Craig Hansen

45
Craig Hansen bigraphy, stories - American baseball player

Craig Hansen : biography

November 15, 1983 –

Craig Robert Hansen (born November 15, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher. A closer out of St. John’s University, Hansen was drafted in and quickly made his major league debut, but has since spent most of his career in minor league baseball. At , Hansen reportedly can reach with his fastball and mixes in a hard slider.

Pro career

Boston Red Sox

With the 26th pick in the first round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft, the Boston Red Sox selected Hansen and signed him to a four-year deal valued at $4 million. The Red Sox added him to the 40-man roster, assigning Hansen to a conditioning stint in Fort Myers before sending him to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. Hansen joined the Boston Red Sox as a late season call-up, making his major league debut on September 19 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Hansen struck out the first man he faced, pitching a perfect inning with two strikeouts, and would make three more appearances before the end of the season.

After starting the season in Portland and Pawtucket, Hansen was recalled on June 6 by the Red Sox. On June 26, Hansen earned his first major league win in an extra-inning game against the Philadelphia Phillies. On August 20, Hansen entered a tie game against the New York Yankees in the 10th inning only to allow a game-winning home run to Jason Giambi and a two-run home run to Jorge Posada. Hansen would end the season with a 6.63 ERA. During spring training for the season, manager Terry Francona suggested that the team may have rushed Hansen to the majors too quickly.

Following the 2006 season, Hansen enrolled himself in a sleep study clinic after hearing complaints from family and roommates for years about his loud snoring. The results revealed that he suffered from severe sleep apnea, and it would manifest itself as fatigue and the inability to focus. Hansen informed the Red Sox, but he chose not to get the surgery to correct the condition because it would interfere with his preparation for the upcoming season. Hansen spent the entire season with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, going 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA, and did not earn a promotion to Boston, who went on to win the World Series without him. Hansen also played in the developmental Arizona Fall League to get extra work in after missing some of the season with forearm tenderness. During the off-season, Hansen underwent surgery in the hopes of correcting the sleep apnea condition that may have affected his stamina and pitching performance.

Hansen reported to Red Sox spring training in and initial reports suggested that the team was impressed with his performance.

On July 31, 2008, Hansen was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Brandon Moss in a three-team deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jason Bay to the Boston Red Sox.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On August 27, 2008, the Pirates optioned Hansen to AAA (Indianapolis Indians). This move was made after Hansen allowed four earned runs without recording an out against the Chicago Cubs the previous night. Hansen was recalled to the Pirates on September 2.

In 2009, Hansen was diagnosed with Parsonage-Turner syndrome, a rare condition causing pain, weakness, and numbness in the arms, shoulders, and upper back.Kovacevic, Dejan. "", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 5, 2009. Recovery is usually complete, but can take as long as five years. Hansen was able to pitch in a limited number of minor league games in 2010, but was not at full effectiveness, and the Pirates released him in early 2011.

New York Mets

Hansen signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets on July 24, 2012. The Mets released Hansen in March 2013.http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/03/minor-moves-mets-jeroloman.html

College career

Hansen’s collegiate career began at St. John’s University in , where he pitched for the St. John’s Red Storm. Hansen selected St. John’s over Columbia University, Yale University, and Hofstra University.

While he struggled during his freshman campaign in 2003, Hansen began to establish himself as a closer during his sophomore season in . Hansen posted a 3-2 record with 14 saves in his junior season of 2005, registering 85 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched, a 1.68 ERA, and was named a first-team All-American by Baseball America.