Jason Stanford
Encyclopedia
Jason John Stanford (born January 23, 1977 in Tucson
, Arizona
) is a former left-handed
Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
. He is a 1995 graduate of Canyon del Oro High School
in Oro Valley
, Arizona
, a suburb of Tucson
. Stanford attended Barton County Community College
in Great Bend
, Kansas
in 1996 and 1997, where he was an Academic All-American. In and , he attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
and was an All-Conference USA
selection both years. The Cleveland Indians
signed Stanford as an amateur free agent
in November 1999.
He made his major league debut with the Indians in 2003. In June 2007, Stanford was promoted to the Indians from Buffalo
after the team optioned the struggling starter Jeremy Sowers
to the Triple-A
club. He made his season debut against the Florida Marlins
on June 14 during interleague play
, but soon found himself moved to the bullpen
, and then demoted to Triple-A Buffalo, where he finished the season. After signing a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals
, Stanford was released on April 21, . On April 25, 2008, Stanford signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, but was released on May 21. He signed with the Chicago Cubs and was assigned to Triple-A Iowa
in August. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
In 2009, Stanford became a baseball analyst for SportsTime Ohio
and WKYC Channel 3 (NBC
) in Cleveland. Beginning in the 2011 season, Stanford's role increased as he became the full time pregame show analyst.
Stanford is now a coach for the Howland Tigers Baseball team in Warren, Ohio for the 2010-2011 season.
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
) is a former 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...
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...
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....
. He is a 1995 graduate of Canyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School, also known as CDO, is a comprehensive public high school in Oro Valley, Arizona, located north of Tucson at the base of Pusch Ridge. Established as a high school in 1964, CDO is one of three high schools of Amphitheater Public Schools and serves about 1,800 students in...
in Oro Valley
Oro Valley, Arizona
Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson, Arizona, USA in Pima County. According to a July 2008 estimate, the population of the town is 43,223, an increase from 29,700 in 2000 Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson,...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, a suburb of Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. Stanford attended Barton County Community College
Barton County Community College
Barton Community College is a two-year junior college located in Great Bend, Kansas. Its service area includes Barton, Ellsworth, Pawnee, Rush and Russell Counties,Stafford County north of US Highway 50, and northwestern Rice County.Athletics:The school is more commonly known for it nationally...
in Great Bend
Great Bend, Kansas
Great Bend, named for its location at the historic big bend of the Arkansas River, is the most populous city in and the county seat of Barton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,995.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in 1996 and 1997, where he was an Academic All-American. In and , he attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
and was an All-Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
selection both years. The Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
signed Stanford as an amateur 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....
in November 1999.
He made his major league debut with the Indians in 2003. In June 2007, Stanford was promoted to the Indians from Buffalo
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...
after the team optioned the struggling starter Jeremy Sowers
Jeremy Sowers
Jeremy Bryan Sowers is an American professional baseball pitcher. Sowers grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended Ballard High School...
to the Triple-A
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
club. He made his season debut against 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...
on June 14 during interleague play
Interleague play
Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...
, but soon found himself moved to the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
, and then demoted to Triple-A Buffalo, where he finished the season. After signing a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
, Stanford was released on April 21, . On April 25, 2008, Stanford signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, but was released on May 21. He signed with the Chicago Cubs and was assigned to Triple-A Iowa
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
in August. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
In 2009, Stanford became a baseball analyst for SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio is a regional sports network in Cleveland and northern Ohio, launched in 2006. It was created to air Cleveland Indians games, and is owned by the family which owns the team. It is also the cable television home of the Cleveland Browns...
and WKYC Channel 3 (NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
) in Cleveland. Beginning in the 2011 season, Stanford's role increased as he became the full time pregame show analyst.
Stanford is now a coach for the Howland Tigers Baseball team in Warren, Ohio for the 2010-2011 season.