Craig Anderson (Australia)

Craig Anthony Anderson

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 180 lb.

• High School Lisarow High School

• Born October 30, 1980 in Gosford, New South Wales Australia

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Craig Anderson was 83-61 in the affiliated minors, won one ERA crown and pitched in the Olympics twice but had not played a game in the major leagues.

Anderson was signed by the Seattle Mariners in February of 1999. He performed extremely well for the Everett AquaSox, going 10-2 with a 3.20 ERA. He walked only 13 batters in 90 innings. He led the Northwest League in wins and innings pitched and tied Wesley Crawford for the lead with two complete games. He was third in ERA behind Crawford and Rafael Soriano and third in strikeouts behind Aquilino Lopez and Soriano. Anderson was named to the NWL All-Star team as the top left-handed starting pitcher in the league.

In 2000, the teenager was 11-8 with a 3.71 ERA for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. In the 2000 Futures Game, he worked one hitless inning for the World team in a 3-2 loss.

He joined the Australian national team for the 2000 Olympics as their second-youngest player; only Chris Snelling was younger. Anderson struck out Omar Linares in a 1-0 loss to the Cuban national team, relieving Shayne Bennett at the end of the game. He tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the South Korean national team to pick up the win in a 5-3 decision. He pitched the final 2 1/3 innings in a 8-7, 12-inning loss to the Italian national team, allowing a two-run homer to Luigi Carrozza. Overall, he was 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA (2.58 RA) in the Olympics that year.

Anderson was with the 2001 San Bernardino Stampede, going 11-4 with a 2.26 ERA. He struck out 178 and walked 34 in 179 innings, allowing a .214 average. He led the California League in ERA and innings pitched. He also led Mariners farmhands in innings and was second in ERA to Jared Hoerman. He tied Mike Smith for 9th in the affiliated minors in ERA. Baseball America rated him as having the best control in the California League and the league's 20th-best prospect. He made the California League All-Star team.

In 2002, Craig went 7-7 with a 3.20 ERA for the San Antonio Missions and finished sixth in the Texas League in ERA. He made his third minor league All-Star team in four years.

Anderson made it to AAA with the 2003 Tacoma Rainiers. He had a 13-11, 3.56 record and finished 7th in the Pacific Coast League in ERA. He led the PCL with four complete games.

Anderson's dramatic rise stopped in 2004 as he struggled in his second go-around with Tacoma, going 4-8 with two saves and a 5.65 ERA. He still joined Australia for the 2004 Olympics. In game one, he allowed four runs in 7 innings as the starter and loser against the Cuban national team, who would go on to win the Gold Medal. Against the Greek national team, he was rocked for four runs in 2 1/3 innings in a 11-6 loss; Rich Thompson relieved Anderson. Anderson also was on the winning teams in the 2004 and 2005 Claxton Shield competition.

Anderson was let go by Seattle following 2004.

In 2005, Craig pitched in the Japanese industrial leagues and for the Brockton Rox (4-2, 3.67 in 6 games; 7 walks in 42 innings). He allowed two runs in six innings for Australia in the 2005 Baseball World Cup.

Anderson pitched 2/3 of an inning for the Aussies in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, allowing the last run in their 10-0 loss to the Italian national team.

Craig joined the Baltimore Orioles organization for 2006. He started the year with the Bowie BaySox (3-0, 2.28 in 8 games), moved up to the Ottawa Lynx (0-4, 5.59 in 9 games) then was demoted all the way to A ball (5-1, 4.78 in 11 games for the Frederick Keys. It was his first time in A ball in five years.

In 2007, Anderson pitched for Bowie (5-1, 5.27) and the Norfolk Tides (7-3, 2.98). He fared much worse in 2008 with Bowie (0-1, 5.87) and Norfolk (7-11, 6.51, 164 H in 113 1/3 IP) but still made Australia's roster for the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Craig struggled in the Classic, getting the start against the Mexican national team. Given a 3-0 lead in the first, he immediately blew it, giving up a single to Alfredo Amezaga, throwing a wild pitch, having Daniel Berg make an error, surrendering a double to Jorge Cantú and walking Scott Hairston. Jorge Vázquez homered to cap a 5-run inning. In the bottom of the second, Amezaga homered and Jerry Hairston Jr. doubled. Anderson had only retired 3 of 11 batters; he was replaced by Paul Mildren.

Anderson next played in the independent leagues. He had a 7-4, 3.62 record for the 2009 Brockton Rox (8th in the Canadian-American League in ERA) and 9-3, 4.31 for the 2010 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (7th in the Atlantic League in ERA had he qualified) For 2011, he signed with DOOR Neptunus. He took their first loss of the year. Relieving Jorian van Acker with a 2-2 tie in game 3 against the Amsterdam Pirates, he tossed a scoreless 8th. In the 9th, he walked Vince Rooi, who was bunted over. After an intentional walk, Wesley Connor singled to put men on the corners. Arshwin Asjes relieved and gave up a game-losing hit to Roeland Henrique.

Sources: 2007 Orioles Media Guide, Australian National Team Bio, MILB.com, 2000-2011 Baseball Almanacs, IBAF site, World Baseball Classic