Geoffrey E. Blum...He and his wife, Kory, have four daughters: Mia Lea and triplets Ava, Audrey and Kayla...Attended the University of California-Berkeley...named
to the All-Pac 10 team in 1994...his team won the 1992
College World Series...Graduated from Chino (Calif.) High School in 1991...His brother Greg was a catcher who spent three seasons in the Expos organization from 2000-02 and the 2003 season with Ft. Myers, the Minnesota Twins affiliate in
the Florida State League...Was a tee-ball teammate of former Major League player Mike Sweeney at age five.
2011
Spent a majority of the season on the disabled list with a right knee injury and fractured finger and missed a combined 127 games...Opened the season (retroactive to March 22) on the
disabled list with inflammation of the right knee...reinstated on July 15 after missing 92 games...Placed on the disabled list on July 26 (retroactive to July 25) after suffering a fractured right pinkie finger on July 24 vs. Rockies...marked the first time in his career he
had 2 separate stints on the disabled list in the same season...reinstated on Sept. 1 after missing 35 games...POSTSEASON: Was hitless in 2 pinch-hit attempts in the NLDS vs. Brewers.
2010
Tied for fourth in the NL with a .333 pinch-hit average (14-for-42) and 11 pinch-hit RBI, while his 14 pinch-hits were tied for seventh in the league...Hit .267 (54-for-202) with 22 runs scored, 10 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs and 22 RBI in 93 games for the Astros...Strung together a season-long 9-game hitting streak from April 11-28, during which he hit .423 (11-for-26)...In 34 games following the All-Star break, hit .323 (21-for-65) with 3 doubles, 2 home runs and 8 RBI...Missed 25 games while on the disabled list with a right elbow injury from July 3-Aug. 3.
2009
moved past Craig Biggio (291 HR) and into sole possession of second place on the Astros all-time home run list on April 22 vs. LAD...scored his 900th career run on April 18 vs. CIN...made his ninth consecutive Opening-Day start for the club and his fourth in a row at first base (2006-09) on April 6 vs. CHC.
2008
Hit .240 (78x325) with a career-high 14 home runs and a career-high 53 RBI in 114 games with Houston...hit .270 (27x100) with five home runs and 40 RBI with runners in scoring position...tied his career high for home runs in a single game by hitting two on July 27 at MIL, marking his fifth career two-home run game...prior to the 2008 season, signed a one-year contract through 2008 with
the Astros, which included a vesting option for the 2009 season...the option became vested by reaching 250 plate appearances,
accomplished on Aug. 22 at NYM...among Major League pinch-hitters, ranked third in batting average (.370, 10x27) and fifth in onbase
percentage (.455)...finished with the eighth-highest batting average as a pinch-hitter in franchise history...started at all four
infield positions: first base (2), second base (5), shortstop (3) and third base (69)...committed only four errors in 244 total chances
(.984 fielding percentage).
2007
Played in 122 games for the Padres, making starts at second base (55), shortstop (10), third base (2), first base (1), left field (3) and designated hitter (2)...appeared at all four infield positions for the eighth consecutive year (2000-07)...hit .252 (83x330) with 21 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 33 RBI, 34 runs scored and 32 walks...went 6x35 (.171) as a pinch-hitter...started 51 games at second base after the All-Star Break, hitting .273 (62x227) with 13 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 22 RBI, 26 runs scored and 22 walks...hit .404 (23x57) over a 19-game stretch from July 18-Aug. 7...hit .310 (13x42) in 15 July games...drove in four runs, going 2x3 with a double June 6 vs. LAD, his most RBI since July 30, 2002 at NYM when he tied his career-high with five...recorded two season-high, six-game hit streaks, July 15-24 (.474) and Aug. 30-Sept. 4 (.300)...hit .297 (44x148) with 12 doubles, one home run, 17 RBI, 18 runs scored and 18 walks in 58 games at home...went 35x107 (.327) at PETCO Park after June 24...hit each of his five home runs from the left side of the plate, where he hit .256 (64x250) with 15 doubles, one triple, 22 RBI and 24 walks...went 19x80 (.238) from the right side, collecting six doubles, 11 RBI and eight walks...his 55 starts at second base were a career-high...hit .288 (59x205) in 61 total games while playing second base...hit in every spot in the lineup except third or fourth.
2006
Concluded the season with a .254 average (70-for-276) with 17 doubles, a triple, four homers, 34 RBI and 27 runs scored in 109 games...batted .167 (6-for-36) from the right side and .267 (64-for-240) from the left...knocked all four of his home runs from the left side of the late...became the primary shortstop when Khalil Greene went on the disabled list Aug. 19 (retroactive to August 18) and batted .270 (33-for-
122) with seven doubles, a triple, two home runs and 18 RBI from Aug. 18 through the end of the season...
hit .412 (7-for-17) with three doubles, two RBI and a run scored during his season-high five-game hit streak,
September 15-19...set season highs in hits (4) and RBI (3) August 23 vs. Los Angeles (NL)...also drove in three
runs with a 2-for-5 performance August 29 at Arizona...posted his best monthly average in May, hitting .450
(18-for-40) with four doubles, a home run and eight RBI in 19 games.
AROUND THE HORN: Made starts at shortstop (42), third base (17) and second base (1)...made two appearances
at first base, one at second base, 34 at third base, 49 at shortstop and one in right field overall in
2006...made six errors in 275 total chances in the field, all at shortstop (.978).
PINCH ME: Batted .387 (12-for-31) as a pinch-hitter, best in the Majors (minimum 25 plate appearances)...
his 32 pinch-hit appearances were tied for second-most on the Padres (Bellhorn, 41; Bowen, 32)...also led the
club with 12 pinch-hits, including four doubles and a homer...collected four RBI and scored seven runs as a
pinch-hitter...hit his first home run of the season and his first career pinch-hit home run May 3 at Los Angeles
(NL), the second of a pair of back-to-back home runs for San Diego (Barfield).
POSTSEASON PLAY: Started all four games at shortstop for the Padres in the Division Series vs. St.
Louis...batted .125 (1-for-8) but walked four times...doubled and hit an RBI sacrifice fly in the Padres lone win
in Game 3...made zero errors in eight postseason chances.
2005
Batted .241 (54-for-224) with five homers, 13 doubles, 22 RBI and 26 runs scored in 78 games with the Padres...appeared at all four infield positions for the sixth consecutive season...played in 34 games at third base (26 starts), 19 games at second base (18 starts), 14 games at shortstop (nine starts) and
two games at first base (with no starts)...placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 2 (retroactive to April
30), due to a left chest contusion suffered in an outfield collision with Ryan Klesko...was activated from the
DL on May 18...from May 27-June 9, had a season-high 11-game hitting streak during which he batted .388
(19-for-49)...traded to the Chicago White Sox on July 31 in exchange for minor league left-handed pitcher
Ryan Meaux...as a member of the White Sox, played in 12 games at third base (nine starts), 12 at first (nine
starts), six at shortstop (four starts) and two at second (two starts)...overall, hit
.236 (53-for-225) left-handed and .213 (20-94) from the right side...hit his
only regular season home run with the Sox on August 29 at Texas, a two-run
shot off Juan Dominguez.
BLUM CRAZY: Knocked two homers in the first game of a doubleheader
April 13 at Chicago (NL) - the first, from the left side off Kerry Wood to lead
off the game followed up with a solo shot, this time from the right side in
the ninth inning off Cliff Bartosh...it was his fourth career multi-homer game
(first since May 4, 2004 at Texas)...also the first time in his career he led off a
game with a home run, the 50th leadoff homer in franchise history, and the
third time he had homered from both sides of the plate in the same game
(last May 4, 2004 at Texas).
MULTIPLE MAN: Recorded seven consecutive multi-hit outings, the longest such streak of his career, from
May 27-June 2...the last Padre to tally multiple hits in seven straight games was Tony Gwynn, July 4-9, 1995
(doubleheader on the 8th).
2004
JACK OF ALL TRADES: Made 88 starts: 40 at third, 40 at second, seven in left, one at first... also played one game at shortstop... has now also played all four infield positions five consecutive years... made only one error in 52 games at 2B... his appearances in the outfield were his first there since 2002.
AGAINST THE GRAIN: A natural right-handed hitter, his Major League career numbers are weighted heavily toward the opposite side with the exception of 2004... he batted .288 (23-for-80) with three home runs right-handed, but only .193 (50-for-259) from the left side... prior to 2004, he had a .268 avg. (382-for-1423) with 36 home runs as a left-handed hitter and hit .231 (68-for-294) with 12 home runs as a righty.
LUCKY NUMBER FOUR: In a four-game span, August 25-29, he went 6-for-11 with six walks, eight runs scored and six RBI... set a career-high and tied a club record with a four-walk game at Oakland on August 29... had a season-high four hits August 19 vs. Anaheim, but had only three other multi-hit games at home all season... had his best game of the season on May 4 at Texas when he homered from both sides of the plate in the Tampa's 5-4 win... Blum became the first Devil Ray to accomplish the feat and just the 10th player to homer from both sides of the plate in both an AL and NL game... the others: Eddie Murray, Chili Davis, Reggie Smith, Jose Valentin, Ted Simmons, Carl Everett, Tony Clark, Dave Sveum and Tim Raines... Carlos Beltran later did it in 2004 becoming the 11th player.
HIGHLIGHTS: Broke up a no-hit bid by AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana at Minnesota on June 3 with a sixth inning double that led to a four-run inning for the Rays in their 4-2 win over the Twins' 20-game winner... also homered off Santana on July 22 at Minnesota... his home run off Roy Halladay on June 28 broke a string of 51.1 homerless innings by the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner... on September 25 vs. Toronto he was charged with an error at 3B with two out in the ninth inning allowing Toronto to tie the game... in the bottom of the inning he delivered a sac fly to give the Rays a "walk-off" 6-5 win... entered this season a career .262 hitter in five big league seasons, but the highest his average got all season was .232 on August 31... batted .309 (21-68) in August, but just .192 (52-271) the rest of the season.
2003
For the 2nd consecutive year played six different positions for the Astros: 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF and
RF...It was the 4th straight year he has played all 4 infield positions...Made 93 starts: 2B-18,
3B-72, SS-3...Split time at 3B with Morgan Ensberg and the two combined for 29 home runs
at third base...Also for the 2nd straight year finished with 10 home runs and 52 RBI...Recorded a career-high
110 hits and the 52 RBI equaled his career high...Hit all of his home runs as a lefty...Batted
.274 (105-383) from the left side and .135 (5-37) from the right...Batted in the 2nd spot in the lineup 79 times in his 93 starts.
Made 14 starts at second base from June 25-July13 filling in for injured Jeff Kent (left wrist tendonitis)...
Hit .365 (23x65) over those starts with three home runs, 10 RBI and 12 runs
scored...His start at second base on June 25 at Arizona was his first there since Oct. 4, 2001
for Montreal at the Mets...During most of the time that he was filling in for Kent, he recorded a career-high 16-game hitting
streak from June 25-July 17, during which he batted .357 (25-for-70)...Started at third base Opening Day on April 1 - his first ever Opening Day start and was 2-for-
5 with a home run (Miceli) vs. Colorado...Also doubled and drove in three runs...Had the game-tying home run in the ninth inning on July 1 vs. Milwaukee (DeJean)...Hit four homers and collected 15 RBI in May...Batted .345 (19x55) from May 1-16...Missed four games from May 20-23 due to viral meningitis...scratched from the lineup on May
20 after experiencing severe headaches and fever...spent the night at The Methodist Hospital in
Houston...Released on May 21, but was not in uniform until May 24...a defensive replacement
in right field on May 25, hit an RBI-double in his first at-bat...Played final two innings on August 17 vs. Philadelphia in left field after Lance Berkman was ejected...
first appearance in left field since Sept. 22, 2002...Had five consecutive hits from May 7-8...was 3-for-3 on May 8 vs.Pittsburgh...Also had a career-high
five hits (5-for-7) - the most by an Astro in '03 - on April 19 at Milwaukee in a 3-2, 14-inning loss...Batted .314 (11-for-35) in Interleague play..Had a pinch-hit, three-RBI double on Sept. 6 at San Diego
2002
Played six different positions (all four infield positions and LF and RF)...Started 95 games: 91 at
2B and two each in LF and RF...Posted a .185 batting average (12x65) as a right-handed hitter, including one home run and six RBI...Batted .304 (92x303) as a left-handed hitter, including nine home runs and 46 RBI...Hit his
only right-handed home run of the year vs. Colorado (Hampton) on Sept. 9...Batted .313 (25-for-80) during the month of June, including three home runs and 12 RBI, while
scoring nine runs...Batted .329 (25x76) in August, including a homer, 11 RBI and eight runs scored...Had 4 hits and five RBI (second time) at New York on July 30, collecting a triple, two singles and
a home run...Connected for a hit in six consecutive at-bats between July 14-16...Played right field on May 25 for the first time in his Major League career...Went 3-for-4, with three doubles, three runs and a career-high five RBI on May 13 at Minute
Maid Park vs. Philadelphia...Batted .313 (5-for-16) as a pinch-hitter.
2001
Appeared in 73 games for Montreal at third base, 35 in left field, 25 at second base, 14 at first
base and four at shortstop...started 121 games (68 at 3B; 27 in LF; 18 at 2B; 8 at 1B)...Started 24 of the last 35 games at third base...Became the fifth player in Expos history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same
game, on July 5 vs. Florida...homered off Chuck Smith as a left-handed hitter in the third inning
and off Jesus Sanchez as a right-handed hitter in the fifth inning...was the first Expo to accomplish
the feat since Jose Vidro on July 3, 2000 at Atlanta...Drove in four runs on three occasions,on July 5 vs.Florida,July 14 vs.the Rays,and Sept.21 vs.Colorado...Tied for team lead with 10 HBPs...plunked in three consecutive games from May 12-13, 16...Hit .298 (84-for-282) with 16 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 38 RBI in his starting
assignments...Hit safely in 12 of 15 games following the All-Star break...named Expos Player of the Month for
July after hitting .318 (21-for-66) with three home runs and 12 RBI in 20 games during the month.
2000
2000 marked the first time appearing on an opening day roster... Blum made the most of his opportunities as he established himself as a bona fide Major Leaguer... His versatility landed him in the line-up for 80 starts at four different infield positions... Stepped in and started 23 games at short when Orlando Cabrera injured his shoulder, made eight more starts at second base when Jose Vidro hurt his thumb, and even made four starts at first for Lee Stevens when he was out with hamstring and toe injuries... Made his best impression, however, at third base where he was anchored for most of the second half... Made 46 starts at the hot corner and took over the position for good when Michael Barrett was inserted behind the plate... Drove in a career-high four runs in his first start at third on July 21 at Florida... Batted 84-for-282 (.298) with 16 doubles, 2 triples, 10 HR and 38 RBI in his starting assignments... Kicked off the second half by hitting safely in 12 of his first 15 games en route to being named the Expos Player of the Month for July after batting .318 (21-for-66) with three homers and 12 RBI in 20 games total.
- SWITCH-UP: The versatile switch-hitter batted .286 with six home runs and 34 RBI from the left side and .271 with five home runs and 11 RBI from the right side... made adjustments at the plate as he batted exclusively left-handed the last weeks of the season due to a strained ligament in his right thumb.
- LATE BLOOMER: Posted a .306 BA (74-for-249) in the second half of the season to raise his average from .245 to 283... batted .306 as a lefthander.
- FIRST START: Started at shortstop on April 30 at San Francisco, going 0-for-2 with a BB.
- FIRST DINGER: Took Astros Billy Wagner deep on May 21 while starting at short.
- AT FIRST: Started three straight games at first base from June 12-14 at Milwaukee, going 4-for-10 with 2 RBI, BB.
- 4 RBI: Drove in a career-high four runs July 21 at Florida in his first career start at third base.
- THREE STRAIGHT: Homered in three straight games from July 21-23 in a series at Florida... Homered on July 21 off Vic Darensbourg, July 22 off Armando Almanza and on the 23rd off Jesus Sanchez.
- PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Named BBWAA Expos Player of the Month for July after batting .318 (21-for-66) with three homers and 12 RBI in 20 games... Was his first monthly award with Expos.
- BACK-2-BACK: Homered in consecutive games August 2-4... Hit a solo HR off the Astros Wayne Franklin, the first by an Expo at Enron Field, after hitting a solo HR off the Cards Pat Hentgen.
- VERSATILE: Appeared at all four infield positions this season... Mike Mordecai is the only other Expo to do so.
- GAME WINNER: Hit game-winning HR in the second game on September 11 at Philly, a 2-run homer in 8th off Vicenta Padilla... Was 10th HR of season.
- BACK-TO-BACK: Hit the front end of back-to-back homers with Andy Tracy on September 20 vs Florida... Both connected off Reid Cornelius in the first inning.
- THREE-HITTER: Collected a career-high three hits on September 22 vs Atlanta, going 3-for-4 with a double, RBI... Was seventh 3-hitter of the season and of his career.
- IN BUNCHES: Committed his first error on June 13 at Milwaukee, making two in that contest... Also made two errors on September 11 at Philly before making three in the season finale on October 1 at New York.
1999
Blum became the Expos everyday shortstop when his contract was purchased from AAA Ottawa on August 9 to replace Orlando Cabrera, who severely sprained his left ankle while crossing first base in a game vs the Padres the night before... The six-year veteran of the Expos organization started 43 of the Club's last 53 games while appearing in a total of 45 contests... The 26-year-old switch-hitter showed his power by collecting 17 extra-base hits... Hit seven doubles, two triples and eight homers to finish with a .504 slugging percentage... Also drew 17 walks... Batted .241 left-handed, including hitting six of his eight homers... Batted .190 right-handed... Committed 10 errors.
1998
Blum's 1998 season was plagued by injury to his throwing elbow, forcing him to miss two months of action... Played eight games with AAA Ottawa to start the season, before being placed on the disabled list April 21 with elbow inflammation, followed by surgery in early May to remove joint loose bodies... Returned to action on June 26 on rehab option with the Gulf Coast Expos of the Rookie League... Made a three-week stop at Class A Jupiter, before spending the rest of the season with AA Harrisburg, where he hit .309 in 39 games... Hit for the cycle on August 6th vs New Haven, doing it in order... His home run was a game-winning shot in the 8th, giving the Senators a 3-2 edge.
1997
Spent the 1997 campaign with Ottawa, finishing second on the Club in doubles (21), third in hits (101) and games (118)... Honed his skills in the Arizona Fall League.
1996
Spent the entire 1996 season at AA Harrisburg, where he took part in 85 games at second base and 30 at short... Hit .281 in eight playoff games en route to the Eastern League Championship... Reported to the Honolulu Sharks in the Hawaii Winter League at season's end.
1995
In 1995, was promoted to Class A West Palm Beach and drove in a career-high 62 runs in 125 games... Played in the Australian League in the offseason.
1994
Blum spent the entire 1994 season with the Vermont Expos... Finished second in the New York-Penn League in average (.344) and tied for third in hits (83)... Was named the league's fifth best prospect by
Baseball America and selected to the Postseason All-Star Team.
