ANDERSON, BRETT  
 
Nickname:   N/A Position:   P
Home: Stillwater, Oklahoma Team:   ATHLETICS
Height: 6' 4" Bats:   L
Weight: 215 Throws:   L
DOB: 2/1/1988 Agent: N/A
Birth City: N/A Draft: D'Backs #2 - 2006 - Out of Stillwater H.S. (Okla.)
Uniform #: 49  
 
YR LEA TEAM SAL(K) G IP H SO BB GS CG SHO SV W L OBA ERA
2007 MWL SILVER HAWKS   14 81.1 76 85 10 14 0 0 0 8 4   2.21
2007 CAL VISALIA OAKS   9 39 50 40 11 9 0 0 0 3 3   4.85
2008 CAL STOCKTON   14 74 68 80 18 13 0 0 0 9 4   4.14
2008 TL MIDLAND   6 31 27 38 9 6 0 0 0 2 1   2.61
2009 AL ATHLETICS $400.00 30 175.1 180 150 45 30 1 1 0 11 11 0.265 4.06
2010 AZL PHOENIX   2 6 11 6 0 2 0 0 0 0 0   3.00
2010 PCL SACRAMENTO   3 13.1 19 12 3 3 0 0 0 1 0   4.05
2010 AL ATHLETICS $410.00 13 71 75 51 14 13 0 0 0 3 6 0.271 3.17
2010 AZL PHOENIX   2 6 11 6 0 2 0 0 0 0 0   3.00
2010 PCL SACRAMENTO   3 13.1 19 12 3 3 0 0 0 1 0   4.05
2010 AL ATHLETICS $410.00 13 71 75 51 14 13 0 0 0 3 6 0.271 3.17
PERSONAL:

  • Anderson is the son of Oklahoma State baseball coach Frank Anderson. Before he became head coach, Frank had  long been one of college baseball's most respected pitching coaches.

  • In 2006, Brett's senior year at Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, he committed to Oklahoma State.

  • During the winter before 2007 spring training, Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Brett as 11th-best prospect in the Diamondbacks' organization. Before 2008 spring training, they had Anderson as the #3 prospect in the Arizona farm system, behind only OF Carlos Gonzalez and P Jarrod Parker.

    Then, in the offseason before 2009 spring training, they moved Anderson up to the #1 prospect in the Oakland A's organization.
  • Brett's Dad is pretty intense, but Brett is not. He is low-key.

  • Anderson needs to take his conditioning more seriously. He has a soft body.

  • Asked what kind of pre-game ritual or superstitions he might have, Brett said, "I don't really have a pre-game ritual. I am really superstitious, however, from putting ChapStick on a certain way, to my uniform number."

  • In August 2008, Anderson was a member of Team USA baseball in the Beijing Olympics.

  • In April, 2009, when Brett and teammate Trevor Cahill went apartment hunting in Oakland, they were turned down several times.

    		•
     
    "We couldn't get a place in Walnut Creek because they said we were too young and baseball playes," Anderson said. "We tried to get two apartments, a house and a condo. We would've been their best tenannts ever. We had a steady income and were there only half the time."

    Having been turned dow in the East Bay, the pitchers went elsewhere, finding a place in San Francisco, across the street from the Giants' ballpark.

    TRANSACTION REPORT

  • June 2006: The D'Backs chose Anderson in the second round, out of Stillwater High School in Oklahoma.

    September 7, 2006: Anderson finally signed, turning pro rather than go play for his father at Oklahoma State. His bonus was $950,000, with Joe Robinson being the scout who signed him.

    		•
  • December 14, 2007: The A's sent pitchers Dan Haren and Connor Robertson to the Diamondbacks, acquiring Anderson, pitchers Dana Eveland and Greg Smith, outfielders Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez and infielder Chris Carter.

  • April 16, 2010: The A's and Anderson agreed to a 4-year, $12.5 million guaranteed contract. The max, including the two option years, could bring it to $31 million. Brett got a $1 mllion signing bonus and salaries of $500,000 in 2010, $1 million in 2011, $3 million in 2012 and $5.5 million in 2013. The club options for 2014 is for $8 million and $12 million for 2015. If the A's don't exercise either option, they'd pay a $1.5 million buyout.
    		•
     
     
    PITCHING:

    • Anderson has an 88-92 mph 2-seam sinker and a 90-95 mph 4-seam FASTBALL that he commands well to both sides of the plate. He also has a 78-80 mph slow CURVEBALL with two-plane break that is a good strikeout pitch, a hard 81-84 mph late-breaking SLIDER and an excellent 82-85 mph CHANGEUP. It is another pitch to throw to righthanders early in the count.

      Brett also has a slower version of his curve. His fastball has good tailing action. The hitters react like his heater is 5 mph faster than it actually is.

    • "When you see the righthanded batter flinch, that's an indication of how good it really is," farm director Keith Lieppman said. "Usually you see that with a righthanded pitcher on a righthanded hitter, or lefties on lefties, but Rarely do you see it with a lefty pitcher on a righty hitter. You see that with him, where the hitter will start to swing, then flinch. Guys don't take real good swings against him."
  • His command is near-perfect. He places the ball on either corner of the plate with incredible consistency.

    He has a fine, polished delivery that he repeats well.

  • Brett has a very impressive feel for the pitching craft. He pitches with a plan. And he repeats his delivery and arm slot very consistently. He is polished and he gets the most out of his quality physical skills.

    "He's very witted on the mound. One of the first things you notice is how polished he is," Diamondbacks farm director A.J. Hinch said during the 2007 season. "He keeps the game under control. He knows what he is trying to do in every situation. He's very advanced. First of all, he throws strikes. He knows how to pitch inside. He knows how to disrupt the timing of a hitter by putting something on or taking something off while featuring a four-pitch repertoire."

    		•
     

  • Brett is laid back, but works at a very quick pace. He doesn't waste time, just getting the sign from the catcher and firing the ball.

  • "He reminds me of Kenny Rogers in the sense that he plays catch with the mitt," Beloit manager Jeff Smith said near the end of the 2007 season. "He has three pitches he can throw for strikes at any time." (Jim Callis-Baseball America-9/28/07)

  • Anderson should be a #3 or #4 starter for a long time in a big league rotation—a workhorse who eats up innings.

  • Asked what his best quality is as a pitcher, Brett said, "My ability to throw strikes and being able to stay even-keeled on the mound."

    BREAKDOWN vs. LEFTIES and RIGHTIES

  • In 2009, this lefty pitcher allowed a .313 average with 6 homers in 182 at-bats vs. lefthanded hitters, while righthanded batters hit .247 with 14 homers in 497 at-bats.
    		•
     
     
    FIELDING:

    • Brett has trouble fielding bunts and even covering first base. But he is working on it.

    • Anderson has an excellent pickoff move to first base.
     
    CAREER INJURY REPORT:

    • 2005: Anderson's junior year of high school, he was limited to 46 innings because of a tender arm.

    • July 2007: Brett and six teammates were in a car accident. Anderson sustained a concussion and only pitched four more innings that season.

    • May–June 2008: Anderson was on the D.L. with a strained left thumb that prevented him from gripping his breaking pitch.

    • April 25-May 29, 2010: Brett was on the D.L. with a left flexor musculotendinous junction strain. That means the strain is partly in the flexor tendon, partly in the muscle.

    • June 4-July 30, 2010: Anderson was back on the D.L., this time with elbow tendinitis. The A's and Brett were very thankful there was no structural damage.
     
     
    Last Updated 9/6/2010. All contents © 2000 by Player Profiles. All rights reserved.