Brad Hennessey is a starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ... The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California. ...

Hennessey was drafted in the first round of the 2001 MLB draft out of Youngstown State. After posting a 2.38 ERA in nine Northwest League starts, Hennessey was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his back. He had it removed in February of 2002, but it grew back later that season, putting him out for the rest of the season. After battling inconsistency in 2003 while building up arm strength, Hennessey found himself in the Major Leagues in 2004, making his first start against Greg Maddux, who was looking for his 300th win. Although Hennessey lost the game and Greg Maddux got his 300th win, the Giants were impressed with Hennessey's poise, and he made six more starts, finishing with a 2-2 record and 4.98 ERA. Brad Hennessey found himself in the big leagues again in May of 2005, and ended up making 21 starts, tallying a 5-8 record and 4.64 ERA, in a campaign where he showed flashes of brilliance, but was maddeningly inconsistent. Hennessey looks to compete for a spot in the 2006 San Francisco Giants starting rotation.