Andrew Bailey
From BR Bullpen
Andrew Scott Bailey
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 3", Weight 220 lb.
- School Wagner College
- High School Paul VI High School
- Debut April 6, 2009
- Born May 31, 1984 in Voorhees, NJ USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Pitcher Andrew Bailey was the winner of the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year Award. Growing up in the New Jersey suburbs of New York, NY, he was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 6th round of the 2006 amateur draft out of Wagner College of Staten Island, NY, where he set a school record for career strikeouts. He was a starter his first couple of seasons in the minor leagues, going 2-5 but with an excellent 2.02 ERA for the Vancouver Canadians in 2006, and then 5-8, 3.46 in 23 games between the Kane County Cougars, Stockton Ports and, for one game, the AAA Sacramento RiverCats, in 2007. In 2008, he was moved to the bullpen in mid-season while pitching for the AA Midland RockHounds. He made 15 starts in 37 appearances, with a record of 4-9, 4.32. Up to that point, he had done little to stand out, but the A's liked what they had seen and added him to their major league roster after that season.
Bailey made Oakland's bullpen out of spring training in 2009 and pitched so well that he quickly became the team's closer. He pitched 68 games and 83 1/3 innings, with a sparkling 1.84 ERA, 91 strikeouts, 24 walks and 26 saves. He was the A's sole representative at the 2009 All-Star Game, then beat the Texas Rangers' Elvis Andrus and the Detroit Tigers' Rick Porcello in the vote for the Rookie of the year Award. He returned as the A's closer in 2010 and was, if anything, even better than as a rookie. His ERA was a minute 1.47 in 47 games, he was again named to the All-Star team, and he was leading the American League in saves at that point of the season. However, he went on the disabled list from July 21-August 21 because of an elbow problem, and then did not pitch after September 17th. As a result, he ended up with only 25 saves. He had surgery on his elbow, performed by Dr. James Andrews, after the season, a procedure which delayed the start of his 2011 season. He was as sharp as ever when he returned to the fold on May 29th, keeping his ERA under 1.00 until early July. Only a couple of poor September outings, during which he gave up 5 runs in an inning and a third, kept him from having a tremendous ERA for a third straight year. Instead, he finished 0-4, 3.24, with 24 saves and 41 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings.
On December 29, 2011, the Boston Red Sox acquired Bailey from the A's, along with outfielder Ryan Sweeney, in return for OF Josh Reddick and minor leaguers Miles Head and Raul Alcantara. Andrew was expected to step in for Jonathan Papelbon, who had left earlier in the off-season via free agency, as the Sox's closer. Things started off on the wrong foot for him in 2012 however, as he injured his right thumb during spring training and had to undergo surgery, putting him back on the disabled list for the first half of the season.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 2-time AL All-Star (2009 & 2010)
- 2009 AL Rookie of the Year Award
| AL Rookie of the Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Evan Longoria | Andrew Bailey | Neftali Feliz |
