Grant Balfour facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grant Balfour |
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Balfour with the Tampa Bay Rays
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| Relief pitcher | |||
| Born: 30 December 1977 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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| debut | |||
| July 22, 2001, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 18, 2015, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 30–23 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.49 | ||
| Strikeouts | 571 | ||
| Saves | 84 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2015 | ||
Grant Robert Balfour (born 30 December 1977) is a former professional baseball player from Australia. He was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Grant played for teams like the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Oakland Athletics. He is known for being one of the best Australian pitchers in MLB history. He holds the record for the most consecutive saves for the Oakland Athletics, with 44 in a row.
Contents
About Grant Balfour
Grant Balfour is one of only a few Australian-born players to make it to Major League Baseball. He went to Kings Langley Public School and William Clarke College in New South Wales, Australia, when he was younger.
Grant's Baseball Journey
Playing for the Minnesota Twins
Grant Balfour started his Major League Baseball career with the Minnesota Twins in 2001. He played with them until 2004.
Time with the Cincinnati Reds
After taking a year off in 2005 due to an injury, Grant played for the Cincinnati Reds organization in 2006.
Joining the Milwaukee Brewers
Grant returned to the Major Leagues on July 18, 2007, playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. He came into a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks and struck out the first batter he faced. Even though he gave up a home run in that game, it was a big moment for his return to the top level of baseball.
Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays
The Brewers traded Grant to the Tampa Bay Rays on July 27, 2007. He finished that season with the Rays and signed a new contract with them.
In 2008, Grant worked hard to earn a spot in the Rays' bullpen. He was sent to a minor league team but was called back up to the Major Leagues on May 29, 2008. He quickly showed how valuable he was. On May 31, he earned his first save with the Rays. He also helped the team win two games against the Chicago Cubs in June.
Grant had an amazing 2008 season. He finished with a very low ERA of 1.54 and a 6–2 record. He also had 4 saves and 82 strikeouts. He played a key role in helping the Rays win their first division title and the American League pennant. They even made it to the World Series that year!
In 2009, Grant chose not to play for Australia in the World Baseball Classic because his team asked him to focus on the Rays. That season was not as successful for the Rays or for Grant, but he still pitched in many games.
Grant was known for being very intense on the mound. He would often talk to himself to get pumped up during games. In a playoff game in 2008, he had a misunderstanding with a player from the Chicago White Sox. The other player thought Grant was yelling at him, but Grant was just yelling at himself. They cleared things up later, and there were no more problems.
Time with the Oakland Athletics
On January 18, 2011, Grant signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics. He became the team's main closer in 2012. A closer is a pitcher who comes in at the end of a game to protect a lead and get the final outs. Grant had 24 saves in 2012.
In 2013, Grant set a new record for the Athletics by earning his 41st consecutive save. This was a huge achievement! Later that year, he was chosen to be an All-Star pitcher, which means he was recognized as one of the best players in the league.
He finished 2013 with 38 saves and a good ERA. He also pitched well in the playoffs against the Detroit Tigers. In one playoff game, there was a heated moment between Grant and a Tigers player, which caused both teams to come onto the field. The Athletics won that game, but they lost the series in the end.
Returning to the Tampa Bay Rays
In December 2013, Grant almost signed a contract with the Baltimore Orioles. However, the deal did not go through after a physical examination. Grant said he was healthy, and other doctors agreed with him.
He then signed a two-year contract to return to the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2014, he started the season as the closer but was later moved to a different role.
The Rays released Grant in April 2015, but he signed a minor league deal to stay with them. He pitched well in the minor leagues, but he decided to end his contract in May.
On April 29, 2016, Grant Balfour officially announced his retirement from baseball.
Grant's Life Outside Baseball
Grant's father, David, was also involved in sports. He was a rugby player and later managed the Sydney Blue Sox baseball team. David passed away in 2015.
In February 2015, Grant Balfour was honored by being inducted into the Baseball Australia Hall of Fame. This is a special award for players who have made a big impact on baseball in Australia.
See also
- Baseball Australia Diamond Awards
- List of Major League Baseball players from Australia
