Jason Conti
Encyclopedia
Stanley Jason Conti is a former outfielder
in Major League baseball
. He spent five years in the major leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks
, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
, Milwaukee Brewers
, and Texas Rangers
.
Conti was drafted out of the University of Pittsburgh
in the 32nd round of the amateur draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. After five years in the Diamondbacks organization – including parts of two seasons at the Major League level – he was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays along with pitcher Nick Bierbrodt
for pitcher Albie Lopez
and catcher Mike DiFelice
. Prior to the start of the season, Conti was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for catcher
Javier Valentin
. After the conclusion of the 2003 campaign, Conti signed as a free agent
with the Texas Rangers and spent two years in the club's system, hitting .328 during one campaign with their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma Redhawks
. While with Texas, Conti grabbed attention by robbing Houston's Carlos Beltran
of an extra-base hit by climbing up the center field mound known as Tal's Hill, and making an over-the-shoulder catch at Houston's Minute Maid Park
.
In total, Conti appeared in 182 games over the course of his five seasons in the big leagues. His best showing was in , when he played 78 games for the Devil Rays, batting .257. Overall in his career, Conti hit 6 home run
s and had 47 RBI
.
In , he batted .259, with 2 home runs and 6 RBI with the New York Yankees
Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
. With the Memphis Redbirds
, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals
, he batted .267 with 1 home run and 7 RBI. At the conclusion of 2006, Conti was a member of the Independent League's Camden Riversharks
.
Conti gained slight fame during his major league career by showing off an excellent defensive throwing arm from the outfield. Conti, as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, on consecutive nights threw out Atlanta's Brian Jordan
at third base with throws from deep in right field. A few seasons later as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Conti gunned down Chicago's Frank Thomas at home plate on consecutive nights.
For the season, Conti played in Italy for the Bologna Italieri of the Serie 1-A Championship League.
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...
in Major League baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He spent five years in the major leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, Tampa Bay Devil 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...
, Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Conti was drafted out of the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in the 32nd round of the amateur draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. After five years in the Diamondbacks organization – including parts of two seasons at the Major League level – he was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays along with pitcher Nick Bierbrodt
Nick Bierbrodt
Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers. After playing for the Brother Elephants of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in , he returned to the United States the next year, joining the Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League....
for pitcher Albie Lopez
Albie Lopez
Albert Anthony "Albie" Lopez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He graduated from Mesa Community College. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 20th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft. Lopez was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the second round of the expansion...
and catcher Mike DiFelice
Mike DiFelice
Michael William DiFelice is a former Major League Baseball journeyman catcher and is currently the manager of the Rookie-level Kingsport Mets in the New York Mets organization. He is a graduate from the University of Tennessee, and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 11th round of the...
. Prior to the start of the season, Conti was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Javier Valentin
Javier Valentín
José Javier Valentín Rosario is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. From -, he played for the Cincinnati Reds after playing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and playing in four brief stints for the Minnesota Twins from -. He is the younger brother of former Major League...
. After the conclusion of the 2003 campaign, Conti signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the Texas Rangers and spent two years in the club's system, hitting .328 during one campaign with their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma Redhawks
Oklahoma RedHawks
The Oklahoma City RedHawks are a minor league baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...
. While with Texas, Conti grabbed attention by robbing Houston's Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
of an extra-base hit by climbing up the center field mound known as Tal's Hill, and making an over-the-shoulder catch at Houston's Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros....
.
In total, Conti appeared in 182 games over the course of his five seasons in the big leagues. His best showing was in , when he played 78 games for the Devil Rays, batting .257. Overall in his career, Conti hit 6 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and had 47 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
In , he batted .259, with 2 home runs and 6 RBI with 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...
Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
. With the Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, he batted .267 with 1 home run and 7 RBI. At the conclusion of 2006, Conti was a member of the Independent League's Camden Riversharks
Camden Riversharks
The Camden Riversharks is an American professional baseball team based in Camden, New Jersey. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
Conti gained slight fame during his major league career by showing off an excellent defensive throwing arm from the outfield. Conti, as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, on consecutive nights threw out Atlanta's Brian Jordan
Brian Jordan
Brian O'Neal Jordan is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and National Football League safety. In the NFL, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, while he played in the MLB for the St...
at third base with throws from deep in right field. A few seasons later as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Conti gunned down Chicago's Frank Thomas at home plate on consecutive nights.
For the season, Conti played in Italy for the Bologna Italieri of the Serie 1-A Championship League.