Nomar Garciaparra #5

Anthony Nomar Garciaparra...married to Mia Hamm, a two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner in women's soccer...the couple has twin daughters, Ava and Grace (3/27/07)...his younger brother, Michael, is a shortstop in the Philadelphia Phillies' organization...graduated from St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, CA in 1991...his teams won high school league championships in 1990-91 and he earned league MVP honors in 1991...also played high school football as a wide receiver and soccer for three years...was part of the Youth League World Series Championship team in 1989...came up with the idea for Carne Asada Sundays, in which he teamed up with the Dodgers Dream Foundation to invite Dodger fans to enjoy a traditional carne asada meal, mariachi music and more, with the proceeds benefiting the DDF...along with Mia, started the 9 to 5 initiative to benefit Childrens Hospital Los Angeles in the fight against cancer...at the inaugural event on Jan. 28, 2007 at Garciaparra's high school, the couple hosted a soccer clinic and helped expand the national registry of bone marrow donors...on Jan. 26, 2008, hosted their inaugural Celebrity Soccer Challenge...rode on the Dodgers' first-ever float in the 2008 Rose Parade to kick off the team's 50th Anniversary Celebration...in 2000, Garciaparra established the Nomar 5 Foundation, which supports community organizations that work for the well-being of children...on Aug. 29, 2006, visited White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles where he visited with youngsters in the pediatric ward...participated in the Dodger Caravan in February 2006, 2007, and 2008, including a visit to his former high school in '07...while the team was in Washington, D.C. in 2006, visited U.S. military veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center...rescued two women who had fallen into the Boston Harbor in Charlestown, MA on Oct. 7, 2005...was inducted into the Cape Cod League Hall of Fame in November 2002...also a member of the Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame.

2007

Began the year as the Dodgers' starting first baseman, but shifted to third base with the emergence of James Loney Led the Majors in batting average with runners in scoring position (.373) for most of the season before a late-season injury cost him enough at-bats to qualify for the lead in that category...appeared in 43 games at third base, batting .302 with six homers and 21 RBI...played in 68 games at first base, batting .274 with one homer and 37 RBI...hit .325 at Dodger Stadium, compared to just .243 on the road...registered 59 RBI on just seven homers...the only NL player with more RBI and seven or less round-trippers was Jacque Jones (5 HR/66 RBI)...batted .329 (27-for-82) when putting the first pitch in play...hit .323 with runners on base...was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Aug. 14 with a strained left calf...activated from the DL on Sept. 4 after missing 19 games...appeared in just 11 games after the injury, tallying 34 at-bats...tied his career high and a Dodger season high with eight at-bats on April 29 at San Diego...on May 11 vs. Cincinnati, did not record a single putout in a complete nine-inning game, becoming the 16th first baseman in Major League history and first player in Dodger franchise history to accomplish that feat...finished April hitting .307 (31-for-101) with a team-leading 19 RBI...was second in the Major Leagues during the month of April, hitting .550 (11-for-20) with runners in scoring position...also had four game-winning RBI in the month...was ejected from the game on Aug. 13 vs. Houston, his first career ejection in 1,303 career big league games.

2006

Signed as a free agent during the offseason and became one of three finalists for the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award and three finalists for the MLBPA Marvin Miller Award and the Hank Aaron Award...was named to his sixth All-Star team as the winner of MLB's "Final Vote" on MLB.com...Ranked among the National League leaders in batting average with runners in scoring position (.368, 5th), average against left-handers (.341, T-3rd) and grand slams (2, T-2nd)...Was the second-toughest player in the Majors to strike out, fanning just once every 17.4 plate appearances...Had a 22-game hitting streak from June 16 to July 13, the fourth-longest in the NL and sixth-longest in the Majors in 2006...the last Dodger with a longer streak was Paul Lo Duca (25 games in 2003)...In his first season playing first base, made just four errors in 1,124 total chances for a .996 fielding percentage, tying him for the second-best mark among NL first basemen...His 93 RBI were second on the team and the most by a Dodger first baseman since Eric Karros drove in 104 in 2000...he tallied those RBI in just 122 games, tying Mike Piazza for the most RBI by an L.A. Dodger in less than 125 games...Piazza had 93 in 112 games in 1995...Hit .324 (73-for-224) with nine homers and 47 RBIat Dodger Stadium...Finished the season with a .318 career average, fifth-best among all active players behind Todd Helton, Albert Pujols, Ichiro Suzuki and Vladimir Guerrero...From May 20 to the end of the year, batted .364 (40-for-110) from the seventh inning through the end of the game...Started the season on the disabled list with a right intercostal strain suffered in the Spring Training finale...activated from the DL on April 22 vs. Arizona after missing the first 17 games of the season...also went on the DL from July 25 - Aug. 9 with a sprained right knee, suffered while covering second base on July 24...Appeared in 122 games, his highest total of games since 2002 and 2003, when he played in 156...Batted .358 in the first half of the season, the second-highest mark for a Dodger at the break since the team moved into Dodger Stadium in 1962 behind Mike Piazza's .363 mark in 1996...Had five game-winning walk-off hits (April 24, May 5, May 6, Sept. 18 and Sept. 24)...On Sept. 18, hit a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning after the Dodgers tied a Major League record with four consecutive homer in the ninth inning...the homer won the game, 11-10...Tied a Major League record on July 3 vs. Arizona when he was hit by pitch three times in a game...it marked the 26th time that has happened in Major League history and first in L.A. Dodger history...Hit .375 (42-for-112) in May...the 42 hits were tied for third in the Majors...his 14 doubles in May tied for the most in MLB...his 28 RBI in May tied for fifth-most in the Majors and tied Eric Karros (2000) for the most by an L.A. Dodger in that month in L.A. history...earned the Dodgers' 3-Day Blinds Player of the Month Award...earned co-NL Player of the Week honors for the Week of May 8-14...Hit .371 (36-for-97) and posted a .431 on-base percentage in the month of June...Made his Dodger debut on April 22 vs. ARI and went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored...Belted a ninth-inning grand slam off of Houston closer Brad Lidge on April 24 in the Dodgers' 6-2 victory in just his second game of the season...the slam was the sixth of his career...Hit his seventh career grand slam on Sept. 24 vs. Arizona, a walk-off shot in the bottom of the ninth inning...it was just the 10th walk-off slam in Dodger history and first since Steve Finley's NL West-clinching slam vs. San Francisco on Oct. 2, 2004...Notched his 1,500th career hit on Aug. 10, a third-inning single off Colorado's Jason Jennings...Reached base via walk or hit in 33 consecutive games (May 4-June 10)...Batted .246 (15-for-61) during Spring Training...On Aug. 29, visited White Memorial Hospital with teammate J.D. Drew where they visited with youngsters in the pediatric ward...participated in the Dodgers' Community Caravan in February...while the team was in Washington, D.C. this season, visited U.S. military veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

2005

In his first full season in the National League, batted .283 with nine homers and 30 RBI in just 62 games, as he battled injuries throughout the season ... Was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 21 with a left groin avulsion of the adductor muscle...suffered the injury on April 20 at St. Louis ... Was activated off the DL on Aug. 5 and batted .318 (57-for-179) with 11 doubles, nine homers and 26 RBI after coming off the disabled list ... Saw action at third base for the first time in his professional career...made his first career appearance at third on Aug. 26 vs. Florida...made 34 starts at third base, batting .308 (41-for 133) in those starts with eight doubles and seven home runs ... Had a season-high nine-game hitting streak to end the season ... Homered in back-to-back games on Aug. 29-30, hitting solo shots off current teammates Brad Penny and D.J. Houlton at Chicago ... Batted .338 (23-for-68) with four homers in August ... Was a combined 5-for-23 with two RBI in eight total rehab appearances at Rookie-level Mesa, Single-A Peoria and Double-A West Tennessee.

2004

Opened the season on Boston's disabled list with right Achilles tendinitis, missing the first 57 games ... Hit .321 with 5 homers and 21 RBI in his final 38 games for Boston ... Had five three-hit games for the Cubs after being traded to Chicago at the trading deadline, and went on to hit .297 with four homers and 20 RBI to finish the season ... Appeared in his 1,000th career game on Sept. 24 at New York.

2003

Was named to his fifth career All-Star game ... Hit a career high 13 triples, and was the first Major Leaguer to triple in four straight games (May 31-June 4) since Sammy Sosa accomplished the feat in 1994 ... Ranked first in the American League in home batting average (.359), second in triples and tied for fifth in hits (159) ... Had a 26-game hitting streak April 27-May 26...hit .373 with nine doubles, three triples and 24 RBI over that stretch...the streak was the longest in the AL and second-longest in the Majors ... Had a six-hit game on June 21 at Philadelphia...that marked the fourth time in Red Sox history that the feat was accomplished, the 47th in AL history and the 124th in Major League history.

2002

Was named to his fourth All-Star team ... Tied for the American League lead with a career-high 56 doubles, a big league record for most doubles by a shortstop in a single season ... Became the 13th Major Leaguer and first Red Sox player to have two 50-double seasons ... Recorded his 1,000th career hit Sept. 2 at New York and his 200th career double June 1 at New York...was the fastest Red Sox player to reach the 1,000 hit mark.

2001

Saw action in just 21 games, spending much of the season recovering from his April 2 surgery on his right wrist (longitudinal tendonitis split) ... Had a four-game rehab stint in Triple-A Pawtucket and returned to action with Boston on July 29, going 2-for-4 in that day's contest against Chicago (AL) ... Returned to the DL on Aug. 29 (retroactive to Aug. 27) with overuse tendonitis in the same tendon, which had been surgically repaired in April.

2000

Won his second consecutive American League batting title, becoming the first Red Sox player to win back-to-back crowns since Wade Boggs won four straight titles from 1985-88...was the first right-handed hitter to win consecutive AL batting crowns since Joe DiMaggio (1939-40) ... Hit a career-high .372 in 140 games with 51 doubles, 21 homers, 96 RBI and 104 runs scored ... Ranked among league leaders in eight categories: first in average and intentional walks (20), second in doubles (51), and multi-hit games (65), fifth in hits (197) and on-base percentage (.434), seventh in slugging percentage (.599) and ninth in extra-base hits (75) ... Legged out 16 infield hits ... Hit his 100th career homer June 3 at Philadelphia off Randy Wolf ... Had a season-high 20-game hitting streak Sept. 10-29, batting .462 over the stretch.

1999

Batted .357 with 27 homers an 104 RBI en route to winning his first American League batting title ... Was named to his second All-Star team and made his first start in the game ... Was among American League leaders with a career high .603 slugging percentage (third), 42 doubles (fourth), 73 extra-base hits (ninth) and a .418 on-base percentage (10th) ... Earned his first AL Player of the month honor in May while hitting .355 with 10 homers and 33 RBI ... Also earned his third career AL player of the Week selection from Sept. 13-18 ... Became the 11th player in Major League history to hit two grand slams in one game, doing so on May 10 vs. Seattle...teammate Bill Mueller is the only player to accomplish the feat since Garciaparra ... Saw postseason action for the second straight year as the Red Sox advanced to the ALCS...hit .417 with two homers and four RBI in the Division Series and .400 with two homers and four RBI in the Division Series and .400 with two homers and four RBI in the Division Series and .400 with two homers and five RBI in the LCS ... Was recognized as an Associated Press and Sporting News all-star following the season.

1998

Hit .323 and established career marks in homers (35) and RBI (122), while finishing second in AL MVP voting ... Recorded 37 doubles and 8 triples, ranking among league leaders in several categories: triples (fourth), hits (fifth, 195), total bases (sixth, 353), batting average (sixth), RBI (seventh), extra-base hits (seventh, 80), slugging percentage (seventh), runs (ninth, 111), and home runs (10th) ... Was the fifth Major Leaguer to record at least 30 homers in his first two seasons, joining the elite company of Rudy York, Ron Kittle, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire ... Received the Thomas A. Yawkey award for the second time (Red Sox MVP) ... Had a season-high 24-game hitting streak from June 7-July 3, going 41-for-106 with six home runs and 20 RBI ... Was named the AL Co-Player of the Week for the week of June 15-21 as he hit .400 (12-for-30) with three homers, six RBI and 10 runs scored during that span ... Hit Boston's first inside-the-park home run since 1971 on July 26 vs. Toronto ... Hit his first career grand slam Sept. 2 vs. Seattle ... Hit his first game-winning walk-off home run against Kansas City on Aug. 11, a 10th-inning, three-run shot off Jeff Montgomery ... Saw postseason action for the first time as Boston faced Cleveland in the AL Division Series...was 5-for-15 with a double, three homers and an ALDS-record 11 RBI in four games ... Participated in Japan's Merill Lynch Super Dome series following the season.

1997

Was the unanimous selection as the American League Rookie of the Year after batting .306 with 44 doubles, 30 homers and 98 RBI in 153 games ... Set an AL rookie record by hitting safely in a career-high 30 straight games July 26-August 29...batted .383 (54-for-141) over the stretch...the streak was the second longest in franchise history ... Finished eighth in AL MVP voting ... Hit a league-high and franchise-record 11 triples...also ranked first in the league in hits (209), second in total bases (365), runs (122), extra-base hits (85) an fourth in doubles (44) ... Named AL Player of the Week for Aug. 4-10 ... Set a big-league rookie record for homers by a shortstop besting Ron Hansen's 22 in 1960 ... Was named to his first All-Star team and won the Home Run Derby at the Midsummer Classic ... Was honored with the Thomas A. Yawkey award, presented annually by the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America to the Red Sox MVP ... Named to both the AL Silver Slugger team and the Topps Rookie All-Star team and won the Player's Choice Rookie of the Year Award.

1996

Opened the season on Triple-A Pawtucket's disabled list after spraining his ankle in late March ... Spent the majority of the season at Triple-A, where he hit .343 in 43 games with 33 extra base hits (15 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs) and had 46 RBI and 40 runs scored ... Made his Major League debut on Aug. 31 at Oakland as a defensive replacement at second base ... Recorded his first big league hit and homer the next day, Sept. 1, a solo shot off Oakland's John Wasdin.

1995

Hit .267 with eight homers and 47 RBI in 125 games at Double-A Trenton ... Was selected as an Eastern League All-Star, ranking second in the league in triples (8) and third in at-bats (513) and stolen bases (35).

1994

Made his professional debut with Single-A Sarasota, batting .295 in 28 games ... Following the season, played for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League and hit .328.