Brandon Moss

Infobox MLB player
name = Brandon Moss


width = 200
caption =
team = Pittsburgh Pirates
number = 39
position = Outfielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1983|9|16
birthplace = city-state|Loganville|Georgia
bats = Left
throws = Right
debutdate = August 6
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Boston Red Sox
statyear = July 13, 2008
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .291
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 2
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 12
teams =
*Boston Red Sox (by|2007-by|2008)
*Pittsburgh Pirates (2008-present)

Brandon Douglas Moss (born September 16, 1983 in Loganville, Georgia) is an American professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Brandon is a cousin of country musician Alan Jackson.

Professional career

Brandon Moss was drafted in the 8th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft by the Boston Red Sox, out of Loganville High School in Loganville, Georgia. He was an 18 year old infielder when drafted but transitioned into an outfield role.

Moss climbed up ladder of minor league A ball, starting with the Gulf Coast Red Sox. He then played for the Lowell Spinners, Augusta GreenJackets, and Sarasota Reds. He spent two years with the AA Portland Sea Dogs in 2005 and 2006 and played for the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox.

2007

On August 6, he was called up to Boston to replace Eric Hinske when Hinske was placed on the bereavement leave. [cite web
url=http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/10283505 | title=Red Sox activate Schilling from DL for start in Anaheim | publisher=CBS SportsLine.com |date=2007-08-06 |accessdate=2008-03-17] In his debut, he recorded his first major league hit against Scot Shields of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He then scored his first run on a wild pitch by Shields. Later in the game, with the tying run on base, he struck out against all-star closer Francisco Rodriguez to end the game. He was optioned back to AAA Pawtucket on August 10 to make room for Hinske, who was returning from bereavement leave. [cite web
url=http://www.telegram.com/article/20070811/NEWS/708110497/1009/SPORTS | title=Sore shoulder can’t stop Ortiz: Slugger ready to swing after BP | publisher=Worcester Telegram & Gazette | author=Bill Ballou |date=2007-08-11 |accessdate=2008-03-17]

On September 1, Moss was recalled to Boston when Major League rosters expanded to 40 players. [cite web
url=http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070901&content_id=2182546&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | title=Buchholz to make second career start | publisher=MLB.com |date=2007-09-01 |author=Mike Petraglia |accessdate=2008-03-17]

Moss' first major league RBI came on September 26 against the Oakland Athletics.

2008

On March 25 (MLB Japan Opening Day 2008), in a game held at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, Moss was a last-minute starter in right field after J.D. Drew was scratched from the line-up with lower back tightness. [cite web
url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/03/drew_out_lower.html | title=Drew out, lower back tightness | publisher=Boston Globe |date=2008-03-25 |author=Amalie Benjamin |accessdate=2008-03-25] During this game, he hit his first major league home run in the 9th inning off of Oakland A's closer Huston Street to tie the game. The Red Sox would go on to win the game 6-5 in 10 innings. [cite web
url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/03/moss_goes_deep.html | title=Moss goes deep, crowd goes wild | publisher=Boston Globe |date=2008-03-25 |author=Amalie Benjamin |accessdate=2008-03-25] [cite web
url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/03/sox_win_65_in_1.html | title=Sox win, 6-5 in 10 | publisher=Boston Globe |date=2008-03-25 |author=Amalie Benjamin |accessdate=2008-03-25]

After playing the first two games of the season, Moss was optioned back to the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox on March 26. [cite web
url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/03/sox_win_65_in_1.html | title=Sent down, Moss had his day in sun | publisher=Boston Globe |date=2008-03-27 |author=Gordon Edes and Dan Shaughnessy |accessdate=2008-03-27]

Moss was recalled on April 29 and was batting .286 on May 3 when he was diagnosed with appendicitis and brought to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. [Red Sox post-game radio show on WEEI, evening of May 3, replaying a portion of Terry Francona's press conference.]

On July 31, Moss was traded along with pitcher Craig Hansen to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-team deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jason Bay to Boston. Moss immediately became the team's starting left fielder, replacing the departed Bay. He has since been shifted to right field. Moss missed the final six games of the 2008 season, but is expected to have surgery in the off-season and be recovered for training camp. [cite news |first= Jenifer|last= Langosch|title= Bucs' Moss should be ready for camp|url= http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081009&content_id=3605464&vkey=news_pit&fext=.jsp&c_id=pit&partnerId=rss_pit|publisher= PittsburghPirates.com|date= 2008-10-09|accessdate=2008-10-09]

Awards and recognition

*2004 SoxProspects.com Player of the Year
*2004 Augusta GreenJackets Player of the Year
*2004 South Atlantic League MVP
*2004 SAL Post-Season All-Star
*Florida State League Player of the Week (8.22.04)
*2004 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Month (July)
*South Atlantic League Player of the Month (July 2004)
*2004 South Atlantic League All Star
*2004 South Atlantic League All Star Game MVP
*2004 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Month (May)
*2004 Baseball America Low-A Midseason All-Star
*Red Sox ML Defensive Player of the Month (May 2005)
*Eastern League All-Star (2005)
*Eastern League Player of the Week (9.06.05)
*Red Sox ML Offensive Player of the Month (June 2006)
*2006 Portland Sea Dogs MVP
*2006 Eastern League Playoff MVP
*2007 International League All-Star
*2007 Pawtucket Red Sox MVP

References

External links

*baseballstats | mlb=461235 | espn=28844 | br=m/mossbr01 | fangraphs=4467&position=OF | cube=M/Brandon-Moss
* [http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=10158 Baseball Reference] minor league statistics
* [http://www.baseballprospectus.com/pecota/MOSS19830916A.php Baseball Prospectus PECOTA card]
* [http://www.soxprospects.com/players/moss-brandon.htm SoxProspects] Biography