Rays/MLB

Accidental fireman

The Rays' Brian Meadows does not consider himself a closer, but has done well in his brief time as one.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published July 28, 2006

NEW YORK - His teammates call him Ice Man these days, and Brian Meadows couldn't be more disgusted - or amused.

The Devil Rays pitcher, who took over as closer after Tyler Walker blew out his elbow, said the nickname is only marginally better than Eck, in what Meadows knows is a mocking, though good-natured, comparison to Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley.

In fact, Meadows said, "The word closer and me should never be in the same sentence."

The way he figures it, "I got the job because they knew I would get three outs quick so I could come inside and have a Bud Light."

Self-deprecating analysis aside, Meadows has found a niche, as temporary as it might be, in one of baseball's most demanding positions.

He also has turned into a reliable arm in a generally young and inexperienced bullpen that is crying for consistency and entered Thursday last in the majors in ERA and opponent batting average.

Since moving from a setup role in mid June, Meadows has converted six of six save chances, held opponents to a .222 average and allowed three earned runs in 18¹/₃ innings for a 1.47 ERA.

Just as notable, is the way he steadied himself after a rocky April which ended with four outings and an 11.37 ERA.

"He's been an adder to this team," pitching coach Mike Butcher said. "He has secured our bullpen and filtered into a nice role. He's done a great job."

But call Meadows a closer and it seems he barely keeps a straight face.

"That label was put on me by everybody else," he said. "I have no characteristics of any closer. I don't throw the ball hard. I don't have all these different types of pitches they have. I just come in and try to throw strikes and let them hit the ball at somebody."

Meadows said he will gladly relinquish the role if Dan Miceli is ready when he returns from a rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Montgomery. And Walker's job is safe when he returns next season. But to believe Meadows was a radical choice misses the big picture.

In his seventh full season, Meadows, 30, has been a starter, a long reliever and short man. In other words, the right-hander has done it all. He has pitched for the Marlins, Royals, Padres and Pirates and spent the spring in Dodgers camp before signing for $600,000 with the Rays as a free agent.

Meadows pitched little for Los Angeles and acknowledged he wasn't ready when the season began, so his rough start was not unexpected. But the more Meadows worked, the more his arm responded, and since the beginning of May, the Montgomery, Ala., native has been in 28 games with a 2.55 ERA, 17 strikeouts and five walks.

The last two stats best explain why Meadows was picked as fill-in closer.

"It's all about command," Butcher said. "Everything he throws, he throws for strikes. Command your fastball and you have a chance to win. If the rest of our guys can command their fastball like he does, we're going to grow into a good staff."

Meadows said he has kept the same mind-set from his other pitching incarnations.

He said he is not much for scouting reports because he doesn't know his own strategy until warmups, when he figures out how his body feels and which pitches are working. To complement a mid- to upper-80s fastball, he tries to hit corners, pitch up and down and use a curveball and changeup.

As for the stress of closing games with no margin for error, Meadows said it is better ignored.

"I try to think of it like I'm still pitching the seventh or eighth innings, like it's not a one-run lead," he said. "It doesn't matter what the score is, my goal is to get three outs quick and get back in the dugout."

A good strategy, considering the Rays, who tonight start a three-game series with the Yankees, lately haven't provided many save opportunities.

"He just brings a really consistent approach," fellow reliever Travis Harper said. "That's one of his strengths. We're going to have up days and down, so that approach is important."

"I'm just a guy pitching the ninth inning," Meadows said.

The nickname doesn't matter.

*   *   *

BRIAN MEADOWS

POSITION: Relief/closer.

BORN: Nov. 21, 1975, Montgomery, Ala.

AGE: 30.

HT/WT: 6-3/240.

BATS/THROWS: R/R.

SKINNY: Drafted by the Marlins in 1994 in the third round. ... Led Florida in 1998 with 11 victories, which also was second among National League rookies. ... Led the Marlins in 1999 with 11 wins and 31 starts. ... Had a career-high 13 wins in 2000 with the Padres and Royals. ... Third on the Pirates in 2004 with a career-high 68 appearances.

[Last modified July 28, 2006, 06:02:40]