Brandon McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Brandon Patrick McCarthy (born July 7, 1983, in Glendale, California
) is a Major League Baseball
right-handed starting pitcher
for the Oakland Athletics
.
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
in 2001.
McCarthy was playing baseball
for Lamar Community College
in Colorado when he was drafted in the 17th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Chicago White Sox
.
125 batters, and walking
only 15 batters. In 2004, he led all minor league pitchers in strikeouts, with 202.
. McCarthy would make several additional spot starts that year before earning a permanent spot on the team as a reliever
in .
On December 23, 2006, McCarthy was traded along with David Paisano to the Texas Rangers for John Danks
, Nick Masset
and Jake Rasner. McCarthy endured an injury-plagued season in his first year for the Rangers (and his first full year as a starter) in , most notably dealing with a stress fracture in his right shoulderblade that kept him sidelined for nearly 2 months. His luck did not improve in , as he developed inflammation in his right elbow during spring training
and consequently missed most of the 2008 season.
As part of the starting pitcher rotation for the Oakland Athletics
in 2011, McCarthy strengthened his mechanics and had his most productive major league season, pitching twenty-five games, five complete
. McCarthy adapted his pitch repertoire to emphasize two-seam fastballs
and cutters
, which helped increase his ground-ball percentage and lower his home-run rate while developing control and limiting walks allowed. He finished the year with the lowest FIP
among American League starters.
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
right-handed starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
Early life
He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High SchoolCheyenne Mountain High School
Cheyenne Mountain High School is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is the only high school in Cheyenne Mountain School District 12. Its campus contains several buildings, including a recreation center, library, cafeteria and an arts building.-History:...
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
in 2001.
McCarthy was playing baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for Lamar Community College
Lamar Community College
Established in 1937, Lamar Community College is the smallest of the Colorado community colleges. Despite its relative size, it serves a large primary service area of Prowers , Baca, Cheyenne, and Kiowa Counties, in southeastern Colorado, United States and attracts students from across the US and...
in Colorado when he was drafted in the 17th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
2002 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.This year's draft is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book Moneyball.-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Compensation Selections:...
by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Minor leagues
In the minor leagues in , McCarthy posted impressive stats and showed excellent control, pitching 101 innings, striking outStrikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
125 batters, and walking
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
only 15 batters. In 2004, he led all minor league pitchers in strikeouts, with 202.
Major leagues
McCarthy made his major league debut on May 22, , as a spot starter for the Chicago White Sox in a game against the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. McCarthy would make several additional spot starts that year before earning a permanent spot on the team as a reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in .
On December 23, 2006, McCarthy was traded along with David Paisano to the Texas Rangers for John Danks
John Danks
John William Danks is a left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball currently playing with the Chicago White Sox....
, Nick Masset
Nick Masset
Nicholas Allen Masset is a right-handed pitcher for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. He was selected in the eighth round of the entry draft by the Texas Rangers. After graduating from Pinellas Park High School, Masset attended St...
and Jake Rasner. McCarthy endured an injury-plagued season in his first year for the Rangers (and his first full year as a starter) in , most notably dealing with a stress fracture in his right shoulderblade that kept him sidelined for nearly 2 months. His luck did not improve in , as he developed inflammation in his right elbow during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
and consequently missed most of the 2008 season.
As part of the starting pitcher rotation for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in 2011, McCarthy strengthened his mechanics and had his most productive major league season, pitching twenty-five games, five complete
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
. McCarthy adapted his pitch repertoire to emphasize two-seam fastballs
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
and cutters
Cutter (baseball)
In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball. Some...
, which helped increase his ground-ball percentage and lower his home-run rate while developing control and limiting walks allowed. He finished the year with the lowest FIP
Defense independent pitching statistics
In baseball, defense-independent pitching statistics measure a pitcher's effectiveness based only on plays that do not involve fielders: home runs allowed, strikeouts, hit batters, walks, and, more recently, fly ball percentage, ground ball percentage, and line drive percentage...
among American League starters.