Gary Nathaniel Matthews Jr...Originally signed by Padres' scout Gary Roenicke, brother of Angels' bench coach Ron Roenicke...Graduated from Granada Hills High School in Granada Hills, CA in 1992...Played baseball for two years at Mission College in Sylmar, CA earning All-Conference honors both years, as well as All-State and Junior College All-America honors his sophomore year...His father, Gary Matthews Sr., played 16 years in the majors and batted .281 with 234 home runs for the Giants, Braves, Phillies, Cubs and Mariners.

Signed by Texas after the season began, Matthews made 77 starts in the outfield; 51 in right field, 25 in center field and one in left field...led Rangers outfielders with 8 assists and posted 2nd-highest home run total of his career (11)...ranked 5th on club in stolen bases (5) and recorded highest slugging percentage of his career at .461.

Texas: Purchased from Oklahoma on May 25 along with Chad Allen when Kevin Mench and Brian Jordan were placed on the disabled list...made Texas debut with start in right on May 25 at Chicago, going 0-4...batted .286 (20-70) with 3 homers and 12 RBI through first 23 games...rest of year, average hovered between low of .260 and high of .295...matched season high with 7-game hit streaks from June 29-July 5 and Aug. 1-8...became regular after All-Star break, starting first 23 and 46 of first 49 games in the second half...was slowed by a right calf injury in early Sept. and played just one of club's final 27 contests...only appearance in that stretch came with pinch RBI single on Sept. 18 at Anaheim, giving Rangers decisive margin in a 2-0 victory...was removed for a pinch runner immediately after the hit...hit safely in final 5 games of the year at 7-13 (.538), raising final average from .262 to .275...hit .289 (55-190) while batting left-handed and .244 (22-90) from the right side...posted a .293 average (36-123) with 7 home runs in 36 games at Ameriquest Field.

Oklahoma: Joined RedHawks for doubleheader on April 10 at Omaha...went 4-11 with 7 RBI in first 3 games as each of first 4 hits went for extra bases (2 doubles, triple, homer)...had 5-game hit streak from April 15-19 at .556 (10-18) to raise season average from .200 to .368...went 6-8 with 3 homers, 2 triples and 7 RBI over 2 games April 18-19 vs. Omaha...hit 2 homers in April 18 contest...finished Oklahoma stint with 10-game hit streak at 15-40 (.375) with 13 runs scored...homered 5 times in last 12 games at Triple-A...was successful in 4 of 5 steal attempts...had 36 RBI and 33 runs scored in 38 games for Oklahoma...batted .359 (23-64) in home games...hit .245 against lefties and .365 vs. right-handers...played 21 games in center field, 13 in left and 4 in right.

2004 Notes: Signed by Texas to a minor league contract on April 7 after being released by Atlanta on March 31...first home run with Rangers was tie-breaking shot to lead off 9th on June 2 at Cleveland, a 5-3 Texas victory...had 3 RBI in that contest...had seasonhigh 4 hits in Rangers' 18-inning win on June 24 vs. Seattle, matching 2nd-highest total in his career...recorded season-high 4 RBI on Aug. 17 vs. Cleveland and had 3 RBI on 4 occasions...homered in consecutive games July 19-20 vs. Chicago...of his 11 home runs, 4 were 3-run shots...recorded career and team-high 8 outfield assists, including assists in consecutive games Sept. 1-2 at Minnesota...threw out Ken Griffey Jr. at plate in 10th inning on June 15 at Cincinnati, extending an eventual Texas loss...drew season- high 3 walks on Aug. 31 at Minnesota...had 5 intentional walks, 3rd-highest among Rangers...was 5-6 on stolen base attempts...batted .306 (22-72) in June, best average for a full month all season...batted .348 (23-66) in 20 games against AL West pitching...hit .303 (10-33) with 3 homers and 10 RBI in 9 games against Cleveland.