Anderson, Brett

Coming into 2009 The A's were looking at one or two of their most prized prospects being inserted into their rotation directly out of double-A ball. Of those two, most people felt that the better bet to win the job and to succeed was the radar-gun friendly Trevor Cahill, a solid righty with solid double-digit strikeout rates the previous season (a slight fall off on promotion to double-A). At the end of the day, the more control-oriented lefty also won a job and performed so well as to make him one of the more intriguing middle tier pitchers coming into 2010.

Anderson got off to a rough start, partially schedule with perhaps a higher dosage than directed of Red Sox and Yankees for the then 21 year old with all of 31 innings over single-A ball. As Anderson owners will tell you, he got better...a lot better. After striking out 27 over 47+ innings in April and May, Anderson then struck out 123 over the remaining 128.

Anderson's career path looks very bright. 13-0-3.50-1.20-180. 190IP