Craig Breslow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Minnesota Twins — No. 49 | |
| Relief pitcher | |
| Born: August 8, 1980 New Haven, Connecticut |
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|---|---|
| Bats: Left | Throws: Left |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| July 23, 2005 for the San Diego Padres | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through June 5, 2008) |
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| Win-Loss | 0-2 |
| Earned run average | 2.66 |
| Strikeouts | 38 |
| Teams | |
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Craig Andrew Breslow (born August 8, 1980 in New Haven, Connecticut) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. He pitches left-handed, and is considered a lefty specialist.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
When Breslow was 12 years old, his sister Lesley who was 14 at the time was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. This led to his later interest in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, and when he got older he formed a non-profit foundation to help children with cancer. His sister in 2008 was a 15-year cancer survivor.[1]
[edit] Amateur career
[edit] High school
Breslow attended Trumbull High School in Trumbull, Connecticut, graduating in 1998, and was a standout in soccer and baseball.
In baseball, he was the winning pitcher in the LL State Baseball championship game, playing with teammate and future 2nd round draft pick (Arizona Diamondbacks) Jamie D'Antona. Breslow played in the Connecticut/Massachusetts All-Star game at Fenway Park later that year.
In soccer, he helped lead the Trumbull High soccer team to their first-ever state tournament victory. He was known for having an uncanny ability to score from very difficult and wide angles, and ranks among the school's all-time scorers.
[edit] College
Breslow was captain of the Yale University baseball team.[2] As a junior, he led Yale in victories (3) and ERA (2.61; 3rd in the Ivy League), striking out 66 batters in 51.2 innings (ranking 13th in the nation in strikeouts per 9 innings). He earned All-Ivy honors that season, which included a 16-strikeout performance vs. Cornell and a 1-hit shutout at Harvard. He graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry.[1]
He was drafted in the 26th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002.[2]
Breslow became the first former Bulldog since Ron Darling to reach the "Show" when he made his debut with San Diego in 2005.[3]
[edit] Professional career
[edit] Milwaukee Brewers organization (2002-04)
In 2002, Breslow ranked fifth in the Pioneer League with six wins, going 6-2 with a 1.82 ERA (54.1 IP) in 23 appearances out of the pen for the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors. He struck out 56 in 54.1 innings, and limited the opposition to a .218 average.
In 2003, he averaged 11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings for the Single-A Beloit Snappers, fanning 80 batters in 65.0 innings.
In 2004, Breslow played 79 games in the Brewers system, reaching the Class A California League High Desert Mavericks.
The Brewers released Breslow during the 2004 season.
[edit] Northeast League (2004)
He then latched on with the New Jersey Jackals of the Northeast League, where he finished his 2004 season. He held batters to a .204 average, and recorded 37 strikeouts in 26.1 innings, an average of 12.6 K's per 9 innings.[3]
[edit] San Diego Padres organization (2005)
Signed by the San Diego Padres in 2005, he excelled, playing for the Class AA Southern League Mobile BayBears, allowing a .212 average in 52 innings over 40 outings while striking out 47 and walking 17 with a 2.75 ERA, earning his first big league callup on July 23, 2005. He became the 24th Yalie to play in Major League Baseball and the first to reach the major leagues since Ron Darling.[4]
Breslow then split the rest of the season between San Diego, for whom he had a 2.20 ERA in 14 games, and the Triple-A Pacific Coast League Portland Beavers.
The Padres non-tendered Breslow in December 2005.
[edit] Boston Red Sox organization (2006-2007)
[edit] 2006
He was signed by the Red Sox, as a minor league free agent, to a minor league contract in January 2006.
In 2006, Breslow was named an International League (AAA) All-Star while with the Pawtucket Red Sox. In 67 innings of work for the season, he was 7-1 with a 2.69 ERA, and struck out an average of 10.3 batters per 9 innings. He was selected by his teammates as the PawSox Most Valuable Pitcher. He was promoted to Boston in the second half of the season, making him the fourth Jewish player (in addition to Kevin Youkilis, Gabe Kapler, and Adam Stern) to play for the Red Sox that year.
In 12 innings with the Red Sox in 2006, he posted a 3.75 ERA and had 12 strikeouts.
Off the field, he helped Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett win a bet against catcher Doug Mirabelli. Breslow calculated how many times a baseball spins when it's thrown 90 miles an hour from the pitcher's mound to the home plate.[5] "Josh wanted to know if I could figure out how many times a baseball spins on the way to the plate," Breslow said. "There's a lot of variables, but I put in some figures and came up with answers for a fastball, curve, or slider. It's rather simple once you do it."[4]
[edit] 2007
Breslow earned a trip to the Triple-A All-Star game in July for the second straight season for the Pawtucket Red Sox. At the end of June, Breslow’s ERA was 1.55. But his final numbers for 2007 were 2-3, 4.06 ERA, 25 walks, 73 strikeouts in 68 innings. He was promoted to Boston on September 1, 2007, but did not make an appearance and was sent back to Pawtucket on September 2 to make room on the team for Jon Lester.[6]
Through 2007, he held major league batters to a .154 batting average with runners in scoring position (and .059 with 2 outs and runners in scoring position), and lefties hit .200 against him, with a .314 slugging percentage.
[edit] Cleveland Indians organization (2008)
[edit] 2008
On March 23, 2008, Breslow was claimed off outright waivers [7][8] by the Cleveland Indians and was added to the 40-man roster.[9][2] Breslow was out of minor league options, so the Indians had to keep him on their big league club out of camp, or expose him to waivers again.[10] Breslow won the final spot on the Indians' Opening Day roster.[5]
"He's strong," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "I want to be able to use him two innings. He's done that--if you look at his innings pitched the last couple of years versus appearances."[6]
On May 23, Breslow was designated for assignment.
[edit] Minnesota Twins organization (2008)
On May 29, 2008, the Minnesota Twins claimed Breslow off waivers.
[edit] Pitches
His fastball tops out at 90 mph, but generally sits in high 80s, and he has added a cut fastball. He also has a plus overhand curveball (60-65 mph), an average to above-average changeup, and a 78 mph slider/slurve.[11][1]
[edit] Awards
- 2005 Southern League All-Star
- 2006 International League All-Star
- 2006 SoxProspects.com All-Star
- 2006 Pawtucket Red Sox Most Valuable Pitcher
- 2007 International League All-Star
[edit] Philanthropy
Breslow in 2008 started the Strike 3 Foundation, a non-profit charity that has teamed up with CureSearch, which unites the National Childhood Cancer Foundation and the Children's Oncology Group, the world's largest childhood cancer research organization.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Jim Donaldson (2007-07-29). A high degree of talent for PawSox. Providence Journal. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ a b Breslow to Indians
- ^ Gordon Edes (2006-02-26). Doctoral candidate. Boston Globe. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ a b Jesse Quinlan (2008-03-16). Breslow continues fight to strike out cancer. Connecticut Post. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
- ^ Red Sox player gives math lesson."
- ^ Major League Baseball Transactions: September 2007. MLB.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
- ^ Anthony Castrovince (2008-03-24). Indians eat Fultz's option: Left-hander's poor spring causes team to make change. MLB.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Amalie Benjamin (2008-03-24). Drew, for one, is having a blast: Latest homer a grand slam. Boston Globe. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Indians claim left-hander from Boston
- ^ Indians claim Breslow off waivers
- ^ #32 Craig Breslow. SoxProspects.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
[edit] External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
- Breslow PawSox '07 stats
- Hardball Times stats
- 1/30/06 interview
- 2/26/06 Boston Globe article
- "Minor League's Top Jewish Prospects," 5/10/06
- "Warming up for the Jewish Boys of Summer," 3/5/08
- Baseball Reference minor league statistics
- "Red Sox Give Breslow Glimmer of Hope," 2/24/07
- "Pitcher's route to Sox quite unusual route; Relief pitcher Breslow has degree from Yale," 3/10/07
- "Buchholz no-no becomes high point, and ending, for Breslow in 2007," 9/5/07
