Jeff Weaver
A journeyman MLB pitcher whose career was defined by a resilient arm and one perfect, championship-clinching moment.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American baseball player·Birthday: August 22·Generation X
Biography
Jeff Weaver's baseball journey was one of persistence. A tall right-hander with a sharp slider, he pitched for seven different teams over 11 seasons, often serving as a durable innings-eater in the middle of a rotation. His career had peaks and valleys—he won 14 games for the Tigers, was traded for Jeremy Bonderman, and had stints in New York and Los Angeles. The defining chapter, however, came in 2006 with the St. Louis Cardinals. After a tough regular season, he was moved to the bullpen for the playoffs, only to be thrust back into a starting role in the World Series. In the clinching Game 5, he delivered a masterpiece, pitching eight shutout innings to secure the championship. That single performance etched his name into baseball lore, the ultimate reward for a pitcher who never stopped competing.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jeff was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jeff Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jeff's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pitched a gem in Game 5 of the 2006 World Series, throwing 8 shutout innings to win the championship for the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Posted a career-high 14 wins for the Detroit Tigers in the 2002 season.
- Pitched over 200 innings in a season twice, demonstrating reliability as a starting pitcher.
- Played in the MLB for 11 seasons with seven different franchises.
Did You Know?
He and his younger brother Jered Weaver are one of few brother duos to both pitch in the World Series.
He was traded from the New York Yankees to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal that involved Kevin Brown.
In the 2006 NLCS, he earned a win in relief before his World Series start.
“You have to make adjustments, but you can't ever lose your competitive edge.”
