Jamie D'Antona
Encyclopedia
James Joseph D'Antona is a professional baseball
infielder
.
D'Antona played college baseball
for Wake Forest University
where he had a .354 career batting average
and 58 home run
s. In , he was the ACC
leader in slugging percentage, home runs, and RBI
. D'Antona played third and first base in college and continued to play both positions while in the Arizona Diamondbacks
organization. D'Antona was a member of the Chatham A's, as noted in The Last Best League.
at Trumbull High School
, and they won the LL State Baseball championship game.
, D'Antona finished the 2003 season with Low Single-A Yakima
, where he hit 15 home runs in only 70 games. He was also a Short-Season Single-A All-Star and Northwest League
All-Star. In , he played with High Single-A Lancaster
, where he batted .315 and earned a late-season promotion to Double-A El Paso
. With Double-A Tennessee
in , D'Antona struggled to hit for average, only .249, which caused his home run total to drop to 9. In , again with Double-A Tennessee, he bounced back with a .312 batting average and was promoted to Triple-A Tucson
for .
In , D'Antona batted near .400 for the first 2½ months, was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game
, and won the Triple-A Home Run Derby
in triple overtime
against Detroit Tigers
minor league infielder
Mike Hessman
.
, a single
, on the same day and in his first at-bat. D'Antona was called back up to the D'Backs as a September call up.
Following the season, D'Antona was released by the Diamondbacks so that he could sign with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
.
On January 12, 2011, the Florida Marlins
signed D'Antona to a minor league contract.
Jamie D'Antona was released by the Marlins on Feb 17, 2011.
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...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
.
D'Antona 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...
for Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
where he had a .354 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 :...
and 58 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. In , he was the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
leader in slugging percentage, home runs, and 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...
. D'Antona played third and first base in college and continued to play both positions while in the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
organization. D'Antona was a member of the Chatham A's, as noted in The Last Best League.
Early life
D'Antona played baseball alongside future major league pitcher Craig BreslowCraig Breslow
Craig Andrew Breslow is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He throws left-handed, and is considered a lefty specialist....
at Trumbull High School
Trumbull High School
-History:Trumbull High School was founded in 1961 following a population increase in Trumbull during the 1950s. The high school was originally situated at 4630 Madison Avenue, in the building currently serving as Madison Middle School. As the 1960s progressed, the town was compelled to commission a...
, and they won the LL State Baseball championship game.
Minor leagues
Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2nd round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
, D'Antona finished the 2003 season with Low Single-A Yakima
Yakima Bears
The Yakima Bears are a minor league baseball team in Yakima, Washington. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2001, formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers from the team's creation in 1990 when the Salem...
, where he hit 15 home runs in only 70 games. He was also a Short-Season Single-A All-Star and Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
All-Star. In , he played with High Single-A Lancaster
Lancaster JetHawks
The Lancaster JetHawks are a minor league baseball team of the California League located in Lancaster, California. The team is named for the city's association with the aerospace industry and plays its home games at Clear Channel Stadium...
, where he batted .315 and earned a late-season promotion to Double-A El Paso
El Paso Diablos
The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the...
. With Double-A Tennessee
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
in , D'Antona struggled to hit for average, only .249, which caused his home run total to drop to 9. In , again with Double-A Tennessee, he bounced back with a .312 batting average and was promoted to Triple-A Tucson
Tucson Sidewinders
The Tucson Sidewinders were a minor league baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona. The team, which played in the Pacific Coast League, was the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major-league club....
for .
In , D'Antona batted near .400 for the first 2½ months, was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
, and won the Triple-A Home Run Derby
Home Run Derby
The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance...
in triple overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
against 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...
minor league infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Mike Hessman
Mike Hessman
Michael Steven Hessman is a third baseman who plays for the Orix Buffaloes in Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League...
.
Major leagues
D'Antona made his major league debut on July 22, collecting his first major league hitHit (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....
, a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, on the same day and in his first at-bat. D'Antona was called back up to the D'Backs as a September call up.
Following the season, D'Antona was released by the Diamondbacks so that he could sign with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
.
On January 12, 2011, the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
signed D'Antona to a minor league contract.
Jamie D'Antona was released by the Marlins on Feb 17, 2011.