Jason Ellison

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name=Jason Ellison
position=Outfielder
team=Texas Rangers
number=16
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|4|4
birthplace=city-state|Quincy|California
debutdate=May 9
debutyear=2003
debutteam=San Francisco Giants
statyear=2008 season
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.251
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=139
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=35
teams=
*San Francisco Giants (by|2003-by|2006)
*Seattle Mariners (by|2007)
*Cincinnati Reds (by|2007)
*Texas Rangers (by|2008)

Jason Jerome Ellison (born April 4 1978 in Quincy, California) is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Texas Rangers. He attended Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho, and made his major league debut on May 9, mlby|2003.

Ellison has become one of the more recognizable bench players in the major leagues because of how frequently he was brought in to pinch run for Barry Bonds. In mlby|2005, Ellison played center field for all games until the trading deadline, when the Giants acquired Randy Winn and Ellison lost his starting job. On April 1, mlby|2007, Ellison was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Travis Blackley, where he served much of the 2007 season as a fourth outfielder.

Ellison was a key part of an altercation between the Oakland Athletics and his Seattle Mariners that started after A's pitcher Joe Blanton collided with Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki while retrieving a ball that had gotten away from the A's catcher. Ellison responded by charging Blanton, and a bench clearing scuffle ensued. In spite of this, Ellison was not ejected from the game, and went on to record the first 4-hit game of his major league career.

On August 3, 2007, the Seattle Mariners designated Ellison for assignment, making room on their 25-man roster for rookie outfielder Adam Jones to be called up from their Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers. [cite web | url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_Mariners_Jones.html | title=Mariners call up Jones, designate Ellison | date=2007-08-03 | accessdate=2007-08-04 | publisher=Associated Press] On August 7, the Cincinnati Reds claimed Ellison off waivers from the Mariners. He finished the season for the Reds and was outrighted to the minor leagues on October 11. He refused the assignment and elected free agency.

On January 24, by|2008, the Texas Rangers signed Ellison to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. After spending most of the season in the minors, Ellison was called up on August 7. He was designated for assignment on August 25, and sent outright to the minors two days later.

References

External links

*baseball-reference|id=e/ellisja01