1. High school and college

2. Playing career
    Philadelphia Phillies  Cleveland Indians  Roberto Clemente Award Nominee  Pittsburgh Pirates  Houston Astros  Washington Nationals 

3. References

4. External links

• Philadelphia Phillies ({{baseball year|2001}}–{{baseball year|2005}})
• Cleveland Indians ({{baseball year|2006}}–{{baseball year|2008}})
• Pittsburgh Pirates ({{baseball year|2008}})
• Houston Astros ({{baseball year|2009}}–{{Baseball year|2011}})

After eight years in the Phillies organization, including five seasons in Philadelphia, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in January {{mlby|2006}}.^[3]

Michaels's grandfather, John Michaels, pitched for the {{mlby|1932}} Boston Red Sox^[4]

and also played in the Cincinnati Reds organization. His father, Earl Michaels, played quarterback for the West Virginia Tech football team.^[2]

High school and college

Michaels attended Jesuit High School in Tampa which also produced major leaguers Lou Piniella, Dave Magadan and Brad Radke. He hit over .400 in each of three years for Jesuit. After high school graduation, Michaels was selected in the 49th round of the June {{baseball year|1994}} amateur draft by San Diego.^[2] He chose not to sign with the Padres and instead attended Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Niceville, Florida where he hit .421 with 9 home runs and 45 RBI and was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year in 1996.^[5]

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected him in the 44th round of the {{baseball year|1996}} amateur draft, but he again opted not to sign and attended the University of Miami. He lettered in baseball for the Hurricanes in both 1997 and 1998 and was a teammate of San Francisco Giants left fielder Pat Burrell and first baseman Aubrey Huff. In two seasons at Miami, he hit .396 (3rd highest in school history) with 34 home runs (10th) and 154 RBI. In 1997, he set Hurricane single-season records for hits (106), doubles (32) and total bases (189). The St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the 15th round of the 1997 amateur draft, but once again, Michaels did not sign a contract, returning to Miami for his final year of eligibility.

In June 1998, Michaels was selected for the fourth time in the baseball amateur draft, this time by the Phillies in the 4th round. He signed his first professional contract June 19, 1998.

Jason was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2010 ! The ceremony was held prior to the Hurricanes home baseball opener on Friday, Feb. 19th against Rutgers at Alex Rodriquez Park at Mark Light Field on the Coral Gables campus.

Playing career

Philadelphia Phillies

In the Phillies farm system from 1998 through {{baseball year|2001}}, Michaels played for the Batavia Muckdogs of the short-season, single-A New York–Penn League (1998), the Clearwater Phillies (now Clearwater Threshers) of the advanced single-A Florida State League ({{baseball year|1999}}), the Reading Phillies of the double-A Eastern League ({{baseball year|2000}}) and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons of the triple-A International League (2001). In 424 minor league games with the Phillies, he hit .282 with 52 home runs and 264 RBI.

Although he spent most of the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Michaels made his major league debut with Philadelphia on April 6, 2001. He was on the Phillies' 25-man roster from {{baseball year|2002}} through {{baseball year|2005}} as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter, compiling a .291 batting average with 21 home runs and 100 RBI in 383 games and 808 at bats. He was used primarily as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement in 2002 and {{baseball year|2003}}. In {{baseball year|2004}}, he was the team's fourth outfielder behind fellow University of Miami alumnus Pat Burrell, Marlon Byrd, and Bobby Abreu. In 2005, he platooned in center field with left-handed hitting Kenny Lofton.

Cleveland Indians

On January 27, 2006, the Phillies traded Michaels to the Cleveland Indians for left-handed relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes.^[3] This trade precipitated a second deal in which the Indians sent outfielder Coco Crisp, relief pitcher David Riske and catcher Josh Bard to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for reliever Guillermo Mota, third baseman Andy Marte, catcher Kelly Shoppach, Randy Newsom and cash. Michaels replaced Crisp in left field for the Indians in 2006, hitting primarily in the second spot in the batting order behind Grady Sizemore. For the season, he hit .267 with nine home runs and a career-best 55 RBI. He missed 16 games after crashing into the outfield wall at Yankee Stadium on June 15.^[6]

Michaels's struggles against right-handed pitching in 2006 (.252, 4 HR, 28 RBI in 338 plate appearances compared to .291, 5 HR, 27 RBI in 210 plate appearances against left-handers) prompted the Indians to sign left-handed hitting, free agent outfielder David Dellucci after the 2006 season.^[7]

Dellucci and Michaels were expected to platoon in left field in {{mlby|2007}}, with Michaels seeing most of his playing time against left-handed pitching.

Roberto Clemente Award Nominee

On September 6, 2006, the Indians announced that Michaels was their nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to the major league player who best exemplifies a commitment to community service.^[8]

Michaels donated the $2,500 award to the Cleveland chapter of Gang Resistance Education and Training.^[9]

Pittsburgh Pirates

On May 8, 2008, Michaels was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates after being designated for assignment.

Houston Astros

On December 15, 2008, Michaels was signed to a one-year, $750K contract by the Astros.^[10]

Michaels re-signed with the Astros the following year.^[11]

On October 4, 2010, the Astros exercised a $900,000 club option for 2011. Michaels had batted .253 with 26 RBI and appeared in 106 games.

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals signed Michaels to a minor league contract on December 16, 2011.

References

External links

• Seed magazine
• Seed Magazine
• Seed (magazine)
• Seed (Mami Kawada album)
• Seed (Nick Harper album)
• Seed No Evil / City of Clipsville
• Seed nucleus
• Seed of Abraham
• Seed of Destruction
• Seed of Hope
• Seed of Memory
• Seed oil
• Seedorf
• Seedorf BE
• Seedorf (bei Zeven)
• Seedorf (Bern)
• Seedorf, Bern
• Seedorf (Berne)
• Seedorf (Kreis Segeberg)
• Seedorf, Lauenburg
• Seedorf (Lauenburg)
• Seedorf, Lower Saxony
• Seedorf Racing
• Seedorf, Segeberg
• Seedorf (Segeberg district)