Jason Michaels

Jason Drew Michaels (born May 4, 1976), nicknamed "J-Mike",^[1] was an American former professional baseball outfielder. He is a 1994 graduate of Jesuit High School of Tampa and received an Associate of Arts (AA) degree from Okaloosa-Walton Community College in 1996. He went on to star in baseball at the University of Miami in 1997 and 1998 and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies after they selected him in the fourth round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.^[2]

After eight years in the Phillies organization, including five seasons in Philadelphia, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in January 2006.^[3] His tenure with the Phillies was marred by his July 2005 arrest for assaulting a Philadelphia police officer for which he was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and was placed on six months probation.^[4]

Michaels's grandfather, John Michaels, pitched for the 1932 Boston Red Sox^[5] and also played in the Cincinnati Reds organization. His father, Earl Michaels, played quarterback for the West Virginia Tech football team.^[2]

High school and college

Michaels attended Jesuit High School in Tampa which also produced major leaguers Lou Piniella, Dave Magadan and Brad Radke. He hit over .400 in each of three years for Jesuit. After high school graduation, Michaels was selected in the 49th round of the June 1994 amateur draft by San Diego.^[2] He chose not to sign with the Padres and instead attended Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Niceville, Florida where he hit .421 with 9 home runs and 45 RBI and was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year in 1996.^[6]

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected him in the 44th round of the 1996 amateur draft, but he again opted not to sign and attended the University of Miami. He lettered in baseball for the Hurricanes in both 1997 and 1998 and was a teammate of San Francisco Giants left fielder Pat Burrell and first baseman Aubrey Huff. In two seasons at Miami, he hit .396 (3rd highest in school history) with 34 home runs (10th) and 154 RBI. In 1997, he set Hurricane single-season records for hits (106), doubles (32) and total bases (189). The St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the 15th round of the 1997 amateur draft, but once again, Michaels did not sign a contract, returning to Miami for his final year of eligibility.

In June 1998, Michaels was selected for the fourth time in the baseball amateur draft, this time by the Phillies in the 4th round. He signed his first professional contract June 19, 1998.

Jason was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2010 ! The ceremony was held prior to the Hurricanes home baseball opener on Friday, Feb. 19th against Rutgers at Alex Rodriquez Park at Mark Light Field on the Coral Gables campus.

Playing career

Philadelphia Phillies

In the Phillies farm system from 1998 through 2001, Michaels played for the Batavia Muckdogs of the short-season, single-A New York–Penn League (1998), the Clearwater Phillies (now Clearwater Threshers) of the advanced single-A Florida State League (1999), the Reading Phillies of the double-A Eastern League (2000) and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons of the triple-A International League (2001). In 424 minor league games with the Phillies, he hit .282 with 52 home runs and 264 RBI.

Although he spent most of the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Michaels made his major league debut with Philadelphia on April 6, 2001. He was on the Phillies' 25-man roster from 2002 through 2005 as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter, compiling a .291 batting average with 21 home runs and 100 RBI in 383 games and 808 at bats. He was used primarily as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, he was the team's fourth outfielder behind fellow University of Miami alumnus Pat Burrell, Marlon Byrd, and Bobby Abreu. In 2005, he platooned in center field with left-handed hitting Kenny Lofton.

2005 arrest in Philadelphia

Michaels was arrested on July 3, 2005, after allegedly punching a police officer as he left a nightclub in Old City, Philadelphia.^[4] Michaels was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, simple assault and reckless endangerment. After being detained for the morning, he was released in time for that night's nationally televised Sunday Night Baseball. After the season, Michaels attended a program for first-time offenders of non-violent crimes, completed 100 hours of community service, and was placed on six months probation.^[7][8] A civil suit brought against Michaels by the officer was reportedly settled in April 2006. Terms of the settlement were not released.^[9]

Cleveland Indians

On January 27, 2006, the Phillies traded Michaels to the Cleveland Indians for left-handed relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes.^[3] This trade precipitated a second deal in which the Indians sent outfielder Coco Crisp, relief pitcher David Riske and catcher Josh Bard to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for reliever Guillermo Mota, third baseman Andy Marte, catcher Kelly Shoppach, Randy Newsom and cash. Michaels replaced Crisp in left field for the Indians in 2006, hitting primarily in the second spot in the batting order behind Grady Sizemore. For the season, he hit .267 with nine home runs and a career-best 55 RBI. He missed 16 games after crashing into the outfield wall at Yankee Stadium on June 15.^[10]

Michaels's struggles against right-handed pitching in 2006 (.252, 4 HR, 28 RBI in 338 plate appearances compared to .291, 5 HR, 27 RBI in 210 plate appearances against left-handers) prompted the Indians to sign left-handed hitting, free agent outfielder David Dellucci after the 2006 season.^[11] Dellucci and Michaels were expected to platoon in left field in 2007, with Michaels seeing most of his playing time against left-handed pitching.

Roberto Clemente Award Nominee

On September 6, 2006, the Indians announced that Michaels was their nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to the major league player who best exemplifies a commitment to community service.^[12] Michaels donated the $2,500 award to the Cleveland chapter of Gang Resistance Education and Training.^[13]

Pittsburgh Pirates

On May 8, 2008, Michaels was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates after being designated for assignment.

Houston Astros

On December 15, 2008, Michaels was signed to a one-year, $750K contract by the Astros.^[14]

Michaels re-signed with the Astros the following year.^[15]

On October 4, 2010, the Astros exercised a $900,000 club option for 2011. Michaels had batted .253 with 26 RBI and appeared in 106 games.

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals signed Michaels to a minor league contract on December 16, 2011.

References

External links

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