Drafted in the 1st round (25th overall) in 1999 out of Wake Forest University…Third time he was drafted (Orioles, 22nd rd in 1996, Orioles, 17th rd in 1999)…Made pro debut in 1999 as 22-year-old with Spokane Indians (Low-A, Royals)…Made 11 appearances (all starts), 2-2 record with 4.47 ERA…Posted 3.35 K/BB…Reached AAA Omaha in 2001…went 8-8 in 28 appearances (27 starts)…Broke big league roster same September…in 3 games, allowed 18 hits in 15.1 IP… First MLB strikeout was Royce Clayton… Surrendered two triples in debut (Ray Durham, Chris Singleton)…Suffered fractured skull when bat slipped out of former teammate Carlos Beltran’s hands and into the dugout…Spent much of 2002 in minors rehabbing…Was back in majors full time by 2003…Was named an All-Star in his first full season with the Royals, appearing in 68 games out of the bullpen…Recorded 27 saves and 57 strikeouts…Split 2004 between big league club and minor leagues after struggling with flulike symptoms in spring training…Regained closer role by 2005…Was traded to the Chicago White Sox for minor-league pitchers Tyler Lumsden and Dan Cortes on July 24, 2006…Posted career-best 1.55 ERA split between Royals and White Sox…Spent 2007 and 2008 split between Chicago and the minor leagues…Was traded in 2009 to Washington, recording 20 saves with the MLB club…Signed with St. Louis in 2010, made 17 appearances with the Cardinals…Posted a 2.05 ERA in 69 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011 (led team)…Pitched in final MLB game on April 30th, 2012… Retired Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton back to back to finish out his final appearance…Final MLB strikeout was Marwin Gonzalez of the Astros…Split 2013 between two AAA organizations (Phillies, Reds)