O a M G - Oakland Athletics

RBI on a seven-game rehab assignment with the A’s affiliate in the Arizona Rookie League (Aug. 8-10),
Single-A Stockton (Aug. 11-12) and Triple-A Sacramento (Aug. 13-15) before he was reinstated from the DL
Aug. 16…homered in the seventh inning in his first game back that night against Toronto for the A’s only hit
and was the second player in Oakland history to homer for the A’s only hit in a game (Ken Phelps, April 20,
1990 vs. Seattle)…matched his career-high with three walks, Aug. 17 against Toronto…started four games in
left field, going 1-for-12 with five walks before he was placed back on the disabled list Aug. 20 with a lower
abdominal strain…had surgery for a sports hernia Sept. 1 in Philadelphia…the surgery was performed by Dr.
William Meyers…was transferred to the 60-day DL Sept. 13 and missed the remainder of the season.
CAREER
2009—Played in 30 games prior to being diagnosed with Valley Fever, an ailment that cost him the rest
of his season…hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer April 14 against St. Louis, the third pinch blast of his
career and first homer in 230 at-bats…hit his third career walk-off hit in the 12th inning of a 5-4 win
April 26 against San Francisco…placed on the 15-day disabled list May 12 with general illness, later diagnosed
as Valley Fever…in an attempted comeback, played in three games for Single-A Visalia (0-for-
10) before being shut down for the remainder of the season…following the season, played for Leones
del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League…in 23 games, he hit .425 (31 for 73) with six doubles,
two home runs, 16 RBI, 21 walks, and .561 on-base and .589 slugging percentages.
2008—Established career-bests in nearly every offensive category including batting average (.300),
games played (144), at-bats (540), runs (87), hits (162), doubles (31) and triples (6)…was the ninthhardest
player to strikeout in the National League, fanning once every 10.03 plate appearances…honored
by the Arizona chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America with the D-backs’ Good Guy
Award…started at first base in 53 of the team’s first 65 games before making his first start of the season
in leftfield on June 11 at New York…went back-and-forth between making starts in left field and at first
base (13 starts at first, 11 in left) during a 25-game span from June 11-July 8 before settling in as the
starting leftfielder at Washington July 9…started 64 of the final 72 games in left…earned NL Player of
the Week honors twice; from April 14-20 after batting .480 (12 for 25) with 10 runs scored, two doubles,
two triples, three home runs and 10 RBI and from July 21-27 after hitting .542 (13 for 24) with nine
runs scored, two doubles, one triple, three home runs and seven RBI…got off to a hot start by batting
.331 with 27 runs scored and 32 RBI in his first 37 games through May 14…tied a career-best with four
hits, four RBI and three runs scored April 18 against San Diego…had two triples in the game…had his
second career walk-off hit July 3 vs. Milwaukee, driving in two runs with a single to cap the D-backs
six-run comeback victory in the ninth inning…hit in a season-high 11 straight games from July 22-Aug.
2, batting .422 with five doubles, a triple, three home runs and eight RBI during that stretch…also collected
multiple hits in a career-high five straight games from July 22-27.
2007—Was the D-backs’ Opening Day first baseman for the second straight year…hit a team-leading
.308 after the All-Star break, collecting 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 34 RBI…his .555 slugging percentage
and .371 on-base percentage ranked second on the team…strung together a season-high ninegame
hitting streak from May 24-June 5, batting .417 with eight doubles, a home run and nine RBI…hit
his second career pinch-hit home run on July 26 vs. Florida, a game-tying two-run shot in the seventh
inning…on July 28 against Atlanta, he lined a 10th-inning single to score Chris Young and cap the
D-backs third consecutive walk-off victory…made his first career appearance at third base Aug. 14 at
Florida…hit .125 (1 for 8) with a RBI in three NLDS games against Chicago…batted .333 (3 for 9) with
a run scored and RBI in three NLCS games against Rockies.
2006—Entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the 17th-best prospect in baseball…hit .310
during August and .341 with seven doubles, three home runs and 17 RBI in September…had 38 multihit
games, including nine in September…set a career-high with four RBI April 25 at San Diego and
Sept. 8 vs. St. Louis…had a career-high 13-game hitting streak from April 25-May 13, hitting .365 with
11 RBI during that stretch…hit the game-winning pinch-hit homer in the ninth July 30 at Houston…
the homer was his first hit as a pinch hitter, having gone 0 for 17 to begin his career…hit .404 over his
last 12 starts.
2005—Had a banner year with Triple-A Tucson as he was selected the starting first baseman for the
PCL at the Triple-A All-Star Game (2 for 2, run, RBI, walk) and the USA Team at the All-Star Futures
Game (0-for-2) in Detroit…entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the 40th-best prospect
148 > 2011 Oakland athletics Media Guide