Matt Joyce (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Matthew R. Joyce is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Tampa Bay Rays
.
.
Joyce played baseball for Florida Southern College
, and participated in the 2005 season which saw them win their ninth Division II national title. While playing for FSC Joyce participated in an exhibition game
against the Detroit Tigers in which the teams tied 2–2 after 10 innings. Just days after the final game, Joyce was one of four players from that team selected in the draft; the others were Geoff Strickland, Jeff Howell, and Matthew Mercurio.
Oneonta Tigers
, where he batted
.332 on the year.
In 2006, Joyce moved up to the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps
, where he batted .258 with 11 home runs and 86 RBIs as the Whitecaps captured the Midwest League
's championship for the second time in three years.
In 2007 the Tigers moved Joyce up to the Double-A
Erie SeaWolves
, where he hit .257 but improved his power, hitting 17 home runs. The SeaWolves won their division that year but fell to the Akron Aeros
in the playoffs. Joyce, along with fellow outfielder Clete Thomas
, was considered a likely future major leaguer. Commenting on the two, Tigers general manager
Dave Dombrowski
remarked that, "We think they're both prospects... We're not counting on them for this year, but they've got a chance to play at the Triple-A level (this season), depending on how they do this spring."
. He said: "Your mind races... You're a step closer to the big leagues. It's a big accomplishment, but you have to take it in stride, have fun with it and not pressure yourself too much."
In mid-March Joyce was part of the first-round of spring training cuts, and sent to the Triple-A
Toledo Mud Hens
. For the season, he batted .270 for Toledo.
The Tigers called him up in early May to take Jacque Jones
' spot on the roster. In his major league debut, Joyce played right field and batted seventh in the lineup. In his first at bat
, he drew a walk
, but went hitless on the evening. Joyce hit his first big league home run on May 10, at home against the New York Yankees
. On May 29, Joyce lost his playing time to Marcus Thames
, and he was subsequently sent to Toledo. The Tigers recalled Joyce on June 29 after Magglio Ordóñez
went on the disabled list with a pulled oblique.
He batted .252 for the Tigers, in 242 at bats, primarily as a left fielder. On December 10, Joyce was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Edwin Jackson
.
. He batted clean-up and hit 35 doubles with a slugging percentage well in the 400s.
He hit .188 in 32 at bats for the Rays, with a .270 on base percentage
.
. He was recalled to the active roster on June 24, after a minor league rehab stint. He filled the roster spot vacated by catcher Dioner Navarro
, who was optioned to the Durham Bulls. Joyce hit a pinch-hit grand slam go-ahead home run in the 8th inning of the Rays-Twins game on July 3 at Target Field
, moving to the starting right field position. Joyce hit a grand slam go ahead home run in the 6th inning of Matt Garza
's no hitter against the Detroit Tigers
, Joyce's former team.
He batted .241 in 216 at bats in 2010, playing right field (77 games) and left field (13 games), and as the designated hitter (11 games).
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...
for the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
.
Early life
Joyce began his career at North Brandon Little League in Brandon, FloridaBrandon, Florida
Brandon is a census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 103,483.-Founding:...
.
Joyce played baseball for Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College is a private college located in Lakeland, Florida, United States. It was selected by U.S...
, and participated in the 2005 season which saw them win their ninth Division II national title. While playing for FSC Joyce participated in an exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
against the Detroit Tigers in which the teams tied 2–2 after 10 innings. Just days after the final game, Joyce was one of four players from that team selected in the draft; the others were Geoff Strickland, Jeff Howell, and Matthew Mercurio.
Minor league career
The Detroit Tigers took Joyce in the 12th round and assigned him to the Single-AMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Oneonta Tigers
Oneonta Tigers
The Oneonta Tigers were a minor league baseball team located in Oneonta, New York. They were members of the New York - Penn League. The Tigers were the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and played their home games at Damaschke Field...
, where 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 :...
.332 on the year.
In 2006, Joyce moved up to the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps
West Michigan Whitecaps
The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids.-Franchise history:...
, where he batted .258 with 11 home runs and 86 RBIs as the Whitecaps captured the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
's championship for the second time in three years.
In 2007 the Tigers moved Joyce up to the Double-A
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Erie SeaWolves
Erie SeaWolves
The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball club....
, where he hit .257 but improved his power, hitting 17 home runs. The SeaWolves won their division that year but fell to the Akron Aeros
Akron Aeros
The Akron Aeros are a minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio, USA. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.The Aeros play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 9,097 fans...
in the playoffs. Joyce, along with fellow outfielder Clete Thomas
Clete Thomas
Michael Clete Thomas is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.-Career:...
, was considered a likely future major leaguer. Commenting on the two, Tigers general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Dave Dombrowski
Dave Dombrowski
David Dombrowski is the current president, CEO, and general manager of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.-Chicago White Sox:...
remarked that, "We think they're both prospects... We're not counting on them for this year, but they've got a chance to play at the Triple-A level (this season), depending on how they do this spring."
2008
In 2008, Joyce was one of 21 non-roster invitees to Tigers' spring trainingSpring 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...
. He said: "Your mind races... You're a step closer to the big leagues. It's a big accomplishment, but you have to take it in stride, have fun with it and not pressure yourself too much."
In mid-March Joyce was part of the first-round of spring training cuts, and sent to the Triple-A
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
. For the season, he batted .270 for Toledo.
The Tigers called him up in early May to take Jacque Jones
Jacque Jones
Jacque Dewayne Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who currently is a free agent-Early life:...
' spot on the roster. In his major league debut, Joyce played right field and batted seventh in the lineup. In his first at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
, he drew a walk
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...
, but went hitless on the evening. Joyce hit his first big league home run on May 10, at home against the New York Yankees
New 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...
. On May 29, Joyce lost his playing time to Marcus Thames
Marcus Thames
Marcus Markley Thames is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has previously played for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers....
, and he was subsequently sent to Toledo. The Tigers recalled Joyce on June 29 after Magglio Ordóñez
Magglio Ordóñez
Magglio José Ordóñez Delgado is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball right fielder. He has played for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers . Ordóñez is six feet, one inch tall and weighs .-Professional career:...
went on the disabled list with a pulled oblique.
He batted .252 for the Tigers, in 242 at bats, primarily as a left fielder. On December 10, Joyce was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Early life:Jackson's father, Edwin Jackson, Sr., a military cook, was stationed in Germany at the time of his birth. Jackson is one of 27 major league players who were born in Germany...
.
2009
In 2009, Joyce was an opening day starter for the Tampa Bay Rays, filling in for the injured B.J. Upton. He was sent back down to the minors shortly after. He spent the rest of the year with the Durham BullsDurham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
. He batted clean-up and hit 35 doubles with a slugging percentage well in the 400s.
He hit .188 in 32 at bats for the Rays, with a .270 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
.
2010
Joyce hurt his elbow early in 2010 spring training, and was on the disabled listDisabled 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:...
. He was recalled to the active roster on June 24, after a minor league rehab stint. He filled the roster spot vacated by catcher Dioner Navarro
Dioner Navarro
Dioner Favian Navarro Vivas is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher, who is a free agent.-New York Yankees:In 2000, Navarro was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent...
, who was optioned to the Durham Bulls. Joyce hit a pinch-hit grand slam go-ahead home run in the 8th inning of the Rays-Twins game on July 3 at Target Field
Target Field
Target Field is a baseball park located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the home ballpark of the Minnesota Twins, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It is the franchise's sixth ballpark and third in Minnesota. The Twins moved to Target Field for the 2010 Major League Baseball...
, moving to the starting right field position. Joyce hit a grand slam go ahead home run in the 6th inning of Matt Garza
Matt Garza
Matthew Scott Garza is a United States professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-Amateur career:He attended Washington Union High School and Fresno State.-Minnesota Twins:...
's no hitter against 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...
, Joyce's former team.
He batted .241 in 216 at bats in 2010, playing right field (77 games) and left field (13 games), and as the designated hitter (11 games).