Phil Brassington
Encyclopedia
Phillip Brassington is an Australian right-handed pitcher.
After a year of college baseball with the Lamar University
Cardinals
, Brassington was drafted by Kansas City Royals
in 5th Round (133rd overall) of 1993 amateur entry draft
and played the 1993 season with the Eugene Emeralds
as a starting pitcher where he finished with a season ERA of 2.42.
For ten years, Brassingtons professional career was plagued by elbow, shoulder and rotator cuff
injuries, but still managed to make the 1999 and 2000 U.S. Northern League All-Star teams and play in the Australian Baseball League on and off throughout its existence. He also debuted for the Australian national baseball team in 1996. Brassington played his last full season of professional baseball until 2003 with Allentown
in the independent Northeast League.
After Brassington tore his labrum in half, he was told his pitching career may be over. However, instead of giving away his career, Brassington worked on his knuckleball
in order to keep him in the sport and after tinkering with it in a year of local club ball with Tuggeranong Vikings in Canberra, Brassington was selected for the 2006 World Baseball Classic
and pitched against Venezuela.
Brassington wasn't selected for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
, however he played for Australia Provincial
in Claxton Shield 2008
and South Australia
in Claxton Shield 2009
.
After a year of college baseball with the Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...
Cardinals
Lamar Cardinals
The Lamar Cardinals refers to the collegiate athletic teams of Lamar University. The inception of the nickname "Cardinals" dates back to the schools name change to Lamar in 1932. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
, Brassington was drafted by Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
in 5th Round (133rd overall) of 1993 amateur entry draft
1993 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft.-Compensation picks:-Other notable players:*Scott Rolen was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round of the 1993 amateur draft....
and played the 1993 season with the Eugene Emeralds
Eugene Emeralds
The Eugene Emeralds is a minor league baseball team in Eugene, Oregon, United States. They are a short-season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been a farm team of the San Diego Padres since 2001....
as a starting pitcher where he finished with a season ERA of 2.42.
For ten years, Brassingtons professional career was plagued by elbow, shoulder and rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
injuries, but still managed to make the 1999 and 2000 U.S. Northern League All-Star teams and play in the Australian Baseball League on and off throughout its existence. He also debuted for the Australian national baseball team in 1996. Brassington played his last full season of professional baseball until 2003 with Allentown
Allentown Ambassadors
The Allentown Ambassadors were an independent baseball team that competed in the Northeast League and the Northern League from 1997 until 2003. They played their home games at Allentown, Pennsylvania's Bicentennial Park.- History :...
in the independent Northeast League.
After Brassington tore his labrum in half, he was told his pitching career may be over. However, instead of giving away his career, Brassington worked on his knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
in order to keep him in the sport and after tinkering with it in a year of local club ball with Tuggeranong Vikings in Canberra, Brassington was selected for the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
and pitched against Venezuela.
Brassington wasn't selected for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
, however he played for Australia Provincial
Australia Provincial
Australian Provincial compete in the Claxton Shield Baseball Championship in Australia. Provincial were formed for the 2002 International Baseball League of Australia Championship, since 2003 they have competed in the Claxton Shield....
in Claxton Shield 2008
Claxton Shield 2008
The 74th Claxton Shield was held from 28 December 2007 to 10 February 2008. The 2008 Shield was conducted on a Home and Away series made up of 2 Divisions; Eastern Division: Australian Provincial, New South Wales Patriots and the Queensland Rams, Southern Division: Perth Heat, Victoria Aces and...
and South Australia
South Australia (Baseball Team)
South Australia compete in the Claxton Shield Baseball Championship in Australia. They were one of the founding teams of the Claxton Shield in 1934 and competed until 1988 where the Claxtion Shield was thereafter awarded to the winner of the Australian Baseball League until 1999 when they were...
in Claxton Shield 2009
Claxton Shield 2009
The 2009 Diamond Anniversary Claxton Shield was the 75-year anniversary of the Claxton Shield and was held from 2 December 2008 to 8 February 2009 and was the Shield's Diamond anniversary...
.