40-MaN ROsTeR - MLB.com

090
X-Ray RePORT
2012 TAMPA BAY RAYS MEDIA GUIDE
40-MAN ROSTER › desmond Jennings
OUTFIELdER
DesMOND
JeNNINgs 8
Desmond Delane Jennings
BATS
Right
ÊÊDesmond adopted a pit bull puppy named Kane
the day before Thanksgiving.
ÊÊHe is a huge fan of the 2012 BCS Champions,
the University of Alabama Crimson Tide...his
cousin, Cincinnati Bengals right offensive tackle
Andre Smith, was the sixth overall pick in
the 2009 NFL Draft and played for the Crimson
Tide...Desmond, who was heavily recruited as a
receiver himself, finished second for Alabama’s
Mr. Football honor in 2004.
ÊÊIn his free time plays NBA 2K12 and Call of Duty
on Xbox 360...also enjoys bowling.
2011 seasON
ÊÊEmerged as the Rays leadoff hitter and left
fielder after being recalled from Triple-A
Durham on July 23...appeared in 63 of the Rays
final 64 games (61 starts, 53-LF, 7-CF, 1-DH).
ÊÊFrom the date of his call-up through the end of
the season, he led the Rays in runs (44), hits
(64), steals (20) and was 2nd in home runs
(10)…his 20 steals over that span were surpassed
by only two AL players: OAK Coco Crisp
(22) and MIN Ben Revere (21)…he was also the
only major leaguer to hit 10 home runs and
steal 20 bases after July 23…added 2 more
home runs in the postseason, both in Game 3
of the ALDS vs. Texas (see “Postseason”).
ÊÊNamed to the Topps Major League Rookie All-
Star Team along with Jeremy Hellickson.
ÊÊDespite not joining the Rays until their 99th
game, became the first AL rookie with at least
10 HR and 20 SB in a full season since TB
THROWS
Right
HEIGHT
6'2"
WEIGHT
200
MaJor lEaguE sErVICE 101 days
oPENINg Day agE 25
borN 10/30/86 in Birmingham, AL
rEsIDEs Birmingham, AL
CoNtraCt status Signed through 2012
aCQuIrED Selected in the 10th round of the
2006 June draft
sIgNINg sCout Rickey drexler (Rays)
FOllOW HIM @d_jennings8
Rocco Baldelli and KC Angel Berroa in 2003…
last rookie in either league was PIT Andrew
McCutchen in 2009.
ÊÊThe Rays were 52-46 (.530) and averaged 4.15
runs per game before his arrival...with him in
the lineup they went 38-23 (.623) and averaged
4.76 runs per game.
ÊÊAll 61 of his starts were from the leadoff spot…
his .356 OBP was considerably higher than
Rays leadoff hitters before his arrival (.323).
ÊÊHis final .259 batting avg. was the lowest it
had been all season…in his first 5 weeks with
the Rays he had 15 multi-hit games in his first
34 starts and was batting .354 (46-for-130)...
reached base 66 times during that span, tops
in the AL…batted .333 (47-for-141) over July and
August (37 games) but hit .160 (17-for-106) in
September in 26 games.
ÊÊHit his first career homer on July 28 at OAK off
Rich Harden...on Aug 4 vs. TOR hit a game-tying
solo home run to lead off the 10th inning off Jon
Rauch in a game the Rays came from behind
3 times to win, 7-6 in 12 innings...hit a walkoff
homer on Sep 7 vs. TEX off Mark Lowe—his
first career walk-off hit—to give the Rays their
1,000th win in franchise history.
ÊÊFive of his 10 home runs came vs. Toronto…
went 4-for-5 with 2 HR off Brandon Morrow
on Aug 28 at TOR…it was the 7th multi-homer
game all-time by a Rays rookie...it was the
5th multi-homer game by a Rays leadoff hitter,
and first since Rocco Baldelli on Sep 14, 2006
at NYY.
ÊÊIn his season debut (July 23 at KC) went 2-for-3
with a double, triple, 2 walks, 2 runs and a sto-