.
KEY TO VICTORY: The Red Sox went 92-44 (.676) in games in which Kapler appeared in 2004, 6-20 (.231) when he did not play.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Hit .317 (40-for-126) with 4 homers off lefthanders and .238 (39-for-164) with 2 long balls off righthanders...recorded a .311 (14-for-45) average with runners in scoring position and 2 outs...was 4-for-11 (.364) with 8 RBI with the bases loaded...was 2-for-6 with an RBI as a pinch hitter...hit .370 (10-for-27) in
interleague play.
IN THE POSTSEASON: Started in right field in Game One of the ALDS at Anaheim, going 1-for-5 with a run scored...went on to appear 7 times as a pinch runner, pinch hitter or defensive replacement in 7 more games, including all 4 games of the World Series vs. the Cardinals...came in to play right field in the 8th inning of the title-clinching Game 4, and recorded the first out of the 9th, a fly ball off the bat of Scott Rolen.
MORE 2004 HIGHLIGHTS: Started in right field and went 3-for-5 in the season opener
April 4 at Baltimore...began the season with a 7-game hitting streak, batting .296 (8-for-27) with 3 RBI...his 2-out RBI single in the bottom of the 8th inning off New York's Tom
Gordon broke a 4-4 tie and gave Boston a 5-4 win on April 19...went 3-for-4 with a solo
homer and a pair of infield singles May 11 vs. Cleveland, his first homer since September
26, 2003 at Tampa Bay and his first at Fenway since June 29, 2003 vs. Florida in his 2nd
game as a Red Sox...had 3 hits in consecutive starts (August 8-9) for the first time since
his Sox debut June 28 (4 hits) and June 29 (3 hits) of 2003 vs. Florida...fell a triple shy
of the cycle September 7 at Oakland, matching his season-high with 3 RBI...hit .317
(51-for-161) with 10 doubles, 5 homers, 26 RBI and 32 runs scored over his last 45
starts to lift his average from .239.
2003
SUMMARY: Split the season between the Rockies and Red Sox...between the 2 stops, combined to hit .271 with 4 homers and 27 RBI in 107 games...signed with Boston as a minor league free agent June 24, 4 days after being released by Colorado...went 7-for-9 (.778) with 2 homers and 7 RBI in his first 2 games with the Red Sox, and finished at .291 with 4 home runs and 23 RBI in 68 games...saw action at all 3 outfield positions,
including 30 games (25 starts) in right field, 25 games (9 starts) in right field and 8
games (7 starts) in center field...also made one appearance at first base...hit .302 (32-for-106) over his final 41 games, beginning August 12, including a season-ending 5-game hitting streak during which he went 7-for-18 (.389) with a homer and 2 RBI.
WITH THE ROCKIES: Hit .224 (15-for-67) with 2 doubles, 4 RBI and 2 stolen bases and
10 runs scored in 39 games with the Rockies, seeing time at all 3 outfield positions...went
7-for-15 (.467) as a pinch hitter...also played 13 games at Colorado's Triple-A Colorado
Springs affiliate before his June 20 release.
QUICK START: Burst onto the Boston scene by going 7-for-9 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2
home runs, 7 RBI and 4 runs scored in his first 2 games June 28-29 vs. Florida...in his
Red Sox debut, went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, a triple, 3 RBI and a run scored in a
10-9 loss to the Marlins...the 4 hits matched his career high set May 15, 2002 with
Texas at Chicago...the following afternoon, went 3-for-4 with a pair of homers, 4 RBI and
3 runs scored to key an 11-7 victory...the 2-homer game was the 4th of his career, and
the 4-RBI effort was his 5th.
HEROICS: After entering as a pinch runner in the bottom of the 10th July 19 vs. Toronto,
stole second, went to third on a Greg Myers throwing error and scored the winning run on
a Trot Nixon single as the Sox prevailed 5-4...snapped a 1-1 tie with a 6th-inning solo
home run off Bartolo Colon, giving the Red Sox a 2-1 win September 2 at Chicago.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: Posted a .932 fielding percentage in 61 games (41 starts) in the
outfield...was charged with 6 errors in 88 total chances...recorded 5 outfield assists,
3rd-most on the club behind Manny Ramirez (11) and Johnny Damon (7).
IN THE POST-SEASON: In his first career taste of the playoffs, went 1-for-17 (.059) in 7
post-season games against the Athletics and Yankees...was 0-for-9 in 4 ALDS appear-
ances against Oakland...started Games 2 and 3 in right field for Trot Nixon against lefty
starters Barry Zito and Ted Lilly...was 1-for-8 in 3 ALCS games against New York...started
Games 1 and 2 in center field for the injured Johnny Damon, and collected his lone post-season hit leading off the top of the first in Game 2, an infield single to shortstop off Andy Pettitte.
2002
Split the year between Texas and Colorado, dealt to the Rockies on July 31...combined to bat .279 with 2 homers and 34 RBI in 112 games...added a career-best 10 outfield assists (7 with Texas, 3 with Colorado)...tied his 1999 career high with 4 triples...had 19 multi-hit games, including 2 games with 3 hits and 2 games with 4...began the year hitting safely in 6 of 7 with Texas, going 9-for-24 (.375)...batted just .233 (10-for-43) the rest of the month, and the slump continued into early May, when Kapler hit only .111 (3-for-27) in his first 11 games...rebounded to hit safely in a season-high 8 games in a row May 14-22 at a .400 (12-for-30) clip...recorded a career-high 4 hits May 15 vs. the White Sox and September 8 vs. San Diego...was placed on the 15-day D.L. June 24 with tendinitis in his left wrist...activated from the D.L. July 16, he batted .240 (6-for-25) in his final 13 games as a Ranger before the trade...following the deal, hit safely in 7 of his first 8 as a Rockie...saw action in 40 of the Rockies final 55 games, batting .311 (37-for-119) with 4 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers and 17 RBI...belted his first home run of the year August
25 vs. the Mets, his first in 92 games
(255 at-bats)...batted .347 (17-for-49)
in August, the 3rd-best monthly average
of his career (.381 in April of 2001 and
.395 in September of 2000)...by the end
of the month, had raised his average to
.278 from .260...after committing 2 er-
rors May 6 against the White Sox, played
error free ball over his last 87
games...made 46 appearances in left
field, 24 in center and 41 in right...made
his major league debut at first base for
the Rangers July 30 vs. the Yankees.
2001
Established career highs for games
(134), at bats (483), runs (77), RBI
(72), walks (61) and stolen bases (23)
in his 2nd season in Texas...led the
Rangers in steals, as he was successful
on 23 of 29 attempts...had just one error
in 344 total chances for a .997 fielding
percentage, 2nd-best in the A.L...did not
make an error in his first 97 games before
his lone miscue, August 17 at
Toronto...finished the season with 35
errorless contests in a row...hit .383 (36-for-94) in day games, 2nd-best among AL
qualifiers...opened the season on the D.L. with a torn right quadriceps muscle, sustained
while running to first base in a March 22 spring game vs. Philadelphia...was sent to Tulsa
to rehab April 17 and was activated April 22...batted .388 (19-for-49) with 9 RBI in his
first 13 games, including a 10-game hitting streak April 27-May 8 during which he hit .421
(16-for-38)...belted his first career grand slam to start the streak April 27 at
Cleveland...batting .333 on May 30, Gabe hit just .126 (11-for-87) over the next 23
games, dropping his average to .244 on June 27...was hitless in his final 22 at bats of the
slide then came back to bat .331 (44-for-133) in his final 35 games...had 10 homers in
his first 50 games, then went 35 contests without a long ball before going deep August 2
at New York...matched his career high with 4 RBI in that game...stole a career-best 3 bases
August 4 at Boston...batted leadoff for the first time in his career October 2 at Oakland.
2000
After an off-season trade to Texas, batted .302 with 14 long balls and 66 RBI in 116
games...ranked 2nd on the club with 32 doubles...started 82 games in center field and 33
in right and tied for 2nd among AL outfielders with 4 double plays...tied Cleveland's Kenny
Lofton for the league lead in outfield errors (10)...became the first player in club history
to homer in his first 2 at bats as a Ranger with consecutive blows on Opening Day, April
3 vs. Chicago...tore his right quadriceps May 2 at Tampa Bay and was placed on the D.L.
2 days later...activated June 9, Kapler batted .328 (116-for-354) the rest of the way...from
July 17 to August 15, he recorded a 28-game hitting streak, longest in club history and
the longest in the majors in 2000...hit .375 (42-for-112) with 6 homers and 21 RBI during
the tear, which lifted his average to .289 from .241...extended the streak with a hit in his
final at-bat on 3 occasions...homered in 4 straight games July 24-27 to tie the club record for the 6th time...named A.L. Player of the Week for July 24-30, when he had an extra base
hit in 7 straight games, one shy of the club record...did not play after September 23 due
to a slap lesion in his left shoulder...received the Harold McKinney Good Guy Award from
the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
1999
Played 130 games for the Tigers and finished 3rd among A.L. rookies with 18 homers
and 9th with 49 RBI...began the season with Detroit but was optioned to Toledo April 13
after starting the year 1-for-6 in 6 games...hit .315 in 14 games with the Mud Hens before
being recalled for the remainder of the year April 28...hit his first major league homer April
30 at Tampa Bay in his first game after rejoining the club, connecting off Albie Lopez...hit
.301 (66-219) with 12 homers at Tiger Stadium but .183 (36-197) on the road.
1998
Was honored as Minor League Player of the Year by
USA Today Baseball Weekly, The
Sporting News and
USA Today after a monster season at Double-A Jacksonville that resulted in his first major league call-up...was named Southern League MVP, Tigers Minor League
Player of the Year and Detroit's No. 1 prospect by
Baseball America after batting .322 with
a league-high 28 homers and 146 RBI (most in the minors in 1998 and most ever in the
Southern League)...also led the league in hits (176), doubles (47), runs (113), extra-base
hits (81) and total bases (319)...tied the league doubles record...finished 6th in
batting...played in both the Double-A and Southern League All-Star Games and was
recognized as MVP of the SL All-Star Game...was also named to the SL's post-season All-Star team...recalled by the Tigers September 19, he became the first Tiger since the
inception of the draft in 1969 to be selected as late as the 57th round and reach the
majors...debuted September 20 vs. Minnesota, singling off Benji Sampson for his first hit.
1997
Had another huge season, this time at Single-A Lakeland, batting .295 with 40
doubles, 6 triples, 19 homers and 87 RBI in 137 games...led the Florida State League in
doubles and total bases (262), tied for first in extra base hits (65), ranked 2nd in games,
3rd in hits (153), and tied for 3rd in home runs and RBI...ranked 4th in the league in slugging
percentage (.505) and tied for 4th in runs (87)...was named to the mid-season and post-season FSL All-Star teams...drove in 6 runs May 6 vs. Kissimmee...went 5-for-5 August
23 at Sarasota...in the winter, helped Honolulu to the Hawaiian Winter League title.
1996
Was named a South Atlantic League All-Star after hitting .300 with 45 doubles, 26 homers, 99 RBI and 14 steals in 138 games...led the league in hits (157), doubles (45) and extra-base hits (71)...was 2nd in homers, RBI and slugging (.534), and placed 5th in batting...played for West Oahu in the Hawaiian Winter League.
1995
Began his pro career with Jamestown of the short-season Single-A New York-Penn
League...in 63 games, batted .288 with 19 doubles, 4 triples, 4 homers and 34 RBI...his
19 doubles were 2nd-most in the league, while he ranked 5th with 27 extra-base hits.
