John-Ford Griffin
Encyclopedia
John-Ford David Griffin is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
.
, was part of a state championship team in 1996 for the Sailors. Griffin played college baseball
under head coach Mike Martin for the Florida State University
Seminoles from 1999 to 2001. Griffin's career batting average
was .427, a Florida State record at the time.
with the 23rd overall pick in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft. On July 5, 2002, Griffin and future Blue Jay teammates Ted Lilly
and Jason Arnold were traded to the Oakland Athletics
as part of a three-team deal also involving the Detroit Tigers
. On January 7, 2003, Griffin was traded to the Blue Jays in exchange for minor leaguer Jason Perry
.
Griffin posted decent numbers in his 2004 campaign with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats
, hitting .248 with 22 home run
s and 81 runs batted in. His 2005 season with the Syracuse Chiefs was even better, as he led the International League
with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs on the way to earning both an International League All-Star selection and the Team MVP award from Syracuse.
Griffin made his major league debut and collected his first major-league hit, a double, on September 6, 2005, in a game against the Baltimore Orioles
. On the final day of the regular season, he hit his first Major League home run against Kansas City Royals
pitcher Jimmy Gobble
. During his major league stint in 2005, Griffin hit .308 with one home run and six RBIs.
In 2006, Griffin's numbers declined due to injuries, as he hit .225 with six home runs in 60 games for Syracuse.
In 2007, Griffin rebounded in Syracuse, hitting .252/.330/.488 with 26 home runs and struck out 144 times. He hit well on a September callup to Toronto and is now a career .304/.370/.696 hitter in 27 major league plate appearances. He has hit two major league home runs.
In 2008, Griffin played for the Las Vegas 51s
in the Dodgers farm system. He re-signed with the Dodgers in February 2009 and played briefly for the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
before he was released by the Dodgers on May 25 and signed a new minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs
.
In 2010, Griffin played for the Newark Bears
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
, but announced his retirement on June 18, 2010.
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...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
.
Early life
An All-State athlete at Sarasota High SchoolSarasota High School
Sarasota High School is a public high school in Sarasota, Florida. The mascot is the Sailor.- History :Sarasota High School first opened in 1913. A new school was built in 1926 on South Tamiami Trail and the school was relocated...
, was part of a state championship team in 1996 for the Sailors. Griffin played college 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...
under head coach Mike Martin for the Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Seminoles from 1999 to 2001. Griffin's career 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 :...
was .427, a Florida State record at the time.
Professional career
Griffin was drafted out of Florida State by the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
with the 23rd overall pick in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft. On July 5, 2002, Griffin and future Blue Jay teammates Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly
Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly III , is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats and throws left-handed...
and Jason Arnold were traded to 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....
as part of a three-team deal also involving the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. On January 7, 2003, Griffin was traded to the Blue Jays in exchange for minor leaguer Jason Perry
Jason Perry (baseball)
Jason Kyle Perry is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Perry throws right-handed and bats left-handed.-Toronto Blue Jays:...
.
Griffin posted decent numbers in his 2004 campaign with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a minor league baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major-league club....
, hitting .248 with 22 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 81 runs batted in. His 2005 season with the Syracuse Chiefs was even better, as he led the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs on the way to earning both an International League All-Star selection and the Team MVP award from Syracuse.
Griffin made his major league debut and collected his first major-league hit, a double, on September 6, 2005, in a game against 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...
. On the final day of the regular season, he hit his first Major League home run against Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
pitcher Jimmy Gobble
Jimmy Gobble
Billy James Gobble is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently in the Colorado Rockies organization.-High school career:...
. During his major league stint in 2005, Griffin hit .308 with one home run and six RBIs.
In 2006, Griffin's numbers declined due to injuries, as he hit .225 with six home runs in 60 games for Syracuse.
In 2007, Griffin rebounded in Syracuse, hitting .252/.330/.488 with 26 home runs and struck out 144 times. He hit well on a September callup to Toronto and is now a career .304/.370/.696 hitter in 27 major league plate appearances. He has hit two major league home runs.
In 2008, Griffin played for the Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
in the Dodgers farm system. He re-signed with the Dodgers in February 2009 and played briefly for the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
before he was released by the Dodgers on May 25 and signed a new minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
In 2010, Griffin played 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 announced his retirement on June 18, 2010.