• Matt’s first major league hit was an infield single against the St. Louis Cardinals.
• Matt hit his first major leaguer homer off of Jose Lima of the Dodgers.
• Matt finished fifth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2004.
• Matt’s 64 RBIs after the 2005 All-Star break were second only to Chase Utley’s 65.
• Matt set a club record with 33 RBIs in September of 2005.
• Matt’s first multi-homer game included back-to-back blasts with Jeromy Burnitz. He first met Burnitz when his father coached him in college.
• Matt’s 34 RBIs in September of 2006 were the most by an NL player in that month since Gary Carter knocked in 34 for the New York Mets in 1985.
• In a 2006 game against the San Francisco Giants, Matt was plunked by fireballer Matt Cain. In his next at bat he clubbed a 478-foot home run.
• Matt earned a Silver Slugger Award for his 2006 season.
• Matt’s father is the pitching coach for the University of Texas. His brother, Josh, is the hitting coach at Georgia Tech.
• Matt’s mother was in the stands in St. Louis for his Major League debut.
• Matt and Leslee’s son, Jackson, was diagnosed with scoliosis. He has avoided spinal surgery thanks to successful therapy.
  
  

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