J. T. Snow
J. T. Snow | ||
---|---|---|
First Baseman | ||
Born: February 26, 1968 | ||
Batted: Left[1] | Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | ||
September 20, 1992 for the New York Yankees |
||
Final game | ||
June 18, 2006 for the Boston Red Sox |
||
Career statistics | ||
Batting Average | .268 | |
Home Runs | 189 | |
Runs Batted In | 877 | |
Teams | ||
|
||
Career highlights and awards | ||
|
Jack Thomas "J. T ." Snow, Jr. (born February 26, 1968 in Long Beach, California) is a former Major League Baseball player. As of 2007, he had played all but two games in his career as a first baseman, and played nine of his 13½ seasons with the San Francisco Giants. He was known for exceptional defense.
Contents |
Early years
J.T. Snow is the son of former NFL Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl wide receiver Jack Snow. After his father's death in 2006, Snow wore his father's number 84 in his honor. Snow is married and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area year-round.
He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the 1989 baseball amateur draft after playing three seasons at the University of Arizona, Snow broke into the majors with the Yankees at the end of the 1992 season.
Years with the Angels
Traded to the California Angels that year as part of the Jim Abbott deal, Snow played for them from 1993 to 1996.
Years with the Giants
He was traded to the Giants after the 1996 season for left-handed pitcher Allen Watson and minor league pitcher Fausto Macey.
While a switch-hitter earlier in his career, Snow has batted exclusively left-handed after 1998. After a two year injury-riddled stretch from 2002-2003 where his average was .246, Snow rebounded in 2004 with a .327 average, hitting .387 after the All-Star break (which ranked second only to Ichiro Suzuki in the major leagues). As of 2005 his career statistics include 189 home runs and 873 RBIs with a career .268 batting average. He has 1509 career hits in 5641 at bats. In 2000 he led the league in sacrifice flies with 14.
He used "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who as his intro music for his at-bats. He also used "Right Now" by Van Halen for a time.
Two memorable moments with the Giants
In the 2002 World Series as Snow was scoring in Game 5 off a Kenny Lofton triple, he swooped up by the back of the jacket and carried off the batboy, 3-year-old Darren Baker. The young batboy and son of then Giants’ manager Dusty Baker was at home plate to collect Lofton's bat before the play was completed. This turned into a touching and memorable incident but easily could have resulted in disaster with a small child wandering into the path of Snow and David Bell as they both barreled home to score. Following the incident with Darren Baker, Major League Baseball required batboys and girls to be at least nine years of age.
In the 2000 National League Division Series against the New York Mets, with the Giants trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Snow hit a three-run pinch homer against Mets reliever Armando Benitez. However, the Giants failed to capitalize on their momentum, eventually falling in the 10th inning and going on to lose the series. The Giants' loss of the game and series ultimately robbed Snow's dramatic feat of much of its lustre.
2006 with the Red Sox
Snow's tenure with the Giants effectively ended when the team declined to offer him salary arbitration before the 2006 season. He signed a one-year, two-million-dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox on January 6, 2006. The deal was perceived by many as a bargain rate for such an accomplished player. He served primarily in a with Kevin Youkilis at first base until he was designated for assignment June 19. He was officially released on June 27.
Awards
- From 1995 to 2000, Snow won the Gold Glove Award at first base six times, twice in the American League and four times in the National League.
- J.T. won the Willie Mac Award both in 1997 and in 2004 for his spirit and leadership.
Retirement
As of the end of the 2006 season, J.T. Snow retired from baseball and will be doing radio broadcasts with the San Francisco Giants in the 2007 season. He will also serve as an advisor to the Giants' general manager, Brian Sabean, and as a roving minor league instructor for the Giants.[1]
When he returned for a visit to AT&T Park at the end of the 2006 season, Snow received a standing ovation when he was featured on the Jumbotron, proving that he was still beloved by countless Bay Area fans.
See also
Notes
- ^ From 1992 to 1998, Snow was a switch-hitter. From the 1999 season until his retirement, he only batted left-handed.
External links
- J.T. Snow at ESPN.com
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference