Brad Hennessey

Infobox MLB player


width = 150
name=Brad Hennessey
position=Pitcher
team=San Francisco Giants
number=41
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1980|2|7
birthplace=city-state|Toledo|Ohio
debutdate=August 7
debutyear=2004
debutteam=San Francisco Giants
statyear=September 5, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=17-22
stat2label=Earned run average| stat2value=4.70
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=183
stat4label=Saves
stat4value=20
teams=
*San Francisco Giants (by|2004-by|2008)

Brad Martin Hennessey (born on February 7, 1980 in city-state|Toledo|Ohio) is a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He throws and bats right-handed. He attended Whitmer High School where he was coached by Gary O'Connor.

Professional career

Hennessey was drafted by the Giants in the first round (21st overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft out of Youngstown State University.

After posting a 2.38 ERA in nine Northwest League starts, he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his back. He had it removed in February 2002, but it grew back later that season, putting him out for the rest of the season.

Major leagues

2004

After battling inconsistency in by|2003 while building up arm strength, Hennessey found himself in the Major Leagues in mlby|2004, making his debut starting against Greg Maddux, who was looking for his 300th win. Although Hennessey lost the game and Maddux got his 300th win, the Giants were impressed with Hennessey's poise, and he made six more starts, finishing with a 2-2 record and 4.98 ERA.

2005

He was called up again in May mlby|2005, and ended up making 21 starts, tallying a 5-8 record and 4.64 ERA. Hennessey's 2005 campaign was marked with inconsistency, although it did include some rather promising outings. In one start against the Milwaukee Brewers, Hennessey pitched 7 innings of shutout baseball and won the game 3-0. The three runs came on a home run by Hennessey himself on a 2-0 count from Brewers pitcher Victor Santos. It was his first home run since playing shortstop in his sophomore year at Youngstown State.

2006

In mlby|2006, Hennessey competed for the team's fifth starting job with Kevin Correia and the newly acquired Jamey Wright, but struggled and began the season with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies. Hennessey was called up again in April due to an injury to Noah Lowry and bullpen ineffectiveness. After Lowry's return to the starting rotation, Hennessey was a reliable reliever and posted an ERA under 4.26.

2007

He pitched in increasingly more important situations for the bullpen during the mlby|2007 season than he had in past seasons, reaching a zenith when he was named the closer by manager Bruce Bochy after Armando Benitez was traded to the Florida Marlins. He did well in that role for a long while, at one point getting saves in 14 straight save opportunities, the most since Robb Nen had a 28 straight streak in mlby|2000, and 17 out of 19, before losing it and getting only 2 out of 5 before Brian Wilson took over the closer role. In 2007, he went 4-5 and had a 3.42 ERA and 19 saves (out of 24) plus 13 holds in 69 outings.

2008

The Giants and Hennessey avoided arbitration and agreed to a $1.6 million, one-year deal. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/18/sports/s153808S66.DTL RHP Brad Hennessey gets $1.6 million, 1-year deal with Giants] ] He got sent down to the minors for pitcher Billy Sadler in May, but was called back up when rosters expanded in September.

References

External links

Persondata
NAME= Hennessey, Brad
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Hennessey, Brad Martin
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American baseball pitcher
DATE OF BIRTH=1980-2-7
PLACE OF BIRTH=city-state|Toledo|Ohio, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=