Vital Statistics:
Born: December 17, 1978
Hometown: Pasadena, California
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Family: Wife, Jennifer
Primary position: Second base
Before The Bigs:
- Selected in the second round of the 1997 draft (76th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, but opted to play in college for UCLA.
- Hit .382 as a junior with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs, leading UCLA to a super-regional. Named MVP of the Oklahoma State regional.
- Selected 15th overall in the first round in 2000 by the Philadelphia Phillies.
- Played at Single-A Clearwater in 2001 and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre in 2002 as a third baseman. Made his major league debut with the Phillies to begin the 2003 season, but bounced back and forth from Triple-A to the majors for the next two seasons.
Career Highlights:
- Hit a grand slam in his first major-league start on April 24, 2003 against Colorado.
- Became the Phillies’ full-time second baseman when Placido Polanco was traded to Detroit on June 8, 2005.
- Hit 28 home runs and batted .291 with 105 RBIs in his first season as a starter.
- Voted as a starter to the National League All-Star team in 2006, when he batted .309 with 32 home runs and 102 RBIs. He led the NL with 40 doubles.
- Had a 35-game hitting streak in 2006.
