Jay Gibbons
From BR Bullpen
Jay Jonathan Gibbons
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 0", Weight 200 lb.
- School California State University, Los Angeles
- Debut April 6, 2001
- Born March 2, 1977 in Rochester, MI USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Jay Gibbons was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 14th round of the 1998 amateur draft and that season captured the Pioneer League Triple Crown with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays, hitting .397 with 19 homers and 98 RBI. After the 2000 season, he was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles in the Rule V Draft. As a rookie the following season, he hit 15 home runs before a hand injury cut short his season. The next year, he hit a career-best 28 homers.
In 2003, "Gibby" 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 2005 season as he hit .277 with 26 HR's and 79 RBI's in 139 games.
Gibbons is reputed to be the nephew of late former Massachusetts Governor Endicott "Chub" Peabody. He will probably be best remembered outside of Baltimore for being the person at the plate during the movie Wedding Crashers.
In September of 2007, SI.com reported that Gibbons received human growth hormone and steroids from Signature Pharmacy in 2005, after MLB had banned HGH use. Baseball officials met with Gibbons following the report. On December 6, Bud Selig suspended Gibbons for the first 15 days of the 2008 season. After Gibbons hit .189 with no home runs in spring training, he was released by the Orioles shortly before Opening Day of 2008. The suspension was later eliminated when MLB issued new steroid policies including amnesty for past offenders.
[edit] Quotes
- "He will do anything to play. I'll give him credit for that. If you give Jay a job, he's going to go out there and play and give you 100 percent." - Sam Perlozzo
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1998 MVP Pioneer League Medicine Hat Blue Jays
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 3 (2002, 2003 & 2005)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (2003)
