Athletes - Chad Bradford

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	Athletes - Chad Bradford

{{Infobox MLB player| bgcolor1=#003581| bgcolor2=#ff5731| textcolor1=white| textcolor2=white| name=Chad Bradford| position=Pitcher| team=New York Mets| number=35| bats=Right| throws=Right| debutdate=August 1| debutyear=1998| debutteam=Chicago White Sox| statyear=2005| stat1label=Wins-Losses| stat1value=23-16| stat2label=Earned Run Average| stat2value=3.49| stat3label=Strikeouts| stat3value=216| formerteams=

Chicago White Sox (1998-2000)
Oakland Athletics (2001-2004}
Boston Red Sox (2005)

}} Chadwick Lee "Chad" Bradford (born September 14, 1974 in Jackson, Mississippi) is a right-handed middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets. Bradford has previously pitched for the Chicago White Sox (1998-2000), Oakland Athletics (2001-04) and Boston Red Sox (2005).

Bradford attended Hinds Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi until 1996. He was drafted by the White Sox in 1994 but elected to stay in college. The ChiSox re-drafted him in the 13^th round of the 1996 MLB Draft. Quickly burning through the minor leagues, he made his major league debut in 1998 while only 23 years old.

In 1999, Bradford made only a short stop in the majors with the rest of the season spent with the triple-A Charlotte Knights. He was impressive again as a September call-up in 2000 and even pitched in the American League Division Series but the White Sox' bullpen was still full so they traded him to Oakland for catcher Miguel Olivo. Bradford spent most of the 2001 season with Oakland due to his microscopic 0.38 ERA with the triple-A Sacramento River Cats. It was his last regular stint in the minors.

From 2002 to 2004, Bradford was a specialty reliever for the A's, consistently baffling right-handed hitters but getting hit by left-handed hitters. His ERA stayed around 3.00 for his entire career until 2004 when mounting back pain forced him on to the disabled list.

Bradford is a submarine pitcher whose unorthodox delivery has caused him repeated back problems. He was a dependable setup man during four consecutive playoff appearances from 2000 to 2003, when he went 14-7 with five saves and a 2.92 ERA in 194 relief appearances. He has not allowed a run over his five different postseasons spanning three teams and nearly ten innings.

In July 2005, the Boston Red Sox acquired Bradford from Oakland in a trade for outfielder Jay Payton. Bradford, on the disabled list since undergoing lower back surgery March 7, was activated after the All-Star break. Bradford had mixed results in Boston, posting a 3.86 ERA in with a 1.414 WHIP (Walks+Hits Per Inning Pitched), although he only pitched 23.3 innings. After the season, he became a free agent and was signed by the Mets where he will be reunited with Rick Peterson, his pitching coach from the Athletics.

Bradford's amateur and professional career through 2002 is a major focus of the book Moneyball.

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