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MIAMI - MAY 4: Mike Jacobs #17 of the Florida Marlins bats against the San Diego Padres at Dolphin Stadium May 4, 2008 in Miami, Florida. The Marlins defeated the Padres 10-3. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Mike Jacobs

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  • Post category:MLB
  • Post last modified:1 May 2024

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Introduction

Being tall for my age, I always found myself playing first base for my baseball teams. Growing up with hopes of making it to the show one day (I didn’t in case you guys were wondering), I looked up to dudes like Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, and for one short period of my life, Mike Jacobs. Yes, Florida Marlins legend Michael Jacobs. In the 2008 season, Jacobs showcased his power and bombed 32 homers that year, five more than Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, and drove in 93 RBI’s. Watching Jacobs jack another shot from the previous night on the SportsCenter game recap was almost a morning tradition for eight year old me, but then, in an instant, I never heard from him again.

Why He Should Be Remembered

Mike Jacobs, and really that specific 2008 Marlins team, should be remembered simply for trivia purposes. In the 2008 season that Marlins infield with Jacobs (first base), Dan Uggla (second base), Hanley Ramirez (shortstop), and Jorge Cantù (third base) became the first unit to have each starter smash at least 25 home runs. The 2021 Atlanta Braves infield unit did it as well, but they weren’t the first so they are not important for this hypothetical bar trivia question (they also will most likely be remembered more for the fact that they won it all that year, I’m sure). Imagine you implant into your brain that the 2008 Florida Marlins infield was the first unit to have all four infielders hit at least 25 home runs just for one random bar trivia night? Now that’s dedication.

Why He’s Not Remembered

Unfortunately, it’s fairly obvious why Jacobs is not remembered. Following the 2008 season, the Marlins traded him to the Kansas City Royals where he could never repeat the same power that he previously showed. His stint with the Royals lasted only one season as he was released by Kansas City and bounced around teams until he retired after the 2016 season. He was never a good fielder, in fact he was never even average. He also did not have good plate discipline as he never had an elite batting average or on-base percentage. He really was just a power hitter that smashed the long ball. Just for one season. But hey, he caught my eye as a young baseball player growing up, so for that alone he will always mean something to me. Maybe I should buy a 2008 Mike Jacobs jersey now just to honor him. I’m sure I could get my hands on one online. Might get my information stolen, but for Jacobs it may be worth it.

Where He Is Now

Currently, Jacobs is the game planning coach for the Louisville Bats, a minor league team of the International League who are the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Wouldn’t you just love to be in those team meetings with Jacobs just giving out the game-plan and it’s just one singular piece of loose leaf paper that just says “SMASH” at the top of it. I don’t know why, but I feel like he talks like the Hulk.

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