David Justice

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David Justice
Right field
Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB Debut
May 24, 1989 for the Atlanta Braves
Final game
September 29, 2002 for the Oakland Athletics
Career Statistics
Batting average     .279
Home runs     305
RBI     1017
Teams
Career Highlights and Awards


David Justice (born April 14, 1966 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Atlanta Braves (1989-96), Cleveland Indians (1997-2000), New York Yankees (2000-01) and Oakland Athletics (2002).

Contents

[edit] Career with the Braves

David Justice made his major league debut in May 1989, playing for the last-place Atlanta Braves. The young right fielder earned the starting job in right field after Braves fan favorite Dale Murphy was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Justice promptly went on an offensive tear during the second half of the 1990 season, finishing with 28 home runs, which certainly helped him claim the NL Rookie of the Year Award. In 1991, the Braves suddenly found themselves as a winning team, and Justice, who finished with 87 RBI's despite being injured for part of the season, played in his first World Series. After seeing his production slide slightly in 1992, Justice enjoyed a monster 1993 season. He clubbed 40 home runs and 120 RBI's with 78 walks, finishing third in MVP voting behind Barry Bonds and Lenny Dykstra. Justice was batting .312/.427/.531 when the strike ended play in 1994.

When baseball returned in 1995, Justice helped his teammates to victory in the 1995 World Series against the Cleveland Indians with a crucial home run in Game 6 to provide the only run in 1-0 game that clinched the championship. In May 1996, a swing and miss in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates caused a season-ending shoulder injury. It would prove to be Justice's last at-bat as a Brave. He was traded on March 25, 1997 along with Marquis Grissom to Cleveland for Kenny Lofton and Alan Embree.

[edit] American League career

Justice proved right away that he had many good years left. He hit .329/.418/.596 in 1997, with 33 home runs, while making another World Series appearance. He posted solid numbers in 1998 and 1999 with Cleveland before his big year in 2000. That season, he hit .286/.377/.584 and slugged 41 homers with 118 RBI's. His strong season persuaded the New York Yankees to trade three players for him in late June. Justice won the 2000 ALCS MVP en route to his second world championship.

His production slid considerably in 2001, and he was traded to the New York Mets, then the Oakland Athletics after the season. He played a final season on an Oakland team which reached the playoffs in 2002. Justice finished his career as a .279/.378/.500 hitter with 305 home runs, 903 walks and 1017 RBI in 1610 games.

[edit] Trivia

  • While growing up he wanted to play in the NBA. His mother didn't think he would make it to the NBA and stressed that he receive a good education.
  • Justice was married to film actress Halle Berry between 1993 and 1996. He is currently married to Rebecca Villalobos. They have one son together.
  • In fourteen seasons in the league, Justice reached the World Series six times (1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2000, and 2001) and made the playoffs ten times (with each of his four teams).
  • Justice hit a pivotal home run in Game 6 of the 1995 World Series. The run was pivotal as it proved to be the only run scored in the game. Justice's Atlanta Braves wound up clinching the World Championship against the Cleveland Indians.
  • For two years, Justice was a color commentator for ESPN's baseball telecasts. Currently, he serves as a game and studio analyst for the YES Network's New York Yankees telecasts, and hosts the network's Kids on Deck.
  • Justice's addition to Oakland was referred to as an 'experiment' by A's assistant GM Paul Deposteta. [1] The experiment was to evaluate whether hitters retained their ability to get on base as they got older (kept their batter's eye).

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://danjulien.atspace.com/beane.htm

[edit] See also

[edit] External link

Preceded by:
Barry Bonds		 National League Player of the Month
August 1990		 Succeeded by:
Kal Daniels
Preceded by:
Jerome Walton		 National League Rookie of the Year
1990		 Succeeded by:
Jeff Bagwell
Preceded by:
Félix José		 National League Player of the Month
May 1991		 Succeeded by:
Barry Larkin
Preceded by:
Kevin Elster		 AL Comeback Player of the Year Award
1997		 Succeeded by:
Bret Saberhagen
Preceded by:
Orlando Hernandez		 American League Championship Series MVP
2000		 Succeeded by:
Andy Pettitte
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