'Dream come true'

JAYS 5, RAYS 2: Former first-round pick Dewon Brazelton goes six in his debut; Tampa Bay turns a triple play.

By KEVIN KELLY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 14, 2002

TORONTO -- They planned to announce the news over the loudspeaker at the high school football game Friday.

Hundreds of miles from home, in Canada of all places, Tullahoma High graduate Dewon Brazelton made his major-league pitching debut for the Rays.

Though Tampa Bay lost 5-2 against the Blue Jays before 14,257 at SkyDome, Brazelton made a community proud, a mother teary-eyed and prompted plans to retire his high school baseball jersey.

"It's his dream come true," said his mother, Dianne Darlington, who flew from Nashville and attended the game after Brazelton was called up Friday from Triple-A Durham.

"It's what he's wanted all his life. I will never forget the day when I saw him on that mound."

Helped by two double plays and the first triple play in Rays history, Tampa Bay's first-round pick in 2001 allowed runs in two of the six innings he pitched.

All five runs Brazelton allowed came on homers.

"On the one part, I'm not so happy because I gave up five runs and we lost. I'm not real happy about that," the 22-year-old said. "On the other hand, I'm excited because I see that I can do it."

Brazelton's first loss was the 99th for the Rays this season. One more and Tampa Bay becomes the first team since the 1978-79 Blue Jays to lose 100 games in consecutive seasons.

"It was a good outing," manager Hal McRae said. "Generally, five keeps you in the ballgame. If we were scoring runs, we've got a chance to win. Not bad for his first outing."

This is not, however, Brazelton's first stint in the majors.

After signing a four-year, $4.8-million contract in August 2001, the Middle Tennessee State standout spent September 2001 watching from the bench.

Brazelton came to spring training this year believing he had a shot to make the big-league team only to have his confidence shaken when Tampa Bay sent him to Double-A Orlando.

"I think I ate the whole humble pie," Brazelton said. "That was the best thing for me because I learned that, hey, you still need to work. You still need to do this, and you still need to do that. I wasn't where I needed to be."

He started 27 games combined with Orlando and Durham. Thanks to his final eight starts, when he went 6-0 with a 1.06 ERA, Brazelton finished 6-9 with a 3.21 ERA in the minors.

"The experience is everything," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said. "I think it helped Dewon tremendously to go to the minors. He did come in with high expectations and, in some cases, unrealistic expectations. But I think he has his head screwed on the right way, and he's competed very well."

The last two weeks of the season could amount to a tryout for Brazelton, helping determine whether he will start 2003 in the minors or with the Rays.

"When a guy comes up in September, you really don't know what you've got until the following year," McRae said. "But that's all you've got to go by. You judge him on what you see, but it takes many starts (to evaluate a pitcher)."

So Brazelton could make his debut, Jorge Sosa was bumped from the rotation.

The Rule 5 rookie returns to the bullpen, where he started this season, but he made a favorable impression on McRae in his 14 starts. Sosa went 2-7 with a 5.81 ERA and will play in his native Dominican Republic this winter.

"He has the stuff to start, and he's a quick learner," McRae said. "It looks like he'll be durable. Naturally, he's going to get stronger."

The Rays gave Brazelton plenty of defensive support Friday but little offensive production against Toronto starter Roy Halladay.

They turned inning-ending double plays in the second and third. The defensive highlight was the club's first triple play and sixth in the majors this season during the fifth.

"It was total luck," shortstop Chris Gomez said. "Luckily, our guy was just standing there."

With runners on first and second, Toronto catcher Ken Huckaby lined out to second baseman Andy Sheets, who flipped to Gomez for the second out. Gomez then threw to first baseman Aubrey Huff for the third out.

"Thank god they had it because (the game) could've gotten ugly," Brazelton said. "I felt like I had luck on my side there. I'll take it any way I can get it."