Vital Statistics:
Born: May 15, 1980
Hometown: Spring, Texas
Height: 6-5
Weight: 220
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Marital status: Single
Primary position: Starting pitcher
Before The Bigs:
- Drafted second overall in the 1999 draft by the Florida Marlins out of high school.
- After just 13 games in Single-A in 2000, he shot through the ranks in 2001, going 14-1 with a 1.54 ERA (combined) at Single-A Brevard County and Double-A Portland. He made his major-league debut with four September starts for the Marlins.
Career Highlights:
- Made the Marlins in 2002 and went 6-7 in 21 starts.
- Went 9-8 in the regular season in 2003, but emerged as a star that postseason when he went 3-0 for the Marlins, who won the World Series. He was named World Series MVP.
- Went 15-8 with a 3.38 ERA in 2005, his final season with the Marlins.
- Was traded to the Boston Red Sox on Nov. 24, 2005 with Mike Lowell in a deal that brought prospects Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez to Florida.
- Went 16-11 in 2006, and was named to his first All-Star team in 2007.
