Matt Lawton #50

Matthew Lawton III...wife's name is Cazesta...has two children; daughter Chassity (7/3/93) and son Chaseton (10/3/00)...is a 1989 graduate of Harrison Central (MS) High School, where he played baseball and football...played second base along with shortstop and current Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre during American Legion ball in Mississippi during the 1980's....attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College...brother Marcus played in Mets, Angels and Yankees systems, playing 10 games with Yankees in 1989...designated time and effort in support of Boys & Girls Club of Twin Cities and participated in TwinsCare, a ticket program for underprivileged youth in the Minneapolis area...also purchased 5,000 tickets for "Lawton's Little Leaguers" - allowing disadvantaged youths and groups to attend Cleveland Indians games in 2002 & 2003.

2005

Played with three Major League teams in 2005, Pittsburgh, Chicago (NL) and New York (NL)...hit a combined .254 (127x500) with 13 homers and 53 RBI over 141 games...swiped 18 bases...Began the campaign with Pittsburgh, playing the first 40 games for the Pirates...hit leadoff in each of the club's first 15 contests...Went 10x27/.370 during six-game hitting streak from May 3-8...Hit fourth career grand slam (and first since 1999) and had five RBI on May 8 at Arizona...Collected 600th RBI on June 1 vs. Florida...went 8x9 with two doubles and two solo home runs in three games from June 4-6...Had career-high tying four hits, including career hit 1,200, on June 12 vs. Tampa Bay... also had four hits on July 3 at Milwaukee...produced third four-hit game of season and stole three bases on July 26 at Florida...Made 98 starts in right field for Pittsburgh and played in 101 games...was traded to the Cubs on July 31 for outfielder Jody Gerut...was leading all National League leadoff batters in homers and RBI at the time of the trade...also the Pirates' top base stealer with 16...Batted .244 (19x78) with one home run and five RBI in 19 games for Chicago before being traded to the Yankees on Aug. 27 for pitcher Justin Berg...hit his only home run for the Cubs on Aug. 13 vs. St. Louis...Hit first home run for New York on Aug. 29 at Seattle...batted .125 (6x48) over 21 games for the Yankees...On Nov. 2, 2005, was suspended 10 days, effective the start of the 2006 regular season, for violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

2004

Spent third straight season with Cleveland...was selected to the American League All-Star team for the second time in his career...tied for eighth among American League leaders in runs scored, setting a career high in the process...also tied for sixth in stolen bases...made 124 appearances (123 starts) in left field and 19 appearances (18 starts) in right field...started 84 games in the leadoff spot and was the club's most consistent lead-off hitter, batting .299 (104x348) with 16 home runs and 46 RBI from the top of the order... his .380 on-base percentage ranked fourth among A.L. leadoff hitters...hit over .300 in each of the first three months; batting .326 with five homers and 20 RBI in April, .319 with 21 runs scored in May and .319 with 11 RBI in June...recorded sixth career two-homer game on April 18 vs.Detroit and tied career high with four runs scored...collected 1,000th career hit on April 28 at Chicago (AL) off Scott Schoeneweis...had season-high four hits to equal a career high on April 30 vs. Baltimore (was his 12th career four-hit game and his first as an Indian)...hit seventh career leadoff home run on May 15 vs. Tampa Bay, the third and final time he accomplished the feat in 2004...matched career high by hitting safely in 16 straight games from June 3-19 (25x67/ .373)...went 1x2 and played center field in the All-Star Game....hit game-winning three-run homer on Aug. 7 at Chicago (AL) off Shingo Takatsu...hit just .232 (67x289) with nine homers and 29RBI in final 76 games beginning on July 1...compiled a .474 slugging percentage during the first half of the season and a .346 mark in the second half...reached base safely in 122 of his 147 games, including 91 of his last 106.

2003

Was limited by injury in his second season with the Indians, playing in just 14 second half games after dislocating his right middle finger swinging a bat on July 11 vs. Chicago (AL)...made 61 starts in left field and 12 in right field...also batted .250 (21x84) with three homers and 13 RBI in 21 games as the designated hitter...was Cleveland's Opening Day starter in left field...hit just .185 (15x81) with three homers in 22 games during the month of April, as he recovered from right shoulder surgery from September of 2002... rebounded to hit .270 (74x270) over his final 72 games from May 7 thru the end of the season...collected fifth career two-homer game on June 28 vs. Cincinnati, his first with the Indians...also connected off Ryan Dempster for 100th career home run on June 28...was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 12...was reinstated from the D.L. on Aug. 18 after two rehab stints with Akron (AA)...was placed on D.L. due to inflammation in same finger on Sept. 5 and did not play again...had arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome right knee on Sept. 17 in Cleveland by Dr. Mark Schickendantz to remove torn meniscus and perform a general cleanup of the knee joint...batted .293 (43x147) with eight homers and 23 RBI in final 39 games.

2002

Spent first of three straight seasons with Cleveland...hit .279 with five homers and 14 RBI and was leading the American League with 19 runs scored after his first 16 games... had at least one RBI in a career-high eight straight games (10 RBI total) from April 3-11, falling one game shy of the club record for RBI in consecutive games...suffered a slight separation to his right shoulder diving for a ball in Minneapolis on April 19, an injury that lingered all year and ended his season on Sept. 2...received cortisone shots in the shoulder at various points throughout the season and was able to rest it during a trip to the disabled list from July 12-26 due to a strained left calf...spent majority of the season playing right field (85 games/84 starts)...also made 23 starts in left field...led off three games with home runs, with the last one coming at New York (AL) on July 2...was shut down for the season due to continued right shouder soreness after game on Sept. 2... hit just .169 (15x89) with three homers and 14 RBI over his last 25 games from Aug. 4 thru Sept. 2...homered in back-to-back games on Aug. 25-26...was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Sept. 13 and Dr. Tim Kremchek performed arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in Cincinnati, Ohio on Sept. 17 (Dr. Kremchek repaired a tear in his labrum and some fraying in the rotator cuff along with removing a cyst on the clavicle of the A/C joint which resulted from his April separation).

2001

Split season between Minnesota and New York (NL)...hit .277 with 36 doubles, 13 home runs and 64 RBI in 151 games with the two clubs...also swiped a career-high 29 bases...had hitting streaks of 10 games (May 20-31) and 12 games (June 7-20) during his stint with the Twins...was named American League Player-of-the-Week for week of July 2-8 after hitting .586 with four home runs and 10 RBI...hit first career leadoff home run on June 22 at Detroit...had fourth career two-homer game on July 3 at Chicago (AL)...was acquired by the Mets on July 30...batted .229 (25x109) in his first 28 games with New York, but .270 (20x74) in his final 18 games...made 48 appearances (46 starts) in right field and did not make an error in 97 total chances while playing with the Mets.

2000

Was selected to the American League All-Star Team for the first time...tied for fifth in the league and established a career high in doubles...also set career highs in hits, walks, RBI and games played...led Minnesota in batting, hits, doubles, RBI, multi-hit games (46) and walks...was the seventh-hardest player to fan in the A.L., striking out once every 10.5 plate appearances...was named Twins' Most Valuable Player...hit game-winning three-run homer in 9th inning on April 5 vs. Tampa Bay...hit safely in career-high 16 straight games from April 13-20 (26x58/.448)...produced 12-game hitting streak from June 2-14 (18x47, .383)...had third career two-homer game on June 30 at Cleveland...collected four hits on July 15 vs. Chicago (NL) and season-high five RBI on Aug. 11 at Toronto... homered in two consecutive games on Aug. 27 and Aug. 29...batted .308 (49x159) with runners in scoring position.

1999

Connected off Jerry Spradlin for third career grand slam and tallied career-high six RBI on April 17 at Cleveland...batted .421 (16x38) while hitting safely in nine of his 10 games from April 17-26...produced season-high eight-game hitting streak from May 15- 21 (10x27/.370)...had seventh career four-hit game on May 17 at Seattle...was hit on the right side of his face by a Dennys Reyes pitch on June 8 vs. Cincinnati...was on the 15- day disabled list with fractures in right eye socket from June 9 to July 17...began rehab assignment in Fort Myers on July 12...collected four hits on Oct. 1 at Chicago (AL).

1998

Spent second straight full season with Minnesota...led club in at bats, runs, total bases (266), home runs, RBI and walks...shared team lead in triples and was second in hits and doubles...tied for fourth in American League in hit-by-pitch...his 12 outfield assists tied for fifth in the league...tied career high with four-hit game on April 13 at Tampa Bay...hit second career grand slam on May 9 vs. New York (off Andy Pettitte)...hit safely in 23 of his 26 games from June 30 thru Aug. 1 (35x102/.343)...produced 10-game hitting streak from July 10-21 (15x39/.385)...tallied four hits on Aug. 16 at Boston...collected game-winning two-run triple in 10th inning on Sept. 1 vs. Tampa Bay...won Calvin R. Griffith Award as Twins' Most Valuable Player.

1997

Spent first full season in the majors with the Twins...ranked second on club in games, runs, home runs and walks...hit safely in nine of his first 10 games...had season-high six- game hitting streak from May 10-16 (8x24/.333)...tied career high with four hits on June 23 at Cleveland...reached base safely in 28 of his 29 games from Aug. 4 to Sept. 7...had first career two-homer game on 9/17 vs. Cleveland...also hit two home runs on Sept. 19 vs. Milwaukee...smacked game-winning homer in 10th inning on Sept. 27 at Cleveland... ranked eighth among American League hitters in percentage of pitches taken (61.5%).

1996

Began season with Minnesota...collected career-high four hits on April 24 at Detroit... was optioned to Salt Lake City (Twins' triple-A) on April 30...hit game-winning grand slam in ninth inning and tallied five RBI on June 3 vs. Tucson...hit four home runs in five- game span from June 14-18...recalled by Twins on June 21...had second career four-hit game on June 29 at Kansas City...connected off Mark Gubicza at Kansas City for first career grand slam on June 30...was optioned to Salt Lake a second time on July 11, but was recalled again on Aug. 1...homered in consecutive games on Aug. 2-3...notched third career four-hit game on Aug. 30 at Milwaukee...went (5x10/.500) as a pinch hitter... averaged an RBI every 6.0 at bats...hit .311 (23x74) with runners in scoring position.

1995

Spent full season with New Britain (Twins' AA)...was named Eastern League Player-of- the-Week for week of July 10-16...was named Twins' Minor League Player-of-the-Week for week of Aug. 18-24 after going 9x23 (.391) with nine runs scored, four home runs and nine RBI...led league outfielders in fielding percentage (.991)...made 81 appearances in left field and 32 in center field....was recalled by Minnesota on Sept. 5 and made major league debut as a pinch hitter that night vs. Detroit...singled off Mike Myers for first big-league hit on Sept. 6 vs. Detroit...reached base in all five plate appearances without getting a hit on Sept. 10 at California (2 walks, 1 HBP, 2 errors)...connected off Dennis Martinez for first major league home run on Sept. 28 vs. Cleveland...ranked fourth in organization in runs (86) and tied for fourth in stolen bases (27)...participated in the Arizona Fall League and hit .317 with five home runs and 31 RBI while playing with Peoria...was named Arizona Fall League Player-of-the-Week for week of 10/16-22... ranked second in league in RBI and on-base percentage (.404)...also ranked third in total bases (80) and sixth in batting...was named to Arizona Fall League All-Star team as a designated hitter.

1994

Spent entire season with Fort Myers (Twins' A)...was named to Florida State League All-Star Game and went 3x5 with a double and triple in the contest...led organization in stolen bases and was eighth in batting...led league in on-base percentage (.407) and also ranked second in walks, fourth in batting and tied for fifth in outfield assists (13)...led club in nearly every offensive category...hit safely in 17 of his 18 games from May 2-24, going 25x66 (.379)...went 6x6 with four singles, a double, triple and three RBI on 7/15 vs. Daytona.

1993

Was converted from infielder to outfielder and spent entire season with Ft. Myers (Twins' A)...ranked second on club in stolen bases and on-base percentage (.410)...also ranked second in league in on-base percentage...had four-hit game, including two home runs, on May 6 at Madison.

1992

Spent first professional season with the Gulf Coast League Twins after being selected by Minnesota in the 13th round of the June draft...tied for fifth in the league in stolen bases and was third in runs scored...hit .375 (12x32) in last nine games...was 20x21 in stolen base attempts...had .958 fielding percentage while playing second base.