He and his wife, Shanda, make their offseason home in Chandler, Ariz., with their son, Solen (Sept. 6, 2004)...graduated from Mount Carmel (CA) High School in 1996 where he played baseball and basketball...named first-team All-American by *USA Today, Baseball America* and the American Baseball Coaches Association in 1996...played baseball at the University of Southern California...named Most Outstanding player at the NCAA Regional in both his sophomore and junior years (1998, 99)...was Collegiate Baseball's preseason player of the year in 1999 and earned preseason AllAmerica honors by *Baseball America*...was Detroit's first-round pick (3rd overall) in the June 1999 free agent draby scout Dennis Lieberthal...passed up second-round selection by Atlanta in the June 1996 free agent draft.

2006

Hit .199 (28x141) with five home runs and 19 RBI in 53 games for the Astros...as a non-roster invitee, he earned a spot on the Astros Opening Day roster out of Spring Training... made his first career start at catcher on 4/5 vs. FLA...started 30 games at C and appeared in 37 games overall...started two games at first base and appeared in four games overall at the position...made only one error in 275.1 innings caught behind the plate and threw out four of 19 attempted base stealers...3x5 with a double and a career-best five RBI on 7/2 at Texas...started at C on 6/11 vs. Atlanta and hit two home runs, his third career multi-home run game and his first since August 8, 2004 while with Detroit...was 0x13 as a pinch-hitter...hit .393 (11x28) with one home run in May...1x4 with a homer on 8/19 at MIL before being assigned to Round Rock...hit .250 (8x32) with two HR and eight RBI at Round Rock, appearing in nine games at C, 1B and LF...hit two home runs and went 2x4 with four RBI on 9/1 for the Express.

2005

After entering Spring Training with the Minnesota Twins, he spent the season in the Tampa Bay organization...released by the Twins on March 27 and signed by the Devil Rays to a minor league contract on April 3...appeared in 11 games with Tampa Bay over two stints...combined to hit .167 (3x18) with a double, two RBI and four walks...recalled from Triple A Durham on Sept. 6 and appeared in five games, one start (DH)...went 1x7 with an RBI double in the 7-4 win vs. Boston on Sept. 21...originally recalled by Tampa Bay on June 23 and appeared in four games (two starts, both at DH)...went 2x7 with both hits coming on June 23 at the Yankees...placed on the 15-day Disabled List on July 2 with bruised ribs suffered on June 28 vs. Toronto as he was trown out sliding into home plate in the 10th inning...returned from a rehab assignment and was outrighted to Triple A Durham...batted .285 (109x352) with 22 doubles, 25 homers and 71 RBI in 100 games with the Bulls.

2004

Established career-highs in games, at-bats, runs, doubles, triples and homers...hit safely in six of seven games, going 8x24 (.333) from April 718...homered in consecutive games, April 7-8...was 6x14 (.429) in five games, May 28-June 2...recorded his first career two-homer game, May 31 vs. Kansas City...tied his career-high with three hits on June 11 vs. Florida...made his first professional career appearance at catcher on June 24 at Kansas City...hit the longest homer in Comerica Park history (457 feet) on June 26 vs. Arizona...recorded a season-long, four-game hit-streak, batting .412 (7x17) from June 26-30...tied a career-high with four RBI on June 29 vs. Cleveland...hit safely in six of eight games from July 717...notched his second career two-homer game Aug. 8 vs. Boston...ejected from a game for the first time in his career on Sept. 15 at Cleveland by umpire Jim Reynolds, for arguing a call at first base.

2003

In his first full season in the Majors, he set career-highs in hits (75) and RBI (50) with Detroit...hit safely in five consecutive games, going 7x18 (.389), April 29-May 5...homered in consecutive games, May 10-11, June 17-18, July 19-20 and Aug. 6-7...posted a seasonhigh six-game hitting streak from June 14-20, going 12-20 (.600)...tied his season high with three hits on Aug. 5 vs. Oakland...tied a season high with three RBI on Aug. 7 vs. Oakland...placed on the Disabled List with a non-displaced fracture of his left thumb from Aug. 12-Sept. 29.

2002

Began the season at Triple A Toledo...homered in consecutive games from April 27-28 and May 2-3...named International League Player of the Week for July 22-28...earned Tigers Minor League Player of the Month honors for July...recalled by Detroit Sept. 7...hit 4x12 (.333) over three games from Sept. 7-9...led Toledo in games, at-bats, homers, and RBI...led the International League in walks, was second in extra-base hits (58), tied for fourth in homers and RBI and tied for fifth in total bases (235)...led all Tigers minor leaguers in homers and was fourth in RBI...ranked as the Best Defensive First Baseman and ninth Best Prospect in the International League, fifth Best Prospect and Best Power Hitter in the Tigers organization by Baseball America...played in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

2001

Began the season at Double A Erie and recalled by Detroit in September...named to the Eastern League Post-Season All-Star team...led all Tigers minor leaguers in RBI and ranked second in homers...named Tigers Co-Minor League Player of the Year...recalled by the Tigers on Sept. 10...singled off Eric Milton for first Major League hit on Sept. 19 at Minnesota...collected a season-high four RBI on Sept. 23 at Boston...hit his first career homer off Eric Milton on Oct. 3 vs. Minnesota...led the Eastern League in games (142), RBI (102) and walks (84), was fourth in extra-base hits (62), fifth in runs (88), and tied for fifth in doubles (35)...posted a 10-game hit-streak, going 15x40 (.375) from April 21-May 1...notched a 12-game streak from June 15-28, batting 17x49 (.347)...hit two home runs on June 30 vs. Akron...hit safely in 16 of 17 games from July 13-31...homered in three consecutive games twice: July 29-31 and Aug. 16-18...ranked as the No. 3 Best Prospect and Best Power Hitter in the Tigers organization by Baseball America.

2000

Began season at Double A Jacksonville...collected two home runs and five RBI on April 30 at Tennessee...played for United States team at the MLB All-Star Futures game on July 9 at Atlanta...recalled by the Tigers July 16...made his Major League debut as a defensive replacement at first base on July 18 vs. Cincinnati...optioned on July 23...placed on the DL with a fracture of lower spine from Aug. 28-Sept. 18...ranked the No. 12 Prospect in the Southern League, Best Power Hitter and third Best Prospect in the Tigers organization by Baseball America.

1999

Began his professional career at Class A Lakeland...posted a season-high four hits on July 5 at Wisconsin...homered in consecutive games: July 5-6, 22-23 and 27-28...notched a season-long eight-game hitting streak, going 16x36 (.444), July 17-24...tied his season high with five RBI on Aug. 7 vs. South Bend.