Brad Halsey

Bradford Alexander Halsey (February 14, 1981 – November 4, 2014) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics.

Amateur career

Halsey attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was the No. 1 starter on the Longhorns' College World Series championship team in 2002.

Professional career

New York Yankees (2002–2004)

Halsey was an eighth-round pick in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Yankees. Halsey spent most of 2004 at Triple-A Columbus, going 11–4 with a 2.63 ERA in 144 innings. He posted a 2.95 strikeout-to-walk ratio (109-to-37), while opponents batted .237 against him with eight home runs. The Yankees gave him a spot in their pitching rotation on June 19, 2004. In seven starts and a relief appearance, Halsey finished with a 1–3 record, 25 strikeouts, and a 6.47 ERA in 32 innings.

Arizona Diamondbacks (2005)

Before the 2005 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded pitcher Randy Johnson to the Yankees in a three-team deal which also included the Los Angeles Dodgers. Arizona received Halsey, pitcher Javier Vázquez, and catcher Dioner Navarro from New York, then sent Navarro and three minor league prospects to the Dodgers for outfielder Shawn Green.

Oakland Athletics (2006–2008)

On March 26, 2006, the Diamondbacks traded Halsey to the Oakland Athletics for Juan Cruz. Halsey made the Athletics' opening-day roster as a middle reliever, then was pressed into starting duty in May with space made available by injuries to starters Esteban Loaiza and Rich Harden. Halsey pitched in six starts, with a record of 1–2, an ERA of 5.63 and with opponents batting .305 against him. He was the pitcher who threw the pitch on May 20, 2006, that Barry Bonds hit out of the park for his 714th home run, tying Babe Ruth for second place all-time on the home run list.

When Loaiza returned, Halsey returned to middle relief duty in mid-June. His statistics through mid-August were 3–3, 4.50 ERA. On August 10, Halsey was optioned to Oakland's Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento when the Athletics activated reliever Jay Witasick from the disabled list only to be recalled on August 22 with the A's needing a fifth starter in a string of consecutive games. He finished the year in middle relief. His statistics for the year were 5–4, 4.67 ERA.

Halsey did not make the playoff roster for Oakland's division series against the Minnesota Twins. Oakland already had a left-hander in Joe Kennedy

Halsey entered the 2007 season as a candidate for the fifth starter slot, but did not pitch well in spring training, going 0–3 with a 6.75 ERA, and lost out to favorite Joe Kennedy. On April 1, Halsey was again optioned, this time to Sacramento.

On April 21, 2007, Halsey was held out of his start at Triple-A Sacramento, in case he was called to start for Rich Harden 3 days later. Harden could not go, but instead of Halsey, the A's went with left-hander Dallas Braden. Halsey made inflammatory comments that he was bypassed because the A's found out that Halsey was scheduled for an MRI exam.

Halsey eventually did have surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder on July 12, 2007, and was placed on the 60-day disabled list.

Los Angeles Dodgers and independent baseball (2008–2010)

After being released in 2008, Halsey signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in February 2009. Halsey was released by the Dodgers at the end of spring training. On May 12, 2009 Halsey signed a deal with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 2010, he pitched for the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the independent Northern League.

New York Yankees (2011)

On May 2, 2011, Halsey signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.

Scouting report

Halsey threw a fastball in the 87–90 MPH range, but his best pitches were a fine slider and a deceptive changeup.

Death

Halsey died on November 4, 2014 at the age of 33.