Brandon Backe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Houston Astros — No. 41 | |
| Starting pitcher | |
| Born: April 5, 1978 | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| July 19, 2002 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through May 24, 2008) |
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| Win-Loss | 26-20 |
| Strikeouts | 271 |
| Earned Run Average | 4.57 |
| Teams | |
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Brandon Allen Backe (born April 5, 1978 in Galveston, Texas) is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Houston Astros. He joined the team in 2004, after two seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was originally a position player, having played in the outfield as a minor leaguer, and having been originally drafted as a second baseman. Columnist Richard Justice described him as the "Robert Horry of baseball" due to his clutch performances. In his career, Backe boasts a 2.95 ERA in his seven postseason appearances, a mark that is almost two earned runs lower than his career ERA. Backe recently married Valerie Melissa Gibson, who is an elementary school teacher. During the off-season, they reside in The Woodlands, TX and are expecting their first child in January 2009.
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[edit] High school and college
Backe starred for Ball High School in Galveston, Texas where he was a two-time team MVP in baseball and earned all-district honors. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 36th Round of the 1996 MLB Draft but chose to stay close to home and played his collegiate baseball at Galveston College where he earned third-team All-America honors in 1998. Primarily an infielder, he pitched only 26 total innings for the Whitecaps. Other notable Whitecap players on Backe's team include Pete Orr and Seth Foreman.
[edit] Minor leagues
Backe was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 18th Round of the 1998 MLB draft. During his first three seasons in the minor leagues, he played every infield and outfield position. In fact, the two innings that he pitched for the rookie league Princeton Devil Rays in 1998 were the only time he spent on the mound during that time. In spite of his steady glove and versatility, it was clear that a light-hitting utility player had a very small chance of making the Major Leagues. In 2001, he changed positions to pitcher and found immediate success. He rose through the ranks of the pitching-depleted Tampa Bay system climbing from A level to the Major Leagues in just a season and a half.
[edit] Major Leagues
[edit] Tampa Bay
[edit] 2002
In just his second season as a pitcher, Backe was recalled on July 16, 2002 from the AA Orlando Rays and pitched nine times for the Devil Rays. He posted a 6.92 ERA giving up 10 runs in 13 innings, however 7 of those runs came in one outing - the first game of a July 23 doubleheader at Fenway Park, a game the Rays lost 22-4 and in which Backe allowed a pair of home runs to Nomar Garciaparra in one inning.
[edit] 2003
Began the season in the minor leagues but was recalled on May 16th when John Rocker was optioned. He earned his first big league win on August 1 at Kansas City with four scoreless innings of relief. Had a 9-outing stretch from July 22 to Aug. 21 in which he pitched to a 1.42 ERA over 19 innings, lowering his ERA from 6.06 to a season-low 3.60.
[edit] Houston
In December 2003, his hometown team, the Houston Astros acquired Backe from the Devil Rays for Geoff Blum.
[edit] 2004
In 2004, Backe shuffled between AAA and the Majors, pitching out of the bullpen when he was with the Astros. On August 21, Backe was called up for his first Major League start, where he ended up limiting the Chicago Cubs to four hits and no runs over seven innings. After that start, Backe became a permanent member of the Astros rotation, going 4-2 over the final two months of the season.
Entering their final regular-season game against the Colorado Rockies on October 3, the Astros needed a win to clinch a playoff spot. Although Roger Clemens was scheduled as the starting pitcher for that game, he was sidelined by a stomach virus, forcing manager Phil Garner to press Backe into starting duty the morning of the game. Backe performed well on his short notice, surrendering only 2 runs oner 5 innings as the Astros beat the Rockies 5-3 and edged out the San Francisco Giants for the team's first playoff berth since 2001.
Backe's star continued to rise during the 2004 Playoffs. After earning a win in Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Backe gained national attention with an eight-inning, one hit performance against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series. Going toe-to-toe with Cardinals starter and Houston native Woody Williams, Backe carried a perfect game into the 5th inning and a no-hitter into the 6th inning, surrendering only a bloop single to St. Louis second baseman Tony Womack. Backe's pitching performance set the stage for Jeff Kent's walk-off home run in the ninth inning, giving the Astros a 3-2 series advantage headed back to St. Louis, however the Astros lost both subsequent games and the series.
[edit] 2005
Backe started the 2005 season in the Astros starting rotation, going 10-8 with a 4.76 ERA in his first full season as a starter. Backe performed well in the Astros second-consecutive postseason appearance, including a five-hit, seven-strikeout performance in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series.
[edit] 2006
In the 2006 season, Backe was the Astros No. 4 starter. But after two starts he went onto the disabled list for three months. He returned in late July, but on August 19 he sprained a ligament in his right elbow was placed on the disabled list again. This injury required Tommy John surgery, which was successfully performed on September 7, 2006.
[edit] 2007
Although Backe's recovery time was slated at 12-18 months, he rehabbed aggressively and made his return on September 4.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
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