Drafted by Montreal in the second round in 1996 ... Traded to Cleveland for RHP Zach Day, 7/31/01.

Progressed through Expos' system, batting .329 with 12 homers, 50 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 1999 at Class AA Harrisburg ... After batting .304 in 88 games at AAA Ottawa the next season, made major-league debut 7/19/00, going 3-for-5 off LHP Glendon Rusch of the New York Mets ... Missed most of September 2000 with a strained left oblique muscle ... Was the Expos' starting centerfielder in 2001, but was optioned to Ottawa 6/22/01 and later traded to Cleveland.

Had injury-filled 2002 season, going on the disabled list in May with a broken orbital bone around left eye after a ball ricocheted off the wall at Jacobs Field and hit him in the face ... Missed most of August after having an appendectomy ... Batted .249 with nine homers and 38 RBI in 98 games for Cleveland ... In 2003, had a good season despite two more stints on the DL, first with a strained right hamstring and then missing the final six weeks with a lower back contusion ... Batted .321 with 10 homers, 56 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 101 games and 377 at-bats.