Jon Jay relishes playing in hometown

MIAMI -- Traveling every three or four days can be pretty taxing on a baseball player over the course of a season.

But when those travels take a player to his hometown, like this weekend's series did for Jon Jay, it makes a trip much more exciting.

"It's always fun to come home," Jay said. "This is where it all started for me. I still live here and all of my friends and family come out and support me. It's nice to see."

It is the second time in his brief big league career that Jay gets to play in front of his hometown fans, and he has had plenty of them supporting him from the Sun Life Stadium stands this weekend.

A local star at Columbus High and the University of Miami, Jay has a large following in Miami. Along with his parents, Justo and Maria, and his sister, Janelle, Jay has been visited by a lot of friends, family and even his college coach, Jim Morris.

"I got to talk to him a little bit," Jay said. "It was nice to see him because he played a big part in my baseball career being my coach at UM. I'm around there a lot, too, so it was great for him to come out and see me."

The 26-year-old Jay was batting over .300 before his struggles on the current road trip brought his average down to .297.

Jay's success this season made it easier for the Cardinals to trade outfielder Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays for Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, Octavio Dotel and Corey Patterson.

With Rasmus gone, Jay is officially the Cardinals' starting center fielder, but that has not changed how he approaches each game.

"It's not any different," Jay said. "I still have to show up and be ready every day."


(mlb.com)