Rich Becker #25

Resides in Cape Coral, FL with wife Lisa and daughter Chayse (6/17/96) ... Played baseball and football at Aurora West (IL) High School ... graduated in 1990 ... All-state in baseball his senior season and a two-time conference MVP.

1999

Obtained as a free agent after starting the season in Oakland, Becker proved to be a valuable role player for the Tigers ... Had hits in seven of his first 11 games for the Tigers, going 12x40 (.300) with seven RBI ... Ranked third in the AL with a .397 on-base percentage (71/179) when batting from the number one spot in the order ... Led the AL in number of pitches taken at 66.6% (1021/1533) ... Grounded into only one double play in 285 at-bats...was 1x50 in GIDP situations (2%), which was tops in the league ... His 357 total plate appearances were his most since 1997 while with Minnesota (510) ... A .383 on-base percentage was best on the Tigers' among players with 125-or-more at-bats ... Was 14x33 (.424) with two doubles and a home run in 10 games May 16-30, including a 3x3 performance on May 30 vs. Texas ... Three RBI on June 18 vs. Cleveland matched a season-high set on April 9 vs. Chicago as a member of the Oakland A's ... Drilled pinch-hit home run in the 8th inning and later tied the game with a single in the 9th on July 8 at Milwaukee ... Scored season-high four runs in four consecutive plate appearances while going 2x3 with an RBI and three walks on August 10 vs. Baltimore ... Reached base in all five plate appearances on September 10 at Toronto (3-BB, 2-1B) ... Batted .300 (30x100) with runners on base; .211 (39x185) with the bases empty ... Appeared in 21 games with Oakland prior to his release on May 5 -- batted .234 (11x47) with a HR and five RBI for the A's.

1998

Appeared in 49 games in 1998 for the New York Mets, batting .190 (19-for-100) ... Claimed on waivers by the Baltimore Orioles on June 16 ... Drove in a season-high four runs versus Seattle on July 24 ... finished 3-for-4 with a double and home run in that game ... Hit two of his three home runs in a three-game series at Chicago (August 25 and 27).

1997

Batted .264 with 10 homers and 45 RBI for the Minnesota Twins in 1997. Hit is his first career inside-the-park home run on April 26 versus Texas. Posted a season-high eight-game hitting streak May 18-31...hit .517 (15x29) during the stretch. Recorded a second eight-game hitting streak of the season August 15-27. Became the 10th player in Twins' history with a pure steal of home on September 27 at Cleveland. Ranked second on the Twins in stolen bases (17) and third in walks (62) and on- base percentage (.354). Grounded into one double play per 110.8 at-bats, fouth among American League players. Traded to the Mets four outfielder Alex Ochoa on December 12.

1996

Established career highs in virtually every offensive category with the Twins in 1996. Had his second career four-hit game July 3 at Chicago. Belted the first two-home run game of his career and drove in a career-high six runs on July 13 versus Cleveland. Collected four hits at Milwaukee on September 1...posted a career-high 11-game hitting streak September 1-13...hit .455 (20x44) with two homers and 10 RBI during that stretch. Hit .321 (135x420) with 12 home runs against right-hander

1995

Recalled from Triple-A by the Twins on May 31, 1995...started his first 29 games in center field. Hit .464 (13x28) in an eight-game hitting streak June 28-July 6. Collected four RBI at Boston on July 22. Recorded his first career four-hit game on September 11 at Seattle...drove in four runs in the same game. Began hitting exclusively left-handed in the second game of a doubleheader on September 18 at Kansas City. Tied with teammate Marty Cordova for second in the American League in outfield assists (12)...ranked 13th among AL outfielders in fielding percentage (.986).

1994

Opened the season as Minnesota's starting center fielder in 1994. Hit his first major league home run off the Indians' Mark Clark on April 21...had his first four-RBI game in the same game. On the disabled list from April 29 through May 17 with torn cartilage in his right knee...optioned to Salt Lake City on May 17. Recalled by the Twins on July 8...hit .188 in 10 games before being optioned back to Salt Lake on July 23.

1993

Contract was purchased by Minnesota on September 10, 1993...made his Major League debut in the second game of a doubleheader that night at Texas. Collected his first Major League hit off Charlie Leibrandt that same game. Tore cartilage in his right knee sliding into second base on September 12...had arthroscopic surgery on September 15.