J. R. House
Encyclopedia
James Rodger "J. R." House (born November 11, 1979 in Charleston, West Virginia
) is a catcher
in Major League Baseball
with the independent Long Island Ducks
. House was drafted in the 5th round. He later gave up baseball, focusing instead on his love of football. He enrolled at West Virginia University
as a quarterback
, but after a single season left choosing to return to minor league baseball.
, J.R. House set a national high school record with 10 touchdown passes in the 1998 West Virginia state championship game against Morgantown. He was the West Virginia high school football player of the year and also set a national record with 14,457 career passing yards. House is now fourth all-time behind Maty Mauk (ongoing), Maty's older brother Ben Mauk
(17,364) and Chris Leak
(15,593). During his high school years, he spent fall semesters playing football at Nitro and spring semesters playing baseball at Seabreeze High School
in Ormond Beach, Florida
; he moved each winter with his father, who owns automobile dealerships in the Charleston and Daytona Beach
areas.
. The last surgery cost him most of the 2003 season. Additionally, he missed a month in 2000 due to mononucleosis. He was limited to 35 games in 2002 and 41 in 2003.
When healthy, House hit over .300 in Rookie League and short-season class A in 1999. The next year, he batted .348 with 23 homers, sharing the South Atlantic League
MVP with Josh Hamilton. After barely playing for two years, House hit .288/.344/.502 at AAA - his career minor league line was .304/.371/.502. House was not deemed a prospect any more by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had high hopes for other young catchers Ryan Doumit
, Humberto Cota
, Ronny Paulino
and Neil Walker
. He barely played in his second year in the majors. He had rotator cuff surgery on his previously injured right shoulder in 2004 and two weeks later was released by the Pirates.
After his baseball career apparently ended, House enrolled at West Virginia University
, where he was the third-string quarterback for one season. In 2005, House completed 2 of 4 passes for 38 yards with no TDs or interceptions. He also had 2 rushes for 16 yards with a long of 13 yards and no TDs.
Deciding to return to baseball in 2006, J.R. signed with the Houston Astros
. Assigned to their Corpus Christi Hooks
Class AA minor league
team, he had two hitting streaks of over 15 games in the first two months of the year and by June 3 was leading the Texas League
in batting average.
. On August 21, 2006 he played his last game with Round Rock and was called up by the Astros. The next night, House debuted against the Cincinnati Reds
.
On November 14, 2006, House was signed by the Baltimore Orioles
. House played for the Norfolk Tides
, their AAA affiliate, for the first three months of the baseball season. It was reported in July that House opted out of his contract with the Orioles, citing a clause that if he was not playing with the Baltimore Orioles by July 1 he was allowed to dissolve the contract. House was recalled by the Orioles on August 13, 2007.
House hit his first career home run
off Toronto Blue Jays
starting pitcher
Jesse Litsch
on August 18, 2007. House was outrighted to the minor leagues on October 3, 2007. He declined the assignment and elected free agency on October 12.
After spending one year in the Orioles organization, he returned to the Astros organization, signing a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training on January 10, 2008. House did not make the Astros' 2008 opening day roster and on March 19, 2008 was sent back to the AAA Round Rock Express
in the Pacific Coast League
. He was called up on August 16.
House started 16 games as catcher for the Newark Bears
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
, but on May 14, 2010 House was signed by the New York Mets
. He reported to the Mets' Triple A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons
.
On February 9, 2011, he signed a contract with the Long Island Ducks.
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
) is a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
with the independent Long Island Ducks
Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks is an American professional baseball team based in Central Islip, New York. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. House was drafted in the 5th round. He later gave up baseball, focusing instead on his love of football. He enrolled at West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, but after a single season left choosing to return to minor league baseball.
Early life
A top high school football player at NitroNitro, West Virginia
Nitro is a city in West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. Most of the city lies in Kanawha County, with the remainder in Putnam County. The population was 7,178 at the 2010 census.Nitro was incorporated in 1932 by Circuit Court.- City name origin :...
, J.R. House set a national high school record with 10 touchdown passes in the 1998 West Virginia state championship game against Morgantown. He was the West Virginia high school football player of the year and also set a national record with 14,457 career passing yards. House is now fourth all-time behind Maty Mauk (ongoing), Maty's older brother Ben Mauk
Ben Mauk
Gary Benjamin "Ben" Mauk is an American football quarterback who was most recently the quarterback for the Cincinnati Commandos of the Continental Indoor Football League , and with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He completed his college football career in 2007 for...
(17,364) and Chris Leak
Chris Leak
Christopher Patrick Leak is an American professional football player who is currently a quarterback for the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League. He played college football for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game...
(15,593). During his high school years, he spent fall semesters playing football at Nitro and spring semesters playing baseball at Seabreeze High School
Seabreeze High School
Seabreeze High School is a high school located in Daytona Beach, Florida. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.- Notable alumni :...
in Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 36,301 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 37,929. Ormond Beach is the northern neighbor of Daytona Beach and is home to Tomoka State Park.-History:Ormond Beach was...
; he moved each winter with his father, who owns automobile dealerships in the Charleston and Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
areas.
Minor leagues
It was unclear if he would decide to play baseball or football professionally; he opted for the former. A good hitter in the minors, House was plagued by many injuries. In 2001, he was twice on the disabled list with bruised ribs. A year later, he had surgery three times - for an abdominal hernia, a torn muscle and Tommy John surgeryTommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. The last surgery cost him most of the 2003 season. Additionally, he missed a month in 2000 due to mononucleosis. He was limited to 35 games in 2002 and 41 in 2003.
When healthy, House hit over .300 in Rookie League and short-season class A in 1999. The next year, he batted .348 with 23 homers, sharing the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
MVP with Josh Hamilton. After barely playing for two years, House hit .288/.344/.502 at AAA - his career minor league line was .304/.371/.502. House was not deemed a prospect any more by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had high hopes for other young catchers Ryan Doumit
Ryan Doumit
Ryan Matthew Doumit is an American professional baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He played the first seven years of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...
, Humberto Cota
Humberto Cota
Humberto Cota is a Mexican professional baseball catcher who is currently a free agent...
, Ronny Paulino
Ronny Paulino
Ronny Leonel Paulino is a professional baseball player. He currently plays catcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
and Neil Walker
Neil Walker (baseball)
Neil Martin Walker is an American professional baseball second and third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball...
. He barely played in his second year in the majors. He had rotator cuff surgery on his previously injured right shoulder in 2004 and two weeks later was released by the Pirates.
After his baseball career apparently ended, House enrolled at West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, where he was the third-string quarterback for one season. In 2005, House completed 2 of 4 passes for 38 yards with no TDs or interceptions. He also had 2 rushes for 16 yards with a long of 13 yards and no TDs.
Deciding to return to baseball in 2006, J.R. signed with the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. Assigned to their Corpus Christi Hooks
Corpus Christi Hooks
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a minor league baseball team of the Texas League, and are the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team's ownership group is headed by Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan...
Class AA minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team, he had two hitting streaks of over 15 games in the first two months of the year and by June 3 was leading the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
in batting average.
Major leagues
Soon thereafter, House moved up to the AAA Round Rock ExpressRound Rock Express
The Round Rock Express is a class Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team in Round Rock, Texas, owned by RSR Sports and founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. The team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, for whom Nolan Ryan serves as the president and...
. On August 21, 2006 he played his last game with Round Rock and was called up by the Astros. The next night, House debuted against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
On November 14, 2006, House was signed by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. House played for the Norfolk Tides
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...
, their AAA affiliate, for the first three months of the baseball season. It was reported in July that House opted out of his contract with the Orioles, citing a clause that if he was not playing with the Baltimore Orioles by July 1 he was allowed to dissolve the contract. House was recalled by the Orioles on August 13, 2007.
House hit his first career home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
off Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Jesse Litsch
Jesse Litsch
Jesse Allen Litsch is an American pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. He is tall and weighs 225 pounds....
on August 18, 2007. House was outrighted to the minor leagues on October 3, 2007. He declined the assignment and elected free agency on October 12.
After spending one year in the Orioles organization, he returned to the Astros organization, signing a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training on January 10, 2008. House did not make the Astros' 2008 opening day roster and on March 19, 2008 was sent back to the AAA Round Rock Express
Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express is a class Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team in Round Rock, Texas, owned by RSR Sports and founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. The team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, for whom Nolan Ryan serves as the president and...
in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. He was called up on August 16.
House started 16 games as catcher for the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
, but on May 14, 2010 House was signed by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. He reported to the Mets' Triple A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
.
On February 9, 2011, he signed a contract with the Long Island Ducks.