Tim Lemon

Arizona

Nov 1 (Sat)

5:00 p.m.

Position:
Wide Receiver
Height:
6-0
Weight:
205
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
La Mairada, Calif
High School:
La Mairada

AT COLORADO: This Season (Fr.) -- Projected as a wide receiver in his true freshman year in college football; the oldest player on the team at the age of 24 (he turns 25 in September), he is the latest in a long line of players to join the CU program after a stint in minor league baseball, following Mike Moschetti, Matt Brunson and Joel Klatt. He joined the team as a walk-on for August drills.

PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL -- He played six seasons of minor league baseball, most A-ball. He was selected as an outfielder by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round (55th player overall) in the 1998 amateur baseball draft, and joined Johnson City (Tenn.) of the Appalachian (rookie) League that summer. He played in 50 games that year before moving up to A ball with New Jersey in 1999, the level he would remain for the next five years. In 2000, playing centerfield for Peoria in the Midwest League, he had 10 home runs and 52 runs batted in, with 25 stolen bases, playing along side Albert Pujols, now of St. Louis Cardinal fame. He had 15 homers, 61 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 2001 and 11 HR’s and 78 RBIs in 2002. He switched to right field that year and remained there the following season when he moved on to Palm Beach in the Florida State League. He completed his career back with Johnson City in 2004, taking a crack at pitched; he had a 1-4 record with a 7.21 earned run average in 13 games. He played in 614 games in the minors overall (50 HR, 265 RBI, 109 SB), but struggled to a .216 career average. Several teammates during his minor league career have reached the majors, most notably Pujols and Coco Crisp (with Peoria in 2000), Bo Hart (New Jersey in ’99), John Gall and Danny Haren.

HIGH SCHOOL -- As a senior, he earned all-CIF honors and was ranked as one of the top 100 players in the state of California, including the seventh ranked cornerback. Teams stayed away from him on defense, however, so he caused most of his damage on offense in setting a school record with 1,445 yards on 93 receptions, 18 for touchdowns. He had two interceptions and 17 pass deflections on defense, following up a junior year when he had 87 tackles, four interceptions and 11 PBU’s. He caught 35 passes for 650 yards and nine scores as a junior. He earned three letters under coach John Mele, as La Mirada went 12-1-1 his senior year, 8-3 is junior season and 9-1 his sophomore campaign. He lettered four times in baseball, batting over .400 with seven home runs and 28 RBI as a senior outfielder.

ACADEMICS -- He is interested in English or broadcasting as possible majors at Colorado.

PERSONAL -- He was born September 23, 1980 in Inglewood, Calif. His hobbies include writing and listening to music. He is married to the former Vanessa Reyes, and the couple has a 3-year old daughter, Jayden Mariah. An uncle, Chet Lemon, was an all-star performer in major league baseball, playing with the Oakland A’s, Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. He originally signed with Washington State out of high school, but opted to pursue baseball after being selected in the second round.