Joey Jay

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=black
bgcolor2=#c6011f
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white


name=Joey Jay
position=Pitcher
bats=Switch
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1935|8|15
debutdate=July 21
debutyear=by|1953
debutteam=Milwaukee Braves
finaldate=October 2
finalyear=by|1966
finalteam=Atlanta Braves
stat1label=Record
stat1value=99-91
stat2label=ERA
stat2value=3.77
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=999
teams=
*Milwaukee Braves (1953-1955, 1957-1960)
*Cincinnati Reds (1961-1966)
*Atlanta Braves (1966)
highlights=
*All star in 1961
*Led NL in wins in 1961 with 21

Joseph Richard (Joey) Jay (born August 15, 1935 in Middletown, Connecticut ) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1953 through 1966, Jay played for the Milwaukee Braves (1953-55, 1957-60), Cincinnati Reds (1961-66) and Atlanta Braves (1966). He was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed.

In a 13-season career, Jay posted a 99-91 record with 999 strikeouts and a 3.77 ERA in 1546.1 innings.

In July 2008 he was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame. [cite news|title=Reds hail HOF inductees|url=http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/SPT04/807200417|publisher=Cincinnati Enquirer|date=2008-07-20|author=Russel, Shannon]

Bonus Baby

In addition to being the first Little League player to advance to the major leagues, Jay was one of the first 'bonus baby' players in the major leagues. This resulted when he signed a significant contract ($20,000) with the Braves, which forced the Braves to keep Jay on their major league roster for two seasons because of the contract's amount. Following the end of his two years, he was sent to the minors to gain experience, but this failed to get him past the likes of Warren Spahn, Bob Buhl and Lew Burdette on the Braves' rotation. He went 7-5 for the Braves in his best season (1958), but a broken finger kept him out of the World Series. He currently lives in Tampa, FL.

econd Chance with Cincinnati

The Braves, feeling that Jay would never reach his "bonus baby" potential, traded him to the Cincinnati Reds after the 1960 season for infielder Roy McMillan.

Jay took full advantage of the trade, as he became a key figure in the Reds' stunning revival in 1961. Jay won twenty-one games (the first Red to win twenty since Ewell Blackwell in 1947), tied for the league lead in wins and shutouts, and pitched a one-hitter as the Reds surged to their first National League pennant since 1940. However, the Reds faced the legendary New York Yankees, with Roger Maris having just hit sixty-one home runs, and fell in five games (the only Red win was in Series game #2 with Jay on the mound in Yankee Stadium, a feat which Jay would claim was his greatest achievement in his career).

On May 1, 1962, at Shea Stadium, off New York Mets pitcher Sherman Jones, Jay hit a three-run HR (base runners were Wally Post and Leo Cardenas), in the 6th inning, for his first MLB home run. At Crosley Field, on May 28, 1962, Jay hit his only other career home run, off Houston Colt45s pitcher Bob Tiefenauer, in the 5th inning, a two-run blast (Don Zimmer was on base). Here's the catch, this was the debut season for both the Mets and the Colt45s, and in each case. Jay's home runs were the first round-tripper ever hit against both teams, by a pitcher.

Jay would also win twenty-one games in 1962, but his productivity slipped after that, finishing 7-18 in 1963. His sub-par 1964 season (11-11) proved disastrous as the Reds just missed claiming the National League title. He would finish his career by returning to the Braves for their initial season in Atlanta in 1966.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball wins champions

References

External links

* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/J/Jay_Joey.stm Baseball Library] - profile and chronology
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jayjo01.shtml Baseball Reference] - career statistics and analysis