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Jay Jonathan Gibbons (born March 2, 1977 in Rochester, Michigan) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who spent most of his career playing for the Baltimore Orioles. He retired from baseball in 2009 while playing for the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. 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 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.
[edit] Professional career[edit] Minor leaguesGibbons was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 15th 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 home runs and 98 RBI. After the 2000 season, he was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles in the Rule 5 draft. [edit] Baltimore OriolesAs a rookie for the Orioles in 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 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 2005 season as he hit .277 with 26 home runs and 79 RBI in 139 games. [edit] Steroid allegationsOn 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.[1] 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."[2] Gibbons, along with the other four players named, denounced the story. [2] 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. [3]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[4]. 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.[citation needed] [edit] 2008 seasonOn June 12, 2008, Gibbons wrote an emotional letter to all 30 MLB clubs, asking to return to baseball, promising to donate his salary to charity.[5] 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 home runs in 107 at-bats. On July 22, 2008, Gibbons signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers[6] 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. He became a free agent after the season. [edit] Florida MarlinsOn January 12, 2009, Gibbons signed a minor league contract with an invite to spring training with the Florida Marlins.[7] He was released by the Marlins on March 13, 2009; the Marlins stated that they did not have room on the roster for him.[8] [edit] Newark BearsOn May 11, 2009 Gibbons Agreed To Play For The Newark Bears Of The Atlantic League. [edit] See also[edit] References
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Categories: 1977 births | Living people | California State University, Los Angeles alumni | Baltimore Orioles players | Major League Baseball first basemen | Major League Baseball left fielders | Major League Baseball right fielders | Major League Baseball designated hitters | Major League Baseball players from Michigan | People from Oakland County, Michigan | Toronto Blue Jays draft picks | Medicine Hat Blue Jays players | Hagerstown Suns players | Dunedin Blue Jays players | Tennessee Smokies players | Frederick Keys players | Bowie Baysox players | Huntsville Stars players | Nashville Sounds players | Long Island Ducks players | American sportspeople in doping cases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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