Matt Downs #16

Owns a .244 (85x349) Major League average with 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 163 games with San Francisco (2009-10) and Houston (2010-11) ... Has been used at all four infield positions in the Majors and has made three starts in right field...has played at least three different positions in the field in each season since 2007 ... Was one of the top pinch-hitters in the Majors in 2011, leading MLB in RBI (15) and on-base percentage (.462), ranking T-1st in PH HR (3), second in slugging (.674) and fifth in hitting (.349, 15x43) ... Made his MLB debut on June 15, 2009...recorded his first two career MLB hits on June 17, 2009 vs. LAA (2x3)...on June 28, 2009 at MIL, hit his first big league homer off Jeff Suppan ... Led Advanced Class A San Jose in home runs (17) and ranked second in RBI (75) in 2008 to garner California League post-season All-Star accolades ... Named to the Northwest League Postseason All-Star team in 2007 after hitting .338 (97x287) with 33 doubles, eight homers and 48 RBI. Graduated from Bibb County High School and attended Shelton State Community College before playing three seasons (2004-06) at the University of Alabama...appearing as both a pitcher and position player...in his final season at Alabama played exclusively in the field and hit .298 (75x252) with seven home runs and 62 RBI ... Appeared mainly as a pitcher in his first two years with the Crimson Tide, combining to post a 2-1 record and a 4.91 ERA (32ER/58.2IP) in 32 appearances (1 start), while hitting .222 (6x27) with five RBI in limitted atbats in the field ... Was originally selected by San Francisco in the 36th round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft...signed by Giants scout Lee Elder ... Has been on a Major League 40-man roster since 2009 and has been optioned in two of those seasons (2009- 10)...signed to a one-year contract that runs through the 2012 season.

2011

Averaged a home run in every 19.9 at-bat (10HR/199ABs)...had three HR in his final 14 games of the season, a span of 36 at-bats...hit .359 (28x78) with four HR, nine doubles and 19 RBI in 36 games after Aug. 7...had 15 PH RBI, which led the Majors, and ranked as the second-most PH RBI in a single season in Astros franchise history (most by RHB)...trailed only Orlando Merced in that category (17 PH RBI in '01)...also led MLB with a .462 OBP as PH...was T-1st with three pinch-HR, ranked second in slugging (.674) and fifth in hitting as a PH (.349, 15x43)...hit .362 (21x58) with 31 RBI with RISP...in his career, is 25x87 (.287) with 38 RBI with RISP...hit .250 (32x128) with five HR, 19 RBI and eight walks in 35 starts in 2011, including three starts at 1B, 16 at 2B, 12 at 3B, one at SS and three in RF...was on paternity leave from July 18-21 for the birth of his first child, Matthew Downs Jr...on Sept. 7 at PIT, joined Carlos Lee for the club's second set of back-to-back home runs in 2011...drove in the go-ahead run in the team's last at-bat three times.

2010

Appeared in 11 games for Houston after being claimed off waivers from SF on Aug. 25... had appeared in 29 games for the Giants and hit .216 (21x97) with seven doubles, one homer and seven RBI in 40 combined games between the two clubs... went 2x19 (.105) with one walk as an Astro after being recalled from Triple A on Sept. 1... finished the season 0x16 in his last nine games... posted three three-game hit streaks during the season, mainly with SF... his last one was from June 13-Sept. 7 (.500, 3x6)... made 22 combined starts during 2010, with three of those coming with Houston... each start was at a different position for Houston, one at shortstop, one at second base and one at third base... before being acquired, had made 19 starts at 2nd base for SF... went 2x14 (.143) with two RBI and one walk in 16 games as a pinch-hitter... had a career-high three hits on May 18 at SD (3x5) and drove in a career-high two runs in the game... in three minor league stops in 2010 with Round Rock, Triple A Fresno and the Rookie Arizona League Giants, hit .242 (54x223) with seven homers and 32 RBI.

2009

Made major league debut in mid-June after having contract purchased from triple- A Fresno June 16...made 2 stints with San Francisco in 2009 (June 16-July 3 and July 21-25), batting .170 (9-for-53) with 2 2Bs, HR and 2 RBI in 17 games...collected his 1st 2 big league hits June 17 against Angels' RHP Matt Palmer...belted his 1st ML HR off Milwaukee's Jeff Suppan in 6th inning June 28, (marking 1st HR by Giants 2nd baseman since Emmanuel Burriss went deep in Cincinnati Aug. 31, 2008)...had his contract purchased from Fresno June 16 after Emmanuel Burriss was optioned to triple-A after struggling both offensively and defensively...was starting 2nd baseman in 11 of his 1st 12 games, but batted just .194 (7-for-36) with HR and 2 RBI in that stretch...was optioned back to triple-A July 3, but was recalled again for 2nd time July 21, largely due to struggles of Juan Uribe, who returned to more of utility role...flew to Atlanta from Salt Lake City and started 3 of 4 games against Braves, going 2-for-11 (.182)...was homecoming of sorts for Downs, who grew up just 3 hours away from Atlanta in Tuscaloosa, AL...appeared in just 2 more games on Giants' 10-game road trip, going 0-for-6 in Colorado, before being optioned back to Fresno where he finished season...in his 1st full season with Fresno batted .300 (127-for-424) with 33 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 14 HRs and 17 RBI in 109 games...made 107 starts, 87 at 2B, 11 at 3B, 8 in RF and 1 at SS...hit lefties at .267 (32-for-120) with 4 HR's and 15 RBI, but right-handers at .313 (95-for-304) with 10 HR's and 59 RBI...ranked 2nd on Grizzlies with 74 RBI and 33 2Bs, while placing 3rd in HRs (14) and 4th in average (.300)...was 2nd baseman for 5-4-3 triple play April 26 vs. Reno...recorded 29 multi-hit games, including pair of 4-hit contests (Aug. 25 vs. Tacoma and Sept. 7 at REN)...hit walk-off 3-run homer May 17 vs. Albuquerque off Dodgers' Charlie Haeger, giving Grizzlies 6-3 win.

2008

Split time between single-A San Jose and triple-A Fresno putting up career year in offensive categories at San Jose as well as being named to California League post-season All-Star team...second baseman led team in HR (17), 2nd in RBI (75), 3rd in 2Bs (30), 3rd in SBs (24), 4th in SLG (.494) and 4th in OPS (.851)...played with triple-A Fresno from June 23-July 18, hit .244 (21-for-86) with 3 HR, 5 2B and 7 RBI.

2007

Had solid season in short season Salem-Keizer while being named to Northwest League post season All-Star team...ranked 1st in 2Bs (33), 2nd in batting .avg (.338), 4th in SLG (.537) and 5th in RBI (48)...had 17-game hit streak, going 30-for-67 (.448) with 5 2Bs, 4 HRs and 15 RBI.

2006

Started professional career in Arizona Rookie League batting .310 (52-for-168) with 16 2Bs and 29 RBI.