Geoff Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Geoff Jenkins is a former outfielder
in Major League Baseball
. He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers
from until and the Philadelphia Phillies
in 2008. Jenkins is third on the Brewers all-time career home run
list trailing only Hall-of-Famer Robin Yount
and active first baseman Prince Fielder
.
, where he played football
, basketball
, and baseball
. He was selected for the all-state baseball team as a junior and senior before graduating in 1992.
, Jenkins had a standout career from through . In his final season, he batted
.399 with 78 RBI
and a .748 slugging percentage in 70 games, also scoring 75 runs
to tie the school record held by Rich Dauer
and Mark McGwire
; his 23 home runs and 193 total bases
ranked second in school history behind McGwire's totals of 32 and 216. He led the Trojans to the College World Series
, where they reached the championship game; Jenkins was named to the all-CWS team, and also earned team co-MVP honors and was named a consensus All-American. In , the year of the CWS' 50th tournament, Jenkins was named to the all-decade team for the 1990s. He finished his USC career with a .369 batting average, 45 home runs (second only to McGwire's 54), a .652 slugging percentage, 180 runs, and school records for runs batted in (175) and total bases (444).
Jenkins was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round (9th overall) in the 1995 amateur draft. He spent the 1995-98 seasons within the Milwaukee farm system, and made his major league debut with the Brewers as an early season call-up in 1998.
, in his first career plate appearance against the San Francisco Giants
and hit a fifth inning home run off Hersheiser in his third career plate appearance. Jenkins would go on to bat over .300 in his 2nd and 3rd seasons, driving in 90 or more runs three times for one of the perennially weaker teams in the league. On September 23 that same year, in the midst of a tense Wild Card race, Jenkins hit the routine fly ball that Brant Brown
of the Chicago Cubs
dropped allowing three runs to score and the Brewers to win.
In , he was the Brewers' team MVP. He led the Brewers in batting average (.303) and home runs (34). His season was cut short when on June 17 in a game against the Houston Astros
he suffered a horrific-looking dislocated ankle when sliding into third base
feet first during a game. He was safe on the play. He was selected to the National League
's All-Star
team in via the MLB's All-Star Final Vote
contest where a player is selected from both leagues by fans to join their respective team after the initial roster is announced. Jenkins' popularity in Wisconsin was further bolstered by his resemblance to former Packer superstar Brett Favre
.
On June 8, , he became the 8th player in major league history to strikeout
six times in a single game. After playing in left field
for virtually his entire career, he moved to right field
for the and seasons when Milwaukee acquired Carlos Lee
.
In 2006, Jenkins experienced a prolonged offensive slump, struggling in particular against left-handed
pitching. In August 2006, the Brewers benched Jenkins, one of their highest-paid players at the time, in favor of the younger Corey Hart
.
In 2007, Jenkins returned to left field to platoon
with Kevin Mench
. On October 30, 2007, the Brewers officially declined their $9 million option on Jenkins' contract, making him a free agent
for the season.
and a stolen base
. In the postseason, his only hit came on a leadoff double in the bottom of the 6th in Game 5 of the World Series. His hit set the tone for the finale of the World Series as the Phillies won the World Series and earned Jenkins his first ring of his 10 year career.
Jenkins was released by the Phillies at the end of Spring Training on March 31, .
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...
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...
. He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
from until and the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in 2008. Jenkins is third on the Brewers all-time 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...
list trailing only Hall-of-Famer Robin Yount
Robin Yount
Robin R. Yount is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop and center fielder. He spent his entire 20-year baseball career with the Milwaukee Brewers . In 1999, Yount was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.-Early years:Yount was born in Danville, Illinois...
and active first baseman Prince Fielder
Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
.
High school
Jenkins attended Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he played 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...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, 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...
. He was selected for the all-state baseball team as a junior and senior before graduating in 1992.
College career
At USCUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, Jenkins had a standout career from through . In his final season, he batted
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 :...
.399 with 78 RBI
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...
and a .748 slugging percentage in 70 games, also scoring 75 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
to tie the school record held by Rich Dauer
Rich Dauer
Richard Fremont Dauer , is a former professional baseball player who played with the Baltimore Orioles primarily as an infielder from 1976-85. He played in two World Series with the Orioles....
and Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
; his 23 home runs and 193 total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
ranked second in school history behind McGwire's totals of 32 and 216. He led the Trojans to the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
, where they reached the championship game; Jenkins was named to the all-CWS team, and also earned team co-MVP honors and was named a consensus All-American. In , the year of the CWS' 50th tournament, Jenkins was named to the all-decade team for the 1990s. He finished his USC career with a .369 batting average, 45 home runs (second only to McGwire's 54), a .652 slugging percentage, 180 runs, and school records for runs batted in (175) and total bases (444).
Minor Leagues
Milwaukee Brewers
On April 24, 1998, he singled off Orel HershiserOrel Hershiser
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
, in his first career plate appearance against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and hit a fifth inning home run off Hersheiser in his third career plate appearance. Jenkins would go on to bat over .300 in his 2nd and 3rd seasons, driving in 90 or more runs three times for one of the perennially weaker teams in the league. On September 23 that same year, in the midst of a tense Wild Card race, Jenkins hit the routine fly ball that Brant Brown
Brant Brown
Brant Michael Brown is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently the hitting coach for the Frisco RoughRiders.Brown attended Monache High School and Fresno State University....
of 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...
dropped allowing three runs to score and the Brewers to win.
In , he was the Brewers' team MVP. He led the Brewers in batting average (.303) and home runs (34). His season was cut short when on June 17 in a game against 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...
he suffered a horrific-looking dislocated ankle when sliding into third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
feet first during a game. He was safe on the play. He was selected to 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...
's All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team in via the MLB's All-Star Final Vote
All-Star Final Vote
All-Star Final Vote is an annual Internet and text message ballot by Major League Baseball fans to elect the final player for each team that participates in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game after all other selections have been made and announced on national television. The first 33 players...
contest where a player is selected from both leagues by fans to join their respective team after the initial roster is announced. Jenkins' popularity in Wisconsin was further bolstered by his resemblance to former Packer superstar Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
.
On June 8, , he became the 8th player in major league history to 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....
six times in a single game. After playing in left field
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
for virtually his entire career, he moved to right field
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
for the and seasons when Milwaukee acquired Carlos Lee
Carlos Lee
Carlos Noriel Lee is a first basemen in Major League Baseball who plays for the Houston Astros. He bats and throws right-handed....
.
In 2006, Jenkins experienced a prolonged offensive slump, struggling in particular against left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
pitching. In August 2006, the Brewers benched Jenkins, one of their highest-paid players at the time, in favor of the younger Corey Hart
Corey Hart (baseball player)
Jon Corey Hart, nicknamed "The Wolfman" is an American baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.- High school career :...
.
In 2007, Jenkins returned to left field to platoon
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
with Kevin Mench
Kevin Mench
Kevin Ford Mench is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent.-High school and college career:...
. On October 30, 2007, the Brewers officially declined their $9 million option on Jenkins' contract, making him 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....
for the season.
Philadelphia Phillies
On December 20, 2007, he signed a two-year, $13 million deal with a vesting option for 2010 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Jenkins returned to Miller Park in a Phillies uniform on April 23, 2008, to a crowd of just over 30,000. He was welcomed back with a tribute video, highlighting his ten-year career with the Brewers, and the standing ovation that followed. He received a second ovation while leading off the second inning. Philadelphia would go on to lose the game, 5-4. He went 0 for 3, with a walkBase 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 a stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
. In the postseason, his only hit came on a leadoff double in the bottom of the 6th in Game 5 of the World Series. His hit set the tone for the finale of the World Series as the Phillies won the World Series and earned Jenkins his first ring of his 10 year career.
Jenkins was released by the Phillies at the end of Spring Training on March 31, .