Jay Payton | |
---|---|
![]() Payton with the Baltimore Orioles | |
Outfielder | |
Born: Zanesville, Ohio, U.S. | November 22, 1972|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 1, 1998, for the New York Mets | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 3, 2010, for the Colorado Rockies | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .279 |
Home runs | 119 |
Runs batted in | 522 |
Teams | |
Jason Lee "Jay" Payton (born November 22,1972) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played for the New York Mets (1998-2002),Colorado Rockies (2002-2003,2010),San Diego Padres (2004),Boston Red Sox (2005),Oakland Athletics (2005-2006) and Baltimore Orioles (2007-2008). He batted and threw right-handed. Payton was an opposite-field hitter with some power. He had great speed as a runner,but did not steal many bases. Defensively,he was a solid outfielder with an above-average arm,and his quickness getting rid of the ball helped him hold baserunners on the base paths. He is currently serving as an in game analyst with ESPNU for college baseball.
Payton attended Zanesville High School in Zanesville,Ohio,and starred in soccer,basketball,and baseball. He was also an excellent student and graduated fourth in his class. While in Zanesville,Payton played for the Junior Pioneers. After his senior year,he helped lead the Midland Redskins of Cincinnati to the Connie Mack World Series Title,where he was named MVP of the tournament. That exposure helped lead to a full ride scholarship to Georgia Tech,where he would team up with future Major League All Stars Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek to help lead Georgia Tech to their first ever College World Series appearance in school history. The Yellow Jackets came up short losing to Oklahoma in the 1994 championship game. In 1992 and 1993,he played collegiate summer baseball for the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod Baseball League,where he teamed up with Garciaparra in 1993 to lead Orleans to the league championship. [1]
Selected by the Mets in the first round (29th overall) of the 1994 MLB draft,Payton hadn't fulfilled the great expectations he projected at Georgia Tech when he was drafted in the first round with fellow All Americans and Teammates Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek,due in large part to four surgeries while in the minor leagues. Payton had three elbow surgeries,two of which were Tommy John,and surgery on his left shoulder. He spent the better part of his first five years on and off the DL while rehabbing from surgeries. He made his debut in 1998 after finally battling through all the elbow troubles. He helped lead the Mets to a World Series berth as the starting CF in 2000,his official rookie year,in which he finished third in the rookie of the year voting. In Game 2 of the World Series,Payton hit a dramatic three-run home run against Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning,the second and last postseason home run Rivera gave up in his career. [2]
With limited duty in 2001 due to a torn hamstring early in the season,the Mets explored trading Payton. On July 31,2002,Payton was traded to the Colorado Rockies along with pitcher Mark Corey and minor league outfielder Robert Stratton in exchange for pitchers John Thomson and Steve Reed. [3] In 2003,Payton enjoyed his most productive season with career highs in home runs (28),RBI (89),runs (93),hits (181),doubles (32),on-base percentage (.354),slugging average (.512),at bats (600) and games played (157),and added a respectable .302 batting average. [4]
On January 13,2004,Payton signed a two-year,$5.5 million contract with the San Diego Padres,becoming the team's starting center fielder. [5] He had a subpar 2004 season,batting .260 with eight homers and 55 RBI in 143 games. [4]
On December 20,2004,Payton was traded to the Boston Red Sox along with infielder Ramón Vázquez,minor league pitcher David Pauley and cash considerations in exchange for Dave Roberts. [6] Payton took over Roberts' role as the team's fourth outfielder. Payton was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on July 7,2005,after being publicly disgruntled over his lack of playing time. [7] At the time,he was batting .263 with five home runs and 21 RBI in 55 games. [4]
On July 13,2005,Payton was traded to the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Chad Bradford. [8] On July 15,Payton hit a home run in his first at bat with the A's, [9] and earned a cult status for a brief period after winning many games for the A's with an otherwise struggling offense. In 2006,Payton played regularly in the outfield for the Athletics while batting .296 with 10 home runs and 59 RBI in 142 games. [4] On July 3,2006,he hit his 100th career home run against the Detroit Tigers. [10]
On December 11,2006,Payton agreed to terms on a two-year,$9.75 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles. [11] After becoming a free agent during the 2008–09 offseason,Payton suffered a shoulder injury while lifting weights in March 2009. [12] He did not play during the 2009 season.
On January 20,2010,Payton signed a minor league contract with his former team,the Colorado Rockies. [13] Payton was called up to the Rockies active roster in September after spending most of the season with the Rockies minor league affiliate,the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox. He hit .343 with an RBI in 20 games. [4] He retired in February 2011. [14]
In 1,259 games over 12 seasons,Payton posted a .279 batting average (1,157-for-4,154) with 561 runs,193 doubles,30 triples,119 home runs,522 RBI,47 stolen bases,255 bases on balls,.323 on-base percentage and .425 slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .987 fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions. In 21 postseason games,he hit .253 (21-for-83) with nine runs,three home runs and 10 RBI. [4]
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is an American former Major League Baseball player and current SportsNet LA analyst. After playing parts of nine seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox,he played shortstop,third base and first base for the Chicago Cubs,Los Angeles Dodgers,and the Oakland Athletics. Garciaparra is one of 13 players in Major League history to hit two grand slams during a single game,and the only player to achieve the feat at his home stadium.
Jesse Lee Barfield is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a right fielder from 1981 to 1992 for the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees.
Alphonse Dante Bichette Sr. is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder for the California Angels (1988–1990),Milwaukee Brewers (1991–1992),Colorado Rockies (1993–1999),Cincinnati Reds (2000),and Boston Red Sox (2000–2001). He was also the hitting coach for the Rockies in 2013. He batted and threw right-handed.
Ramón JoséHernández Marin is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher and current major league staff assistant for the Oakland Athletics. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Oakland Athletics (1999–2003),San Diego Padres (2004–2005),Baltimore Orioles (2006–2008),Cincinnati Reds (2009–2011),Colorado Rockies (2012) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2013).
Jermaine Terrell Dye is an American former professional baseball right fielder. Dye played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves (1996),Kansas City Royals (1997–2001),Oakland Athletics (2001–2004),and the Chicago White Sox (2005–2009).
Troy Franklin O'Leary is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played with the Milwaukee Brewers (1993-1994),Boston Red Sox (1995-2001),Montreal Expos (2002) and Chicago Cubs (2003).
Matthew Henry Murton is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs,Oakland Athletics,and Colorado Rockies. Murton also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers.
Pablo JoséOzuna is a Dominican former professional baseball utility player. During his major league career,he played for the Florida Marlins,the Colorado Rockies (2003),the Chicago White Sox (2005–2008),and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008). He is the cousin of current Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna.
James Anthony Loney is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers,Boston Red Sox,Tampa Bay Rays,and New York Mets,and in the KBO League for the LG Twins.
Brian Nikola Anderson is an American former professional baseball player. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox as an outfielder,a position he played professionally until before the 2010 season. He also played for the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees organizations as a pitcher. He is currently an assistant coach at Northwestern.
David Matthew Murphy is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox,Texas Rangers,Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Alejandro Alberto De Aza Ceda is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins,Chicago White Sox,Baltimore Orioles,Boston Red Sox,San Francisco Giants,New York Mets,and Washington Nationals.
Matthew Michael Macri is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Minnesota Twins in 2008.
Gorkys Gustavo Hernández Lugo is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. Hernandez signed with the Detroit Tigers in 2005. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Miami Marlins,San Francisco Giants,and Boston Red Sox. He is signed to the Caribes de Anzoátegui of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.
Charles Cobb Blackmon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2011,as a member of the Rockies. Blackmon throws and bats left-handed,stands 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m),and weighs 220.4 pounds (100.0 kg).
McKenzie Corey Dickerson is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies (2013–2015),Tampa Bay Rays (2016–2017),Pittsburgh Pirates (2018–2019),Philadelphia Phillies (2019),Miami Marlins (2020–2021),Toronto Blue Jays (2021),St. Louis Cardinals (2022) and Washington Nationals (2023).
Trevor John Story is an American professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies.
Mark D. Payton is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Chicago White Sox organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Alexander Brady Verdugo is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
Andrew Sebastian Benintendi is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox,Kansas City Royals,and New York Yankees.