Brian Bass
Brian Michael Bass is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Playing career
Kansas City Royals (2000–2006)
Bass, a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Alabama, was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft.After signing with the Royals, Bass played for the Rookie League Gulf Coast Royals in. He went 3–5 with a 3.89 ERA in 12 games. Bass also made one start at the Single-A level for the Charleston Alley Cats.
In, Bass played for the Single-A Burlington Bees. Making 26 starts, he had a 4.65 ERA and went 3–10; his 10 losses are still an all-time high for him. Bass played the entire season for the Bees again, improving his performance on the previous season, making 20 starts and finishing 5–7 with a 3.83 ERA.
Bass had the best season of his minor league career in while playing for the Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks. Making 26 starts, he went 9–8 with a 2.84 ERA. He was third on the team in wins, second in the team in games started and innings pitched, and led the team in strikeouts with 119. On August 6, against the Winston-Salem Warthogs, Bass came within one out of a no-hitter. Baseball America named Bass as the Royals eighth best prospect.
Bass went winless in while playing for the Rookie League Arizona Royals and the Double-A Wichita Wranglers. Losing a combined 5 games, he had a 5.94 ERA in 14 starts. In, while playing for the Wranglers again, Bass had a 12–8 record and a 5.24 ERA in 27 starts.
In, Bass split the season between the Arizona Royals, the Wichita Wranglers, and the Triple-A Omaha Royals. Making a combined 15 starts in 16 games, Bass went 6–7 with a 5.70 ERA. Bass became a minor league free agent after the season.
Minnesota Twins (2007–2008)
Bass, after leaving the Royals organization, signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins for the season. Bass played the entire season for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. Bass made 10 starts and 27 relief appearances, finishing the season 7–3 with a 3.48 ERA. Included in his 10 starts was a complete game shutout, the second in his career and the first since 2001. Bass became a minor league free agent after the season; but, was re-signed by the Twins to a major league contract on November 29,.Bass won a long relief role out of spring training with the Minnesota Twins. He made his major league debut on April 1 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, pitching 1.1 innings in relief in a 9–1 loss. Bass appeared in 44 games as a reliever for the Twins, going 3–4 with an ERA of 4.87 with one save before being sent outright to the minors on August 20.
Baltimore Orioles (2008–2009)
Bass was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on September 5,, for a PTBNL or cash considerations.On December 12, 2009, Bass was non-tendered by the Orioles, making him a free agent.