Jay Gibbons

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name = Jay Gibbons
team = Milwaukee Brewers
number = --
positionplain = Outfielder / Designated hitter
birthdate = birth date and age|1977|3|2
birthplace = city-state|Rochester|Michigan
bats = Left
throws = Left
debutdate = April 6
debutyear = 2001
debutteam = Baltimore Orioles
statyear = 2007
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .260
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 121
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 405
teams =
*Baltimore Orioles (by|2001–by|2007)

Jay Jonathan Gibbons (born March 2, 1977 in Rochester, Michigan) is a outfielder in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He also plays first base and had spent all of his career in the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles until his March 30, by|2008, release.

Gibbons was a graduate of Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California. He played college ball at California State University, Los Angeles.

He wore #25 until Rafael Palmeiro signed a contract with the Orioles in by|2004. Out of respect for the older and more established Palmeiro, Jay switched to #31, which he wore for the rest of his time with the Orioles, even after Palmeiro left the Orioles.

Professional career

Minor leagues

Gibbons was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 14th round of the by|1998 amateur draft and that season captured the Pioneer League Triple Crown with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays, hitting .397 with 19 home runs and 98 RBI. After the by|2000 season, he was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles in the Rule 5 draft.

Baltimore Orioles

As a rookie for the Orioles in by|2001, he hit 15 home runs before a hand injury cut short his season. The next year, he hit a career-best 28 homers. In by|2003, Gibbons had another excellent season. Playing in a career-high 160 games, he established personal bests in batting average and RBI and was voted Team MVP.

In 2004, Gibbons suffered multiple injuries and only played in 97 games. Because of his hobbling injuries, his numbers plummeted: his batting average was a mere .246, and he hit only 10 homers. After the 2004 season, he had LASIK eye surgery to improve his declining eyesight, which went from 20-10 to 20-35 in only a few months. He bounced back with a solid by|2005 season as he hit .277 with 26 home runs and 79 RBI in 139 games.

teroid allegations

On September 30, 2006, the "Los Angeles Times" reported that former relief pitcher Jason Grimsley, during a June 6, 2006, federal raid, told federal agents investigating steroids in baseball that Gibbons was a user of "anabolic steroids." The "Times" reported that Gibbons was one of five names blacked out in an affidavit filed in federal court. [cite news
url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clemens1oct01,0,6499528.story?coll=la-home-headlines
title=Clemens Is Named in Drug Affidavit
last=Pugmire
first=Lance
accessdate=2006-10-01
date=2006-10-01
work=Los Angeles Times] However, on October 3, 2006, the "Washington Post" reported that San Francisco United States attorney Kevin Ryan said that the "Los Angeles Times" report contained "significant inaccuracies."cite news
url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201054.html
title = U.S. Attorney Says Report Alleging Drug Use Contains 'Inaccuracies'
work = Washington Post
page = E02
date = 2006-10-03
accessdate = 2006-10-04] Gibbons, along with the other four players named, denounced the story. However, on September 9, 2007, "Sports Illustrated" reported that a source close to an Orlando-based compound pharmacy alleged that Gibbons had received multiple shipments of performance-enhancing steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) between October 2003 to July 2005. [cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/09/09/drugs.probe/index.html |title=Gibbons received banned drugs |accessdate=2007-09-10 |first=Luis Fernando |last=Llosa |coauthors= L. Jon Wertheim |date=2007-09-09 |work=SI.com] He was suspended for the first 15 games of the 2008 season on December 6, 2007.

On December 13, 2007, he was cited in the Mitchell Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball [cite news | last = Mitchell | first = George | url = http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf | title = Mitchell Report on Steroid Use in Baseball | date = 2007-12-13 | accessdate = 2007-12-13|format=PDF] .

He was not suspended by Major League Baseball, but he performed so poorly in 2008 spring training that the Orioles cut him even though he was owed nearly $12 million for the last two years of his contract. The Orioles management claimed that the release was a "baseball decision" unrelated to the steroid allegations.

Post-Orioles career

On June 12, 2008, Gibbons wrote an emotional letter to 30 MLB clubs, asking to return to baseball, promising to donate his salary to charity. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200806122899207 "Jay Gibbons is making a plea to return to the game."] "MLB.com". 12 June 2008. 27 July 2008.] The only team that gave him a chance was the independent Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, a team unaffiliated with MLB. He Played in 27 games for the Ducks, hitting .280 with 5 HR in 107 AB.

On July 22, 2008, Gibbons signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3501549 ESPN.Com] ] and was assigned to the Double-A Huntsville Stars. Gibbons spent approximately one week at Double-A Huntsville before being promoted to Triple-A Nashville on July 27.

ee also

* List of Baltimore Orioles Opening Day Starting Lineups

References

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=400158 |espn=4597 |br=g/gibboja01 |fangraphs=141 |cube=G/jay-gibbons
* [http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ordine/blog/2008/07/former_oriole_gibbons_takes_an.html Former Oriole Reinstated ("Baltimore Sun" Article)]