Wednesday marks a special day for a former member of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Former outfielder Jon Jay, who is now the first base coach for the Miami Marlins under new manager Skip Schumaker, spent the first six seasons of his career in St. Louis.
The veteran outfielder broke into the big leagues in 2010 and was the everyday center fielder on the Cards’ 2011 World Series championship team.
He was traded to the San Diego Padres after the 2015 season and spent the 2016 season with the team.
He also made brief stops with the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and Los Angeles Angels.
On Twitter, Jim Hayes of Bally Sports Midwest wished Jay a happy birthday.
Happy Birthday to my man Jon Jay. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/8mrDuNVu9K
—Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) March 15, 2023
Jay is turning 38 years old on Wednesday.
The versatile outfielder had a career WAR of 12.7 and hit for a career .283 average.
He also hit 37 home runs.
Jay was a favorite fan in St. Louis and was well respected by his teammates.
He, Allen Craig, David Freese, and Daniel Descalso formed the “Memphis Mafia” in 2009.
Together, they won a championship with the Memphis Redbirds under Mike Shildt, who is now the third base coach for the San Diego Padres.
The four were all together for the 2011 championship run and helped guide the Cardinals to three straight postseason appearances, including another World Series run in 2013, though St. Louis lost that series.
Still, Jay was one of many under-the-radar players that was well loved in St. Louis by fans, players, coaches, and media members alike.
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