Brady Clark

Infobox MLB player
name=Brady Clark
position=Outfielder
team=New York Mets
number=44
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1973|4|18
debutdate=September 3
debutyear=2000
debutteam=Cincinnati Reds
statyear=2007
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.278
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=36
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=209
teams=
*Cincinnati Reds (by|2000-by|2002)
*New York Mets (by|2002)
*Milwaukee Brewers (by|2003-by|2006)
*Los Angeles Dodgers (by|2007)
*San Diego Padres (by|2007)
*New York Mets (by|2008)

Brady William Clark (born April 18, 1973 in Portland, Oregon) is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the New York Mets. Brady is a class of 1991 graduate of Sunset High School in Portland, Oregon and 1996 graduate of the University of San Diego. He was a West Coast Conference All-Star in 1995 in college.

Cincinnati Reds

Clark was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Reds in by|1996 after graduating from college. He began his professional career with the Class-A Burlington Bees in by|1997, hitting .325 with 11 homers and 31 steals and being selected to the Midwest League All-Star team.

He played for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts in by|1998-by|1999|99. In 1999, he hit .326 with 17 homers and 25 steals. He was honored with a selection as a Double-A All-Star, Southern League All-Star and Southern League Most Valuable Player.

Clark played for the Triple-A Louisville RiverBats in by|2000 and by|2001.

Clark made his major league debut on September 3, 2000, as a pinch hitter against the Montreal Expos and he recorded his first big league hit on September 13 against Felix Heredia of the Chicago Cubs. His first home run was against Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle as the leadoff hitter in the 1st inning on June 13, 2001.

New York Mets (1st time)

Clark was traded by the Reds to the New York Mets on August 15, by|2002 for Shawn Estes. He played in 10 games for the Mets, primarily as a pinch hitter in 2002, getting 5 hits in 12 at bats.

Milwaukee Brewers

He was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers from the New York Mets in by|2003. Following the by|2004 season the Brewers traded starting center fielder Scott Podsednik for Carlos Lee, clearing the way for Brady Clark to become the starting center fielder. Clark made the most of the opportunity in by|2005 with a team leading batting average of .306 with 94 runs scored. Clark established career highs in batting average, hits, runs scored, doubles, home runs, RBI, sacrifice hits, hit by pitches, and bloop singles in 145 games played in the 2005 season.

Following Clark's breakout 2005 season, the Brewers and Clark entered into contract negotiations. In a deal to avoid an arbitration hearing on February 8, by|2006 at 9:30 a.m., Clark and the Brewers agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million contract after a long negotiation process at 1:45 a.m., with under eight hours before the hearing was scheduled to begin. After announcing the original deal that morning, the sides would agree to a two-year, $7 million deal later in the day with just one phone call [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060208&content_id=1308607&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil The Official Site of The Milwaukee Brewers: News: Clark, Brewers avert arbitration ] ] .

Los Angeles Dodgers

On March 26, by|2007, Clark and cash considerations were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Elmer Dessens [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070326&content_id=1860018&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Dodgers acquire Clark from Brewers ] ] . Clark made his Dodgers debut on April 2, 2007, at Miller Park, his former home ballpark when he played with the Brewers. Entering the game in the 6th inning, Clark recorded a 9th inning, one-out double, one of only two Dodger hits on the day off Brewers ace Ben Sheets [ [http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070402&content_id=1874746&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil The Official Site of The Milwaukee Brewers: News: Milwaukee Brewers News ] ] .

He saw limited playing time with the Dodgers, primarily as a defensive replacement/pinch runner and was eventually released on June 20, 2007.

Boston Red Sox

Brady Clark was signed to a minor league deal by the Boston Red Sox on July 26, 2007 [ [http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=3130&line=217977&spln=1 Fantasy Baseball Breaking News - Rotoworld.com ] ] .He requested and had his release from Boston granted on August 6, 2007, after little over a week with their Triple-A club in Pawtucket.

San Diego Padres

Brady Clark was signed to a minor league deal by the San Diego Padres after being granted his release from the Red Sox on August 6, 2007. He was playing with the Portland Beavers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Padres in the Pacific Coast League, until the Padres called Clark up when the rosters expanded on September 1. On October 1, 2007, Clark played in a one game Wild Card playoff against the Colorado Rockies. He went 1-4 with one RBI, which came off a fielder's choice. He left the game in the top of the 10th inning for pinch hitter, Terrmel Sledge.

Clark was released by the Padres following the season on October 4, 2007.

New York Mets (2nd time)

Clark became a New York Met for the second time, signing a minor league contact in February 2008. Mets starters' injuries combined with a solid spring training won Clark a spot on the Mets opening day roster. However, he was designated for assignment a month into the season when Moisés Alou returned from an injury. [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txmetsclark&prov=st&type=lgns Mets designate OF Brady Clark - MLB - Yahoo! Sports ] ] He the joined the Mets Triple-A Club, the New Orleans Zephyrs.

Annual Salaries

* 2002 Cincinnati Reds/New York Mets $233,000
* 2003 Milwuakee Brewers $312,500
* 2004 Milwaukee Brewers $376,000
* 2005 Milwaukee Brewers $1,425,000
* 2006 Milwaukee Brewers $3,200,000
* 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers $3,800,000

References

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=276054 |espn=4529 |br=c/clarkbr02 |fangraphs=1398 |cube=c/brady-clark