Played football, baseball and basketball at Cairo High
School in Cairo, Georgia...attended Kennesaw State University in
Kennesaw, Georgia...is 1 of 5 Major League players to have attended
KSU, joining Brett Campbell, Jason Childers, Jason Jones and Brian
Mallette...was offered a scholarship as a wide receiver by Florida State
University head coach Bobby Bowden.
2011
Was 1 of 3 non-roster players to make
the Mets' Opening Day roster...made 71 apps as a
pinch hitter, the third-highest total in baseball...hit .355
vs LHP...from 6/30-7/3 spent time on the bereavement
list...on 5/12 at Col tied his career high with 3 walks
and scored a season-best 3 runs...on 6/2 vs Pit pinch
ran in the eighth inning and scored the go-ahead run in
NYM's come-from-behind 9-8 victory...twice produced
a season-high 3 hits, on 5/22 at NYY and on 9/21 at
StL...in the 8-6 win on 9/21 at StL delivered a 2-run single in the ninth inning that capped the 6-run frame.
2010
Appeared in 132 games and made 44 starts: 23 in rightfield, 19 in leftfield,
two at third base for Washington...Finished with 10 home runs for the second double-digit season of his career
...Had 13 in 2008...Hit the fourth pinch-hit home run of his career on August 27 vs. St. Louis (off
Kyle McClellan)...Led Washington with 11 pinch-hits and nine pinch-hit RBI...Recorded nine more hits (41) than RBI (32)...Hit the decisive three-run home run in 5-2 win on April 19 vs. Colorado...Posted 500th career hit, a third-inning triple, in a 7-1 win on July 22 at
Cincinnati...Hit a two-run home run at Turner Field off Kyle Farnsworth during a 6-2 Nats
win over the Braves on August 19...Hit his first career inside-the-park home run in an 8-3 win on September 24
vs. Atlanta.
2009
Again, did as asked, playing 5 different defensive positions, hit for surprising power and provided speed off the bench...
hit .400 or better against ATL (.407) and PHI (.400)...made just one error in 179 total chances in the outfield.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Handed Brad Lidge 2nd blown save of season with a 2-run game-tying double with 2
outs in the 9th inning, May 15 vs. PHI...made diving catch and hit game-ending 2-run shot in the 12th inning in 5-3
win vs. TOR, June 20...finished 3-for-4 with a homer, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored in a 9-3 win vs. BOS on June 25...went
3-for-4 with a double, homer, RBI, walk and stolen base in a 5-3 win at BAL on June 28...hit 3rd career pinch-hit homer
off Todd Coffey, Aug. 22 vs. MIL......down 4-2, triggered come-from-behind 5-4 win with solo shot to lead-off bottom of
9th inning, September 6 vs. FLA (2 batters later, Ryan Zimmerman hit a game-ending 2-run shot).
2008
Versatile and durable utility player enjoyed career year...set career highs in games (140), home runs (13), RBI (43) and
slugging percentage (.417)...led Nationals in most offensive categories after the All-Star break...joined Cristian Guzman
as only 2 position players to maintain spot on roster all season without a DL stint...started 87 games, including 60 of
Nationals' final 68 contests...career-best 13 home runs were tied for 3rd -most on Nationals and nearly doubled career
total entering '08...led Washington in games (140)...tied Elijah Dukes for team lead with 50 walks...named NL Player
of the Week for the period ending July 20 (.583, 2B, 3B, HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, SB, 5 runs)...on July 20 at ATL, posted 5
RBI on 2 hits and 3 walks in the Nationals' 15-6 win...became the first former Brave to reach base safely 5 times and
drive in 5 runs against the team since 1957 (Brooklyn's George Crowe).
2007
Began season in Triple-A, but spent majority of season hitting .270 with 20 doubles and 17 stolen bases with ATL...had
contract selected from ATL on April 29...played in 117 games...made 78 starts (69 in LF, 9 in CF, one in RF)...ranked
5th in NL, 8th in MLB, by hitting .391 in May, then hit .355 in June...hit .412 with ATL through June 12...hit .342 with
team-leading 14 stolen bags in season's first half...matched ATL franchise record with career-best 6-hit effort, July 21
vs. STL...in same game, tallied career-high 6 RBI...hit .367 during a 10-game hitting streak, July 24-August 9.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Posted 2nd career 3-stolen base game, June 30 at FLA...went above the wall to rob
Carlos Delgado of a homer and preserve a 7-6 win, August 9 at NYM.
2006
Was a non-roster invitee to Red Sox spring training and began the season at Triple-A Pawtucket...Had his contract purchased by the Red Sox on 4/20...Saw action as a pinch-runner in 20 games, scoring nine runs in those contests, and made 10 starts, including seven nods in center field, two in left and one in right field...Made three starts in CF within the first five games with the club but just seven starts the rest of the way...Was designated for assignment on 7/18 and was outrighted to Pawtucket (AAA) on 7/20, where he spent the rest of the season...Had two stints with Pawtucket and batted .220 with six doubles, a triple, eight homers, 17 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 60 games...Began the season with the PawSox and batted .161 in 14 games before his 4/20 promotion...Returned to Pawtucket three months later and batted .241 (39-for-162) in 46 games the rest of the way...Slugged six homers in 112 at-bats in 31 games in August, an average of one home run every 18.7 at-bats...For the PawSox, he played 17 games in center field, 19 games in left field and 21 games at second
base, also made one start as the designated hitter.
2005
Spent the majority of the season with the World Champion White Sox, seeing action in both the
Division Series and World Series for Chicago...Stole 10 bases in 59 regular season games, batting .256 with
8 RBI and 17 runs scored...Appeared in 32 games at second base (28 starts) and five games at shortstop (2
starts)...Spent the bulk of August with Triple-A Charlotte, where he hit .266 with 11 doubles, 21 runs and 10
steals in 28 games before being recalled by the White Sox August 30...Closed out the season by batting .375
(9-for-24) in 14 September/October contests...With the White Sox, hit .301 (22-for-73) in 26 games on the
road but only .188 (9-for-48) in 30 games at U.S. Cellular Field...Batted .326 (15-for-46) in 22 games after the
All-Star break after hitting only .213 (16-for-75) in the first half...Hit .286 (8-for-28) with runners in scoring position,
including a .308 (4-for-13) mark with runners in scoring position and two outs...Had a season-high three
hits and two RBI 7/25 at Kansas City...His lone home run of the season was a solo shot 9/2 vs. Detroit off
Chris Spurling...Had three stolen bases 8/24 with Charlotte at Durham.
2004
Led the White Sox with 19 stolen bases in his first full major league season, spending most of his
time as Chicago's leadoff hitter...Batted in the top spot in the lineup 86 times, with the White Sox going 47-39
in those contests...Tied for fourth in the A.L. with seven bunt singles and tied for sixth with four four-hit
games...His .343 on-base percentage was an 84-point increase from his 2003 mark of .259...Started 76
games at second base, 25 games in center field and two games at shortstop and appeared in 21 games as a
defensive replacement, including his first career action in left field 9/14 at Minnesota...Batted .384 (28-for-73)
in 21 May games, the fifth-best mark in the A.L...Tied for fifth in the A.L. with seven pinch hits, going 7-for-18
(.389) in 19 games as a pinch hitter...Clubbed his first career pinch-hit home run 9/17 vs. Detroit, a solo shot
off Al Levine to lead off the eighth inning...The White Sox went 35-16 when he scored a run...Batted .279 (94-for-337) against righties, but only .181 (13-for-72) against lefties...The speedster fared well on turf, going 13-
for-34 (.382) in 10 games...Batted .347 (17-for-49) when swinging at the first pitch...Hit .588 (10-for-17) in six
games vs. Toronto, .375 (9-for-24) in six games vs. Tampa Bay and .333 (6-for-18) in four games vs.
Baltimore...Put together a career-best 13-game hitting streak from May 26-June 11, batting .340 (18-for-53)...Reached base safely in nine straight plate appearances from 8/5-10, going 7-for-7 with two walks...Was
the longest such streak by a White Sox player since Magglio Ordonez also reached safely in nine straight from
7/29-30 at Kansas City...Collected a career-high five hits, including three doubles, 8/10 vs. Kansas City...His
homer 9/4 vs. Seattle was his first long ball since 8/21/02 at Minnesota...Was ejected for the first time in his
career 8/22 vs. Boston, when he was tossed by home plate umpire Charlie Reliford for arguing balls and
strikes.
2003
Ranked 2nd on the White Sox in stolen bases, converting 12 of his 14 attempts...his
85.7 percent success rate would have been 3rd-best in the A.L. if he had the necessary
20 attempts to qualify...began the season at Triple-A Charlotte, where he hit .420 (34-for-81) with 5 homers and 20 runs scored in 23 games to earn a May 2 promotion to
Chicago...led the International League in batting average and on-base percentage (.500)
at the time of his promotion...was named the IL Player of the Week for the week of April
14-20 after batting .583 (14-for-24) with 2 homers, 6 RBI and 7 runs...started 23
games in center field and 7 games at second base for the White Sox, and entered the
game as a defensive replacement 31 times...also appeared as a pinch runner 10 times
and as a pinch hitter 8 times...suffered a separated shoulder while making a diving catch
in center field May 18 at Minnesota, and was placed on the D.L. with the injury May
22...rehabbed with Charlotte from June 10-15 before being activated from the D.L. June
16...legged out his first career triple June 30 vs. Minnesota.
2002
Ranked 4th among all Triple-A
players with 32 steals, placing him 6th
on the Charlotte Knights' all-time
list...
Baseball America rated him as the
No. 18 prospect in the International
League...compiled an 18-game hitting
streak from April 7-25, during which he
hit .351 (27-for-77) with 3 triples, 11
runs and 10 stolen bases...earned a
promotion to Chicago June 14, and
made his White Sox debut as a pinch
hitter that night against the Cubs at
Wrigley Field...made his first start June
23 at Atlanta at second base, going 0-for-4...was hitless in 7 at-bats in his first major league stint of the season before being optioned back to Charlotte June 24...was recalled July 26 after Ray
Durham was traded to Oakland, and
remained with the White Sox for the rest
of the season...clubbed his first big
league homer the day of the 2nd recall,
a solo shot off Shawn Sedlacek...went a
perfect 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts
with Chicago, including a career-high 3
swipes September 10 at Kansas City...played for Mayaguez of the Puerto Rican Winter
League...led the league with a .375 (9-for-24) batting average in the playoffs, and stroked
the game-winning homer in the deciding game of the Championship Series vs. Caguas.
2001
Was named by
Baseball America as the Baltimore Orioles Minor League Player of the
Year and Top Hitter in the Orioles farm system after becoming the first Eastern League
player to hit over .300 and steal more than 50 bases in the same season since Luis Castillo in 1996...
Baseball America also rated him as the No. 8 prospect in the Orioles organization...received the Brooks Robinson Award as the organization's top position
player and earned a spot on the Eastern League All-Star team and Topps Double-A All-Star team...was runner-up for E.L. Rookie of the Year after ranking 2nd in the league with
54 stolen bases and 6th with a .305 batting average...was named E.L. Player of the Week
for the week of August 20-26...had 2 9-game hitting streaks, one 10-game streak and
one 14-gamer...had his contract purchased by Baltimore September 2 and made his major league debut that day vs. Seattle...singled off Cory Lidle for his first major league
hit September 5 at Oakland.
2000
Spent his first full pro season with Single-A Delmarva, and was named by
Baseball
America as the South Atlantic League's Best Defensive Second Baseman...was also
selected to the SAL All-Star squad after ranking 2nd in the league with 106 runs scored,
3rd with 89 walks and tied for 4th with 10 triples...his 38 stolen bases ranked 2nd among
Orioles farmhands...played for Maryvale in the Arizona Fall League.
1999
Spent the bulk of his first pro campaign with Single-A Delmarva, batting .265 with 13 doubles, 42 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 66 games.
