What, him worry? Axford fits right in with Brewers

Search

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
34,770
Tokens
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/31/3806389/what-him-worry-axford-fits-right.html

What, him worry? Axford fits right in with Brewers



Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Published Sunday, Jul. 31, 2011



Nothing much bothers John Axford, which is probably why he has become such a dominant closer for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Last season, Axford was put in the unenviable position of succeeding all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman - while Hoffman still was on the team. Handling that potentially awkward situation with aplomb, Axford went on to convert 24 of 27 save opportunities to allow the Brewers to feel confident about that area of the club heading into 2011.
After working through some command issues early in the season, Axford again has been lights out. In saving all three games of the sweep over the Chicago Cubs, the lanky right-hander extended his string of consecutive conversions to 27, a club record.
It certainly was eye-opening - actually, ear-opening - when all-star leftfielder Ryan Braun said of Axford: "He might be our best player to this point. He has been awesome."
Braun also noted how impressive it has been that Francisco Rodriguez checked his ego at the door after being acquired from the New York Mets to handle eighth-inning duties ahead of Axford. The 1-2 punch of "K-Rod" and "Ax man" has allowed the Brewers to shorten games and force opponents to score earlier to win.
"You have to take advantage of every scoring opportunity you get because you know when you get to the seventh inning and you bring those bullpen guys in, it's going to be challenging to get one run," said Braun.
"It's nice that we've put ourselves in that position. We've got a lot of guys in the bullpen throwing the ball really well. As an opposing team, you know ahead of time if you don't score ahead of time, it's going to be challenging."
In co-existing peacefully with Hoffman and Rodriguez, not to mention the pressure of closing games, Axford has shown that few things ruffle his feathers.
"His personality I think allows him to do any role I ask," said manager Ron Roenicke . "If I went to him and said, 'I'd like for you to do the eighth inning,' I don't think he'd have any problem with it.
"He's got a different personality than most closers. I love his personality. Most guys are kind of locked in, serious, kind of macho guys. A lot of times you need that personality. 'Ax' is different. I like the guy. He's a character."
Whatever you want
Axford told a great story about the first game he pitched for the Brewers as a September call-up in 2009. Catcher Jason Kendall called for a changeup to one hitter, which caught Axford off-guard.
"I hadn't thrown one in four months," recalled Axford.
So, naturally, he shook off the sign, right?
"No, I didn't," said Axford. "It was Jason Kendall. I didn't want to shake him off, so I threw a changeup. He called for one, so I said, 'OK.' I did throw it for a strike, though."
Axford doesn't throw changeups anymore but he has been surrounded by closers who do. Hoffman was a changeup specialist. Rodriguez's best pitch is a changeup. For that matter, the closer whose consecutive saves streak was broken by Axford - Doug Jones - threw mostly changeups.
"It's been a good pitch for those guys," said Axford. "Not so much for me."
Speaking their minds
Many Cubs fans are, shall we say, not pleased with the performance of their club this season. Before the game against the Brewers at Miller Park on Tuesday, centerfielder Marlon Byrd became engaged in a shouting match with a nearby spectator.
Byrd was stretching on the field with teammates when the middle-aged man wearing a Cubs T-shirt shouted out that the team "sucks." Byrd told him to change his shirt if he didn't want to back the club.
When the fan shouted something back, Byrd called him "pathetic" and questioned whether he really was a supporter of the team. The two went back and forth for a few minutes with Byrd's voice rising, but he didn't want to talk about it afterward.
Manager Mike Quade defended Byrd, saying, "That's just him playing. He gets pumped up. I don't even know what took place. That's just back-and-forth banter. I don't think it's frustration."
Maybe not on Byrd's end.
Put up or shut up
With the Pittsburgh Pirates threatening to emerge from the baseball wilderness after 18 years of losing, their fans would like to see some wheeling and dealing to make the surprising club better.
General manager Neal Huntington, who has operated with a bargain-basement $42 million payroll, reportedly has been on the hunt for a hitter as well as a reliever to bolster his club. And he insisted he is serious about doing something to improve his club's chances.
"I am absolutely motivated to help this club, motivated by what (manager) Clint Hurdle has done, these players have done," Huntington said. "There is incredible motivation to add to this club.
"I'm not motivated to be foolish. In theory, it's easy to make a trade. In fantasy baseball, it's easy. If that player has a no-trade clause, that player has to be compelled to come to your city."
Huntington was referring to outfielder Carlos Beltran, who had a no-trade clause in his contract with the New York Mets and could orchestrate any trade he wanted. He gave the OK to go to San Francisco but apparently nixed any thoughts of a deal with the Pirates.
How motivated Huntington is to move a prospect remains to be seen.
"If there were a player out there that we felt could win the division for us, we'd give up a lot for him," he said. "We have players we're willing to move.
"The 'asks' that are out there, I think the fans would be even more upset if we made them."
No buyer's remorse?
Major League Baseball apparently has no lemon law because the $680 million sale of the Houston Astros to Jim Crane is set to be approved in the near future. The question is: Why would anybody pay that kind of money for such a moribund franchise?
Not only is Houston headed for its first 100-loss season, the farm system is considered nearly void of top prospects. The Astros' top three farm clubs are nearly 60 games below .500 and lame-duck general manager Ed Wade has been desperately trying to shed payroll.
Attendance at Minute Maid Park - which Crane doesn't get in the deal, by the way - is down some 30 percent since 2007. The Astros have drawn five of their 10 smallest crowds this season in the 12-year history of the facility.
Houston hit Milwaukee this weekend with a 35-70 record, and it took consecutive wins in St. Louis to get back to .333 ball. They hadn't been that many games below .500 since 1963 - the second year of business for the then-Houston Colt .45s.
Granted, only 30 people or groups can own major-league clubs, but careful what you wish for.
End of the road
Maybe he played better fatter. Veteran pinch hitter Matt Stairs showed up much thinner this spring but not as skinny as his batting average turned out to be in Washington.
The 43-year-old Stairs was designated for assignment Wednesday after batting .154 in 56 games. The all-time leader in pinch-hit home runs with 23, Stairs recorded only one extra-base hit - a double - and two RBI with the Nationals.
Stairs began the season 0 for 16 and never recovered.
"He never got sharp, and we never really got him sharp," manager Davey Johnson said. "And he didn't have the kind of production he wanted, or that the organization wanted."
Throughout his difficult season, Stairs hinted this would be his final stop in the big leagues. Assuming no other club picks him up, it's likely he has played his final game.
If so, Stairs will finish with a .262 average, 265 homers and 899 RBI in 1,895 games with the Expos, Red Sox, Athletics, Cubs, Brewers, Pirates, Royals, Rangers, Tigers, Blue Jays, Phillies, Padres and Nationals.
Money well spent
If it's possible for anyone to justify a $162 million contract, left-hander CC Sabathia is doing so in New York. In his first year with the Yankees after leaving Milwaukee as a free agent, they won the World Series in 2009. Last year, he pitched even better, going 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA in 238 innings.
But Sabathia has put the Yankees on his back like never before this season. When he beat Seattle, 4-1, on Tuesday, he retired the first 19 batters he faced and struck out a career-high 14 hitters in seven innings.
That performance gave Sabathia his 15th victory, tops in the major leagues. And don't forget, Sabathia pitches in the toughest division in the league, if not the majors.
"It's a beast," Sabathia said of pitching in the American League East. "You've got to bring your 'A' game every night."
Sabathia has done that for the most part, resulting in a 55-20 record in pinstripes.
"CC was good with Cleveland, outstanding with Milwaukee but coming here, I have seen CC develop character and a mentality to really battle that I haven't seen before," closer Mariano Rivera told the New York Post.
AROUND THE BASES
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
MLB: Los Angeles Angels RHP Ervin Santana
Santana became the third pitcher in the majors to throw a no-hitter this season in the Angels' 3-1 victory over Cleveland on Wednesday. The Indians scored an unearned run in the first inning and then had no chance against Santana, who finished with 10 strikeouts, including six of the last 11 batters he faced.
BREWERS: RHP John Axford
On Tuesday against the Cubs, Axford tied the club record of 25 consecutive saves established by Doug Jones in 1997. On Wednesday against the Cubs, he set the club record with his 26th straight save. On Thursday vs. the Cubs, he boosted the streak to 27 saves by finishing a three-game sweep. Not a bad series.


YOU FIGURE IT OUT
Neftali Feliz was a sensation as Texas' rookie closer in 2010, converting 40 of 43 save chances. Call it a sophomore slump if you will, but Feliz hasn't been nearly as dominant this season.
On Tuesday, Feliz blew his fifth save in 25 chances. Unable to command his fastball, he had issued 20 walks in 382/3 innings while logging only 27 strikeouts. Last season, he whiffed 71 in 691/3 innings with only 18 walks.
Manager Ron Washington said he'd like to see more "fire" from his closer, who often has exhibited bad body language on the mound. Feliz said that impression is false.
"Last year I was more nervous," he said. "Now, I feel more relaxed. I know what I'm doing out there."
 

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
34,770
Tokens
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/cardinals-acquire-reliever-axford-brewers-154913472--mlb.html
8-30-13
Cardinals acquire reliever Axford from Brewers

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-handed reliever John Axford from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday for a player to be named.
The 30-year-old Axford is expected to join the Cardinals on Friday night when they begin a seven-game road trip in Pittsburgh.
''John is a reliever that offers experience as both a setup man and closer,'' said Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak. ''He's also a pitcher who brings familiarity with the N.L. Central, pennant race baseball and the postseason.''
Axford is 6-7 this season with a 4.45 ERA and 19 saves in 62 games. He led the NL with 46 saves in 2011 while helping the Brewers to the NL Central title.
Axford, who began his career in 2009 with the Brewers, finished 21-19 with a 3.35 ERA in 268 games. He's 9-for-9 in career save opportunities at Busch Stadium, where he compiled a 1.69 ERA in 16 games.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
1,106,906
Messages
13,439,464
Members
99,345
Latest member
08winlink
The RX is the sports betting industry's leading information portal for bonuses, picks, and sportsbook reviews. Find the best deals offered by a sportsbook in your state and browse our free picks section.FacebookTwitterInstagramContact Usforum@therx.com