Athletes - Jason Bay

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	Athletes - Jason Bay

Jason Raymond Bay (born September 20, 1978 in Trail, British Columbia, Canada) is an All-Star Major League Baseball left fielder who plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He bats and throws right-handed.

Bay was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 22nd round of the 2000 draft from Gonzaga University, and debuted with the San Diego Padres on May 23, 2003. Two days later he suffered a broken right wrist after a hit by pitch. Once healed, he was traded to the Pirates in August as part of a deal for Brian Giles. He finished the season with a .287 batting average, four home runs, and 14 runs batted in in 30 games.

Bay began the 2004 season on the disabled list due to surgery during the offseason, and did not join the team until May. Despite missing the beginning of the season, he still produced the best offensive numbers of any National League rookie. He hit .282 in 120 games, leading all major league rookies in home runs (26) and RBI (82). He also led the NL rookies in slugging percentage (.550), extra base hits (54) and total bases (226). With his 26 home runs, Bay broke a Pirates rookies record of 23 set by Johnny Rizzo in 1936 and matched by Ralph Kiner in 1946.

In 2005, Bay made it to his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game as a reserve outfielder. He was the only player on either roster not to appear in the game at all. Bay also appeared in the 2005 Century 21 Home Run Derby, representing Canada in the nationality-themed contest; he was eliminated in the first round after hitting no home runs. Bay finished the season with a .306 average, 32 home runs, and 101 RBI, and led the Pirates in every major hitting category.

Through the 2005 season, Bay is a career .295 hitter with 62 home runs and 197 RBI in 312 games over three seasons. During the offseason, the Pirates signed Bay to a four-year deal worth approximately $18.5 million.

He has been named to play for Canada at the World Baseball Classic.

Awards and honors

Three-time NL Rookie of the Month (June, July and September, 2004)
National League Rookie of the Year (2004)
The Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year (2004)
Tip O'Neill Award winner (2004 and 2005)
National League All-Star (2005)

Trivia

Bay's sister, Lauren, is a professional softball player who pitched for Canada's team in the 2004 Olympics.
Selected the NL rookie of the year by The Sporting News, Bay was the third Pittsburgh player honored with the award, after second baseman Johnny Ray
(1982) and catcher Jason Kendall
. On November 8, 2004, he received the Rookie of the Year Award recognized by the BBWAA. The Pirates, whose rookies have included Roberto Clemente
, Willie Stargell
and Barry Bonds
, had been the only pre-expansion club without a Rookie of the Year winner. They've previously had four players finish second: first baseman Donn Clendenon
(1962), Johnny Ray (1982), pitcher Mike Dunne (1987) and outfielder-first baseman Orlando Merced (1991). Bay was also the first Canadian player to win the award.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Jason Bay ]

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Athletes - Jason Bay

Awards and honors

Trivia

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