Pitcher Clay Hensley will retire from baseball
By David Miniel
Veteran right-handed relief pitcher Clay Hensley will be walking away from professional baseball as he made his final outing with the Sugar Land Skeeters according to James Larken Smith on Twitter.
Hensley was drafted by the San Francisco Giants during the eighth round of the 2002 Major League Draft, then was traded to the San Diego Padres a year later for relief pitcher Matt Herges. Hensley hit a snag in his career when it was revealed that he tested positive for steroids during the early part of the 2005 Minor League season.
He was able to bounce back from the 15 game suspension and not allow a home run through 47 and two-third innings later that year. In 2006, Hensley was placed in San Diego’s rotation where he picked up 29 starts, posting a 3.71 ERA.
On August 4, 2007, Hensley was pitching against the San Francisco Giants. The biggest story in all of sports at the time was Barry Bonds looking to tie home run king Hank Aaron for 755 career home runs. Unfortunately for Hensley, he will be forever known as the man who gave up the pitch that allowed Bonds to tie Aaron atop the all-time home run list.
Fast forward a handful of seasons later and he signs with the Washington Nationals on January 24. His stay with the Nationals didn’t last long as he was released shortly after signing. He was later picked up by the Sugar Land Skeeters.