| Danny Graves | |
|---|---|
 Graves with theRochester Red Wings in 2008 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1973-08-07)August 7, 1973 (age 52) Saigon,South Vietnam | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 13, 1996, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 9, 2006, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 43–44 |
| Earned run average | 4.05 |
| Strikeouts | 429 |
| Saves | 182 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Daniel Peter Graves (born August 7, 1973) is aVietnamese-born American former professionalbaseball player and current baseball analyst. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handedpitcher from 1996 to 2006, most prominently as a member of theCincinnati Reds where he was their primaryrelief pitcher for five seasons and became the franchise's all-time leader in careersaves. A two-time National LeagueAll-Star, Graves was the winner of the 2002Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. Graves also pitched for theCleveland Indians and theNew York Mets.
Born to aVietnamese mother and an Americanserviceman father, Graves is the onlyVietnam-born player in Major League history and one of the few American players of Vietnamese descent.[1] After his playing career he became a radio and televisionbaseball analyst. Graves was inducted into theCincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2023.[2]
During theVietnam War, Graves was born inSaigon to Thao and Jim Graves, aU.S. Armysergeant. The family fled the country when Graves was 14 months old after they learned of the impendingfall of Saigon. After settling in the United States, Graves and his brother, Frank, spokeVietnamese until teasing from classmates caused them to abandon the language.[3]
He graduated fromBrandon High School inBrandon, Florida, and was awarded abaseball scholarship to theUniversity of Miami. As a right-handed relief pitcher for the school as a junior, he posted a 0.89earned run average and led collegiate baseball with a school-record 21saves.
TheCleveland Indians selected Graves in the fourth round of the1994 Major League Baseball draft. He tore hisACL during theCollege World Series two days after being drafted. After a year of rehabilitation, he was named Cleveland's top minor league pitcher of1995 and was in the major leagues a year later. He was traded to theCincinnati Reds in July1997.
In his first nine seasons with Cleveland and Cincinnati, Graves compiled a 40–42 record as a pitcher with 406strikeouts, a 3.89 ERA, and 172saves in 755.2 innings. He is the only player ever to have more than one season in which all his hits werehome runs. This happened in2000 and2001, with one homer each.
In 2003, Graves was converted into a starter. He went 4–14 as a starter in 26 starts.[4]
In 2004, Graves was again used as a closer. On April 16, 2004, Graves gave up a milestone and game-tying home run toSammy Sosa in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game ended two pitches later, with Graves allowing a walk-off home run toMoisés Alou. Graves went on to save 41 games in the 2004 season.
The 2005 season did not start well for Graves. He struggled, posting a 7.36 ERA through 20 games. Fans inCincinnati took notice and consistently booed Graves, leading up to a May 23 incident when Graves made an obscene hand gesture to a fan that leaned in the dugout after being called a "gook" while getting taken out of the game by Reds managerDave Miley.[5] The Reds quickly released Graves after the incident.[6] He was later signed as a free agent by theNew York Mets on June 11, 2005.[6]
After putting up a 5.89 ERA with the Mets, he was designated for assignment on August 23, 2005. He cleared waivers and was sent toTriple-ANorfolk on August 26, but was called back to the Mets when rosters expanded. Graves was 0–2 with an 18.00 ERA in five games with Norfolk.[7]
On December 19, 2005, Graves signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians. He pitched well inspring training, earning a spot in the Indians'bullpen, but was designated for assignment on May 12,2006, after he opened the season with a 2–1 record and 5.79 ERA in 13 relief appearances.[8]
On May 18, 2006, Graves was assigned to the Indians' Triple-A affiliate, theBuffalo Bisons, inBuffalo. He finished the 2006 season with the Bisons with a 4.01 ERA (1 Win, 1 Loss).
Graves signed a minor league deal with the Rockies on December 19, 2006.[9] He was released during Spring training in March 2007 before the season.[10] During the 2007 season, Graves was on the roster of theLong Island Ducks of the independentAtlantic League of Professional Baseball, leading the league in saves.[11][12]
Graves later signed with theMinnesota Twins on March 30,2008, and played for the Triple-ARochester Red Wings most of the year.[13] He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros in January2009. The Astros released him on March 25,2009.[12][14]
Danny Graves was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame on July 15, 2023, for his successful career.[15]
Graves is now a baseball analyst on120 Sports, "The Rally" on Bally Sports network, MLB.com, MLB Network Radio Sirius XM, and ESPN Radio. He joined theReds Radio Network to do color commentary for select games in 2018.[16]
Graves is married with two children and has four children from a previous marriage.
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