Dallas Braden

Dallas Lee Braden (born August 13, 1983) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator.

Braden was first drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 46th round of the 2001 MLB Draft, but he did not sign.

Braden played two seasons of college baseball at American River College in Sacramento County, California, where he posted a combined record of 12–4 including a complete game against Fresno City College while allowing one hit and striking out 14 batters.

He then played one season for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Oakland Athletics selected Braden out of Texas Tech in the 24th round of the 2004 MLB draft.

In 2004, Braden began the season with the Class A Short Season Vancouver Canadians.

He made eight relief appearances, picking up a pair of victories and was promoted to the Class A Kane County Cougars and pitched exclusively as a starter.

He made five starts for Kane County, and posted a 2–1 record.

In 2005, Braden split the season between the Class A-Advanced Stockton Ports and the Double-A Midland RockHounds.

He posted a 6–0 record for the Ports, and a 9–5 mark for the RockHounds.

His composite total of 15 wins led all A's minor league pitchers and earned him Pitcher of the Year honors for the Athletics organization.

He underwent shoulder surgery in the 2005–06 offseason.

At the beginning of his minor league career, Braden was known for throwing the screwball; he abandoned it shortly after his shoulder surgery.

Braden began the 2006 season on a rehabilitation assignment with the rookie league Arizona League Athletics.

He made six starts, going 2–0 and moved up to Stockton, where was also 2–0 with a 6.23 ERA.

He was promoted to Double-A Midland where he made one start, giving up six runs in 3 1⁄3 innings pitched while receiving a no decision.

His composite 2006 numbers were: 4–0 record, 4.10 ERA, 55 strikeouts and eight walks in 37 1⁄3 innings of work.

He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from 2007 to 2011 as a member of the Oakland Athletics.

Braden began the 2007 season in Double-A Midland and was promoted to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats after one start.

When Rich Harden got hurt on April 23, the Athletics promoted Braden to the majors to replace him.

On April 24, Braden made his first major league start and picked up the win against the Baltimore Orioles.

He went 1–8 that season for Oakland, pitching 72 1⁄3 innings across 20 games (14 starts) with 55 strikeouts and 26 walks.

In 2008, Braden split time between Triple-A Sacramento and Oakland.

He posted an ERA of 4.14 in 19 MLB games (10 starts), pitching 71 2⁄3 innings with 41 strikeouts and 25 walks.

Braden was Oakland's Opening Day starter in 2009, giving up three runs in six innings to the Los Angeles Angels on April 6 and taking the loss.

He spent the entire season with Oakland, appearing in 22 games (all starts) while compiling an 8–9 record with 3.89 ERA, pitching 136 2⁄3 innings with 81 strikeouts at 42 walks.

Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in Major League Baseball history on May 9, 2010.

On April 6, 2010, Braden's first outing of the season, he struck out a career high 10 batters in seven innings, allowing one run on four hits and walked one.

He received a no-decision, but the team got the win in the tenth inning.

On April 22, Braden was pitching against the New York Yankees when he became angry with Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for breaking an unwritten rule when Rodriguez ran across the pitcher's mound on his way back to first base after a foul ball.

At the end of the inning as the players were switching sides, Braden yelled at Rodriguez.

Rodriguez offered no apology and later engaged Braden in the press, pointing to his short career and losing record.

On May 9, 2010, Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in MLB history against the Tampa Bay Rays in Oakland.

The following season, shoulder problems were the first of a series of injuries that forced him to retire in 2014 after not throwing a pitch for two and a half seasons.

After his playing career, Braden became a television baseball analyst, working for the ESPN network.

Braden was born in Phoenix, Arizona.

He played Little League baseball in Stockton, California, in the Hoover Tyler Little League.

Braden graduated from Stagg High School in Stockton, where he played baseball and ran cross country.

His mother, Jodie Atwood, died of cancer during his senior year.

After his mother's death, he lived with his maternal grandmother.