Matt Joyce (baseball)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Joyce with the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2006 |
|
|---|---|
| Detroit Tigers — No. 20 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: August 3, 1984 Riverview, Florida |
|
| Bats: Left | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| May 5, 2008 for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through May 28, 2008) |
|
| Batting average | .208 |
| Home runs | 5 |
| Runs batted in | 10 |
| Teams | |
Matthew R. Joyce (born August 3, 1984 in Riverview, Florida) is an outfielder in the Detroit Tigers organization.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Joyce played baseball for Florida Southern College and participated in the 2005 season which saw them win their ninth Division II national championship. While playing for FSC Joyce participated in an exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers in which the two teams tied 2-2 after ten innings.[1] 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 Matt Mercurio. The Detroit Tigers took Joyce in the 12th round and assigned him to the single-A Oneonta Tigers, where he batted .332 on the year.[2][3]
In 2006 Joyce moved up to the single-A West Michigan Whitecaps, where he batted .258 with eleven home runs and 86 RBIs as the Whitecaps captured the Midwest League's championship for the second time in three years.[4] In 2007 the Tigers moved Joyce up to the AA Erie SeaWolves, where he maintained his batting average 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, then-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."[3][5]
[edit] 2008
In 2008 Joyce was one of 21 non-roster invitees to Tigers' spring training. Said Joyce: "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."[6] In mid-March Joyce was part of the first-round of spring training cuts and sent to the AAA Toledo Mud Hens, where he got off to a strong start, batting .299 with five home runs before the Tigers called him up in early May to take Jacque Jones' spot on the roster.[7] 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 otherwise went hitless on the evening. Joyce hit his first big league HR on May 10, 2008 at home against the Yankees.[8] On May 29, Joyce lost his playing time to Marcus Thames and was subsequently sent to Toledo.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ Cobb, Mike. "TIGERS, MOCS MANAGE 2-2 TIE; SPRING TRAINING", The Ledger, March 3, 2005, p. C1. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ Brown, Rick. "FSC MAKES A MAJOR IMPACT; COLLEGE KNOW-HOW: FOUR MOCS JOINED BY PEARCE, ALONSO", The Ledger, June 8, 2005, p. C1. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ a b Matthew Joyce Statistics (Minor Leagues). Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ "Best of Midwest; Whitecaps cut down Kane County to claim MWL title", Grand Rapids Press, September 16, 2006, p. D1. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ Morosi, Jon Paul. "Dombrowski has inklings of deals but no inkings", Detroit Free Press, November 9, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
- ^ Morosi, Jon Paul. "LUCKY 21: Tigers announce 21 invitees to Lakeland", Detroit Free Press, January 23, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ Lowe, John. "Right-hander Porcello cut by Tigers", Detroit Free Press, March 12, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ "Red Sox get HRs from Lowell, Youkilis and Ortiz in 6-3 win", Associated Press, May 6, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/SPORTS02/80529036/1048
[edit] External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
