Friday, June 17, 2005
Fresh start satisfies Brower
CINCINNATI -- When Jim Brower was released by the Giants on Sunday, he quickly found he had a couple of other employment options. But when he learned the Braves were one of those interested teams, the right-handed reliever felt Atlanta was where he needed to be.
"I came here because of the organization, what they've done in the past and what I think they're going to continue to do, [which is] have success and win," Brower said.
Brower signed with the Braves on Wednesday and got a chance to meet many of his new teammates before Thursday night's game against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. The 32-year-old adds veteran leadership and depth to a Braves bullpen that has struggled during the past two months.
Braves manager Bobby Cox said he could use Brower both as a late-inning setup man or as a long reliever.
"I told him to be ready -- however the game is going," Cox said. "He's ready to go."
In 32 appearances that totaled 30 1/3 innings with the Giants this year, Brower was 2-1 with a 6.53 ERA. The numbers weren't as impressive as last year, when in 89 appearances with the Giants, he posted a 3.29 ERA. But most of the damage against him this season came in a small amount of games.
"There's three games I'd love to have back," Brower said. "They're bittersweet. You feel good, but runs happen."
Brower allowed a total of four earned runs in his first two appearances of the season and then allowed just three more during his final 11 appearances in April. His most recent struggles came on June 5, when he allowed four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Mets.
Because Giants manager Felipe Alou utilizes many of his relievers in situational roles, Brower is happy with the fact that he's allowed just eight of the 30 runners he's inherited this year to score.
"I was happy with what I did situationally," Brower said. "I didn't stop my own runs from scoring too well, but I was stopping everybody else's."
Brower hasn't made a start since 2001, and he doesn't see it in his future with the Braves this year.
"The versatility that I bring is probably better out of the 'pen," said Brower, who took Tim Hudson's spot on the 25-man roster when the veteran hurler was placed on the disabled list Thursday afternoon.
Tim Hudson / P
Born: 07/14/75
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 165 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
Team Site | Shop
Rotation changes: With Hudson on the disabled list with a left oblique injury, Cox has opted to start both Jorge Sosa and Kyle Davies on short rest this weekend. Sosa will pitch on Saturday and Davies will throw in Sunday's series finale against the Reds.
"This will help our bullpen," Cox said. "They've [relievers] been getting a lot of work."
Sosa needed 74 pitches to complete five innings and limit the Rangers to two runs in his first start of the season on Tuesday. As for Davies, he needed 81 pitches to complete a career-low 2 1/3-inning stint on Wednesday night.
Thanks to an off-day on Monday, barring any further injuries, Cox won't have to dip into his Minor League system to get another starter until June 25. At that time the Braves will likely promote Seth Greisinger, who limited the Pirates to two earned runs in five innings in a June 5 spot start at PNC Park.
More respect for Cox: In a players poll that is in this week's Sports Illustrated, Cox was voted as the top manager in baseball. He received 37 percent of the votes, easily outdistancing runner-up Joe Torre, who received 17 percent.
Major League players, who were polled during Spring Training, also voted the Nationals' Frank Robinson and the Rangers' Buck Showalter as the worst managers in the game. Both received 12 percent of the votes.
Time change: ESPN has chosen the July 3 game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park as its Sunday Night Game of the Week. The game time has been moved from 1:35 p.m. ET to 8:05 p.m. ET.
Coming up: Horacio Ramirez (4-4, 5.20 ERA) will oppose Ramon Ortiz (2-4, 6.10 ERA) in Friday night's game against the Reds. Ramirez has allowed a team-high 12 homers. Cincinnati, entering Thursday, had hit a league-leading 52 homers in its first 35 home games.
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
"I came here because of the organization, what they've done in the past and what I think they're going to continue to do, [which is] have success and win," Brower said.
Brower signed with the Braves on Wednesday and got a chance to meet many of his new teammates before Thursday night's game against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. The 32-year-old adds veteran leadership and depth to a Braves bullpen that has struggled during the past two months.
Braves manager Bobby Cox said he could use Brower both as a late-inning setup man or as a long reliever.
"I told him to be ready -- however the game is going," Cox said. "He's ready to go."
In 32 appearances that totaled 30 1/3 innings with the Giants this year, Brower was 2-1 with a 6.53 ERA. The numbers weren't as impressive as last year, when in 89 appearances with the Giants, he posted a 3.29 ERA. But most of the damage against him this season came in a small amount of games.
"There's three games I'd love to have back," Brower said. "They're bittersweet. You feel good, but runs happen."
Brower allowed a total of four earned runs in his first two appearances of the season and then allowed just three more during his final 11 appearances in April. His most recent struggles came on June 5, when he allowed four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Mets.
Because Giants manager Felipe Alou utilizes many of his relievers in situational roles, Brower is happy with the fact that he's allowed just eight of the 30 runners he's inherited this year to score.
"I was happy with what I did situationally," Brower said. "I didn't stop my own runs from scoring too well, but I was stopping everybody else's."
Brower hasn't made a start since 2001, and he doesn't see it in his future with the Braves this year.
"The versatility that I bring is probably better out of the 'pen," said Brower, who took Tim Hudson's spot on the 25-man roster when the veteran hurler was placed on the disabled list Thursday afternoon.
Tim Hudson / P
Born: 07/14/75
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 165 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
Team Site | Shop
Rotation changes: With Hudson on the disabled list with a left oblique injury, Cox has opted to start both Jorge Sosa and Kyle Davies on short rest this weekend. Sosa will pitch on Saturday and Davies will throw in Sunday's series finale against the Reds.
"This will help our bullpen," Cox said. "They've [relievers] been getting a lot of work."
Sosa needed 74 pitches to complete five innings and limit the Rangers to two runs in his first start of the season on Tuesday. As for Davies, he needed 81 pitches to complete a career-low 2 1/3-inning stint on Wednesday night.
Thanks to an off-day on Monday, barring any further injuries, Cox won't have to dip into his Minor League system to get another starter until June 25. At that time the Braves will likely promote Seth Greisinger, who limited the Pirates to two earned runs in five innings in a June 5 spot start at PNC Park.
More respect for Cox: In a players poll that is in this week's Sports Illustrated, Cox was voted as the top manager in baseball. He received 37 percent of the votes, easily outdistancing runner-up Joe Torre, who received 17 percent.
Major League players, who were polled during Spring Training, also voted the Nationals' Frank Robinson and the Rangers' Buck Showalter as the worst managers in the game. Both received 12 percent of the votes.
Time change: ESPN has chosen the July 3 game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park as its Sunday Night Game of the Week. The game time has been moved from 1:35 p.m. ET to 8:05 p.m. ET.
Coming up: Horacio Ramirez (4-4, 5.20 ERA) will oppose Ramon Ortiz (2-4, 6.10 ERA) in Friday night's game against the Reds. Ramirez has allowed a team-high 12 homers. Cincinnati, entering Thursday, had hit a league-leading 52 homers in its first 35 home games.
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
