In 1994 graduated from Pleasant Grove
High School in Texarkana, TX, where he participated in
baseball, basketball, football and cross country...attended
Texarkana (TX) Junior College.
2004
Spent his first full season in the Major Leagues...set a career high with 69 appearances...finished the season without allowing an earned run in seven consecutive appearances.
2003
Combined to go 0-0, 3.00 in 21 relief apps for the Cubs and Reds...was one of Cin's most effective
relievers the last month of the season...spent most of the year at Class AAA Iowa...appeared in 48g there, including
1 start, before he was traded to the Reds on 8/25...the next night vs Mil made his Reds debut and allowed 3 earned
runs without retiring a batter (2h, 1bb), but in his last 16 apps of the season posted a 0.61era (14.2ip, 1er)...in 14 apps
for the Reds from 8/27-9/21 threw 12.0 scoreless innings...stranded all 15 inherited baserunners, including the bases
loaded twice...retired the first batter 14-17 times (82%)...from 5/18-5/27 appeared in 4g for the Cubs.
Career highlights: Missed the 2002 season following left elbow surgery...was a mid-season All-Star in the
Midwest League in 1997, Florida State League in 1998 and Southern League in 1999...received mid-year promotions
all 3 seasons.
2002
Missed the 2002 season following left elbow surgery.
2001
Phil spent most of the season as a reliever at Iowa (AAA), going 6-3 with 2
saves and a 2.69 ERA in 46 games (3 starts)... entered the year having made only 8 professional relief appearances...struck out 75
batters in 73.2 innings of work while holding opponents to a .251 average (65-259) and 3 homers...allowed just 1 home run to the 209
right-handed batters he faced...worked at least 2.0 innings in 13 of his relief appearances, including a 3.0-inning stint June 9 vs.
Portland in which he fanned 7 batters...recorded his first 2 professional saves April 23 at New Orleans and June 19 vs. Calgary...during
a 17-game span June 16-August 2, he allowed only 2 earned runs and 18 hits in 22.2 innings...in 3 late-season starts from August 12-
August 26, he went 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA (3 ER/14.0 IP).
2000
Pitched in his first 2 big league contests during a two-week stint on the
Cubs' roster July 31-August 13...spent most of the campaign at Iowa (AAA), where he went 8-13 with a 4.96 ERA...made his major
league debut August 3 at San Diego and was not involved in the decision in a 6-5 loss ... allowed 4 runs (3 earned) in 5.0 innings...picked
up his first big league hit in the contest, a single off Brian Tollberg...took the loss in a 7-5 decision August 8 at Los Angeles, as he
allowed 4 homers in the 4th inning...was the first Cubs pitcher -- and the 18th hurler in big league history --to allow 4 roundtrippers in
an inning...at Iowa, he worked at least 6.0 innings in 17 of his 26 starts and went the distance twice -- including a complete-game 2-
hitter in a 7-0 win over Albuquerque September 3...fanned a season-high 10 batters June 10 in a 9-3 victory at Omaha.
1999
Split the
campaign between West Tenn (AA) and Iowa (AAA), going 12-10 with a 4.44 ERA in a combined 28 games...ranked 4th among Cubs
minor leaguers in victories and 3rd in strikeouts (142)...was a midseason Southern League all-star at West Tenn, where he went 7-4
with a 2.39 ERA in 14 games (13 starts)...fanned 81 batters in 86.2 innings...struggled in his first Triple-A action after being promoted to
Iowa June 26, going 5-6 with a 6.67 ERA in 14 starts.
1998
Made 29 total starts for Daytona (A) and West Tenn (AA) and went 10-9 with
a 3.43 ERA...opened the year at Daytona and, despite a May 29 promotion to Double-A, was a Florida State League midseason all-star
... was 4-3 with a 3.27 ERA in 10 starts...in 19 starts for West Tenn, he was 6-6 with a 3.52 ERA ... fanned 119 batters in 120.1
innings...in his June 29 start against Huntsville, he worked 8.1 innings and allowed only 1 hit while fanning 13.
1997
Combined to go
13-5 with 6 complete games and a 2.96 ERA for three teams -- Rockford (A), Daytona (A) and Orlando (AA) ... led the Cubs' farm
system in wins and complete games...opened the year at Rockford, earning midseason and postseason Midwest League all-star
honors...went 9-3 with a 3.22 ERA in 18 starts, striking out 114 batters in 109.0 innings...was promoted to Daytona July 19..in 7 games
(6 starts), he was 3-2 with 3 complete games and a 2.34 ERA...received an August 28 promotion to Orlando and went 1-0 with a 2.57
ERA in 2 games (1 start).
1996
Pitched for both Ft. Myers (Rookie) and Williamsport (A) during his first professional campaign, going
7-4 with a 2.45 ERA in 16 games (13 starts)...struck out 83 batters in 88.0 innings.
