Top 100 Angels: Brendan DONNELLY #59

by Rev Halofan on Dec 24, 2008 2:00 PM PST in 100 Top Angels

If right handed reliever Brendan Donnelly is under-appreciated for his contributions to the Angels, it was only his misfortune to pitch in the shadow of Percival, Shields and Frankie. In 295 innings as an Angel, he had 295 strikeouts. He was easily the best middle reliever in franchise history next to Scot Shields. My writeup of him from our post-2005 list can be read at the link below.

On his story to the big leagues alone, Brendan Donnelly is in the top ten of Angels about whom they would likely make a movie. He made his debut at age 30 years, 9 months and 5 days - a senior citizen first, a rookie second. He had crossed a picket line on bad advice from an agent in 1995 and was not allowed in the Players' Union. He wore a gold chain that he bought with his first professional baseball check in June of 1992. That chain was almost ten years in his possession when he walked onto a major league mound for the first time on April 9, 2002. What was a warm story in the hearts of Angel fans soon became a dominant force in the league, solidifying the early `00s Angels' bullpen as the best in baseball.

Brendan Donnelly has pitched for the Angels for four seasons, 2003 being his most stellar where he was the winning pitcher in the All Star Game on the way to compiling a miniscule 1.58 ERA. In addition to playing a role in the 2004 and 2005 A.L. West Division winners, Donnelly's amazing 7+ innings of scoreless relief were a critical component of the Angels' 2002 World Series Championship. He gave up only a single hit and struck out 6 Giants - pretty good for a guy who wasn't on the opening day roster. Donnelly was the Winning Pitcher in Game 6, the greatest comeback in an elimination game in World Series history.

Whether it is his 2004 nose job after being hit in the face with a batting practice flyball in Spring Training or an ejection for the dollop of pine tar on his glove in 2005, Donnelly has been a colorful character in Angel Lore. In Angel Stadium, his entry from the bullpen is accompanied by AC/DC's Thunderstruck, and it is one song Angel fans are always happy to hear.

Career Stats

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Go gettem next year, what have we got to lose--Frankie?

by AnaheimHalos61 on Dec 24, 2008 3:12 PM PST reply actions

I loved Donnelly.

Stupid scab rules prevent him from having his name listed on our official World Series roster.

This is the worst offseason in years. I do not even want to talk about it.

by hauldog on Dec 24, 2008 3:44 PM PST reply actions

Stupid scab rules prevent him from having his name listed on our official World Series roster.

So what if it wasn’t listed on the roster. He knows he was there. We know he was there. The team thought enough of him that they had special shirts made with his name on them, and I even have one of those special shirts.

He’s a poster boy for persistance.

by pattimelt on Dec 24, 2008 5:10 PM PST reply actions

Agreed~!

I really liked Donnelly and we’ve struggled to replace his reliability since he moved on with not so great free agents like Romero and Spewer. I think he was the unsung cog that perfectly supplement the work of Shields and Rodriguez. When they were together the bullpen was at their best.

I also miss the beards that Donnelly and Weber sported during the 2002 run.

by lilbobdog on Dec 24, 2008 5:24 PM PST reply actions

the absolute best

never saw a harder worker in an angel uniform. i absolutely loved the man. he was the so damn good.

by dirty1 on Dec 25, 2008 8:57 AM PST reply actions

I liked the way he hitched up his britches after

he struck people out.

"…he has a 2 seam ‘heavy’ fastball that has sink but he does not throw a ‘sinker’." Angel Aviator on Jake Peavy.

by GarretSaysSuckIt on Dec 25, 2008 11:21 PM PST reply actions

Brings back memories of that dominant 2002 bullpen

I haven’t been around forever, but that has to be one of the best bullpens ever assembled in contemporary times. You knew deep down inside the game was over for the other team once the Angels took the lead or were tied.

When Frankie came along towards the very end of the season you now had 3 closers in Frankie, Donnelly, and Percy. It’s just frustrating that they don’t get the recognition that the Reds Nasty Boys get. I hope 15 years from now we will see Frankie, Donnelly, and Percy throwing out the first pitch(s) in an Angels WS game.

by stolenbases on Dec 27, 2008 4:14 PM PST reply actions