Jason Jennings
Encyclopedia
Jason Ryan Jennings is an American
Major League Baseball
pitcher
who is currently a free agent
.
in Mesquite, Texas
, and was a standout in both football
and baseball
. In football, he won All-District honors at both kicker and punter. In baseball, as a senior, he was named the District MVP and posted a .410 batting average
, hit seven home run
s, and pitched his way to a 10-3 record and a 0.92 ERA
with 132 strikeout
s.
After graduating from Poteet, he attended Baylor University
where he played baseball from to . Following his junior season at Baylor, Jennings was named by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball as the 1999 National Player of the Year. In what would be his final season at Baylor, he struck out 172 hitters in 146.2 innings and hit .382 with 17 homers and 68 RBIs
. He also won the Golden Spikes Award, his second consecutive Big 12 Player of the Year, consensus All-America
honors, the Outstanding Player on the 1999 Big 12 All Tournament Team, and a spot on the 1999 All-Big 12 Academic First Team.
, Jason posted his most impressive numbers in the season when he won the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award in the National League
, beating out Brad Wilkerson
and Austin Kearns
. In his major league debut, Jennings hit a home run and tossed a complete game
shutout
, becoming the first major leaguer to accomplish that feat.
From to , Jennings had three losing seasons and posted an ERA above 5 each year. In , Jennings pitched much better, ending the season with a 3.78 ERA, but had only a 9-13 record due to a lack of run support that ranked near the bottom of the league. From May 29 to the end of the season, Jennings had a 3.17 ERA, which was 4th in the Majors and 2nd in the NL behind Roy Oswalt
. He also finished with over 200 innings pitched. He ended his career with the Rockies as the franchise's all-time winningest pitcher. He was surpassed in wins by a Rockies pitcher on June 23, 2009 by former teammate Aaron Cook.
On December 12, 2006 the Rockies traded Jennings, along with Miguel Asencio
, to the Houston Astros
for Willy Taveras
, Taylor Buchholz
and Jason Hirsh
. The deal seemed to work in favor of the 2007 Rockies, who made it to the 2007 World Series
with Taveras at the top of the order. Both Buchholz and Hirsh pitched decently in their first season with the Rockies.
was a lackluster year with the Astros for Jennings. In a game against the Padres
, he gave up 11 earned run
s on 8 hits
in two-thirds of an inning with three walks
and no strikeouts.
On January 17, , he signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers. Jennings ended up going on the DL
after just six starts, all in April (missing the rest of the season), in which he struggled mightily. He went 0-5 with an 8.56 ERA, allowing eight home runs in 27 1/3 innings of work, and he made it past the fifth inning only once.
On February 6, , he re-signed with the Rangers to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
On August 27, 2009, Jennings was designated for assignment, then given his outright release by the Rangers.
During the 2009-2010 MLB offseason, Jennings was signed by the Oakland Athletics
to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training
.
On May 25, 2011, the Grand Prairie AirHogs
of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball signed Jennings to a contract for the remainder of their season. On September 12, 2011, Jennings started Game 5 of the AA Championship and pitched 6 3/4 innings to pick up the win and help lead the Air Hogs to their first American Association Championship. His first championship at any level.
and Mesquite Championship Rodeo
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
High school/college years
Jennings attended Poteet High SchoolPoteet High School (Mesquite, Texas)
Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School is located at 3300 Poteet Drive in Mesquite, Texas. It opened in 1986 and is named for a former school superintendent, Dr. Ralph H. Poteet. It is the fourth high school built by the Mesquite Independent School District....
in Mesquite, Texas
Mesquite, Texas
Mesquite is a city located within the Dallas/Ft.Worth area of Texas. As of the 2010 US Census, the population was 139,824.-History:The city was founded May 22, 1873, by a Texas & Pacific Railway engineer who purchased land along the Texas & Pacific line outside of Dallas...
, and was a standout in both football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In football, he won All-District honors at both kicker and punter. In baseball, as a senior, he was named the District MVP and posted a .410 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, hit seven 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...
s, and pitched his way to a 10-3 record and a 0.92 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
with 132 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s.
After graduating from Poteet, he attended Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
where he played baseball from to . Following his junior season at Baylor, Jennings was named by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball as the 1999 National Player of the Year. In what would be his final season at Baylor, he struck out 172 hitters in 146.2 innings and hit .382 with 17 homers and 68 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. He also won the Golden Spikes Award, his second consecutive Big 12 Player of the Year, consensus All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors, the Outstanding Player on the 1999 Big 12 All Tournament Team, and a spot on the 1999 All-Big 12 Academic First Team.
Professional career
As a member of the Colorado RockiesColorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, Jason posted his most impressive numbers in the season when he won the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, beating out Brad Wilkerson
Brad Wilkerson
Stephen Bradley "Brad" Wilkerson is a former American college and professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball for eight seasons in the 2000s. Wilkerson played college baseball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Montreal Expos...
and Austin Kearns
Austin Kearns
Austin Ryan Kearns is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent.-Cincinnati Reds:...
. In his major league debut, Jennings hit a home run and tossed a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
, becoming the first major leaguer to accomplish that feat.
From to , Jennings had three losing seasons and posted an ERA above 5 each year. In , Jennings pitched much better, ending the season with a 3.78 ERA, but had only a 9-13 record due to a lack of run support that ranked near the bottom of the league. From May 29 to the end of the season, Jennings had a 3.17 ERA, which was 4th in the Majors and 2nd in the NL behind Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
. He also finished with over 200 innings pitched. He ended his career with the Rockies as the franchise's all-time winningest pitcher. He was surpassed in wins by a Rockies pitcher on June 23, 2009 by former teammate Aaron Cook.
On December 12, 2006 the Rockies traded Jennings, along with Miguel Asencio
Miguel Asencio
Miguel DePaula Asencio is a Major League Baseball pitcher. He began his pro-career in in the Dominican Republic. In eleven games, he went 0-2 with a 6.55 ERA....
, to 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...
for Willy Taveras
Willy Taveras
Willy Taveras is a Major League Baseball center fielder.-Houston Astros:Taveras played in 10 games at the end of the Astros season, mostly as a pinch runner....
, Taylor Buchholz
Taylor Buchholz
Taylor Buchholz is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Biography:...
and Jason Hirsh
Jason Hirsh
Jason Michael Hirsh is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who is a free agent.Hirsh was a dominant minor league pitcher in 2005–06, winning the Double-A Texas League Pitcher of the Year Award and the Triple-A Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year Award in successive seasons, as he went...
. The deal seemed to work in favor of the 2007 Rockies, who made it to the 2007 World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
with Taveras at the top of the order. Both Buchholz and Hirsh pitched decently in their first season with the Rockies.
was a lackluster year with the Astros for Jennings. In a game against the Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, he gave up 11 earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s on 8 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in two-thirds of an inning with three walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and no strikeouts.
On January 17, , he signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers. Jennings ended up going on the DL
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
after just six starts, all in April (missing the rest of the season), in which he struggled mightily. He went 0-5 with an 8.56 ERA, allowing eight home runs in 27 1/3 innings of work, and he made it past the fifth inning only once.
On February 6, , he re-signed with the Rangers to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
On August 27, 2009, Jennings was designated for assignment, then given his outright release by the Rangers.
During the 2009-2010 MLB offseason, Jennings was signed by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
.
On May 25, 2011, the Grand Prairie AirHogs
Grand Prairie AirHogs
The Grand Prairie AirHogs are a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas, in the United States. The AirHogs are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball , which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball signed Jennings to a contract for the remainder of their season. On September 12, 2011, Jennings started Game 5 of the AA Championship and pitched 6 3/4 innings to pick up the win and help lead the Air Hogs to their first American Association Championship. His first championship at any level.
Personal life
Jennings and his wife, Kelly, have three children, son Braden, son Keathan and daughter Bailee. His father, Jim, played baseball for the University of Texas and professionally in the Texas Rangers system. His late grandfather, James Jennings, was the long-time public address announcer for the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Mesquite Championship Rodeo
Mesquite Championship Rodeo
The Mesquite Championship Rodeo is a rodeo located in Mesquite, Texas that operates during rodeo season .Founded in 1958 by Neal Gay as a permanent rodeo , the rodeo struggled in the early years, but grew as the city of Mesquite grew...
.