Jason Michaels | |
---|---|
Outfielder | |
Born: Tampa, Florida, U.S. | May 4, 1976|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 6, 2001, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 13, 2011, for the Houston Astros | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .263 |
Home runs | 59 |
Runs batted in | 299 |
Teams | |
Jason Drew Michaels (born May 4,1976),nicknamed "J-Mike", [1] is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies,Cleveland Indians,Pittsburgh Pirates,and Houston Astros.
Born in Tampa,Florida,Michaels graduated in 1994 from Jesuit High School in Tampa,a school which also produced major leaguers Lou Piniella,Dave Magadan and Brad Radke. He batted over .400 in each of three years for Jesuit,and was selected in the 49th round of the 1994 Major League Baseball draft by the San Diego Padres. [2] He chose not to sign and instead attended Okaloosa-Walton College,a community college in Niceville,Florida. At Okaloosa-Walton,Michaels hit .421 with 9 home runs and 45 runs batted in,and was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year in 1996. [3] He graduated from Okaloosa-Walton in 1996,and that year played collegiate summer baseball for the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod Baseball League. [4]
He was selected in the 44th round of the 1996 draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays,but he again opted not to sign and instead entered the University of Miami. He lettered in baseball for the Hurricanes in both 1997 and 1998,and was a teammate of future major-leaguers Pat Burrell and Aubrey Huff. In two seasons at Miami,he batted .396 with 34 home runs and 154 runs batted in. In 1997,he set Hurricane single-season records for hits (106),doubles (32) and total bases (189).
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Michaels in the 15th round of the 1997 amateur draft,but once again he opted not to sign,returning to Miami for his final year of eligibility. In 1998,Michaels was drafted for the fourth time when the Philadelphia Phillies selected him in the 4th round of that year's draft. He signed his first professional contract on June 19,1998.
In 2010,Jason was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
In the Phillies farm system from 1998 through 2001,Michaels played for the Batavia Muckdogs of the short-season,single-A New York–Penn League (1998),the Clearwater Phillies (now Clearwater Threshers) of the advanced single-A Florida State League (1999),the Reading Phillies of the double-A Eastern League (2000) and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons of the triple-A International League (2001). In 424 minor league games with the Phillies,he hit .282 with 52 home runs and 264 RBI.
Although he spent most of the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre,Michaels made his major league debut with Philadelphia on April 6,2001. He was on the Phillies' 25-man roster from 2002 through 2005 as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter,compiling a .291 batting average with 21 home runs and 100 RBI in 383 games and 808 at bats. He was used primarily as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement in 2002 and 2003. In 2004,he was the team's fourth outfielder behind fellow University of Miami alumnus Pat Burrell,Marlon Byrd,and Bobby Abreu. In 2005,he platooned in center field with left-handed hitting Kenny Lofton.
On January 27,2006,the Phillies traded Michaels to the Cleveland Indians for left-handed relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes. [5] This trade precipitated a second deal in which the Indians sent outfielder Coco Crisp,relief pitcher David Riske and catcher Josh Bard to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for reliever Guillermo Mota,third baseman Andy Marte,catcher Kelly Shoppach,Randy Newsom and cash. Michaels replaced Crisp in left field for the Indians in 2006,hitting primarily in the second spot in the batting order behind Grady Sizemore. For the season,he hit .267 with nine home runs and a career-best 55 RBI. He missed 16 games after crashing into the outfield wall at Yankee Stadium on June 15. [6]
Michaels's struggles against right-handed pitching in 2006 (.252,4 HR,28 RBI in 338 plate appearances compared to .291,5 HR,27 RBI in 210 plate appearances against left-handers) prompted the Indians to sign left-handed hitting,free agent outfielder David Dellucci after the 2006 season. [7] Dellucci and Michaels were expected to platoon in left field in 2007,with Michaels seeing most of his playing time against left-handed pitching.
On September 6,2006,the Indians announced that Michaels was their nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award,given annually to the major league player who best exemplifies a commitment to community service. [8] Michaels donated the $2,500 award to the Cleveland chapter of Gang Resistance Education and Training. [9]
On May 8,2008,Michaels was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates after being designated for assignment.
On December 15,2008,Michaels was signed to a one-year,$750K contract by the Astros. [10]
Michaels re-signed with the Astros the following year. [11]
On October 4,2010,the Astros exercised a $900,000 club option for 2011. Michaels had batted .253 with 26 RBI and appeared in 106 games.
The Washington Nationals signed Michaels to a minor league contract on December 16,2011.
Michaels's grandfather,John Michaels,pitched for the 1932 Boston Red Sox [12] and also played in the Cincinnati Reds organization. His father,Earl Michaels,played quarterback for the West Virginia Tech football team. [2] His cousin,Jacob Watters,was chosen in the 2022 MLB draft. [13]
Jason now[ as of? ] runs a baseball clinic in Tampa Florida called The Big League Approach as described in a recent interview with William Slover of Pain Resource
Patrick Brian Burrell,nicknamed "Pat the Bat",is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies,Tampa Bay Rays,and San Francisco Giants. Burrell won two World Series championships. During his playing days,he stood 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall,weighing 235 pounds (107 kg). He batted and threw right-handed.
Bob Kelly Abreu,nicknamed "El Comedulce" and "La Leche",is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros,Philadelphia Phillies,New York Yankees,Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,Los Angeles Dodgers,and New York Mets.
Jeffery Adam Everett is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played college baseball for both the NC State Wolfpack and South Carolina Gamecocks. He was drafted in the first round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft and established himself for his defensive prowess as the starting shortstop for the Houston Astros in 2003. Everett continued his involvement in baseball as a roving infield instructor for the Astros minor league system,and was named bench coach for the Astros on September 1,2014.
David Michael Dellucci is an American former professional baseball outfielder,who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for seven teams.
Grady Sizemore is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians from 2004 through 2011,but did not play in the majors for the following two years after back and knee injuries. He returned in 2014 with the Boston Red Sox and played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2014 to 2015 before finishing 2015 with the Tampa Bay Rays. He was a three-time MLB All-Star and a two-time Gold Glove Award winner,and also won a Silver Slugger Award.
Todd Mathew Hollandsworth is an American former professional baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). In 1996,he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award,setting a record as the fifth consecutive Los Angeles Dodgers rookie to do so.
Ryan Francis Garko is an American former professional baseball outfielder,first baseman,and designated hitter. In college,he was a catcher. He played for the Cleveland Indians,the San Francisco Giants,and the Texas Rangers in Major League Baseball as well as the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization. Garko was seen by former ESPN reporter John Sickels as a good hitter who hit to all parts of the field,but with poor defensive instincts. Through 2010,he had a .275 career average,427 hits,55 home runs,and 250 RBI in 463 games.
Joseph Steven Inglett is an American former professional baseball utility player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 2006 and 2011 for the Cleveland Indians,Toronto Blue Jays,Milwaukee Brewers,and Houston Astros.
Michael Ray Bourn is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies,Houston Astros,Atlanta Braves,Cleveland Indians,Arizona Diamondbacks,and Baltimore Orioles between 2006 and 2016. He also played internationally for the United States national baseball team.
Jay Allen Bruce is an American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds,New York Mets,Cleveland Indians,Seattle Mariners,Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. The Reds drafted Bruce in the first round,12th overall pick,of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft;he made his MLB debut in 2008. Bruce was named an All-Star three times during his career,and won the Silver Slugger Award twice.
Steven Wayne Pearce is an American former professional baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Baltimore Orioles,Houston Astros,New York Yankees,Tampa Bay Rays,Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. Pearce is only the second player in MLB history to have played for every team in the American League East,the first being Kelly Johnson. He is also the first and only player to have hit two walk-off grand slams in the span of a single week.
Jason Orville Pridie is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Minnesota Twins,New York Mets,Philadelphia Phillies,Baltimore Orioles,Colorado Rockies,and Oakland Athletics.
Jason Jerrod Bourgeois is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played eight seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),with two seasons each for the Houston Astros and the Cincinnati Reds. Bourgeois would play all outfield positions and second base in MLB.
Ezequiel Manuel Carrera Reyes is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians,Philadelphia Phillies,Detroit Tigers,and Toronto Blue Jays.
Alexander Crawford Presley is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Minnesota Twins,Houston Astros,Milwaukee Brewers,and Detroit Tigers from 2010 to 2017.
Julio Daniel Martinez is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros,Detroit Tigers,Arizona Diamondbacks,Boston Red Sox,and Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his MLB debut in 2011. A right-handed thrower and batter,Martinez stands 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighs 230 pounds (100 kg).
Yan Gomes is a Brazilian-American professional baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays,Cleveland Indians,Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics.
Brandon Michael Barnes is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros,Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Indians and in the KBO League for the Hanwha Eagles.
Michael Thomas Conforto,nicknamed "Scooter",is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets.
Kyle Daniel Tucker is an American professional baseball right fielder for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Astros selected Tucker with the fifth pick in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft,and he made his MLB debut in 2018.