John-Ford Griffin

Infobox MLB player

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width=200
name=John-Ford Griffin
position=Outfielder
team=Los Angeles Dodgers
number=78
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1979|11|19
debutdate=September 6
debutyear=2005
debutteam=Toronto Blue Jays
statyear=2007
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.304
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=2
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=9
teams=
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2005, by|2007) John-Ford David Griffin (born November 19, 1979 in Sarasota, Florida) is a left-handed Major League Baseball outfielder in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He played for the Blue Jays' AAA affiliate, the Syracuse Chiefs, from by|2005-by|2007.

An All-State athlete at Sarasota High School, was part of a state championshp team in 1996 for the Sailors. Griffin played college baseball under head coach Mike Martin for the Florida State University Seminoles from 1999 to 2001. Griffin's career batting average of .427 is a Florida State record.

Griffin was drafted out of Florida State by the New York Yankees with the 23rd overall pick in the by|2001 First-Year Player Draft. On July 5, by|2002, Griffin and future Blue Jay teammates Ted Lilly and Jason Arnold were traded to the Oakland Athletics as part of a three-team deal also involving the Detroit Tigers. On January 7, by|2003, Griffin was traded to the Blue Jays in exchange for minor leaguer Jason Perry.

Griffin posted decent numbers in his by|2004 campaign with the AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats, hitting .248 with 22 HRs and 81 RBIs. His 2005 season with the Syracuse Chiefs was even better, as he led the International League with 30 home runs and 103 RBI on the way to earning both an International League All-Star selection and the Team MVP award from Syracuse.

Griffin made his major league debut and collected his first major-league hit, a double, on September 6, 2005, in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. On the final day of the regular season, he hit his first Major League home run against Kansas City Royals pitcher Jimmy Gobble. During his major-league stint in 2005, Griffin hit .308 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs.

In by|2006, Griffin's numbers declined due to injuries, as he hit .225 with 6 home runs in only 60 games for Syracuse.

In by|2007, Griffin rebounded in Syracuse, hitting .252/.330/.488 with 26 home runs, although he did strike out 144 times. He hit well on a September callup to Toronto and is now a career .304/.370/.696 hitter in 27 major league plate appearances. He has hit two major league home runs.

In by|2008, Griffin is playing for the Las Vegas 51s in the Dodgers farm system.

External links

* [http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=424366 John-Ford Griffin - MLB.com]
* [http://sportsline.com/mlb/players/playerpage/390770 John-Ford Griffin - CBS.sportsline.com]