How Is Dallas Braden Doing?

This past Sunday San Francisco CBS 5’s sports reporter Dennis O’Donnell sat down with ace hurler Dallas Braden. Their discussion focused mostly on Braden’s perfect game and how it has not changed him as a person or a player.

Last Mother’s Day Braden, who went 11-14 with a 3.50 ERA last season, pitched a perfect game against the Rays.  His grandmother was on hand to witness this special time for her grandson and  Braden could not of been happier that day.  However,  asked if he looks back on his most perfect game, he says that surprisingly he does not think about it much.  He is humbled by the fact that he was able to accomplish what he did.

O’Donnell asked him also how he feels about being the oldest pitcher on the A’s staff at a whopping 27 years old.  Braden said, “It’s kind of weird to be the oldest member.”  He still considers himself young.  He is also quick to praise the likes of his teammates Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson and Gio Gonzalez.  He says that he learns alot from them and knows quite well that his pitching speed is not the best compared to others on staff.

Another player that Braden has great respect for is none other than Giants championship pitcher, Brian Wilson.  Braden met Wilson while they were both playing winter ball in Thailand. Braden needed housing and ended up being house mates with Wilson.  Braden says they got along and are great friends.  When Braden pitched his perfect game last May, Wilson was quoted as saying, “There wasn’t a stronger figure in his life than his mother, who passed away when he was in high school.  Wasn’t by coincidence that he threw a perfect game for her on Mothers Day.  Epic story of the year.”

As for this season, Braden is confident in his pitching.  He’s honing his skills and according to the S.F. Chronicle,  down at Spring Training he’s been working on improving the cutter he picked up from former A’s reliever Russ Springer two years ago.  Braden can only get better during the season due to his positive even keel about the game and his pitching.  His motto is, “never get too high, never get too low and expect consistency out of it.”