Craig Breslow
Encyclopedia
Craig Andrew Breslow is a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
for the Oakland Athletics
. He throws left-handed
, and is considered a lefty specialist.
Through 2010, he held major league batters to a .175 batting average with runners in scoring position
(and .171 with two outs and runners in scoring position), and lefties hit only .191 against him, with a .307 slugging percentage.
Breslow was given the nickname "smartest man in baseball" by Minneapolis Star Tribune Twins beat writer La Velle E. Neal III, and Wall Street Journal reporter Jason Turbow wrote: "Judging by his résumé, Craig Breslow is the smartest man in baseball, if not the entire world." The Sporting News named him the smartest athlete on their top 20 list.
while fasting, and noted: “Being Jewish is more difficult in baseball … but I try to do what I can in terms of paying attention to holidays." His parents, Abe and Anne Breslow, are teachers.
When he was 12 years old, his sister Lesley—two years older—was diagnosed with pediatric thyroid cancer
. "Something as traumatic as that has a lasting impact," Breslow said. "It confirmed my interest [in medicine]. Being a doctor went from being a prestigious profession to something that changes people's lives." The experience led Breslow to take an interest in molecular biophysics
and biochemistry
. Later in life, Breslow formed a non-profit foundation to help children with cancer. His sister in 2008 was a 15-year cancer survivor
, and expecting her first child.
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 Arizona Diamondbacks
2nd round draft pick, Jamie D'Antona
. As a senior in high school, Breslow played in the Connecticut/Massachusetts All-Star game at Fenway Park
.
In soccer, he helped lead Trumbull High 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. Scholastically he excelled as well, scoring 1410 on his SAT
exam.
baseball team, the Yale Bulldogs
in the Ivy League
. As a junior, he led Yale in victories (three) and ERA (2.61, 3rd in the Ivy League), striking out 66 batters in 51⅔ innings (ranking 13th in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings). He earned All-Ivy honors that season, which included a 16-strikeout performance vs. Cornell and a one-hit shutout at Harvard. As a senior, he led the Ivy League with a 2.56 ERA. In 2002, he was named a Jewish Sports Review
College Baseball First Team All-American, along with future major leaguers Sam Fuld
and Adam Greenberg. He graduated in 2002 with a B.A.
in molecular biophysics
and biochemistry
.
He was drafted in the 26th round by the Milwaukee Brewers
in . He deferred acceptance to the New York University School of Medicine
because of his "love of the game".
Breslow became the first former Bulldog since pitcher Ron Darling
(1983–95) to reach the Major Leagues when he made his debut with San Diego
in , and was not followed by another Yale player until catcher Ryan Lavarnway
in 2011. Breslow was also one of six Ivy Leaguers on major league rosters at the beginning of the 2009 season.
(54⅓ IP) in 23 appearances out of the pen for the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors
. He struck out
56 in 54⅓ innings, and limited the opposition to a .218 average.
In , he averaged 11⅓ strikeouts per nine innings for the Single-A Beloit Snappers
, fanning 80 batters in 65 innings.
In , 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. He then applied for medical school
at NYU, but they would accept him only if he agreed to stop playing baseball. "I wasn't ready to give it up," he said. "I thought I could still get guys out."
of the Northeast League, an independent baseball league. He held batters to a .204 average and recorded 37 strikeouts in 26⅓ innings, an average of 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
Mobile BayBears
, allowing a .212 average in 52 innings over 40 outings while striking out 47 and walking 17 with a 2.75 ERA. He earned his first big league callup on July 23, 2005. He was mistaken for the team batboy
during his first day with the Padres. He became the 24th Yalie to play in Major League Baseball and the first to reach the major leagues since Ron Darling
. "It wasn't until I was playing baseball in the big leagues that I thought I could play baseball in the big leagues," he said.
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.
, to a minor league contract in January .
(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 nine 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 home plate. "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."
, 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 roster for Jon Lester
. Breslow was added to the postseason roster, and has a ring from winning the 2007 World Series
– without pitching a game in the majors that year.
and was added to the 40-man roster. 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. Breslow won the final spot on the Indians' Opening Day
roster. "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."
On May 23, after pitching in nine games, Breslow was designated for assignment.
On May 29, 2008, the Minnesota Twins claimed Breslow off waivers. In 42 games for the Twins Breslow had a 1.63 ERA, and gave up only 24 hits in 38⅔ innings. Lefties hit .183 against him, with a .232 slugging percentage, and in save situations batters batted .100 against him, with a .100 slugging percentage. He did not give up a run in his last 14 appearances.
Breslow's aggregate 2008 ERA of 1.91 in 47 innings was ninth-best in the American League of all pitchers with at least 40 innings pitched. He held all batters to a .191 batting average, and a .265 on base percentage, and a .299 slugging percentage.
2009
Playing for the Twins in 2009, Breslow held left-handers to a .211 batting average and right-handers to a .226 batting average, but battled control problems in 17 appearances.
The Twins figured they had a 50–50 chance of losing Breslow when they placed him on waivers in May 2009 to clear space on their 25-man roster for fellow left-hander Sean Henn
. Oakland needed bullpen help and claimed Breslow before his 72-hour waiver period expired. Had he cleared, the Twins could have sent him to Class AAA Rochester. "We were hoping to keep him," said assistant general manager Rob Antony. "We lost a bullpen guy without trying to lose a bullpen guy," manager Ron Gardenhire
said. "I kind of got shocked when they told me."
Searching for an experienced left-hander for their bullpen, the Oakland Athletics
claimed Breslow off waivers on May 20, 2009. According to assistant general manager David Forst, the A's had tried to acquire him on other occasions. "I'm excited about taking a look at him," A's Manager Bob Geren
said. "He's a left-handed guy that's experienced. He's had some success at this level." He was the A's key lefty out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season.
He was second in the AL in appearances in 2009, with 77, and batters hit only .143 against him when there were runners in scoring position. He held all batters to a .197 batting average, and a .289 on base percentage.
He also continued to impress teammates with his intellect. "Breslow knows everything," A's left-hander Dallas Braden
said. "I seriously want to be Craig Breslow when I grow up."
2010
Asked in 2010 whether there was a story behind his jersey number, Breslow said: "When you spend time with many organizations over 5.5 years, you don't really care what number you get."
He was second in the AL in appearances in 2010 for the second year in a row, appearing in 75 games. Only 7 of 33 inherited runners (21.2%) scored against him, third-best in the AL. He held batters to a .194 batting average, and a .272 on base percentage.
His 71 strikeouts were the most by a lefty reliever in Oakland history. He finished with a career-high 74⅔ innings. He was named the 2010 Most Valuable Jewish Pitcher by Jewish Major Leaguers, as Ryan Braun
won hitter honors.
2011
In 2011, he was 0-2 with a 3.79 ERA in 67 games in which he pitched 59.1 innings.
tops out at 92 mph, and he has added a cut fastball. In the first half of 2009, he had the second-most-effective fastball on the A's staff, mixing it with his other pitches as he threw it a below-average 59.7% of the time. He also has a plus overhand curveball
(70–75 mph), an average to above-average changeup
, and a 78 mph slider
/slurve
. His ability to mix up his four pitches is what makes him very effective.
that raises awareness, support, and funding for pediatric cancer
research, and 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. Breslow hopes to hold annual events in Connecticut and Minnesota, as well as in Florida during spring training. His first benefit raised $100,000, and his second benefit more than $85,000.
by Matt McCarthy. McCarthy and Breslow were friends and teammates at Yale, and were on rival Pioneer League teams during the 2002 season. He also starred in a parody of Rex Ryan
's foot fetish
video called "ihaveprettylefthand".
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...
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....
. He throws left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
, and is considered a lefty specialist.
Through 2010, he held major league batters to a .175 batting average with runners in scoring position
Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position
Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position is a baseball statistic derived by dividing a players hits with runners in scoring positions by his at bats with runners in scoring position...
(and .171 with two outs and runners in scoring position), and lefties hit only .191 against him, with a .307 slugging percentage.
Breslow was given the nickname "smartest man in baseball" by Minneapolis Star Tribune Twins beat writer La Velle E. Neal III, and Wall Street Journal reporter Jason Turbow wrote: "Judging by his résumé, Craig Breslow is the smartest man in baseball, if not the entire world." The Sporting News named him the smartest athlete on their top 20 list.
Early life
Breslow is Jewish. He has pitched on Yom KippurYom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
while fasting, and noted: “Being Jewish is more difficult in baseball … but I try to do what I can in terms of paying attention to holidays." His parents, Abe and Anne Breslow, are teachers.
When he was 12 years old, his sister Lesley—two years older—was diagnosed with pediatric thyroid cancer
Thyroid cancer
Thyroid neoplasm is a neoplasm or tumor of the thyroid. It can be a benign tumor such as thyroid adenoma, or it can be a malignant neoplasm , such as papillary, follicular, medullary or anaplastic thyroid cancer. Most patients are 25 to 65 years of age when first diagnosed; women are more affected...
. "Something as traumatic as that has a lasting impact," Breslow said. "It confirmed my interest [in medicine]. Being a doctor went from being a prestigious profession to something that changes people's lives." The experience led Breslow to take an interest in molecular biophysics
Molecular biophysics
Molecular biophysics is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary area of research that combines concepts in physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and biology...
and biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
. Later in life, Breslow formed a non-profit foundation to help children with cancer. His sister in 2008 was a 15-year cancer survivor
Cancer survivor
A cancer survivor is an individual with cancer of any type, current or past, who is still living. About 11 million Americans alive today—one in 30 people–are either currently undergoing treatment for cancer or have done so in the past." Currently nearly 65% of adults diagnosed with cancer in the...
, and expecting her first child.
High school
Breslow attended Trumbull High SchoolTrumbull High School
-History:Trumbull High School was founded in 1961 following a population increase in Trumbull during the 1950s. The high school was originally situated at 4630 Madison Avenue, in the building currently serving as Madison Middle School. As the 1960s progressed, the town was compelled to commission a...
in Trumbull, Connecticut
Trumbull, Connecticut
Trumbull, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut in the New England region of the United States, is bordered by the towns of Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield and Easton along Connecticut's Gold Coast. The population was 36,018 according to the 2010 census.Family Circle magazine...
, graduating in 1998, and was a standout in soccer and baseball.
In baseball, he was the winning
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
pitcher in the LL State Baseball championship game, playing with teammate and future Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
2nd round draft pick, Jamie D'Antona
Jamie D'Antona
James Joseph D'Antona is a professional baseball infielder.D'Antona played college baseball for Wake Forest University where he had a .354 career batting average and 58 home runs. In , he was the ACC leader in slugging percentage, home runs, and RBI...
. As a senior in high school, Breslow played in the Connecticut/Massachusetts All-Star game at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
.
In soccer, he helped lead Trumbull High 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. Scholastically he excelled as well, scoring 1410 on his SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
exam.
College
Breslow was captain of the Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
baseball team, the Yale Bulldogs
Yale Bulldogs
The Yale Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the Yale University. The school sponsors 35 varsity sports. The school has won two NCAA national championships in women's fencing, four in men's swimming and diving, and twenty one in men's golf.-Men's baseball:...
in the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
. As a junior, he led Yale in victories (three) and ERA (2.61, 3rd in the Ivy League), striking out 66 batters in 51⅔ innings (ranking 13th in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings). He earned All-Ivy honors that season, which included a 16-strikeout performance vs. Cornell and a one-hit shutout at Harvard. As a senior, he led the Ivy League with a 2.56 ERA. In 2002, he was named a Jewish Sports Review
Jewish Sports Review
Jewish Sports Review is a bi-monthly magazine that was established in 1997. Its editors are Ephraim Moxson and Shel Wallman.The magazine identifies which star and professional athletes are Jewish...
College Baseball First Team All-American, along with future major leaguers Sam Fuld
Sam Fuld
Samuel Babson "Sam" Fuld is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball....
and Adam Greenberg. He graduated in 2002 with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in molecular biophysics
Molecular biophysics
Molecular biophysics is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary area of research that combines concepts in physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and biology...
and biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
.
He was drafted in the 26th round by the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in . He deferred acceptance to the New York University School of Medicine
New York University School of Medicine
The New York University School of Medicine is one of the graduate schools of New York University. Founded in 1841 as the University Medical College, the NYU School of Medicine is one of the foremost medical schools in the United States....
because of his "love of the game".
Breslow became the first former Bulldog since pitcher Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
(1983–95) to reach the Major Leagues when he made his debut with San Diego
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in , and was not followed by another Yale player until catcher Ryan Lavarnway
Ryan Lavarnway
Ryan Cole Lavarnway is an American professional baseball catcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball....
in 2011. Breslow was also one of six Ivy Leaguers on major league rosters at the beginning of the 2009 season.
Milwaukee Brewers organization (2002–04)
In 2002, Breslow ranked fifth in the Pioneer League with six wins, going 6–2 with a 1.82 ERAEarned 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...
(54⅓ IP) in 23 appearances out of the pen for the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
. He struck out
Strikeout
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....
56 in 54⅓ innings, and limited the opposition to a .218 average.
In , he averaged 11⅓ strikeouts per nine innings for the Single-A Beloit Snappers
Beloit Snappers
The Beloit Snappers are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, that plays in the Midwest League.Beloit joined the Midwest League as an expansion franchise in 1982. They were a Milwaukee Brewers farm team from its beginning through 2004; they switched to the...
, fanning 80 batters in 65 innings.
In , Breslow played 79 games in the Brewers system, reaching the Class A
Class A
Class A may refer to:* Class A airfield, a standardised design for military airfields built throughout Britain from 1942* Class A airspace, an airspace class defined by the ICAO* class A amplifier, a category of electronic amplifier...
California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
High Desert Mavericks
High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
. The Brewers released Breslow during the 2004 season. He then applied for medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
at NYU, but they would accept him only if he agreed to stop playing baseball. "I wasn't ready to give it up," he said. "I thought I could still get guys out."
Northeast League (2004)
Breslow completed the 2004 season pitching for the New Jersey JackalsNew Jersey Jackals
The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Northeast League, an independent baseball league. He held batters to a .204 average and recorded 37 strikeouts in 26⅓ innings, an average of 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
San Diego Padres organization (2005)
Signed by the San Diego Padres in 2005 for $1 out of a tryout camp, he excelled, getting $1,500 after making the Class AA Southern LeagueSouthern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
Mobile BayBears
Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears are a minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league club. The BayBears play in Hank Aaron Stadium, named after baseball's former all-time home...
, allowing a .212 average in 52 innings over 40 outings while striking out 47 and walking 17 with a 2.75 ERA. He earned his first big league callup on July 23, 2005. He was mistaken for the team batboy
Batboy
A batboy is an individual who carries the baseball bats around to a baseball team. A batboy may also lay out the equipment and mud the baseballs to be used in the game.Mascots and batboys had both been part of baseball since the 1880s....
during his first day with the Padres. He became the 24th Yalie to play in Major League Baseball and the first to reach the major leagues since Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
. "It wasn't until I was playing baseball in the big leagues that I thought I could play baseball in the big leagues," he said.
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
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
. The Padres non-tendered Breslow in December 2005.
Boston Red Sox organization (2006–07)
He was signed by the Red Sox, as a minor league free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, to a minor league contract in January .
2006
In 2006, Breslow was named an International LeagueInternational League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
(AAA) All-Star while with the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
. 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 nine 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
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
, Gabe Kapler
Gabe Kapler
Gabriel "Gabe" Stefan Kapler is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.He has played portions of 13 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Tampa Bay Rays...
, and Adam Stern
Adam Stern
Adam James Stern is a Canadian Major League Baseball outfielder who is presently a free agent.He bats left-handed, and throws right-handed. He was dubbed the "Canadian Babe Ruth" by Cleveland Indians outfielder Trot Nixon. Stern is the second Jewish player from Canada in major league history....
) 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
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
win a bet against catcher Doug Mirabelli
Doug Mirabelli
Douglas Anthony Mirabelli is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the San Francisco Giants , Texas Rangers , Boston Red Sox , and San Diego Padres before returning to the Red Sox to end his eleven year career...
. Breslow calculated how many times a baseball spins when it's thrown 90 miles an hour from the pitcher's mound to home plate. "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."
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 were 2–3, 4.06 ERA, 25 walksBase 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...
, 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 roster for Jon Lester
Jon Lester
Jonathan Tyler Lester is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
. Breslow was added to the postseason roster, and has a ring from winning the 2007 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
– without pitching a game in the majors that year.
Cleveland Indians (2008)
On March 23, 2008, Breslow was claimed off outright waivers by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and was added to the 40-man roster. 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. Breslow won the final spot on the Indians' Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster. "He's strong," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge
Eric Wedge
Eric Michael Wedge is a Major League Baseball manager and former catcher, and is the current manager of the Seattle Mariners. As a player, Wedge attended Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and played on the school's state champion baseball team in 1983...
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."
On May 23, after pitching in nine games, Breslow was designated for assignment.
Minnesota Twins (2008–09)
2008On May 29, 2008, the Minnesota Twins claimed Breslow off waivers. In 42 games for the Twins Breslow had a 1.63 ERA, and gave up only 24 hits in 38⅔ innings. Lefties hit .183 against him, with a .232 slugging percentage, and in save situations batters batted .100 against him, with a .100 slugging percentage. He did not give up a run in his last 14 appearances.
Breslow's aggregate 2008 ERA of 1.91 in 47 innings was ninth-best in the American League of all pitchers with at least 40 innings pitched. He held all batters to a .191 batting average, and a .265 on base percentage, and a .299 slugging percentage.
2009
Playing for the Twins in 2009, Breslow held left-handers to a .211 batting average and right-handers to a .226 batting average, but battled control problems in 17 appearances.
The Twins figured they had a 50–50 chance of losing Breslow when they placed him on waivers in May 2009 to clear space on their 25-man roster for fellow left-hander Sean Henn
Sean Henn
Sean Michael Henn is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball...
. Oakland needed bullpen help and claimed Breslow before his 72-hour waiver period expired. Had he cleared, the Twins could have sent him to Class AAA Rochester. "We were hoping to keep him," said assistant general manager Rob Antony. "We lost a bullpen guy without trying to lose a bullpen guy," manager Ron Gardenhire
Ron Gardenhire
Ronald Clyde "Gardy" Gardenhire is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins.He is six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds during most of his baseball career....
said. "I kind of got shocked when they told me."
Oakland Athletics (2009–present)
2009Searching for an experienced left-hander for their bullpen, 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....
claimed Breslow off waivers on May 20, 2009. According to assistant general manager David Forst, the A's had tried to acquire him on other occasions. "I'm excited about taking a look at him," A's Manager Bob Geren
Bob Geren
Robert Peter Geren is a former Major League Baseball catcher and manager. During a 5-year playing career, he played for the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres . He managed the Oakland Athletics from 2007 through 2011...
said. "He's a left-handed guy that's experienced. He's had some success at this level." He was the A's key lefty out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season.
He was second in the AL in appearances in 2009, with 77, and batters hit only .143 against him when there were runners in scoring position. He held all batters to a .197 batting average, and a .289 on base percentage.
He also continued to impress teammates with his intellect. "Breslow knows everything," A's left-hander Dallas Braden
Dallas Braden
Dallas Lee Braden is a left-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He was drafted out of Texas Tech University in the twenty fourth round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the Athletics...
said. "I seriously want to be Craig Breslow when I grow up."
2010
Asked in 2010 whether there was a story behind his jersey number, Breslow said: "When you spend time with many organizations over 5.5 years, you don't really care what number you get."
He was second in the AL in appearances in 2010 for the second year in a row, appearing in 75 games. Only 7 of 33 inherited runners (21.2%) scored against him, third-best in the AL. He held batters to a .194 batting average, and a .272 on base percentage.
His 71 strikeouts were the most by a lefty reliever in Oakland history. He finished with a career-high 74⅔ innings. He was named the 2010 Most Valuable Jewish Pitcher by Jewish Major Leaguers, as Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
won hitter honors.
2011
In 2011, he was 0-2 with a 3.79 ERA in 67 games in which he pitched 59.1 innings.
Pitches
Breslow's fastballFastball
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...
tops out at 92 mph, and he has added a cut fastball. In the first half of 2009, he had the second-most-effective fastball on the A's staff, mixing it with his other pitches as he threw it a below-average 59.7% of the time. He also has a plus overhand curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
(70–75 mph), an average to above-average changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
, and a 78 mph slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
/slurve
Slurve
The slurve is a baseball pitch in which the pitcher throws a slider as if he were throwing a curve ball. The term is a portmanteau of the words "slider" and "curve".-History:...
. His ability to mix up his four pitches is what makes him very effective.
Awards
- 2005 Southern League All-Star
- 2006 International LeagueInternational LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
All-Star - 2006 SoxProspects.com All-Star
- 2006 Pawtucket Red SoxPawtucket Red SoxThe Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
Most Valuable Pitcher - 2007 International League All-Star
- 2010 Trumbull High School Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee
Philanthropy
In 2008, Breslow started the Strike 3 Foundation, a non-profit charityCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
that raises awareness, support, and funding for pediatric cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
research, and has teamed up with CureSearch, which unites the National Childhood Cancer Foundation and the Children's Oncology Group
Children's Oncology Group
The Children’s Oncology Group , a National Cancer Institute supported clinical trials group, is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research...
, the world's largest childhood cancer research organization. Breslow hopes to hold annual events in Connecticut and Minnesota, as well as in Florida during spring training. His first benefit raised $100,000, and his second benefit more than $85,000.
In media
Breslow's collegiate career and his first year with the Brewers organization are partially discussed in the book Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League MisfitOdd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League Misfit
Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League Misfit is a 2009 memoir by Matt McCarthy in which McCarthy recounts his experiences as a professional baseball player in the Anaheim Angels minor-league system...
by Matt McCarthy. McCarthy and Breslow were friends and teammates at Yale, and were on rival Pioneer League teams during the 2002 season. He also starred in a parody of Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League . After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009...
's foot fetish
Foot Fetish
Foot Fetish is the first solo studio album by the Jackyl's lead singer, Jesse James Dupree.- Track listing :All songs written by Jesse James Dupree except where noted.# "Mainline" – 3:25 # "First Taste of Freedom" – 3:53...
video called "ihaveprettylefthand".
See also
- List of select Jewish Major League Baseball players
External links
- PawSox 2007 stats
- Hardball Times stats
- "Interview," January 30, 2006
- http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/gen/articles/printer_friendly/milb/y2006/m05/d10/c69468.jsp"Minor League's Top Jewish Prospects," MLB.comMLB.comMLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
, May 10, 2006] - http://www.courant.com/sports/custom/hc-redsox02251-nite.artfeb24,0,4325661.story?coll=hc-headlines-sports-custom"Red Sox Give Breslow Glimmer of Hope," The Hartford CourantThe Hartford CourantThe Hartford Courant is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is a morning newspaper for most of the state north of New Haven and east of Waterbury...
, February 24, 2007] - "Pitcher's route to Sox quite unusual route; Relief pitcher Breslow has degree from Yale," news-press.com, March 10, 2007
- http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18783509&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=7592&rfi=6"Buchholz no-no becomes high point, and ending, for Breslow in 2007," The New Haven RegisterThe New Haven RegisterThe New Haven Register is a daily newspaper published in New Haven, Connecticut. It is owned by Journal Register Company of Yardley, Pennsylvania. The Register's main office is located at 40 Sargent Drive in New Haven....
, September 5, 2007] - "Warming up for the Jewish Boys of Summer," The Jewish Ledger, March 5, 2008
- http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/news_wtnh_major_leaguer_cancer_foundation_200810081827"CT major leaguer builds cancer foundation," WTNHWTNHWTNH is the ABC-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to MyNetworkTV affiliate WCTX and the two...
, October 8, 2008] - http://www.twincities.com/ci_11691923?source=most_viewed"Minnesota Twins pitcher Craig Breslow has the tools to beat cancer; Twins reliever Craig Breslow has the research and fundraising capabilities to attack the disease that attacked his sister," Pioneer PressPioneer PressThe Pioneer Press publishes 50 local newspapers in the metropolitan Chicago area. It is a division of the Sun-Times Media Group. Pioneer Press' headquarters is in Glenview...
, February 12, 2009]