J.J. Davis

Jerry C. Davis (J.J.)...single...a 1997 graduate of Baldwin Park (CA) High School, where he played baseball, football and basketball...was a pitcher/first baseman in high school...averaged 25 points and 15 rebounds per game as a senior hoopster and was a second-team all-state selection...turned down a baseball and basketball scholarship from the University of Southern California and a football scholarship (quarterback) from Oregon State University to sign with PIT.

2004

Was a member of PIT's Opening Day roster for the first time...started just one of PIT's first 18 games (April 7 vs. PHI)...made first career appearance in LF on April 12 at CHI...snapped an 0-for-6 streak to start the season with an RBIsingle on April 15 at CHI...posted lone outfield assist on April 24 vs. CIN...left May 13 contest at COL after spraining his right pinky finger sliding into second base in game one of a doubleheader...was placed on the 15-Day DL, May 19...began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on June 4...fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle on June 12 at Albuquerque...homered twice on June 15 vs. Omaha...14 of his 18 hits on rehab went for extra bases...hit .273 (18-for- 66) with 6 doubles, one triple, 7 home runs, 15 RBI and 20 strikeouts in 19 games on first rehab assignment...was recalled from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the 15-day disabled list on June 25...doubled off MON's Scott Downs for first extra base hit on July 11 in San Juan, but suffered a strained right hip flexor stretching hit into a double...was placed on the 15-Day DL for a 2nd time on July 16...began 2nd rehab assignment with Nashville on August 19...went 3- for-18 (.167) with a home run and two RBI in 8 games...was recalled from rehab assignment on September 6, but remained on PIT's disabled list for the duration of the season...played 14 games (7 starts) in RF and 5 more (2 starts) in LF for PIT...went 0-for-6 as a pinch hitter.

2003

Spent majority of the season with Nashville (AAA) ... Led the Pacific Coast League in slugging percentage (.554), tied for third in home runs and ranked fourth in extra-base hits (59) ... Established minor league career high in home runs ... Began the Triple-A season with just four hits in his first 23 at bats (.174) ... Hit safely in 11 straight games from 4/13-24, going 18-for-45 (.400) during that span ... Went just 2-for-20 (.100) in his next six games following the hit streak ... Homered in consecutive games on 5/17-18 @ Albuquerque ... Hit two home runs on 5/27 @ Iowa ... Posted 11 roundtrippers in May ... Had just one hit in 18 at bats from 6/13-18 ... Homered twice on 6/19 vs. Iowa (game one) ... Batted .333 (39-for-117) with nine home runs, 30 RBI and 13 multi-hit efforts in 32 games from 6/19 to 7/29 ... Went deep in back-to-back contests on 7/27 @ Colorado Springs and 7/29 vs. Albuquerque ... Homered in consecutive games on 8/10 @ Colorado Springs and 8/11 @ Portland ... Was recalled by Pittsburgh on 8/19 after hitting .280 (116-for-415) with 24 home runs and 63 RBI in 119 games with the Sounds ... Went 0-for-4 in his first start with the Bucs on 8/19 @ St. Louis ... Was hitless in his first seven at bats before collecting an RBI-single as a pinch hitter on 8/22 @ Milwaukee ... Recorded his first career multi-hit game on 8/26 vs. Florida ... Made four starts with the Pirates before being optioned back to Nashville on 8/29 ... Went 5-for-11 (.455) with four RBI after being sent down ... Was 23-for-63 (.365) in his final 17 games with the Sounds ... Batted .398 (39-for-98) off Pacific Coast League lefthanders, but hit 19 of his 26 home runs off righties ... Eighteen of his home runs with the Sounds were solo shots ... Became just the third player in Nashville's 26-year history to be a part of the 20hr/20sb club ... Made 112 appearances in right field, two in left and one in center with the Sounds ... Was recalled by Pittsburgh for the second time on 9/13 ... Went 2-for-4 with his first major league home run (off Rheal Cormier) on 9/14 vs. Philadelphia ... Collected just one hit in 16 at bats (.063) following his roundtripper ... Had just one hit in nine pinch-hit attempts ... Was invited to the Olympic Qualifying Team trials in October and hit .320 (8-for-25) with three doubles, a homer and nine RBI in eight games ... Was named by Baseball America as the No. 15 prospect in the P.C.L. and Sportsticker's P.C.L's All-Prospect Team following the season.

2002

Spent full season with Altoona (AA)...Finished third in the Eastern League in slugging percentage (.526). ...Reached base in 27 consecutive games from 7/23 thru 8/18, breaking Kevin Sefcik's club record of 26 straight set earlier in the year ... Established minor league career high in batting and tied career high in home runs ... Hit .340 (32-for-94) with runners in scoring position...Made all 100 defensive appearances in right field ... Had six assists and six errors ... Played in just three games during the month of April after spending time on the disabled list from 4/8 thru 5/13 with a right ankle sprain...Hit .207 (6-for-29) in his first 10 contests...Had an eight-game hitting streak from 5/22-30 (13-for-27, .481)...Hit safely in 13-of-14 games from 5/22 thru 6/7, going 19-for-49 (.388)...Had back-to-back game-winning RBI on 5/29-30 vs. Norwich...Went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and five RBI on 7/21 vs. Bowie followed by a 3-for-3 performance with a double, home run and three RBI on 7/22 vs. Harrisburg. ...Was named Eastern League Player-of-the-Week for week ending 7/28 after hitting .448 (13-for-29) with five home runs and 15 RBI in nine games ... Was recalled by Pittsburgh on 9/3...Made major league debut on 9/4 at Atlanta and struck out in his first plate appearance...Singled off Cincinnati's Ryan Dempster at Cinergy Field for first big-league hit on 9/9 (also made first career start that day) ... Made a total of four appearances (two starts) in right field and went 0-for-3 as a pinch hitter with Pittsburgh ... Was the 14th No. 1 pick of the Pirates to appear in a big-league game (first since Kris Benson in 1996).

Notes: (thru 2002)

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Pirates' 1st round selection (6th overall) in 1997 June free agent draft

ML SERVICE: 31 days

CONTRACT: Signed thru 2003

MOST HR/GAME: No major league home runs.

MOST HITS/GAME: 1 hit, 9/9/02 at Cincinnati.

MOST RBI/GAME: No major league RBI.

GRAND SLAMS: None.

LONGEST HITTING STREAK: 2002: 1 game, Career: 1 game (2002).

2000 Carolina League post-season All-Star.

His six-year minor league totals include a .258 batting average (484-for-1875), 78 home runs and 307 RBI in 519 games.

Was the 14th No. 1 pick of the Pirates to appear in a big-league game (first since Kris Benson in 1996).

Hit .247 (21-for-85) with three home runs and nine RBI in 25 games with the Phoenix Desert Dogs (team managed by current Third Base Coach John Russell).

2001

Began season with Altoona (AA)...Went 3-for-24 (.125) in his first seven games and just .214 (18-for-84) in 23 games during the month of April...Tripled in back-to-back games on 4/13-14...Batted .284 in 22 games during the month of May. ...Injured his right hamstring on 6/18 and missed two months of action...Played four games with Bradenton while on a rehab assignment from 8/18-22...Had three-hit game on 8/20 against the Rangers and a four-RBI performance vs. Boston on 8/21...Returned to Altoona on 8/23 and delivered game-winning RBI double in 1-0 victory that night at Akron...Went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts two nights later at Akron...Hit final Double-A home run on 8/27 vs. Trenton...Made all 62 defensive appearances in right field while playing with Altoona and did not commit an error...Also went 3-for-13 (.231) in four games as the designated hitter...Made lone error while playing right field with Bradenton on 8/20.

2000...
Spent entire season with Lynchburg (A)...Was named to the Carolina League post-season All-Star team. ...Ranked fourth among league leaders in home runs and fourth in RBI...Also ranked second in doubles and second with 57 extra-base hits...Also led league in strikeouts...Made 121 of his 122 defensive appearances in right field...Made lone appearance in left field on 4/21 at Potomac...Had seven assists and committed 18 errors...Established minor league career highs in nearly every offensive category...Hit just .215 during the month of April, striking out 34 times in 79 at bats...Went 3-for-32 (.094) in a 10-game stretch from 4/26 to 5/4, dropping average from .267 to .207...Hit .275, but knocked in just nine runs in 27 games during the month of May...Collected lone triple (sixth career) on 5/1 vs. Salem...Homered just one time (6/2 at Potomac) in a 44-game span between 5/10 and 7/2...Ended the streak with a two-homer, five-RBI game vs. Myrtle Beach on 7/3...Batted just .185 in 25 games during the month of July...Also homered twice on 8/4 vs. Salem...Hit safely in 21 of his 31 games during August, going 31-for-121 (.256) with eight home runs and 28 RBI...Recorded two outfield assists on 8/17 at Myrtle Beach...Hit safely in a season-high nine straight games from 8/19-26 (12-for-31, .387)...Recorded season-high six RBI on 8/23 at Potomac...Went 1-for-13 in three-game Championship Series against Myrtle Beach.

1999...
Spent entire season with Hickory (A)...Established minor league career high in batting. ...Batted just .227 in his first 29 games thru 5/16, going 25-for-110 with three home runs...Hit .285 (59-for-207) during the remainder of the season...Made all 51 defensive appearances in right field...Also went 31-for-133 (.233) in 35 games as the designated hitter...Hit first of two grand slams on 5/14 at Columbus...Homered in six straight games between 5/29 and 6/3...Put together eight-game hitting streaks between 5/27 and 6/3 (14-for-27, .519) and again between 6/9-30 (10-for-31, .323)...Batted .305 in May and .306 in June...Homered twice on 7/26 vs. Cape Fear...Hit two homers, including a grand slam, and knocked in six RBI in the same inning during a 14-2 win at Savannah on 7/30...Played final game on 8/4...Underwent ulna nerve transfer surgery on right elbow on 8/7.

1998...
Split season between Augusta (A) and Erie (Rookie)...Hit a combined .245 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 82 minor league games...Made 21 appearances in right field while playing with Augusta and went 5-for-23 (.217) in six games as the DH...Homered in first game with the Green Jackets on 4/17 vs. Asheville and swiped first professional base in same game...Missed some playing time during the season due to a strained lower back and a mild left ankle sprain...Was on disabled list due to the ankle injury between 4/2-17 and again between 5/1-11.

1997...
Began professional career with Bradenton after being selected by Pittsburgh in the first round of the June draft...Made 23 appearances in the outfield and did not make an error...Put together a nine-game hitting streak between 7/17-29 (11-for-32, .344)...Hit first professional home run on 8/14...Hit safely in nine of his last 10 Gulf Coast League games (10-for-27, .370)...Was promoted to Erie on 8/29...Went hitless in first three games (nine at bats) before going 1-for-4 in final game on 9/1 at Oneonto (game two).

2000

Spent entire season with Lynchburg (A)...Was named to the Carolina League post-season All-Star team. ...Ranked fourth among league leaders in home runs and fourth in RBI...Also ranked second in doubles and second with 57 extra-base hits...Also led league in strikeouts...Made 121 of his 122 defensive appearances in right field...Made lone appearance in left field on 4/21 at Potomac...Had seven assists and committed 18 errors...Established minor league career highs in nearly every offensive category...Hit just .215 during the month of April, striking out 34 times in 79 at bats...Went 3-for-32 (.094) in a 10-game stretch from 4/26 to 5/4, dropping average from .267 to .207...Hit .275, but knocked in just nine runs in 27 games during the month of May...Collected lone triple (sixth career) on 5/1 vs. Salem...Homered just one time (6/2 at Potomac) in a 44-game span between 5/10 and 7/2...Ended the streak with a two-homer, five-RBI game vs. Myrtle Beach on 7/3...Batted just .185 in 25 games during the month of July...Also homered twice on 8/4 vs. Salem...Hit safely in 21 of his 31 games during August, going 31-for-121 (.256) with eight home runs and 28 RBI...Recorded two outfield assists on 8/17 at Myrtle Beach...Hit safely in a season-high nine straight games from 8/19-26 (12-for-31, .387)...Recorded season-high six RBI on 8/23 at Potomac...Went 1-for-13 in three-game Championship Series against Myrtle Beach.

1999

Spent entire season with Hickory (A)...Established minor league career high in batting. ...Batted just .227 in his first 29 games thru 5/16, going 25-for-110 with three home runs...Hit .285 (59-for-207) during the remainder of the season...Made all 51 defensive appearances in right field...Also went 31-for-133 (.233) in 35 games as the designated hitter...Hit first of two grand slams on 5/14 at Columbus...Homered in six straight games between 5/29 and 6/3...Put together eight-game hitting streaks between 5/27 and 6/3 (14-for-27, .519) and again between 6/9-30 (10-for-31, .323)...Batted .305 in May and .306 in June...Homered twice on 7/26 vs. Cape Fear...Hit two homers, including a grand slam, and knocked in six RBI in the same inning during a 14-2 win at Savannah on 7/30...Played final game on 8/4...Underwent ulna nerve transfer surgery on right elbow on 8/7.

1998

Split season between Augusta (A) and Erie (Rookie)...Hit a combined .245 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 82 minor league games...Made 21 appearances in right field while playing with Augusta and went 5-for-23 (.217) in six games as the DH...Homered in first game with the Green Jackets on 4/17 vs. Asheville and swiped first professional base in same game...Missed some playing time during the season due to a strained lower back and a mild left ankle sprain...Was on disabled list due to the ankle injury between 4/2-17 and again between 5/1-11.

1997

Began professional career with Bradenton after being selected by Pittsburgh in the first round of the June draft...Made 23 appearances in the outfield and did not make an error...Put together a nine-game hitting streak between 7/17-29 (11-for-32, .344)...Hit first professional home run on 8/14...Hit safely in nine of his last 10 Gulf Coast League games (10-for-27, .370)...Was promoted to Erie on 8/29...Went hitless in first three games (nine at bats) before going 1-for-4 in final game on 9/1 at Oneonto (game two).