Brendan Donnelly
Encyclopedia
Brendan Kevin Donnelly (born July 4, 1971 in Washington, D.C.
) is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. He bats and throws right-handed.
in the 27th round of the 1992 amateur draft. The White Sox released him the following year, and he signed with the Chicago Cubs
organization soon after; the Cubs would release him before the start of the season. The following year he signed with the Cincinnati Reds
and participated in Spring Training
as a replacement player
during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. As a result of his participation as a replacement player, Donnelly is permanently barred from joining the Major League Baseball Players Association
.
Donnelly remained in the Reds organization until . He then bounced around the minor league systems of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
, Pittsburgh Pirates
, Toronto Blue Jays
, and Chicago Cubs before signing with the Anaheim Angels
in , where he made his major league debut in . He was an immediate fan favorite because of his intensity, the goggles
that he wears, and his effectiveness as the main setup man to Troy Percival
. Donnelly would go onto play an integral part of the Angels' bullpen in their 2002 championship season
, serving as the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the World Series
. He was the third replacement player
to win the World Series, behind both Shane Spencer
of the 1998
New York Yankees
and Damian Miller
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
.
In , in that same role, Donnelly put up an 1.58 earned run average
and became a rare example of a non-closer
who was selected as an All-Star
. Donnelly went on to be the winning pitcher in that mid-summer classic.
He suffered a broken nose during spring training
, causing him to miss a large portion of the season. Donnelly remained fairly effective throughout 2004 in a very good bullpen
for the American League West Champion Anaheim Angels. In , Donnelly began to see a decline in performance, including a decrease in velocity on his fastball
as a set-up man for closer
Francisco Rodríguez after Percival's departure. In June 2005, Donnelly was suspended for having pine tar
on his glove. In , Donnelly continued to drop down the depth chart in the bullpen becoming an inconsistent middle reliever.
On December 15, 2006, Donnelly was traded to the Boston Red Sox
.
On July 31, 2007, it was announced that Donnelly would need Tommy John surgery
. On February 6, 2008, the Cleveland Indians signed Donnelly to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The Indians hoped Donnelly would provide bullpen help at the end of the season when he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
Through the 2007 season, Donnelly has pitched for eighteen teams (two of them independents), nine organizations, two independent leagues, eleven organized minor leagues, and the American League
. 2007 was Donnelly's 16th season in professional baseball
. Donnelly was brought up to the Indians in August 2008, as a replacement for Tom Mastny
. On July 5, 2009, Donnelly signed with the Florida Marlins
.
On January 16, 2010, Donnelly agreed with the Pittsburgh Pirates
on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Before he could reach incentives that would have approximately doubled his salary, the Pirates released Donnelly on July 25, 2010 denying that the incentives were the reason for the release.
He announced his retirement on March 9, 2011.
regarding the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. According to former clubhouse attendant and admitted steroids distributor Kirk Radomski
, Donnelly sought him out in 2004 looking to purchase Anavar, an anabolic steroid
. Radomski says he made one sale of Deca-Durabolin to Donnelly, for which he received $250–$300. In a statement in response to the report, Donnelly admitted contacting Radomski in 2004 regarding Anavar, hoping it would help him recover from injuries faster. Donnelly denied ever buying or using the drug because he was made aware that it was considered a steroid.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) is a former 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...
relief pitcher
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...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Career
Donnelly was drafted by the Chicago White SoxChicago 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...
in the 27th round of the 1992 amateur draft. The White Sox released him the following year, and he signed with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago 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...
organization soon after; the Cubs would release him before the start of the season. The following year he signed with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and participated in 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...
as a replacement player
Replacement player
In professional sports, a replacement player is an athlete who is not a member of the league's players association and plays during a labor dispute such as a strike or lockout.- National Football League – 1987 :...
during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. As a result of his participation as a replacement player, Donnelly is permanently barred from joining the Major League Baseball Players Association
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
.
Donnelly remained in the Reds organization until . He then bounced around the minor league systems of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, and Chicago Cubs before signing with the Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in , where he made his major league debut in . He was an immediate fan favorite because of his intensity, the goggles
Goggles
Goggles or safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes. They are used in chemistry laboratories and in woodworking. They are often used in snow sports as well,...
that he wears, and his effectiveness as the main setup man to Troy Percival
Troy Percival
Troy Eugene Percival is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1995-2009 for four different teams, pitching primarily with the California/Anaheim Angels...
. Donnelly would go onto play an integral part of the Angels' bullpen in their 2002 championship season
2002 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Anaheim Angels*Postseason - October 1 to October 27Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, serving as the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
. He was the third replacement player
Replacement player
In professional sports, a replacement player is an athlete who is not a member of the league's players association and plays during a labor dispute such as a strike or lockout.- National Football League – 1987 :...
to win the World Series, behind both Shane Spencer
Shane Spencer
Michael Shane Spencer is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. In Major League Baseball, he played a total of 538 games for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and New York Mets, compiling 438 hits, 59 home runs, and 242 RBI...
of the 1998
1998 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1998 season was the 96th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a franchise record regular-season standing of 114-48, 22 games ahead of the second-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East...
New York Yankees
2000 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2000 season was the 98th season for the Yankees in New York, and their 100th overall going back to their origins in Baltimore. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The team finished 1st in the AL East with a record of 87–74, 2.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox, after...
and Damian Miller
Damian Miller
Damian Donald Miller is a former Major League Baseball catcher who last played for the Milwaukee Brewers.-High school years:...
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season
The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, in their fourth year of existence, looked to improve on their 2000 season. They had to contend in what was a strong National League West Division....
.
In , in that same role, Donnelly put up an 1.58 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and became a rare example of a non-closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
who was selected as an All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
. Donnelly went on to be the winning pitcher in that mid-summer classic.
He suffered a broken nose 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...
, causing him to miss a large portion of the season. Donnelly remained fairly effective throughout 2004 in a very good bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
for the American League West Champion Anaheim Angels. In , Donnelly began to see a decline in performance, including a decrease in velocity on his fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
as a set-up man for closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
Francisco Rodríguez after Percival's departure. In June 2005, Donnelly was suspended for having pine tar
Pine tar
Pine tar is a sticky material produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood in anoxic conditions . The wood is rapidly decomposed by applying heat and pressure in a closed container; the primary resulting products are charcoal and pine tar.Pine tar consists primarily of aromatic...
on his glove. In , Donnelly continued to drop down the depth chart in the bullpen becoming an inconsistent middle reliever.
On December 15, 2006, Donnelly was traded to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
On July 31, 2007, it was announced that Donnelly would need Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. On February 6, 2008, the Cleveland Indians signed Donnelly to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The Indians hoped Donnelly would provide bullpen help at the end of the season when he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
Through the 2007 season, Donnelly has pitched for eighteen teams (two of them independents), nine organizations, two independent leagues, eleven organized minor leagues, and the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. 2007 was Donnelly's 16th season in professional 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...
. Donnelly was brought up to the Indians in August 2008, as a replacement for Tom Mastny
Tom Mastny
Thomas Raymond Mastny is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who plays in the Florida Marlins organization. He is pitching with Class AAA New Orleans Zephyrs. He stands 6 feet, 6 inches in height and weighs 220 pounds...
. On July 5, 2009, Donnelly signed with the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
.
On January 16, 2010, Donnelly agreed with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Before he could reach incentives that would have approximately doubled his salary, the Pirates released Donnelly on July 25, 2010 denying that the incentives were the reason for the release.
He announced his retirement on March 9, 2011.
Mitchell Report
Donnelly was named in the December 13, 2007 Mitchell ReportMitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
regarding the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. According to former clubhouse attendant and admitted steroids distributor Kirk Radomski
Kirk Radomski
Kirk J. Radomski is a former batboy and clubhouse employee for the New York Mets Major League Baseball team from 1985–1995, who on April 27, 2007 pleaded guilty in United States district court to money laundering and illegal distribution of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, Clenbuterol,...
, Donnelly sought him out in 2004 looking to purchase Anavar, an anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
. Radomski says he made one sale of Deca-Durabolin to Donnelly, for which he received $250–$300. In a statement in response to the report, Donnelly admitted contacting Radomski in 2004 regarding Anavar, hoping it would help him recover from injuries faster. Donnelly denied ever buying or using the drug because he was made aware that it was considered a steroid.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball replacement players
- List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report