Brett Anderson
From BR Bullpen
Brett Franklin Anderson
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 4", Weight 215 lb.
- High School Stillwater (OK) High School
- Debut April 10, 2009
- Born February 1, 1988 in Midland, TX USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Brett Anderson is a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He is the son of Frank Anderson, head coach of Oklahoma State University.
Anderson went 9-1 with a 1.14 ERA as a high school sophomore and 5-0 with 5 saves and a 0.68 ERA as a junior, earning All-Oklahoma honors. He played for Cincinnati's Midland Redskins and had a 0.80 ERA for them second lowest in team history behind Mark Mulder. He also pitched for the US in the Junior Pan American Games, going 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched, allowing just 3 hits. He went the distance against Panama, 2-hitting them.
Anderson went 9-0 with a 0.37 ERA and 2 saves as a high school senior, allowing 27 hits and 9 walks in 57 innings while striking out 102. That earned him first-team High School All-American honors from Baseball America. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Anderson in the second round of the 2006 amateur draft (the 55th pick overall) after he had been expected to go in the first round. He was signed by scout Joe Robinson for a $950,000 bonus; only Wes Hodges had a higher signing bonus among second-round picks in 2006.
Anderson split 2007 between the South Bend Silver Hawks (8-4, 2.21, 10 BB, 85 K in 81 1/3 IP) and the Visalia Oaks (3-3, 4.85, .311 opponent average). Baseball America rated him as having the best changeup in the Midwest League and is being the #3 prospect in the loop behind Clayton Kershaw and Travis Snider and right ahead of Gorkys Hernandez. Anderson would have led the MWL in ERA had he qualified. His season was cut short by a concussion from a traffic accident.
Anderson got traded in the winter. The Oakland Athletics picked him up along with Dana Eveland, Chris Carter, Greg Smith, Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez for Dan Haren and Connor Robertson.
Anderson began 2008 with the Stockton Ports and went 9-4 with a 4.14 ERA but struck out 80 and walked 18 in 74 innings. He was then promoted to the Midland RockHounds and named to the Futures Game roster. In the 2008 Olympics, Anderson was 1-0 with a 4.98 ERA for Team USA, the Bronze Medal winners; he fanned 10 in 12 2/3 IP. He did not pitch particularly well against either Canada or Japan but got the win over Japan in the Bronze Medal game, 8-4, thanks to a US power display.
Brett Anderson made the Oakland Athletics' roster out of spring training in 2009 and played his first major league game on April 10. He started well, retiring the first four batters he faced. A walk to Ken Griffey Jr. began a string of trouble as the next six batters all reached, leading to five runs. He recovered, ending the game having given up those five runs in 6 innings and being charged with the loss in a start against Seattle. He stayed in the A's starting rotation for the rest of the year, making 30 starts and ending the year with a record of 11-11, 4.06. He threw a shutout in his only complete game and struck out 150 in 175 1/3 innings.
Anderson only started 19 games in 2010, as he missed most of May and June with an injury. When he did pitch, he was excellent, putting up a 2.80 ERA in 112 1/3 innings, although he only went 7-6. His K/W ratio was excellent at 75/22. However, he struglled in 2011, making only 13 starts, during which he went 3-6, 4.00. He allowed 14 runs in his last two starts and was shut down with pain in his elbow. Rest did not help and he underwent Tommy John surgery on July 14th, ending his season.
[edit] Sources
- 2006-2008 Baseball Almanacs
- 2008 Athletics Media Guide
- MILB.com
- 2008 Olympics
