Mike Jacobs (first baseman)

For other uses, see Mike Jacobs (disambiguation).

Mike Jacobs
Jacobs while with the New York Mets
Free Agent
First Baseman
Born: October 30, 1980 (1980-10-30) (age 31) Chula Vista, California
Bats: Left	Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 21, 2005 for the New York Mets
Career statistics (through 2010 season)
Batting average	.253
Home runs	100
Runs batted in	310
Teams
New York Mets (2005) Florida Marlins (2006-2008) Kansas City Royals (2009) New York Mets (2010)

Michael James Jacobs (born October 30, 1980) is an American professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played for the New York Mets, Florida Marlins, and Kansas City Royals.

Minor Leagues

Mike Jacobs graduated from Hilltop High School in Chula Vista and spent one season at Grossmont College in El Cajon, California before being selected by the New York Mets in the 38th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft.^[1]

Originally signed as a catcher, Jacobs batted .333 with four home runs and 30 runs batted in his first professional season with the Gulf Coast League Mets. He quickly blossomed into a solid power-hitting prospect, and in 2003, after a successful year with the Double-A Binghamton Mets, won the =NYFutureStars.com}}</ref>

In May 2004, while playing for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Jacobs suffered an arm injury and underwent surgery for a torn labrum, which ended his season prematurely. Because of his injury and mediocre defensive skills behind the plate, when Jacobs returned to Binghamton in 2005, he spent much of the season learning to play first base. He batted .321 with 25 home runs and 93 RBIs while learning his new position.

New York Mets

Jacobs made his major league debut with the Mets on August 21, 2005, hitting a three-run pinch-hit home run against Esteban Loaiza of the Washington Nationals in his first ever Major League at-bat.^[2] Jacobs rather instantly assumed the position of everyday first baseman and continued to hit, tallying four home runs through three games, during the Mets' 4-game drubbing of the Arizona Diamondbacks. During this stretch the Mets were able to pull within a half-game of the National League Wild Card lead, but faded quickly, dropping two straight games at home to the Philadelphia Phillies and promptly fading out of the race. Jacobs continued to play well, increasing his stock as a trade chip by slugging a monstrous .710 in his five weeks as a major leaguer.

Florida Marlins

Jacobs with the Florida Marlins in 2008.

In only 30 games and 100 at-bats, Jacobs hit a very impressive 11 home runs and 23 RBI. Many people penciled him in as the Mets' first baseman for the 2006 season. However, on November 23, 2005, the Mets traded him and a minor league pitcher, Yusmeiro Petit, to the Florida Marlins in exchange for Carlos Delgado and $7 million.

In 2006 with the Marlins, Jacobs played in 136 games while hitting .262 with 20 HR and 77 RBIs. In 2007 he only played in 114 games, but still improved on his batting average hitting .265 that season including 17 HR and 54 RBIs. In 2008 Jacobs saw increased playing time and had a break out season in power with 32 HR and 93 RBI but his batting average slipped to .247.

Kansas City Royals

Jacobs batting for the Kansas City Royals in 2009.

After the 2008 season, Jacobs was traded to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Leo Núñez.^[3] While initially thought to split time at first base with Billy Butler, he was mostly the team's DH due to inconsistent play on the field. Following the season, Jacobs was released by the Royals on December 10.

Return to New York

On February 10, 2010 the Mets signed Mike Jacobs to a minor league contract. He was selected as the Mets' opening day first baseman after Daniel Murphy went on the disabled list with a strained MCL.^[4]

On April 18, Jacobs was designated for assignment.^[5]

On April 25, 2010 Jacobs cleared waivers and accepted assignment to the AAA Buffalo Bisons of the International League. On July 30, 2010, he was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later.

Released at the end of the 2010 season, he signed as a minor league free agent with the Colorado Rockies on December 18, 2010.

On August 18, 2011, while playing for the AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox, Jacobs was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for Human Growth Hormone. In response, Jacobs was released by the Rockies.^[6]

Personal

Jacobs got married in December 2006 and resides in Chula Vista during the baseball offseason. He has twin daughters, Havana and Isabella.

Contrary to popular belief, Jacobs is not Jewish. This small detail was apparently not known to the Marlins when, on May 28, 2006, as part of the team's Jewish Heritage Day promotion, they gave Jacobs t-shirts to young fans who attended the game.^[7]

See also

• List of players with a home run in first major league at bat

References

1. ^ "Griffins in the Pros". Grossmont College. http://www.grossmont.edu/randy.abshier/GriffinsinthePros.htm. 
2. ^ "Washington Nationals 7, New York Mets 4". Baseball-Reference.com. August 21, 2005. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN200508210.shtml. 
3. ^ KC acquires power-hitting Jacobs
4. ^ "Mets sign Jacobs to minor-league deal". CNN. February 10, 2010. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/02/10/mets.jacobs/. 
5. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5110029
6. ^ Mike Jacobs suspended for HGH
7. ^ The curious case of Mike Jacobs, my new favorite Royal

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Ultimate Mets Database

Persondata
Name	Jacobs, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 30, 1979
Place of birth	Chula Vista, California
Date of death
Place of death