Bierbrodt anxious to return to mound

© St. Petersburg Times
published April 13, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- Nick Bierbrodt said he is throwing well enough to start facing hitters again.

The Rays have taken things slowly with Bierbrodt since he suddenly lost his control in a March 8 exhibition game, having him work on drills and limiting his pitching to bullpen sessions.

Bierbrodt said Friday he is ready to accelerate the program, at least to throwing batting practice and moving on to pitching in minor-league games.

"I know they want to take it slow, but I'm not too happy with their slowness," Bierbrodt said. "I feel I'm back to where it was before it happened. I'm not going to throw the ball behind anyone. I'm not going to kill anyone."

The Rays told Bierbrodt he will be reevaluated when they return from Detroit on Friday. Until then he'll continue to throw off the bullpen mound, trying to simulate game conditions.

"I pretend hitters are in the box," Bierbrodt said. "I'm throwing a no-hitter right now."

WHAT A NIGHT: A good night's sleep might have helped the Rays forget about the 12-run debacle in the sixth inning Thursday against the Orioles, but they didn't get one after arriving home around 3:30 a.m.

"It's laugh or go crazy," pitching coach Jackie Brown said. "It was ugly. There's no other way to say it. It was ugly. I'd never seen that many runs scored in one inning."

Relievers Travis Phelps, Jesus Colome and Steve Kent took much of the blame for the team-record 12 runs, one shy of the big-league record for sixth-inning runs, though they had help as the Rays bungled several fielding plays in turning a 6-3 lead into a 15-6 loss.

Brown said the Rays haven't lost any confidence in Phelps or Colome.

"Those things are going to happen to you," he said. "You're supposed to learn from them. It should make you a better player."

DOWN IS GOOD: After watching video of his first two disappointing starts, Tanyon Sturtze determined his primary problem was leaving too many pitches up in the strike zone.

"I've just got to get the ball down," Sturtze said. "The location on the plate hasn't been bad, but the pitches have been up."

Sturtze said the discomfort he felt in his right shoulder last week is gone.

"My bullpen (session on Wednesday) went fine and I haven't had any problems," he said. "It shouldn't be an issue."

THANKS: Brian Cooper pitched 31/3 innings for the Jays, allowing six runs on eight hits, and after the game he was sent to the minors. With two days off next week the Jays called up Pasqual Coco to join the bullpen. ... Justin Miller was the winner in his big-league debut.

NUMBERS GAME: The teams threw 386 pitches, 200 by the Rays. ... The 29 runs the Rays allowed in two nights were one shy of the team record. They gave up 30 in consecutive games against the Indians and White Sox in April 2000. The 34 hits allowed were two shy of the record from May 2001 against Detroit. The seven consecutive hits allowed by the Rays in the third were one shy of the team record. ... The Rays got a season-high 14 hits.

MINOR MATTERS: Top outfield prospect Josh Hamilton, who missed most of last season with a sore back, started his season at Class A Bakersfield in a big way Thursday, going 4-for-5. ... Rocco Baldelli was activated off the Bakersfield disabled list. ... Durham's Carl Crawford's hitting streak ended at seven games, 16 dating to last season. ... Shortstop Jace Brewer is off to a .406 start at Bakersfield.