Vital Statistics:
Born: Aug. 30, 1978
Hometown: Benton, Ark.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Family: Wife, Kristen; son, Jaxon; daughter, Maci
Primary position: Starting pitcher
Before The Bigs:
- Drafted in the eighth round of the 1997 draft, but opted to go to Meridian Community College.
- Selected in the 20th round of the 1998 draft but didn't sign again and went to the University of Arkansas. Picked by the Montreal Expos in the fourth round (105th overall) in 2000.
- After going 7-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 15 starts for Double-A Harrisburg in 2002, he was traded to the Indians with Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Lee Stevens for Tim Drew and Bartolo Colon on July 27, 2002.
- Made his big-league debut that September for Cleveland.
Career Highlights:
- Made nine starts for the Indians in 2003, going 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA.
- After a 14-8 season in 2004, his breakthrough season came in 2005, when he went 18-5 with a 3.79 ERA as the Indians went 93-69, but faded in the final week. He finished fourth in the AL Cy Young voting.
- Went 14-11 in 2006 and signed a three-year extension, but suffered a strained abdominal muscle in 2007 spring training, missed the first month and struggled, going 4-9 in 16 starts before he was sent back to the minors.
- Made the Indians as the fifth starter in 2008 and came through with his best season, starting for the American League in the All-Star Game in New York. He became the Indians' first 20-game winner since 1974 with a win on Sept. 1, improving to 20-2.
- Finished 22-3 with an AL-best 2.54 ERA in 2008, winning the AL Cy Young Award.
- Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on July 29, 2009 with outfielder Ben Francisco for four prospects.
