| Bill Bray | |
|---|---|
 During his tenure with the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Relief pitcher | |
| Born: (1983-06-05)June 5, 1983 (age 42) Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 3, 2006, for the Washington Nationals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 30, 2012, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 13–12 |
| Earned run average | 3.74 |
| Strikeouts | 188 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
William Paul Bray (born June 5, 1983) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theWashington Nationals andCincinnati Reds. After retiring from baseball, he became an attorney.
A native ofVirginia Beach, Virginia, Bray attendedOcean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach. He is a graduate of theCollege of William & Mary.[1] In 2003, he playedcollegiate summer baseball for theOrleans Cardinals of theCape Cod Baseball League.[2]
Theleft-handed William Bray was the 13th overall selection in the2004 draft by the formerMontreal Expos franchise which relocated toWashington, D.C. and was renamed theWashington Nationals.
Bray made his Major League debut on June 3, 2006, against theMilwaukee Brewers[3] inMilwaukee. On the first pitch he threw in relief ofGary Majewski in the eighth inning,Brian Schneider threw outCorey Koskie attempting tosteal second base to end the inning. Schneider hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning,Chad Cordero came in to earn thesave and Bray was credited with awin in his debut with just one pitch thrown and without retiring a batter.[4]
Just over a month into his MLB career, on July 13, 2006, Bray, along with infieldersRoyce Clayton andBrendan Harris, relieverGary Majewski, and starterDaryl Thompson were traded to theCincinnati Reds foroutfielderAustin Kearns, infielderFelipe Lopez, and pitcherRyan Wagner.[5]
Bray began the 2009 season with theTriple-ALouisville Bats after failing to earn a spot on the Reds' roster.[6] After only a few games in Louisville, Bray underwentTommy John surgery to repair his left elbow and missed the rest of the year. Bray was called up to the Reds fromTriple-ALouisville June 27, 2010.[7] He made his 2010 debut with the Reds on June 28, pitching one inning against thePhiladelphia Phillies.[8]
In six seasons with the Reds, with 2008 and 2011 being his best, Bray had a 12–11 record, 3.72 ERA, and 172 strikeouts in174+1⁄3 innings in 258 appearances. On November 8, 2012, Bray electedfree agency after a disappointing 2012 season, in which he only pitched in 14 games.[9]
On November 28, 2012, Bray returned to the Nationals on a minor league contract.[10] He went to spring training with the Nationals, but on March 4, 2013, he was cut and sent to the team's minor league camp.[11] He pitched 15 games for the Double-AHarrisburg Senators in 2013, returning to free agency on November 4.[10]
Bray announced his retirement on Twitter on March 16, 2014.[12]
In 2015, Bray returned to Orleans of the Cape Cod League to serve as the pitching coach for his former team.[13]
Bray and his wife, Elaine, were married on December 2, 2006.[14] They have three daughters and one son.[15]
Following baseball, he returned to William & Mary to finish his undergraduate degree in finance. He graduated in May 2015.[15] He then attendWilliam & Mary Law School, graduating in 2018. He subsequently began practicing real estate law.[16]
In 2012, Bray shaved his head in an effort to raise funds for pediatric cancer.[17]
Bray wrote for several articles forThe Sporting News in 2014 and 2015.[18][19]
While playing, Bray was the Reds representative for theMLB Players Association and later served on the board of directors forMajor League Alumni Marketing.[16]
· Baseball Almanac