Robert McClure Bowen...1999 graduate of Homestead (IN) High School where he played baseball...All-State selection 1998-99...named USA Today and Gatorade Indiana High School Player of the Year in 1999...named a third-team All-American in 1999...signed by Bill Milos (Twins)...contributes to the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, making a difference in the lives of children across the country.

Was acquired by the A's from the Cubs in the Jason Kendall trade in mid-July and ended up batting .279 with two home runs and five RBI in 21 games with Oakland...the A's were his third team in 2007 as he started the year in San Diego before being dealt to Chicago...hit .268 in 30 games with the Padres and .065 in 10 games with the Cubs...combined with all three teams to bat .231 with four home runs and 18 RBI in 61 games...the switch-hitter batted .250 (12 for 48) against left-handed pitching and .222 (24 for 108) with three of his four home runs against right-handers...now has a .221 (17 for 77) career average against southpaws and .219 (46 for 210) with six of his eight home runs against right-handers...hit .258 with all four of his home runs and nine of his 18 RBI in the seventh inning or later...seven of his eight career home runs have come after the sixth inning...had a .172 batting average at his home ballparks and .272 on the road...now has a .192 (24 for 125) career average at his home ballparks...was 2 for 5 (.400) with nine RBI with the bases loaded and is now 5 for 11 (.455) with 14 RBI with bases full in his career...saw most of his action in the bottom two spots in the order as he hit .223 in 31 games hitting eighth and .317 in 18 games when batting ninth...made 56 of his appearances at catcher, including 45 starts...was also 0 for 4 with four strikeouts as a pinch hitter, all of which came in the National League...tossed out just 4 of 38 (10.5%) attempted basestealers, including 1 of 8 (12.5%) with Oakland...has thrown out 6 of 62 (9.7%) would be basestealers in his career...was acquired from the Chicago Cubs on July 16 along with minor league pitcher Jerry Blevins in exchange for Jason Kendall and cash...served as the backup to Kurt Suzuki and started 14 of the A's 69 games behind the plate following the trade...was 12 for 42 (.286) in his starting assignments with Oakland...went 2 for 10 (.200) with no RBI and one walk over his first nine games with the A's through August 6...then had his first career two-homer game on August 8 at Texas...homered from both sides of the plate, marking the seventh time the feat has been accomplished in Athletics history (last: Nick Swisher, July 26, 2007 at Seattle)...went 10 for 33 (.303) with two home runs, five RBI and nine walks over his final 12 games starting on August 8...had a career best five-game hitting streak from August 8 to 29 (7 for 15, .467)...went 0 for 10 with eight strikeouts over his final three games...was on San Diego's Opening Day Roster and went 4 for 24 (.167) over his first nine games through April 18...allowed five stolen bases on April 15 at Los Angeles (NL)...then went 6 for 11 (.545) over his next three games, including his first career three-hit game on April 20 at Colorado...had a career-high four walks on April 24 at Arizona, but that was part of an 0 for 17 streak...had his second career three-hit game on May 26 against Milwaukee and was 5 for 15 (.333) in seven games in May...now has a .353 (12 for 34) career average in May, his best for any month...had a career-high four RBI on June 2 at Washington...had his third career three-hit game on June 14 at Tampa Bay...went 2 for 4 with his second home run of the season on June 17 at Chicago (NL) in his final game as a Padre...was traded to the Cubs on June 20 with minor league outfielder Kyler Burke for catcher Michael Barrett...singled in his first official at bat with the Cubs on June 21 at Texas but then went 0 for his next 22...went 2 for 31 (.065) in 10 games total with Chicago before he was traded to Oakland on July 16.