Jeffrey Glen Baker…is one of three active major leaguers born in West Germany, joining Edwin Jackson and Will Ohman... played three seasons at Clemson University (SC), finishing as the school's career all-time home run leader (59), fourth most in Atlantic Coast Conference history…was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as a junior in 2002, producing 24 homers and 79 RBI…earned first team All-American honors by Baseball America in both 2001 and 2002 and was a freshman All-American in 2000…earned Virginia State Player of the Year and Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year honors at Garfield High School in Woodbridge, VA, as a senior in 1999…played that summer for the United States Junior National Team in the IBA Junior World Championships in Taiwan … was a member of the USA Youth National Team in the summer of 1997 and the National Team One in the summer of 1998.
2014
In 11th Major League season and ?rst with Miami, posted .264 average with 27 runs scored, 10 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 28 RBI in 90 games. Established career high with four triples, while runs and hits (55) totals marked most since 2010 with Cubs (29 R/56 H). • Owned eighth-best batting average in Majors by pinch hitter (.316); tied for seventh in pinch hits (12) and seventh in RBI (9) in PH role...Over ?nal 41 games (20 starts), batted .340 (33x97) with six doubles, three triples, one home run and 14 RBI...On August 13 vs. St. Louis, connected for sixth career pinch-hit home run. Is tied for fifth among active players in HR as PH with Ryan Howard. Trails Chris Heisey (10), John Mayberry (7), Seth Smith (7) and Jordany Valdespin (7)...On July 28 vs. Washington, set new career best by extending hitting streak to 11 games, surpassing previous mark of 10 games from August 9-20, 2009. Streak was snapped following day...According to STATS LLC, was ?rst player in MLB with streak of 10-plus games that included at least four pinch hits since Ryan Spilborghs had 12-game streak with four PH in 2010.• Also on July 28, recorded third career walk-off hit (single).• Marked second walk-off hit of season (also, double on May 4 vs. Dodgers)...Went hitless in 25 at-bats from April 8-29, marking longest hitless streak of career; snapped streak on April 29 with sixth-inning single vs. Atlanta...In next 15 games following slide, went 16x38 (.421) with three doubles, one triple, a home run and 7 RBI...Finished May with .395 average (15x38), three doubles, one triple, one home run and seven RBI. Marked highest monthly average of season, besting a .394 mark (13x33) in July...Tallied 100th career double on July 2 vs. Philadelphia.• Hit second career pinch-hit triple a day later on July 3 against Phillies
2013
Spent season with World Series champion Boston Red Sox. Batted .276 in 119 games at catcher, which ranked third among American League backstops. His 65 RBI as catcher ranked third among AL counterparts, and 14 home runs tied for fourth. Finished regular season campaign on season-long 11-game hitting streak, batting .410 (16x39) with five doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI, as well as a .439 on-base percentage. Also, had season-long stretch of five consecutive games with an RBI from August 16-21, setting new career high. Had four stolen bases over eight-game span from September 1-17, including a theft in three-of-four games between Sept. 12 & 17. Had just one career stolen base in 580 career games prior to that stretch (Sept. 3, 2011 vs. Texas for Boston). Batted .294 (90x306) against right-handed pitching; his career average against right-handers entering 2013 had been .254. Also, 12 of his 14 home runs came against right handers. Batted .284 (48x169) following All-Star break, compared to .266 (68x256) prior. Included marks of .282 (22x78) in August and .314 (16x51) in September. Batted .300 (3x10, 2b, 3 rbi) in three games during Divisional Round of playoffs, but just .136 (3x22, 2 rbi) in seven games during American League Championship Series and World Series. Was first career appearance in postseason. Most frequent spot in lineup was seventh, where he batted .242 (56x231) in 64 games; second-most frequent was six hole, where he batted .345 (29x84) in 22 games. Homered twice on June 9 vs. the Angels (2x4, 4 rbi), his only multi-homer game of season and fourth of career. Homered in back-to-back contests on September 12 at Tampa Bay and Sept. 13 vs. the Yankees. Was designated hitter on April 21 vs. Kansas City (1x4) and pinch hitter (0x1) in last frame of 2-1, 10-inning walk-off win over Tampa Bay on April 13; all other appearances during season were at catcher (119 games, 111 starts; both career highs).
2012
Combined for a .239 (45-188) average with 4 homers
and 25 RBI in 83 games with the Cubs, Tigers, and Braves...
had the 2nd most RBI of his career (48 in 2008) with his most
games since 2008 (104)...overall had starts at 1B (20), RF (20),
2B (3), LF (3), and 3B (2)...was 4-for-24 as a pinch-hitter with 2
HR (T4th in ML) and 7 RBI (T10th in ML) with homers on June
5 at MIL and July 4 at ATL...hit .240 (31-140) vs. LHP and .237
(14-59) vs. RHP....batted .365 (19-52) against the N.L. East, including 8-for-13 vs. Miami...overall fielding percentage was .986
(3 E/212 TC) at the 5 positions...BY TEAM: Was one of 6 players to appear with 3 different ML
clubs in 2012, joining Ben Francisco, Brent Lillibridge, Steve
Pearce, Chad Qualls, and Yorvit Torrealba...began the year with
the Cubs, starting 20 games at 1B, 11 in right, and 3 at 3B...had
a .200 (7-35) average in 1st 16 games before batting .338 (26-
77) with 4 HR and 16 RBI in next 28 contests, improving average
to season best .295 through July 19...had a pair of season high
4-game hitting streaks, May 22-29 and July 4-8...homered 3
times in 6-game span, July 4-7...went 3-for-22 in next 10 games
before trade to Detroit on August 5 with a .269 average, 4 HR,
and 20 RBI in 54 games.
Had starts at RF (8), 3B (2), and LF (1) with the Tigers...was
2-for-3 in 1st career A.L. game on August 8 vs. NYY but hit just
.156 (5-32) in his final 14 games with Detroit...was acquired by
Atlanta on August 31 and went 2-for-19 in 14 games the rest of
the season...started twice in left and once in right...was on the
Braves' active roster for the N.L. Wild Card Game vs.. St. Louis
but did not play.
2011
Jeff appeared in 81 games in his second full season with the Cubs...batted .269 (54-for-201) with 12 doubles, a triple, three
home runs and 23 RBI...Played 19 games at first base (15 starts), 18 games at second base
(15 starts), 11 at third base (five starts), 10 in right field (six starts) and
made one start in left field...Hit safely in 30 of his 45 starts (47-for-159/.296)...Hit .314 (38-for-121) against left-handed pitching compared to a .200
average (16-for-80) against right-handed pitching...Batted .313 (30-for-96) on the road...hit just .229 (24-for-105) at
Wrigley Field...Posted a .292 batting average (7-for-24) with runners in scoring position
and two outs...Suffered a strained left groin, May 22 in Boston, when he doubled in
the seventh inning...landed on the disabled list, May 30 (retroactive to
May 29)...activated June 13...Batted .368 (32-for-87) in his first 31 games prior to landing on the
shelf...would go on to hit .193 (22-for-114) upon his return on June
13 through the end of the season...Twice tied his career high with four hits: April 8 in Milwaukee (4-for-5, 4
RBI) and May 20 in Boston (4-for-5, 2 R)...Left the game, April 30 in Arizona, in the eighth inning with a sore left
shoulder...pinch-hit the following day, then missed the next two games
to rest the shoulder...Left July 5's game in Washington with lower back spasms and made his
first start after the injury, July 10 in Pittsburgh, getting the nod at first
base (0-for-4)...Had a walk-off pinch-single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning,
July 24 vs. Houston, to give the Cubs a 5-4 victory.
2010
In his first full season with the Cubs, Jeff batted .272 (56-for-206) in 79 games, including 48 starts ... hit .350 (49-for-140)
with a .950 OPS against left-handed pitching ... posted a .106 average (7-for-66) against righthanders.
... His .350 mark against southpaws ranked second in the N.L. behind
teammate Marlon Byrd's .375 average (min. 150 PA).
... Appeared in 33 games at third base (23 starts), 26 games at second
base (20 starts), four games in right field (four starts) and four games at
first base (one start).
... Was 6-for-18 (.333) with a triple, homer and four RBI as a pinch-hitter.
... His .326 batting average (28-for-86) after the All-Star break was 93
points higher than his .233 mark (28-for-120) in the first half.
... Posted a .315 batting average (28-for-89) at Wrigley Field, 76 points
higher than his .239 road batting average (28-for-117).
... Homered in two-straight games, April 10 at Cincinnati and April 12 in
Milwaukee.
... Hit a game-winning, eighth-inning pinch-homer off Arthur Rhodes, April
10 at Cincinnati ... was his third career pinch-blast.
... Got the start at second for Chicago's home opener, April 12 vs.
Milwaukee, and hit a two-run homer off Doug Davis in the third inning.
... Left May 27's game vs. the Dodgers with loss of vision in his right eye
due to a migraine.
... From June 7 through the end of the season, posted a .304 batting average
(41-for-135) with 11 doubles, two homers and 15 RBI in 52 games.
... Hit .289 (13-for-45) in June after producing a .231 May average
(6-for-26).
... Matched his 2009 total with his fourth homer of the season, August 8 vs.
Cincinnati.
... Had four hits, September 19 vs. Florida, to tie his career mark ... drove
in two runs and scored twice.
... Tied his career high with three runs scored, October 2 in Houston -- he's
turned the trick six times in his career.
2009
Jeff played in 69 games for Chicago after he was acquired from Colorado July 2 ... batted .305 (62-for-203) with 15 doubles,
a triple, four homers and 21 RBI for the Cubs after recovering from a sprained left hand while with the Rockies.
... With Chicago, made 49 appearances (43 starts) at second base, 17
appearances (eight starts) at third base and two appearances at first
base.
... His .305 batting average ranked seventh among traded players with their
new team in 2009 (min. 100 AB).
... Was batting .130 (3-for-23) with a walk, one triple and three RBI in 12
games with Colorado before being placed on the disabled list April 27
with a sprained left hand... Batted .250 (7-for-28) with five walks, three doubles, a home run
and two RBI in nine rehab games between Single-A Modesto and
Triple-A Colorado Springs.
... Hit at a .312 clip after the Mid-Summer Classic compared to a .162
batting average before the All-Star break.
... Batted .290 at Wrigley Field as a Cub, including an eight-game hitting
streak, July 29-August 26 ... hit at a .448 clip (13-for-29) during the run.
... Produced a .308 batting average against left-handed pitchers compared
to a .305 average against right-handed hurlers, while with the Cubs.
... Rode a career-high 10-game hitting streak, August 9-20 ... boasted a
.450 batting average (18-for-40) with six multi-hit games during the run.
... Went 4-for-5 August 11 vs. Philadelphia - the four hits tied his career
high, done twice in 2008 with the Rockies.
... Garnered a monthly-best .359 average (23-for-64) with 12 runs, five
doubles, a triple, two homers, seven RBI and a .977 OPS in August (21
games).
... Belted a two-out, game-winning, two-run homer in September 24's ninth
frame in San Francisco ... all told went 2-for-4 with a run, a double, the
homer and two RBI.
... Went 29-for-95 (.305) in 27 September games.
2008
In his second full season with the Rockies, Baker set career
highs in at-bats (299), runs (55), hits (80), doubles (22), home runs (12)
and RBI (48) while appearing in career-best 104 games...appeared at
five different positions, receiving the majority of his playing time at second
base (49 games)...committed just 5 errors (4 at 2B, 1 in
RF)...overall made 47 starts at second, 13 at first, 7 at third, 3 in right
field and 1 in left...his 47 starts at second base were second on the club
to Clint Barmes (54)...entering the 2008 season Baker had never played
second base in the Majors...made just 3 starts in RF in '08 but batted .636 (7-for-11), 1 HR, in those
games...of his 12 HR, 8 were hit at home, 4 on the road...Rox went 10-2 when he hit a home run...his 12
home runs rank tied for 2nd-most in a season by a Rockie who played the majority of his games as a second
baseman, the most since Luis Gonzalez (12, 2004)...batting avg. peaked at .302 on 7/27...hit .222 (16-
for-72) in his final 30 games from 8/1-end of the season, after posting averages of .287 in July and .338 in
June...hit almost 100 points higher at home (.304) than on the road (.221)...logged the majority of his atbats
in the No. 2 spot in the order, where he posted a .324 (35-108) average and .378 OBP...went 3-for-
22 (.136) with 3 walks as a pinch-hitter...recorded career-high 4 stolen bases...was on the Opening Day
roster for the 3rd time in his career in 2008...made first career start at 2B (first start of the season) 4/3 at
STL and went 1-for-4 with a double...broke a blood vessel in his right middle finger during BP 4/29 at San
Francisco; missed 2 games due to injury...started at 1B 5/13 in place of Todd Helton; hit sac fly and drove
in 2 of Rox' 4 runs...at the time, was the only other Rockie to start a game at 1B in '08...on 5/15 at ARI,
made 1st start at 3B since 6/2/07; scored in 9th on sac fly...recorded franchise-record 4 doubles in 4 AB's
on 5/30 at CHC (4-for-4)...his 4 doubles were the most by a player in a Major League game since Chicago's
Matt Murton had 4 two-baggers on 8/3/06 vs. ARI (over the last 2 seasons (2007-08) only one other player
in the majors had at least 4 AB's in a game with an extra base hit in every AB: Aaron Rowand, who was
4-for-4 (3 doubles, HR) for the Phillies vs. STL., on July 14, 2007)...9 of first 17 hits were doubles...hit first home run 6/4 at LA, a 2-run shot off C. Kershaw...hit first career inside-the-park home run 6/17 vs. CLE,
the 10th such HR by a Rockie in club history, the 7th at Coors Field...would homer the following day, 6/18
vs. CLE, for homers in back-to-back games for first time in his career...also homered in his next 2 games,
giving him career-best 4 straight games with a home run (6/17-20); became the first Rockie to homer in 4
straight games since Matt Holliday did so in 4 straight games from Sept. 9-12, 2007...named Bank of
America's National League Player of the Week for the week of June 16-22 as he hit safely in all 6 games
he played, hitting 4 homers while ranking 2nd in the NL in slugging pct. (1.043)...also hit .435 (10-23) with
2 doubles, 4 home runs, and 8 runs scored for the week...hit 6th HR (2-R) and finished with 4 RBI (RBIFC,
sac fly) 7/3 vs. FLA...did not play 7/8-10 (bruised right wrist)...finished the first half with a .463 slugging
pct., which ranked 5th among NL second baseman (min. 150 AB's)...matched career high with 4 hits
(4-for-5) including 20th double 7/22 vs. LAD...scored 34 runs from June 12-July 30, the 2nd-most runs
scored by any player in the NL in that span (Jose Reyes, 35 R)...had season-best 9-game hit streak from
7/17-27 (18-37, .486) but went 0-for-15 following that streak; pinch-hit single 8/1 at FLA snapped the hitless
streak...had 13-game home hit-streak from 7/2-8/7 (Game 2) during which he hit .377 (20-53) at Coors
Field... started 3 straight games at 1B from 8/12-14 (Garrett Atkins flu-like symptoms), Baker's first starts
at 1B since 7/17...extended career high in home runs 9/16 vs. SD with his 10th blast (447 feet); went 3-for-
4 and finished the game a triple shy of the cycle...became the 6th Rockie to reach the 10-home run mark
in '08, giving the club its 2nd straight season to have 6 players with 10-plus home runs...homered in his
next start, 9/20 vs. SF, giving him homers in consecutive games for the 2nd time in his career.
2007
Batted .222 with four home runs, 12 RBI, two doubles, two triples, and 17 runs scored in 85 games for the Rockies...went 9-for-46 (.196) as a pinch-hitter with one home run, six singles, two doubles and five walks...led all Rockies in pinch hits...started 26 of 85 games, 12 in right field, nine at first base, two at third base, two as the designated hitter, and one in left field...his 26 starts were the fewest among all Rockies on the Opening Day roster...18 of his 26 starts came against left-handed pitchers...batted .246 (15-for-61) vs. lefties and .205 (17-for-83) against right-handers...hit .353 (6-for-17) with one triple and two runs scored in seven interleague games...hit .357 (10-for-28) when leading off an inning...batted .122 (5-for-41) with RISP...hit safely in 13 of his 26 starting assignments...hit the first Opening Day pinch-hit home run in Rockies franchise history on April 2 vs. Arizona...the go-ahead pinch-HR was Baker's second home run on Opening Day,
as he also homered in the only other opener in 2005...became just the fifth player in Rockies history with multiple Opening Day home runs, joining four other
players...Vinny Castilla leads that group with three Opening Day homers, including a pair vs. Arizona in 1998, the first game in D-Backs history...Baker's long ball marked the 17th home run hit by a Rockie on Opening Day...started his first game of the season in right field on April 7 at San Diego and went 1-for-
3...started at first base the following day at Los Angeles, in what was the Dodgers' home opener...went 3-for-4 in that game with an RBI, a triple, and run scored...went 7-for-10 with one home and three RBI in his first five games, but went 1-for-30 over his next 18 games to drop his season average from .700 to .200...started three of Colorado's four games from May 9-12, and went 4-for-9 in those starts, including a solo home run off LHP Barry Zito on May 12 at Coors Field...marked his first home run since Opening Day...started two straight games at third base on June 1 and 2 vs. Cincinnati, his first start at third since April 23, 2005 vs. Los Angeles...grounded into three double plays in that June 2 game, matching the Rockies' franchise record for a single game...the only other time it happened was by Eric Young on June 1, 1997 at Florida, nearly 10 years to the
day...recorded hits in three straight games from Aug. 7-9, including a solo home run off Chicago's LHP Ted Lilly on Aug. 9...started game on Aug. 10 vs. Chicago-NL and in his third at-bat of the game was struck in the helmet with a 1-1 pitch from Cubs starter Jason Marquis in the seventh inning...he left the game for a pinch-runner after being hit by the pitch...CT scans of Baker's head, neck, and face were taken at Rose Medical Center, and all came back negative...
was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a mild concussion on Aug. 11...missed 18 games for the Rockies and went on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Colorado
Springs from Aug. 24-31...batted .231 (6-for-26) with one home run,two RBI, one double, and three runs scored in seven games for the Sky Sox...was reinstated from the disabled list on Sept. 1 when roster expanded to 40 players...hit fourth home run of the season on Sept. 14 vs. Florida...the two-run shot put the Rockies ahead 4-3, in a game they eventually lost 7-6...recorded a season-high three hits on Sept. 16 vs. Florida.
2006
After spending the entire season with Colorado Springs, Baker was recalled to the Major Leagues in early September...batted .368 with five home runs, 21 RBI, seven doubles, two triples, and 13 runs scored in 18 games for Colorado...had an .839 slugging pct...ranked among the club's September leaders in triples (T2nd), home runs (3rd), RBI (3rd), extra base hits (3rd, 14), doubles (T4th), hits (6th, 21), and runs (T6th)...Baker had 21 RBI in 17 games in September...accomplished all his September feats despite not being recalled from Colorado Springs until Sept. 7...made 10 starts, nine in right field and one in left...team was 8-2 in his starts...had at least one extra base hit in seven of his 10 starts, and had at least one RBI in eight starts...averaged an RBI every 2.7 at-bats for Colorado...batted .364 (8-for-22) with RISP...over 13 games from Sept. 12-28, batted .408 (20-for-49) with all 14 of his extra base hits and 19 RBI...went 1-for-3 over final three games in Chicago to end the season...hit RBI triple in 9th inning on Sept. 16 at Arizona, then scored tying run on wild pitch with two outs, although Rox would go on to lose that game in 16 innings...homered three times in span of four pitches over two games Sept. 17 at Arizona and Sept. 18 vs. San Francisco...became just the fifth player in team history, and just the second rookie, to hit home runs in 3 consecutive at-bats...Sept. 18 was his first career multi-homer game, both off Noah Lowry, the first Rockie with a multi-HR game at Coors all season...his second home run in that contest went out to left field after each of his first three career homers were opposite field shots to right...both homers in that game were three-run blasts, totaling career-high six RBI in team's 20-8 win, matching most in a game by a Rockie all season...hit a game-winning two-out, two-run single in the 14th inning on Sept. 30 at Chicago-NL...spent entire PCL season with Triple-A Colorado Springs, batting .305 (147-for-482) with 20 HR and 108 RBI in 128 games...named PCL postseason All-Star...his 108 RBI ranked fourth among all minor league players, 2nd in the PCL...led team in most offensive categories, including HR, RBI, runs (71), hits (147), total bases (245), doubles (30), extra base hits (54), and walks (tied-46)...among Rockies minor leaguers, ranked second in RBI, T2nd in home runs, and sixth in average...all but nine of his at-bats at Triple-A came as a rightfielder...had two-homer games both July 16 vs. Fresno and Sept. 1 vs. Sacramento...beginning Aug. 7, hit .360 (40-111) over final 27 games at Triple-A, including a 10-game hit streak to end season...named PCL Batter of Week for final week of season.
2005
Rockies' Opening Day starter at third base, Baker saw his first major league action, batting .211 (8-for-38) with one home run and 4 RBI in 12 games in April for Colorado...was the 2nd selection from the Rockies' 2002 draft to make his major league debut (also Jeff Francis)...three other draft picks from that year would make their debuts later in the season...entering the year, had never played a game above the Double-A level, appearing in just 24 games at Class AA before making his ML debut...appeared in 10 games, all starts at 3rd base...started 10 of first 17 team games at 3rd base...originally slated to open the year in the minor leagues, Baker was recalled on April 3, the eve of Opening Day, after Garrett Atkins was placed on the disabled list...made his major league debut on Opening Day, April 4 vs. San Diego, going 2-for-5 with a home run, double and 2 RBI...first major league hit was a 2-run opposite field homer off Woody Williams in the 3rd inning of the opener...he became the 5th player in Rockies history to homer in his major league debut...joined Jay Gainer (May 14, 1993 at Cincinnati) as only players to homer for first ML hit in a Rockies debut...posted a career high for hits with a 3-for-5 effort on April 17 vs. San Francisco...went 1-for-4 with double and RBI in last game on April 23 vs. Los Angeles-NL, and was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs on April 26...spent rest of year with Sky Sox, his first action at Triple-A, batting .303 (69-for-228) with 10 home runs and 41 RBI in 61 games...was once again hampered by multiple injuries...sustained a bruised nerve in his right thumb when jammed by a pitch on May 19...returned on June 25...missed more time from July 4-26, going 4-for-9 with 5 runs in 2 games from July 14-15, his only contests in that stretch...had a pair of injuries in that span, suffering mild right quad strain on July 3 and left thumb contusion later in month, which came when he was struck by a line drive...returned on July 27 and batted .300 (39-for-130) with 8 homers and 26 RBI over final 32 games to finish at .303...played last game on Aug. 31, shutting down season due to right wrist sprain suffered in that contest...homered in consecutive games Aug. 6-7 vs. Nashville...hit 5 HR over final 10 games, including a long ball in final contest on Aug. 31 at Salt Lake...posted season-high 7-game hit streak from Aug. 20-26, batting .500 (14-for-28) with 3 HR and 9 RBI in that stretch...hit .303 (20-for-66) against lefties and .302 (49-for-162) vs. right-handers...batted .395 (15-for-38) with a HR and 7 RBI in 22 spring games.
2004
Baker combined to hit .321 with 28 doubles, 15 homers and 84 RBI in 96 games between Visalia
(A) and Tulsa (AA)...spent the first half of the year at Visalia where he was named a mid-season and postseason
California League All-Star and also selected to Baseball America's High Class AAll-Star team...Jeff
batted .330 with 11 home runs and 64 RBI in 72 games for the Oaks before being transferred to Tulsa on
July 15...at the time of his promotion, he was leading the Cal League in on-base percentage (.439), was
third in RBI (64) and sixth in slugging percentage (.547)...wound up playing only 24 games at Tulsa due to
a sprained left wrist but still hit .297 with 4 HR and 20 RBI in 91 at-bats...injured the wrist in a collision at
first base on Aug. 9 at Arkansas...he made just one start the rest of the season and missed 23 of the final
25 games for the Drillers...belted a walkoff grand slam in the night cap of a May 1st doubleheader against
Stockton and went on to be named Organizational Player of the Month for May (.333, 4 HR, 31 RBI)...he
followed that up by hitting .393 in June...reached base safely in a team-high 30 consecutive games from
May 21-June 21...named Cal League Player of the Week, June 7-13, going 10-for-22...hit 2 homers with
5 RBI on July 2 vs. Modesto...tabbed by Baseball America as the Cal League's "Best Defensive Third
Baseman"...competed in the Arizona Fall League but left after only three games because of a sore wrist.
2003
Battled a wrist injury for
much of his first professional season but still hit .289 with 11 homers and
44 RBI in 70 games at Class A Asheville...that average would have led the
team had he enough plate appearances to qualify (378 minimum)...served as
the club's everyday third baseman when healthy, playing 61 games and posting
a .902 fielding percentage with 16 errors...scheduled to be a part of
Colorado's major league spring training, Baker actually never made it to
Tucson, Ariz., opting instead to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove a
piece of frayed cartilage from his left wrist on Feb. 18...the debridement
procedure was performed by Dr. Randy Viola at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in
Vail, Colo....began the year at extended spring in Tucson where he remained
until making his pro debut May 3 at Charleston, S.C. (1-for-3,
single)...would go on to hit safely in each of his first eight games,
batting an even .400 (12-for-30)...Jeff came up with clutch hits for the
Tourists all season long...singled home the winning run with two outs in the
bottom of the ninth to defeat Hickory 6-5 on May 25...three nights later, he
collected hits in the ninth and 10th innings as Asheville scored three times
and rallied for a 4-3 win against Augusta...hit a grand slam on June 13 vs.
Charleston, S.C., the difference in a 6-4 victory...saved his best for the
Fourth of July, as he hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 19th inning to end
a 6 hour and 44 minute Independence Day marathon at Capital City...Baker's
wrist injury began flaring up again in early July, forcing him to miss three
weeks of action July 7-25...officially placed on the disabled list July 15,
Baker was reinstated July 26 and actually wound up hitting .326 (14-for-43)
during the month of August despite playing through pain...was shutdown for
good on Aug. 14, not before hitting safely in each of his final eight
contests (12-for-30)...underwent arthroscopic surgery to have a bone spur
removed from his left wrist on Sept. 18 at the Curtis National Hand Center
in Baltimore...noted specialist Dr. Thomas J. Graham performed the surgery.
