In 1998 graduated from Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo, CA, where he played football and baseball...was all-conference, all-county and all-state in baseball...attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was named to the All-Big West first team in 2001...played for the Team USA squad that went 8-1 and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games by beating Cuba in the qualifying tournament (9g, .405, 1hr, 8rbi).
2014
In his first season in the organization was the Reds' recipient of the Heart and Hustle Award, given annually to a player who demonstrates a passion for and best embodies the values, spirit and tradition of the game...also was the club's nominee for the MLBPA's Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award and the Roberto Clemente Award for his service both on the field and in the community...as one of club's most versatile players appeared in games in LF (33g, 26gs), CF (8g, 7gs), RF (13g, 13gs), 2B (19g, 15gs) and P (1g)...from 5/4-5/10 made 5 straight starts in CF while Billy Hamilton recovered from a hand injury...from 5/11-5/20 made 6 straight starts in RF while Jay Bruce recovered from knee surgery...from 7/20-8/17 made 11 of his 18 starts at 2B while Brandon Phillips recovered from thumb surgery...made his last start on 9/7 vs NYM (LF) and his last appearance on 9/11 vs StL (PH)...on 9/12 had surgery to repair the torn labrum in his left shoulder...began the season on the disabled list with a dislocated left shoulder suffered during spring training...was reinstated on 5/3 and that night vs Mil made his Reds debut as a PR/LF...reinjured the same shoulder while playing RF vs the Cubs on 7/10, when a collision with the wall also required a stint on the 7-day concussion DL (7/11-7/19)...despite the shoulder injury made 35 more apps before having the season-ending surgery on 9/12...on 8/12 vs Bos pinch hit in the 1,000th appearance of his Major League career...in the ninth inning of the 8-0 loss on 8/21 vs Atl made his fourth career pitching appearance (1ip, 0r, 1bb)...was the first Reds position player to pitch since Paul Janish on 7/6/09 at Phi...on 4/29 at Buffalo, while rehabbing with Louisville, was ejected from CF after arguing a play at second base...originally suffered the left shoulder injury on 3/21 while diving for a ball in the outfield...prior to that injury hit safely in 10-12 spring training games (14-30, .467) and in 11 of his 14 spring apps overall...in August hosted a fantasy football charity event that raised almost $38,000 for Big League Impact, Jessie Rees Foundation, Reds Community Fund and Cincinnati Children's.
2013
For the Dodgers played 2B (44g, 34gs), LF (35g, 14gs), CF (29g, 17gs) and RF (18g, 8gs)...beginning 5/4, in his last 102 apps of the season hit .285...from 5/17-6/9 hit .420 during a 15-game hitting streak, a career high and the longest by a Dodgers batter in 2013...hit his 2 homers just 5 days apart, on 7/22 at Tor (off Steve Delabar) and 7/27 vs Cin (off Bronson Arroyo)...that first HR snapped a streak of 246 homerless at bats since he hit one for the Cardinals on 9/3/12...made a pair of scoreless relief apps, on 4/29 vs Col (12-2 loss) and 6/28 vs Phi (16-1 loss)...on 7/10 and 7/11 served a 2-game suspension for his role in the 6/11 bench-clearing incident with the Diamondbacks.
2012
Batted .276 with a homer and 28 RBI in 107 games in his final season with the Cardinals. Made starts at second base (51), center field (14) and right field (3). Hit safely in 50 of his 68 starts, batting .290 (68-for-237) with 25 RBI in those games...went 5-for-26 with
two doubles as a pinch-hitter. Batted .300 (21-for-70) with runners in scoring position and hit .306 (41-for-134) with runners on base. Started the season on the disabled list with a strained right oblique injury (activated on April 19) and was
also sidelined from May 31-June 19 with a right hamstring strain. Had his best month of the season in July, batting .385 (20-for-52) in 23 games...his .475 OBP that month
ranked third among all NL players. Hit .295 (69-for-234) with 17 of his 19 extra-base hits against right-handed pitching. Batted .333 (10-for-30) during a season-long eight-game hitting streak from May 20-30. Appeared in nine postseason games (0-for-9, RBI) during the Cardinals' run to the NLCS.
2011
Appeared in 95 games at second (89 starts) and in 40 outfield games (5 starts), his most outfield starts since serving as a
regular outfielder in 2008...Batted .299 (56-187) after All-Star break, ending the season with a .283 BA. Collected 26 multi-hit games (14 post-ASG)...Led the club with a .429 (6-14) pinch-hit batting average...Was on disabled list (4/16-5/23) for first time in his career and missed 34 games in April/May with a right triceps strain...Was 2nd on the team with 23 hits in June. Had an 11-game hit streak 6/18-7/2 (.385 BA), the second longest of his career...Hit his 2nd career walk-off home run in the 9th (5th career GWing hit) 6/19 vs. KC; also was his first career homer vs. a LHP...Had .350 BA in July to lead the team and ranked 9th in the National League...Collected first OF assist 7/29 vs. CHI since 8/31/10...Made his first Major League pitching appearance on 8/23 in 9th inning vs. LA and recorded 2 strikeouts; became the first STL
position player since 1959 to fan two batters...Walked just 27 times in 117 games, including once in each game of 9/23-25 series vs. the Cubs; none bigger than a key walk
on 9/24 in the 9th as part of team's 2-1 win...Hit a 3-run double in the fourth on 9/27 at HOU, his first RBI since 8/28. Had 2 RBI in final game of the season (9/28 at HOU)...2011 POSTSEASON: Played in four of the five games in the Division Series vs. Philadelphia and six of the seven games of theWorld
Series vs. Texas...missed the National League Championship Series with a right oblique injury...hit .600 (6-10) during the DS with
two doubles and 3 RBI...made a spectacular diving catch in CF in the 9th inn. of Game 3...started in CF in Game 5 and doubled in
the only run in the 1st inning of the 1-0 series-clinching victory...left that game in the 3rd, however, with a right oblique strain...after
missing the NLCS, saw action in six World Series games - all in the outfield - after playing the majority of the season at 2nd
base...started Games 5, 6 & 7 in centerfield...had singles in Games 5 & 6 vs. Texas, finishing the postseason with a .381 BA.
2010
Played in 137 games, starting 121 - 118 starts coming at second base and three in right field; also played center and left field...For the 3rd-straight season led all National League players in ground ball/fly ball ratio at 3.43, ranking 2nd in the Majors...Ranked 3rd among MLB players with a .441 BA (15-34) in Interleague games (min. 30 AB)...Ranked 9th in MLB among second basemen with a .297 BA with runners in scoring position...Struggles at the plate left him with his lowest season avg. in the Majors, but still had his 2nd highest RBI total at 42...Was the 10th-hardest N.L. player to strike out, doing so just 8.27 times/plate app...His 35 multi-hit games ranked fourth on the Cardinals, topping out with a season best 4-for-4 game at CHI (7/25)...Hit first professional grand slam off centerfield batter's eye at Great American Ball Park off Mike Leake (8/9 at CIN)...Recorded a career-high seven putouts at second base 7/23 at CHI...Led MLB second basemen with 3.19 assists per game and finished 5th in N.L. with 359 assists.
2009
Played brilliantly after transforming from outfielder to everyday second baseman. Became first Cardinal since Red Schoendienst (1945-46) to move from OF to 2B from one year to the next...Started 124 games at 2B, three in CF and one in LF. He also played RF. Had 18 defensive "gems", 2nd only to Pujols (22)...Hit over .300 for the 3rd-straight season...his .306 BA was ranked 7th among N.L. leadoff batters...Batted .322 (139-432) vs. RHP's, ranking 7th among National Leaguers...Batted .345 in September and hit .300 or better in four out of the season's six months to bump his career BA to over .300...Led the team with 15 games in which he had 3 or more hits. Hit his first career pinch-HR on 8/9 at PIT for game-winning runs...Had the N.L.'s top groundball-to-flyball ratio for the 2nd-straight season (4.01; 289/72).
2008
Spent his first full season with the Major League club and finished among league offensive leaders...Ranked T10th in the N.L. with a .302 batting average (.30185) with NYM's David Wright (.30191)...His .318 (35-110) batting average with runners in scoring position was the 9th-best in the National League...Ranked 2nd among Major League players with a .340 average vs. righthanded pitchers...Hit .321 on the road (90-280), 3rd best in the N.L., and his .316 night average (113-360) was 8th best...Ranked as the 10th hardest N.L. player to strikeout, doing so once every 9.9 plate apps. (60 K's)...His 46 multi-hit games ranked 2nd on team behind Pujols (56). Had 11 games with 3-or-more hits, 2nd to Albert...Hit .314 (72-229) after the All-Star Break...batted .321 (106-330) with 49 runs, 6 HRs & 28 RBI in his last 80 starts...Hit safely in 40 of last 54 G's (62-193, .321), including a 10-game streak (7/26-8/6) and a 9-game streak (8/12-23, hit .436)...Tied for 8th in N.L. with 10 OF assists - four at the plate: 4/3, 4/11, 6/28 & 6/29. Made 59 starts in CF, 31 in LF and 30 in RF...Had a solid spring, batting .394, 3rd-best among NL batters...Became the 7th different STL Opening Day RFer in seven seasons (Drew, Marrero, R. Sanders, L. Walker, J. Encarnacion &
P. Wilson)...Scored a career-high 4 runs on 4/11 at SF...By 5/2 had the GWing hit in team's final at bat in four Cards' wins, including a walk-off HR in the 11th on 5/2. Overall had eight
GWing RBI and 11 go-ahead RBI...Hit his 1st career leadoff HR 6/25 at DET(A. Galarraga). His .323 June BA ranked T15th in NL..Batted 9th on 7/5 vs. CHI for the 1st time since his first career start on 6/13/05 at TOR...Had a season best hitting streak of 10 games from 7/26-8/6 (.390, 16-41)...Had a season best hitting streak of 10 games from 7/26-8/6 (.390, 16-41)...Joining Schumaker on 7/26 was Albert Pujols who matched his career high with 5 hits...according to Elias, they became the
first Cardinals duo to have 5 or more hits in the same contest since May 16, 1930 vs. CHI when Charley Gelbert & Taylor
Douthit each had five hits...Had the Majors' highest GB/FB ratio (2.88) among batters with min. 502 PA's.
2007
Made the Opening Day roster for a second straight year. Led the team with 43 pinch at-bats which ranked T-13th in the
National League.
Had 10 pinch hits, one of three Cards with 10-plus pinch hits (Taguchi-13, Ludwick-11). Was 7-for-last-19 (.368) in pinch hit role.
Collected hits in 22 of his 27 starts (.348, 39-112 as a starter), including 19 of his last 20 (.376, 32-for-85).
Batted .400 (48-120) in 49 games (20 starts) from 7/2 to the end of season. Had a career best eight-game hitting streak from
9/16-23 (.325, 13-40).
Finished July tied for 2nd in N.L. batting (min. 50 PA) by going 20-for-46 (.436 BA) over 23 games.
Was 15-for-35 (.429) with runners in scoring position and he batted .415 (27-65) with runners on base. Was 5-16 (.313) with
RISP & two outs.
Batted .373 (28-75) with eight RBI in 27 September games (13 starts). Had a career high five hits in a 5-for-5 effort on last day
of season 9/30 at PIT with two doubles and drove in two.
Hit .435 (10-23) with six runs in 12 games (3 starts) vs. teams from the N.L. West.
Overall hit .306 in 59 games with Memphis, playing the majority of time in centerfield (46 games). Batted .298 (34-114) with
18 runs, two HR and 17 RBI in 29 August games at Memphis.
Singled off the bench on 4/10 at PIT & had sac. fly for GWRBI in 12th. Had three-hit games in back-to-back starts 4/26 vs.
CIN & 4/30 at MIL.
Was optioned to Memphis on 5/13 (J. Encarnacion activated from DL), recalled on 6/18 (Edmonds DL) but didn't make a start
until 6/30 at CIN. Hit .356 in 33 games during his second stint with the club (6/18-8/1).
Ended a four-game hitting streak (7-9, .778) with a PH-AB 7/8 vs. SF. Hit game-winning home run in 10th inning on 7/22 at
ATL, a 2-run shot.
Optioned to Memphis on 8/1 when J. Pineiro reported to club and was recalled from Memphis on 9/1.
2006
Opened the season with the Major League team for first time in his career. Made eight starts and played in 16 games going 7-for-39 with one homer during the month of April. Homer came on 4/5 at PHI (B. Myers)...Was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on 5/2 (purchased pitcher Brian Falkenborg). At Memphis hit .306 (113-369) in 95 games,
which led all Memphis starters...Was a member of Team USA which went 8-1 to qualify for the 2008 Olympics by defeating Cuba in the Americas Olympic
Qualifying Tournament. Skip played in all nine games, as he hit .405 (15-37) with one home run and eight RBI...During the first round of play, he led Team USA with nine hits and 11 runs, including a two-run triple and two runs scored in the
final game of the first round...Was recalled on 9/7 to St. Louis where he played in 12 games and had five pinch at-bats to finish out the season...Committed just two errors at Memphis in 94 games (226 chances)...Has yet to commit an error in the Majors (46 games, 40
chances).
2005
Made his Major League debut 6/8 vs. BOS in PH at-bat
for Carpenter in the 7th (struck out)...appeared in 27 games in
three stints with the Cardinals...led Memphis (AAA) in hits (127)
and stolen bases (13)...Made his first start in the Majors on 6/13
at TOR, playing centerfield...collected first M.L. hit and RBI on
8/12 at CHI (Dempster)...recalled again in September and swiped
his first M.L. base 9/6 vs. CHI.
2004
His .316 batting average at Tennessee (AA) ranked
fourth in the Southern League...led the Southern League and
the Cardinals' minor league system with 163 hits...also led the
league with 138 games played and his 516 at-bats ranked
third...played the majority of his games in the outfield, but did
start six games at third - his frist time at any position other than
the OF while with the Cardinals organization...was named a
starter in the outfield for the East Division at the Southern League
All-Star Game and was named to Baseball America's postseason
All-Star team.
2003
Spent two separate stints on the disabled list in
2003 with a sprained right wrist in April and missed August with a stress fracture in his right fibula.
2002
Ranked second in the Carolina League with 158 hits in 2002 and was selected to the Carolina League's All-Star team.
