Craig Breslow
Craig Andrew Breslow (pronounced BREHZ-loh; born August 8, 1980) is an American baseball executive and former professional baseball pitcher. He is currently the Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox. Breslow pitched for 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox (including as a member of the 2013 World Series championship team), Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Miami Marlins. He also pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Craig Breslow
23–30
3.45
442
Breslow was selected in the 26th round of the 2002 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, and debuted in MLB with the Padres in 2005. He made his final MLB appearance during the 2017 season. As of the end of the 2018 season, he ranked fourth among all active left-handed MLB pitchers in career appearances.
As a senior at Yale University, where he majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, Breslow led the Ivy League with a 2.56 earned run average. During his MLB career, he was called the "smartest man in baseball" by reporters at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and The Wall Street Journal.[1][2][3][4] In 2010, the Sporting News named him the smartest athlete on their top 20 list.[5]
Professional career[edit]
Milwaukee Brewers organization (2002–2004)[edit]
In 2002, Breslow ranked fifth in the Pioneer League with six wins, going 6–2 with a 1.82 ERA in 23 appearances out of the pen for the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors. He struck out 56 in 54+1⁄3 innings, and limited the opposition to a .218 average.[44] In 2003, he averaged 11+1⁄3 strikeouts per nine innings for the Single-A Beloit Snappers of the Midwest League, fanning 80 batters in 65 innings.[44]
In 2004, Breslow made 23 relief appearances with the Single-A High Desert Mavericks of the California League, going 1–3 with a 7.19 ERA.[44] The Brewers released Breslow during the 2004 season.
After his release, Breslow took the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and scored a 34 (the average score for medical school applicants was 28), and applied to NYU Medical School.[5] Though the medical school accepted him, they would only let him start if he agreed to stop playing baseball.[20][5] "I wasn't ready to give it up", he said. "I thought I could still get guys out."[20] As of 2013, he was undecided as to whether after his baseball career ends he will attend medical school, or alternatively become involved in the operational side of baseball.[45]
Northeast League (2004)[edit]
Breslow completed the 2004 season pitching for the New Jersey Jackals of the Northeast League, an independent baseball league. He held batters to a .204 average and recorded 37 strikeouts in 26+1⁄3 innings, an average of 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings.[44][46]
San Diego Padres organization (2005)[edit]
Signed by the San Diego Padres in 2005 for $1 out of a tryout camp, Breslow excelled, getting $1,500 after making the Double-A Southern League Mobile BayBears, allowing a .212 average in 52 innings over 40 outings while striking out 47 and walking 17 with a 2.75 ERA.[44][47] 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.[48] Breslow became the 24th Yalie to play in Major League Baseball and the first to reach the major leagues since Ron Darling.[49] "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.[20]
Breslow then split the rest of the season between San Diego and the Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. In 14 relief appearances with San Diego, Breslow posted a 2.20 ERA without recording a decision.[50] The Padres non-tendered Breslow on December 21, 2005.[51]
Post-playing career[edit]
Chicago Cubs[edit]
In January 2019, the Chicago Cubs hired Breslow as their Director of Strategic Initiatives for Baseball Operations, joining Theo Epstein in the team's front office.[128] In that position, he was to "help to evaluate and implement data-based processes throughout all facets of Baseball Operations" and "support the organization's pitching infrastructure in Player Development and the major leagues."[128]
On October 17, 2019, the Cubs promoted Breslow to the position of Director of Pitching / Special Assistant to the President and General Manager.[129] His role focused on the strategic management of the club's minor league pitching infrastructure to more homegrown impact pitchers.[130]
In November 2020 the Cubs promoted Breslow to the position of Assistant General Manager/Vice President, Pitching.[131]
Boston Red Sox[edit]
On October 25, 2023, the Boston Red Sox hired Breslow as their Chief Baseball Officer, replacing Chaim Bloom.[132][133] He will be the team's lead decision-maker on players, coaches, and personnel.[133]
Team Israel[edit]
Breslow pitched for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic during the qualifying round in September 2016.[134] During the opening game of the tournament, Breslow was credited with the win after throwing 26 pitches over one inning, giving up two hits and a walk while recording two strikeouts.[135] Breslow again appeared in the final game of the series, throwing only two pitches while getting one out.[136]
In February 2017, it was announced that Breslow would be on the roster for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic main tournament.[137] He pulled out of being on the team in round one after the Twins offered him an invite to spring training, and was placed in Team Israel's designated pitcher pool, meaning he could be added in later rounds even though he did not play for the team in rounds one or two.[138]
Pitches[edit]
Breslow's four-seam fastball ranged at 89 to 92 mph (143 to 148 km/h); he threw it 42% of the time, and batters hit .228 against it with a .366 slugging percentage.[139] He added an 86 mph (138 km/h) cut fastball and a 90 mph (140 km/h) sinker.[140][91][141] He also had a plus overhand curveball at 70 to 77 mph (113 to 124 km/h), an average to above-average 78 mph (126 km/h) changeup, and a 77 mph (124 km/h) slider/slurve.[3][33][141][142] During the 2016 offseason, Breslow dropped his arm slot and added a two-seam fastball.[143] His ability to mix up his pitches was what made him very effective.[141]
Intelligence[edit]
Breslow was nicknamed the "smartest man in baseball" by Minneapolis Star Tribune Twins beat writer La Velle E. Neal III, and The Wall Street Journal reporter Jason Turbow wrote: "Judging by his résumé, Craig Breslow is the smartest man in baseball, if not the entire world."[1][2][3][4] In 2010 the Sporting News named him the smartest athlete on their top-20 list.[5] In 2012, Men's Fitness named him one of the Top 10 Smartest Athletes in Professional Sports.[144]
Referring to the reactions he has experienced to the plaudits, Breslow said: "There's no end to the teasing I've taken".[11] Red Sox manager John Farrell observed in 2013: "Breslow uses words in a normal conversation that I'm not used to."[145]
As to the impact of his intelligence on his baseball performance, Breslow admits that he analyzes video and looks for inefficiencies in the "kinematic system" of his delivery.[146] At the same time, he often subscribes to the "keep it simple, stupid" principle.[146]
Rapsodo[edit]
During the 2016 offseason, Breslow began experimenting with the Rapsodo Baseball system to analyze his mechanics and spin rate on his pitches. His hope was to improve the movement on his pitches and revive his career.[147] When he began using the system in October 2016, Breslow had 9.45 inches (24.0 cm) of horizontal break on his two-seamer. By January 2017, he was able to improve and add nearly 9 inches (23 cm) of additional movement on the two-seamer, resulting in a horizontal break of 18.35 inches (46.6 cm). Vertical movement on the pitch also increased by about 6 inches (15 cm).[143]
Philanthropy[edit]
In 2008, Breslow started the Strike 3 Foundation, a non-profit charity that funds pediatric cancer research.[31]
The organization has teamed up with the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology,[152] and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.[153][154] The foundation donated $500,000 to the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital to help enhance their Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Program.[45][153] It has also made gifts to CureSearch for Children's Cancer, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Yale's Smilow Cancer Hospital, and others.[22]
Breslow hopes to hold annual events in Connecticut and during spring training.[48] His first benefit raised $100,000, and his second benefit more than $85,000.[20][155] The charity has raised more than $3 million.[156]
In media[edit]
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 Misfit by Matt McCarthy. McCarthy and Breslow were friends and teammates at Yale, and were on rival Pioneer League teams during the 2002 season.[157] He also starred in a parody of Rex Ryan's foot fetish video called "ihaveprettylefthand".[158][159][160][161] [162]
Personal life[edit]
Breslow invested $50,000 in a Boston-based startup company that designs bicycle-friendly business apparel called Ministry of Supply. The investment came after his then-fiancée, Kelly Shaffer, bought him a shirt as a birthday present, Breslow took the shirt on the road and was so pleased with the performance he then bought two more shirts and a pair of pants. Then he decided to make the investment in the company.[163]
Breslow and Shaffer married on November 9, 2013—ten days after he'd won the World Series with Boston.[164] They have twin boys, Carter and Mason, born in June 2015,[165] and daughter Livia, born December 2018. They live in Newton, Massachusetts.[133]