Brad Martin Hennessey (born February 7, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants. He stands tall and weighs . He played for the Giants from 2004 to 2008 and threw five pitches: a fastball, a slider, a changeup, a curveball, and a cutter.
Hennessey attended Youngstown State University and set several school records during his tenure with the team. In 2001, he was selected by the Giants in the first round of the draft. He did not pitch in 2002 because of surgery to remove a non-cancerous tumor from his back. In 2004, he reached the major leagues for the first time. He spent much of the 2005 season in the major leagues, making 21 starts and posting a 4.64 earned run average (ERA). In 2006, Hennessey spent time both in the Giants' starting rotation and the bullpen. He became a relief pitcher full-time in 2007, spending the entire season in the majors and closing for the Giants part of the time. After posting a 7.81 ERA with the Giants in 2008, Hennessey was outrighted to the minors; he refused the assignment and became a free agent. He attempted to pitch for the Baltimore Orioles in 2009 but was unable due to injury. Hennessey then spent parts of 2010 and 2011 in the minor leagues.
Early life
Hennessey was born on February 7, 1980, in Toledo, Ohio. In 1997, he graduated from Whitmer High School, where he was named a USA Today honorable mention All-American and won All-Ohio honors for his baseball playing. He went to Youngstown State University, where he played shortstop and pitched until his senior year, when he converted exclusively to pitching. As a senior, he had a 6–5 record and a 4.06 earned run average (ERA) in 16 games while setting school single-season records for innings pitched () and strikeouts (126). That year, he was named the Mid-Continent Conference co-Pitcher of the Year.
Professional career
Minor leagues (part 1) Hennessey was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the first round (21st overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft. He began his career with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Single-A short season Northwest League, where he had a 1–0 record, a 2.38 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and 34 innings pitched in nine starts. That year, Salem-Keizer won the Northwest League championship. While pitching in an instructional league later that year, Hennessey began experiencing soreness that was initially attributed to a muscle strain but turned out to be a non-cancerous tumor in his back. He had it removed in February 2002, but it grew back later that season, and he missed the entire year while undergoing a second surgery.
Hennessey began 2003 in extended spring training but pitched for the Hagerstown Suns of the Single-A South Atlantic League from June 14 to the end of the season. With Hagerstown, Hennessey had a 3–9 record, a 4.21 ERA, 44 strikeouts, one complete game, and innings pitched in 15 starts. He began the 2004 season with the Norwich Navigators of the Double-A Eastern League, where he had a 5–5 record, a 3.56 ERA, 55 strikeouts, and 101 innings pitched in 18 starts. On July 14, he was promoted to the Fresno Grizzlies of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. In 5 starts with Fresno, he had a 4–1 record, a 2.02 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and innings pitched.
Major leagues
2004
Following an injury to Jerome Williams in 2004, Hennessey was called up to join the Giants' starting rotation. He made his debut on August 7 against Greg Maddux of the Chicago Cubs, who was looking for his 300th win. Hennessey allowed four runs in innings and took the loss in the 8–4 defeat, becoming the first pitcher to lose his debut to a pitcher who won his 300th game since 1901, when Cy Young defeated John McPherson. In his next start, against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 13, he allowed four unearned runs in five innings, got his first career hit (against Brian Powell), and earned his first career win in a 16–6 victory. After another start, he was sent to Fresno on August 18 when Wayne Franklin returned from the disabled list, but he was called up on August 28 when David Aardsma was demoted. On September 16, he threw a season-high seven shutout innings in a 4–0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Hennessey finished the season with a 2–2 record, a 4.98 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and innings pitched in seven starts.