J.T. Snow (born February 26, 1968 in Long Beach, California) is a Major League Baseball player. As of 2005, he has played all but one game in his career as a first baseman, and spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco Giants. Drafted by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the 1989 baseball amateur draft after playing three seasons at the University of Arizona, Snow broke into the majors with the Yankees in 1992. Traded to the California Angels that year as part of the Jim Abbott deal, Snow played for them from 1993 to 1996 before being traded to the Giants after the 1996 season for left-handed pitcher Allen Watson and minor league pitcher Fausto Macey.
Snow has been noted for his exceptional defense at first base. From 1995 to 2000, Snow won the Gold Glove Award at first base six times, twice in the American League and four times in the National League.
While a switch-hitter earlier in his career, Snow has batted exclusively left-handed in recent years. After a two year injury-riddled stretch from 2002-2003 where his average ran a mediocre .246, Snow rebounded in 2004 with a .327 average, hitting .387 after the All-Star break (which ranked second only to Ichiro Suzuki in the major leagues). As of 2005 his career statistics include 189 home runs and 873 RBIs with a career .268 batting average. He has 1500 career hits in 5597 at bats. In 2000 he led the league in sacrifice flies with 14.
The most well-known moment in Snow's career was probably in the 2002 World Series when Snow scored in Game 5 off a Kenny Lofton triple; then manager, Dusty Baker's 3-year-old son, Darren, who was the batboy ran to home plate to collect Lofton's bat before the play was completed and was quickly pulled off the field by Snow as he crossed homeplate. Had Snow been a few steps slower and the play at home closer Darren could have been in serious danger. Following the incident, an age restriction was placed on Major League Baseball batboys
Snow's tenure with the Giants effectively ended when the team declined to offer him salary arbitration before the 2006 season. He signed a one-year, two-million-dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox on January 6th, 2006. The deal was perceived by many as a bargain rate for such an accomplished player. He will serve primarily in a platoon role with Kevin Youkilis at first base.
Snow, considered very handsome by many people, has attracted a large number of female fans, a number of whom have created websites devoted to him. He is also the son of former NFL Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl wide receiver Jack Snow. In 2006, Snow will wear his father's number in his honor. Snow is married and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area year-round.
