2012 Media Guide - MLB.com - Colorado Rockies

7 CASEY BLAKE INF
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 205 B/T: R/R Age: 38/39
Born: Aug. 23, 1973 in Des Moines, IA Residence: Indianola, IA
Major League Service: 9.138 Contract: Through 2012
obtained: Signed as a free agent on January 5, 2012
HIgHLIgHTS
Joins his sixth Major League organization in Colorado entering the 2012 season...his 165 home runs since the
2003 season are the 5th-most among active third baseman...had eight-consecutive double digit home run
seasons from 2003-10...has five career 30-plus doubles seasons, and his 258 doubles since his first full Major
League season of 2003 are the 32nd-most among active Major Leaguers...set career-highs in home runs (28)
and RBI (88) with Cleveland in 2004...was drafted three different times by three different teams, including
Philadelphia in 1992, New York Yankees in 1995 and Toronto in 1996...is a .311 (32-for-103) career hitter with
6 home runs and 23 RBI in 30 games at Coors Field...owns a .233 career postseason batting average with
2 home runs and 10 RBI in 27 postseason games with Cleveland (2007) and Los Angeles (2008-09).
CAREER
• Entering his 15th Major League season, Blake joins his sixth MLB organization in Colorado after playing for National
League West foe Los Angeles since July of 2008...the veteran has played for Toronto (1999), Minnesota (2000-02),
Baltimore (2001), Cleveland (2003-08) and the Dodgers (2008-11).
• Hit at least 10 home runs for eight consecutive seasons (2003-10).
• Was traded from Cleveland to Los Angeles in July of 2008 for Carlos Santana and Jon Meloan.
• Ranks ninth among active third basemen with 923 games at the position, despite having played 360 career games at
first base (116 games), second base (1 game), shortstop (1 game) and outfield (242).
• Among all Dodger third baseman with 250 or more career games, ranks first with a .968 fielding percentage.
• Belted career home run No. 150 on 5/18/10 vs. HOU…among active third basemen only Aramis Ramirez (251), Adrian
Beltre (234), Chipper Jones (201) and David Wright (183) have hit more home runs than Blake (165) since 2003.
• His 48 home runs as a third baseman while with Los Angeles ranks fifth in L.A. Dodger history.
• His 116 home runs as an Indian are the 4th-most for a third baseman in the franchise’s history (established 1901)...additionally,
his 183 doubles are 4th among Indians third baseman and his 417 RBI are 5th.
• Had a career-high 28 homers and 88 RBI with the Indians in 2004.
• Made his Major League debut on 8/14/99 for the Blue Jays vs. Oakland...singled off Texas’ John Burkett for his first big
league hit on 8/29/99...hit his first Major League homer off Cleveland’s Jim Brower on 10/2/99.
• Originally selected by Philadelphia in the 11th round of the 1992 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign...selected by
the Yankees in the 45th round of the 1995 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign and was subsequently taken by
Toronto in the 1996 First-Year Player Draft.
2011
• In his fourth season with the Dodgers (third full season), hit .252 with 10 doubles, a triple, 4 HR and 26 RBI in 63 games.
• Limited to just 63 games by three DL stints (3/22-4/6 (back), 4/25-5/27 (left elbow infection), 7/3-30 (cervical strain)) and
had season-ending neck surgery on 9/6.
• Was productive in the clutch, batting .291 with runners in scoring position (16-for-55) and hitting .275 with runners on
base (25-for-91)…batted .290 from the seventh inning and later (18-for-62).
• Batted .283 (15-for-53) against left-handers and .242 (36-for-149) against righties.
• Committed just six errors over 383.2 innings in 45 starts at third base (.946 fielding percentage)…the Dodgers went 26-
19 in his starts at the hot corner.
• After starting the season late due to a back injury, opened the campaign with a six-game hitting streak and hit safely in
11 of his first 14 games at a .321 (17-for-53) clip prior to going on the DL with a left elbow infection on 4/25.
• Batted over .290 in three months, hitting .321 in April, .313 in May and .293 in August
• Hit .288 (17-for-59) with six doubles, a triple, a home run and 13 RBI in 19 games against NL West competition.
2011 HIgHS AND LoWS CAREER
3, 3x, last: August 5 at ARI ........................................Hits ..............................5, 2x, last: August 4, 2004 at TOR
1, 4x, last: June 27 at MIN ..................................Home Runs ..............2, 10x, last: September 28, 2010 at COL
3, 2x, last: June 11 at COL ........................................RBI ..................................7, 2x, last: June 2, 2008 at TEX
6, 2x, last: August 8-15..........................................Hit Streak ....................................26, May 20-June 17, 2007
3, April 23 at CHC ....................................................Runs ..............................3, 2x, last: April 23, 2011 at CHC
2, August 27 vs. COL ..............................................Doubles ......................2, 19x, last: August 27, 2011 vs. COL
1, April 6 at COL......................................................Triples ..............................1, 18x, last: April 6, 2011 at COL
6, April 21 vs. ATL................................................Total Bases ........................................13, July 5, 2003 at MIN
2, 4x, last: August 8 vs. PHI......................................Walks ............................................4, July 8, 2009 at NYM
2, 15x, last: August 31 vs. SD ..............................Strikeouts ............................4, 3x, last: May 12, 2010 at ARI
1, April 8 at SD ..................................................Stolen Bases ......................2, 2x, last: June 25, 2009 at CWS
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BLAKE