View Full Version : Derrick Turnbow
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=338393#post338393 target=_blank>Brewers claimed Derrick Turnbow off waivers</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=356784#post356784post356784 target=_blank>Newcomer Breakdown</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=360963#post360963post360963 target=_blank>Brewers sign five to one-year deals</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=364008#post364008post364008 target=_blank>Fireballer takes it easy</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=367513#post367513post367513 target=_blank>Moving up the depth chart</a>
<b><font size=4>Taking the inside pitches from Maddux</font>
Turnbow improves under coach's guidance</b>
Phoenix - Thanks in large part to the teaching expertise of pitching coach Mike Maddux, the Milwaukee Brewers have done a nice job of resurrecting the careers of struggling pitchers. Dan Kolb, Doug Davis and Victor Santos come immediately to mind.
Derrick Turnbow just might become the next name on the list.
Turnbow wasn't as sharp as in previous outings in one inning of work Friday (two hits, one walk, one run) in a 5-1 loss to Oakland but remains in the thick of the running for a spot in the bullpen, according to manager Ned Yost.
"He's right in the middle of it," Yost said. "He's still in the running."
Claimed on waivers from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in October, Turnbow came to the Brewers' camp with a reputation for throwing hard and wild. In 39 career appearances with the Angels covering 59 2/3 innings, he issued 46 walks and struck out 43 hitters.
Maddux picked up a flaw in Turnbow's delivery before camp officially opened and he has been a different pitcher since. In five exhibition outings covering 5 1/3 innings, he has allowed five hits, one run (1.69 earned run average) with only two walks and five strikeouts.
Because Turnbow, 27, regularly throws in the mid- to high-90-mph range, some in the organization think he could be a big-league setup man if not a closer.
"We got a guy who threw tremendously hard who didn't throw strikes," Yost said. "We've gotten Turnbow up to 98 mph. It was a matter of getting him to repeat his mechanics so he can consistently throw strikes.
"With a guy like that, we might have a shot because I like Mike Maddux working with those guys. He's got a way of simplifying mechanics. This guy's throwing strikes now.
"He's making adjustments. I don't think he's ever done that before. At least, according to him he never had."
<b><font size=4>Still in it</font></b>
Yost declined the notion that Derrick Turnbow's chances to make the club were harmed on Monday. Turnbow surrendered two Padres runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Padres a 4-3 win. He surrendered four hits in 2/3 of an inning, all ground balls that eluded infielders.
"That's what we ask our pitchers to do," Yost said. "Go in with good stuff and get ground balls."
Another right-hander, Jeff Bennett, walked one in an otherwise perfect inning of work. It was his first outing since the Brewers mistakenly listed the former Rule 5 Draft pick among a round of roster cuts.
<b><font size=4>Not his fault</font></b>
Derrick Turnbow remains in contention for a bullpen job despite giving up two ninth-inning runs that allowed the Padres to pull out their victory. Turnbow allowed four singles, none of which was struck sharply yet found holes.
"We're asking him to get ground balls and he did," Yost said. "That's what you ask pitchers to do. They all found holes. It's hard to say he didn't do his job."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=371716#post371716post371716 target=_blank>Bullpen in flux</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=372235#post372235post372235 target=_blank>Not set yet</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=372253#post372253post372253 target=_blank>No decision yet on closer</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=381178&posted=1#post381178 target=_blank>Yost saves the worry</a>
<b><font size=4>Turnbow back in St. Louis</font>
Brewers closer was Cardinals fan growing up</b>
ST. LOUIS -- Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Derrick Turnbow used to come to Busch Stadium when he was a kid to watch the likes of Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee and Vince Coleman.
The 27-year-old right-hander returned this week as the Brewers' closer after earning his first Major League save on Sunday afternoon at San Francisco. On Tuesday, he sounded like he was ready for the opportunity.
"I'm looking forward to it," said Turnbow, who grew up as a Cardinals fan in Nashville. "I hope I keep getting opportunities and keep doing the job and being the guy. I think it's a role that every reliever would like to have.
"It's kind of like being the No. 1 pitcher. You have to go out there and show you can do it. I'm looking forward to the opportunity if I continue to go. Hopefully I can get it done."
Brewers manager Ned Yost said Turnbow, who tallied a total of 11 saves in the minors, has the right stuff and makeup to be a successful closer in the Major Leagues.
"I think so," Yost said. "He just needs to throw strikes. He throws anywhere from 95 to 97 or a 98 mile per hour fastball with movement and a pretty good changeup. He's a kid, who from what I've seen, doesn't let situations bother him too much."
Turnbow, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Oct. 14, 2004, said he thinks the role fits his personality.
"I like having that responsibility and going out there and being aggressive and giving everything I've got," said Turnbow, who is 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA. "I think it does [fit my personality]. We'll wait and see."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow stars in heartening outing</font></b>
Now that's a stopper: six pitches, six strikes, straight to the heart, straight to the plate, hair flopping, all heat, no messing around.
Game over.
Now that's what Ned Yost has been talking about during his very pointed trips to the mound of late - stop painting, stop nibbling, attack, attack, attack or I will get someone who will - and that is what big Derrick Turnbow delivered Friday night against Cincinnati in about as dominating and ideal a ninth as possible without a prescription.
Going on five months after the Dan Kolb trade, the Brewers have finally identified a stopper. Now they wait for the rest of it to come together.
One of the many problems with the previous administration was the way it oversold the product. As a means to justify Miller Park, it tried to portray the junk it fielded in the latter days of County Stadium as "competitive."
The new people could never be accused of such tactics. They've been upfront with their assessments and intentions, as if the payroll-slashing debacle of the winter of '03 that toppled a presidency could suggest anything else.
Even in the throes of one of his happy jags, Yost is candid and honest about the state of his team. Back during those still Maryvale days of early March, Yost was confident about the possibilities of a breakthrough season because the talent - true enough - has never been better during his brief time with the team. He still feels that way.
But saying the Brewers have more talent than in recent memory is the most relative of relative statements. Question is, is it really enough to compete in the NL Central?
"I think," Yost said. "But we want to be competitive and win. Competitive and losing was probably good the first year and maybe it might have been good last year, but it's not good enough this year for any of us. We understand that."
So far, the Brewers have mainly proved that the Pirates would take most of their everyday players. Judging by the well-played 4-3 victory against Cincinnati to begin a 12-game home stand, the Reds might even swap a few starters. But how about anyone else in the division?
Maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation if Geoff Jenkins, Carlos Lee and Junior Spivey were hitting. Lyle Overbay? Evidently, the guy needs to slice open his jaw more often, or at least gain a fuller appreciation for Steve Miller.
(Hey, Lyle, the Gangster of Love is a Milwaukee guy and a UW Badger at that. So no more of this Pearl Jam talk. Embrace the "O.").
Overbay is in Overdrive. Matt Wise and Tommy Phelps apparently do not want to see a searing-eyed Yost popping out of the dugout anymore. Like Turnbow, they found religion against a good offensive team by throwing strikes. What a concept.
"It's the process of becoming a team that we're going through right now," Yost said. "That's what's happening here. You've got a group of talented individuals . . . (and) what they're still trying to do is take too much of the burden on themselves individually."
The Brewers obviously cannot match up with the Cardinals yet, but they can catch the ball and throw strikes and develop guys like big Derrick Turnbow.
"When we get to that point where we trust each other is when we're going to take off and get on a roll," Yost said. "Which we will do."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow does it again</font>
Budding closer dominant for third consecutive day</b>
Milwaukee Brewers reliever Derrick Turnbow hasn't reached cult-hero status yet.
But he's getting there.
"He's pretty much the perfect closer for Milwaukee," third baseman Jeff Cirillo said of his teammate with the shaggy hair, husky frame and 98 mph fastball.
Pitching for the third consecutive day, Turnbow worked out of a bases-loaded situation in the top of the ninth inning and picked up his first victory of the season when Damian Miller singled home the winning run in a 6-5 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday at Miller Park.
Turnbow, whose earned-run average is 1.59, took over for Ricky Bottalico in the top of the ninth and needed 12 pitches to record two outs. He threw six pitches to pick up a save Friday night and 14 to get a save against St. Louis on Thursday at Busch Stadium.
If the Brewers need him for the series finale this afternoon, Turnbow will be ready again.
"I feel great," he said. "No problems. I hope I do get another chance."
Brewers manager Ned Yost, who first gave Turnbow a chance to close last Sunday in San Francisco, is thrilled - but not entirely surprised - by the right-hander's recent run of success.
"When I got all of our scouting reports on all of our new guys, Turnbow was real interesting when you looked at all of his numbers," Yost said. "I told Mike (Maddux, the pitching coach) on the first day of spring training, 'Really keep your eye on this guy. This guy has a chance to help us.' "
Because Turnbow had a history of control problems, Maddux suggested a few alterations to his throwing motion.
"He used to drop real straight down and drive to the plate," Yost said. "(Now) he's letting the mound give him momentum and take him to the plate."
So far, the changes seem to be working.
"I think the more work I get, the more I'm able to hit my spots," Turnbow said.
Given the current state of the Brewers' bullpen, getting steady work shouldn't be a problem. The Los Angeles Angels, who have one of the better bullpens in baseball, might be having second thoughts about putting Turnbow on waivers last winter.
"You have to really give up on a guy with that type of arm to put him on waivers," Yost said. "But (the Angels) are a top-notch team. They don't have time for that. . . . Up there, they expect you to be a player. Our job here is to mold them and make them players."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow becomes surprise closer by controlling heater</font></b>
When Derrick Turnbow pulled into Mike Maddux's garage in February, he was in need of much more than a simple tune-up.
"He needed a big mechanical overhaul," said Maddux, who is receiving acclaim throughout the major leagues for his Mr. Fix-It capabilities as the Milwaukee Brewers' pitching coach.
And thus began the remaking of Turnbow, who was blessed with the strongest arm in the Brewers' camp but often had no idea where the baseball was going. By the end of spring training, the husky right-hander was throwing enough strikes to make the opening day roster.
Little did Turnbow know at the time that he would emerge as the Brewers' bullpen closer before April had expired.
"You never know what's going to happen," said Turnbow, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels last October. "This has exceeded my expectations."
One thing Maddux quickly learned about Turnbow was that he had become too caught up in how hard he could throw a baseball. That was somewhat understandable, considering the Tennessee native can rush his fastball to the plate regularly in the 95-98 mph range.
A blazing fastball does little good if you can't put it in the strike zone, however. Maddux went about the delicate process of correcting Turnbow's mechanical flaws as well as his philosophic approach to pitching.
"He was all caught up in the velocity instead of making pitches," recalled Maddux. "The first thing I told him was, 'It's not how hard you throw, but how effectively hard you can throw.'
"I gave him some drills and we played catch for about four days straight. He hopped on the mound and I said, 'Let's try to apply what we talked about.' Letting the slope of the mound and gravity create power instead of him trying to generate all the power."
<b>Quick buy-in</b>
Turnbow, 27, had been one of those maximum-effort guys who lets it fly on every pitch. Maddux taught him to harness his ability, maybe take a mile or two off his fastball at times to get it in the strike zone.
Or, as Maddux bluntly put it, "Have an idea where the ball is going."
"He began to realize that 95 mph on the corner (of the plate) is better than 97 mph somewhere else," added Maddux.
"He bought into it right away. Then he had some nice outings (in exhibition play) and began to believe in it. That's the big thing, getting people to have a little success so they believe in it and realize, 'This could be for me. This works.' "
Turnbow began the season as a setup man for Mike Adams, who got the first shot at closing games. When Adams began to throw too many pitches and fall behind hitters, manager Ned Yost decided to give Turnbow a chance.
In his debut as closer on April 24 in San Francisco, Turnbow converted a somewhat dicey four-out save in an 8-5 victory. He then saved back-to-back 4-3 nail-biters last Thursday and Friday, in St. Louis and at home against Cincinnati, respectively.
Yost gave Turnbow the ball in the ninth inning of a 5-5 game Saturday and he held the fort, allowing the Brewers to rally for an exciting 6-5 victory.
<b>Aggressive approach</b>
Why did Yost figure Turnbow could succeed in the closer's role with no previous experience?
"He's got above-average stuff and he's not afraid of getting three outs," Yost said. "A lot of times, closers put more pressure on themselves to get three outs - especially in a one-run game - than they need to.
"Stay on the attack and get three outs. That's what he does. He's not afraid of getting the three outs. A closer has to want to be out there in that situation. They can't be afraid of being on the mound in the ninth inning with a one-run lead.
"Being a closer is more having a strong mental makeup than it is having great stuff. He doesn't seem phased by it. That's a good thing."
Turnbow easily has been the Brewers' most pleasant surprise of the young season. After pitching scoreless ball in his last seven outings, he is 1-1 with a 1.59 earned run average in 10 appearances, with only four hits allowed in 11 1/3 innings. Turnbow has walked seven and struck out eight while holding opponents to a puny .108 batting average.
Though he can buckle hitters' knees at times with his slider and also uses a changeup on occasion, Turnbow's primary out pitch is his scorching fastball. Last Thursday, he struck out St. Louis veteran Jim Edmonds on a 98 mph fastball, then got the dangerous Albert Pujols to pop up a 97 mph heater to end the game.
"The fastball is my bread and butter," said Turnbow, who started drawing the attention of scouts as a senior at Franklin (Tenn.) High School when his velocity jumped 4 miles per hour to the 92-93 mph range.
"I've always been one of those fortunate guys who can throw pretty hard. I'm lucky and blessed to have the velocity I have."
Turnbow was selected in the fifth round of the 1997 draft by Philadelphia, then snatched away by Anaheim in December 1999 in the Rule 5 draft of unprotected players. In five seasons in the Angels' organization, he experienced his share of ups and downs, including a fractured right forearm that forced him to miss most of the 2001 season and half of 2002.
<b>Bounced for 'andro'</b>
Turnbow made unwanted news in the fall of 2003 when he was expelled from the U.S. Olympic team's tryout camp for failing a drug test. Turnbow had been using androstenedione, a nutritional supplement later banned by major-league baseball but legal for use by players on 40-man rosters at the time.
Unaware that "andro" was on the Olympic no-no list, Turnbow soon discovered that some people would label him as a steroid user.
"It was in all the papers and the media picked it up," he said. "I took a lot of heat. It was just a mistake. I thought because I was on the Angels' 40-man roster you could take it if you wanted."
After spending most of the 2004 season in undistinguished fashion at Class AAA Salt Lake City (2-6, 5.06 ERA in 46 appearances), Turnbow was placed on waivers by the Angels. Aware that Turnbow had a great arm but was plagued by command problems, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin quickly claimed him.
There was no way to know at the time that Turnbow would evolve into the team's closer. But Melvin had success with unwanted pitchers in the past, including his previous closer, Dan Kolb, who was traded to Atlanta two months later.
"I was real excited when I heard the Brewers claimed me," Turnbow said. "Any time a team picks you up, it's a fresh start and a new opportunity."
<b>A hit in the clubhouse</b>
Beyond his ability to throw fastballs past hitters, Turnbow became a clubhouse favorite because of his country-boy looks and somewhat goofy demeanor. With shaggy hair sticking out from his baseball cap and a prominent proboscis, he quickly earned the nickname "Gomer."
"He may give the appearance of being ignorant," Yost said. "He's not."
In fact, with help from Maddux, Turnbow is getting smarter every day, at least on the mound.
"He actually goes out there with a little game plan. That's probably new to him," Maddux said. "As long as he executes the plan and does what he wants to do, who cares what the hitter wants to do, when you've got that kind of stuff."
"When you throw strikes, you can keep your pitch counts down, which is critical for a closer. We're giving him the ball and he's running with it. The future is bright if continues to command the baseball the way he is now."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow relishes relief role</font>
Hard-throwing righty rolls on to third save in three games</b>
MILWAUKEE -- In Spring Training, Brewers manager Ned Yost hoped that some of his relievers would latch onto roles and run with them.
Two months later, Derrick Turnbow appears to be doing just that.
The burly right-hander powered to his third save in three opportunities, and his second in as many games on Friday night, when the Brewers held off the Reds to win back-to-back games for the first time since they started the year 3-0.
In consecutive one-inning saves against the Cardinals and Reds, Turnbow threw 20 pitches and retired six of the seven batters he faced, two of them on strikeouts. On Friday he touched 98-99 on the radar gun and needed only six pitches -- all strikes -- to dispatch Adam Dunn, Joe Randa and Rich Aurilia.
"When I got all of our scouting reports on all of our new guys, Turnbow was real interesting when you look at all of his numbers," Yost said of the Angels castoff, who was plucked off waivers last October. "I told Mike [Maddux, Milwaukee's pitching coach] on the first day of Spring Training, 'Really keep your eye on this guy. This guy has a chance to help us.'"
The Angels never questioned Turnbow's arm; he consistently hits 98-99 mph with his fastball that he compliments with a slider and changeup. But he never could consistently throw strikes.
"You have to really give up on a guy with that type of arm, to put him on waivers," Yost said. "But [the Angels] are a top notch team. They don't have time for that. ... Up there, they expect you to be a player. Our job here is to mold them, make them players."
Enter Maddux, who is starting to get some national attention for his job maximizing the Brewers' pitching talent. He suggested some mechanical adjustments in Spring Training, and Turnbow began consistently began throwing strikes.
When Mike Adams faltered in the closer's role in the first three weeks of the season, Yost made Turnbow the closer.
"He used to drop real straight down and drive to the plate," Yost said. "[Now] he's letting the mound give him momentum and take him to the plate."
<b><font size=4>Getting his due</font></b>
Yost said he's not surprised that the emergence of the unheralded Turnbow as the club's surprise closer has captured the imagination of Brewers' fans as well as local media.
"He's a special story," said Yost. "I'm into it; everybody's into it. He's easy to root for.
"Most of those teams (who release players) don't have time for players like that. We take guys with talent and mold them. I have confidence that (pitching coach) Mike Maddux can take him and make him a better pitcher."
Yost also said it has been fun to watch the home fans get behind hot-hitting first baseman Lyle Overbay, chanting / singing the first letter of his last name while forming an "O" with their arms.
"We enjoy that, too," he said. "We see it and get into it. It's just a sign that fans appreciate what you're doing. Milwaukee is a blue-collar city and I think the fans appreciate the way our guys play the game."
<b><font size=4>New fan favorite</font></b>
There's a buzz at Miller Park every time Turnbow has stepped on the mound in the current homestand. He has pitched in five of Milwaukee's last six games, and Yost indicated he would turn to Turnbow for a save again on Thursday.
"It's a great story," Yost said of Turnbow, who was let go by the Angels because he could throw hard but could not throw strikes. "It's a Danny Kolb-type story -- he's never had any success anywhere, and you come to a team, they give you an opportunity and you run with it. It's the great American dream."
In the latest Rolaids Relief Man competition results, released Thursday, Turnbow had 14 points and was tied for eighth place in the National League with Houston's Brad Lidge. Pittsburgh's Jose Mesa, who had saves in each of Pittsburgh's first 10 wins, led the league's closers with 30 points.
<b><font size=4>In control</font></b>
MILWAUKEE - Derrick Turnbow has a tendency to stand out in a baseball uniform. You can't help but notice him.
First there's the crop of hair that sticks out from the side of a pulled-down cap. The uniform is big and baggy, which somehow makes him look smaller than his well-proportioned, 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame and masks the tree trunks he has for legs. Then there's the way he runs when he gets the call from the bullpen. It's more of a waddle than a glide.
Finally, there's the way the 27-year-old right-hander throws a fastball. Oh, that fastball, the one that tests the limits of every radar gun in the National League and the staying power of every hitter he faces.
He draws power by dropping his back (right) leg. As he gathers his momentum toward the plate, his front leg slides forward, his left foot just inching off the dirt of the mound. His right arm emerges from the set position at a three-quarter to an over-the-top angle from where he snaps off the ball with such violence it's little wonder he missed most of two minor league seasons in the Angels' system because of a broken bone in his right forearm. His back leg is then carried by his momentum toward the plate and whips to the first base side of the mound in a flurry that recalls images of former Cardinals great Bob Gibson.
And then he does it again. 96 mph. And again. 97 mph. Again. 98 mph. And again. 99 mph.
More often than not, those pitches settle in the catcher's mitt as strikes.
That's the difference for Derrick Turnbow these days.
He's always been blessed with the ability to throw hard. He was regularly clocked at 92 mph as a high school pitcher in Tennessee. He pushed three-digit readings in the minor leagues, first with the Philadelphia organization, then the Angels. But as hard as he threw, he didn't know where the ball was going. Now he does.
"I was always a guy who was a high intensity, high effort, rare back and throw as hard as I could (guy)," the soft-spoken Turnbow said. "I was known as a max-effort guy. I'm just calming down more, a little more under control, a lot more smooth."
You wouldn't know it just to see it. But there it is.
"It's helping out the control."
A chance in Milwaukee
Turnbow showed so much potential coming out of high school in 1997 the Phillies picked him in the fifth round of the June draft. After three seasons in the Phillies' system, the Angels saw so much potential in Turnbow they picked him up in the Rule 5 draft in 2000 when the Phillies didn't protect him on their 40-man roster.
That meant the Angels had to keep him on their major league roster for an entire season, one in which he threw just 38 innings in 24 appearances. Even 36 walks that season didn't deter the Angels' enthusiasm.
But a team such as the Angels, who won the 2002 World Series and are an annual playoff contender in the American League West, can only wait so long for a prospect to prosper.
Their patience wore out last October when they put Turnbow on waivers after five seasons, including 2001 and '02 when he pitched just 34 minor league innings because of the broken arm.
He also had a positive test for androstenedione during the Olympic trials in 2003; the drug was not outlawed by Major League Baseball at the time, but is now.
The Brewers, who have never found a rummage sale they didn't like, picked Turnbow off the heap. They had nothing to lose but the $20,000 waiver fee.
"We take guys who have talent and ability and try to mold them here," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "We give them the opportunity to grow into themselves here."
Spring training was the land of opportunity when it came to the Brewers' bullpen. They needed to replace All-Star closer Dan Kolb, who was traded to Atlanta, and quality setup man Luis Vizcaino, who was dealt to the White Sox.
Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux and bullpen coach Bill Castro took the less-is-more approach with Turnbow from the start of spring training. It had worked with Kolb, who came to Milwaukee under similar circumstances with a similar fastball. But when Kolb backed off and started topping out at 95 mph instead of 98, he evolved into an elite closer.
"(Turnbow) was all over the place," Yost said, and he meant Turnbow's motion as much as his pitches.
"A lot of it has to do with mechanics. To be able to throw strikes, you have to be able to duplicate your mechanics. He's doing that now."
The changes were subtle, but the results have been radical.
Turnbow doesn't drop his back leg as far as he once did, which gives him more balance coming off the pitching rubber. He also doesn't kick his lead leg high anymore, allowing him to control his momentum toward the plate.
But somehow, the ball keeps coming out of his hand without any loss of speed.
Turnbow showed enough during spring training that Yost was ready to put him in the closer's role ahead of Mike Adams. Then Turnbow sputtered under the bright lights of Miller Park in an exhibition game against the White Sox three days before the start of the regular season.
"That game made me rethink things," Yost said.
But when Adams faltered early in the regular season, Yost turned to Turnbow.
"You always want to be the closer," Turnbow said. "It's like the No. 1 pitcher on the team. It's an elite role. I'm getting the opportunity."
He's delivering, too.
"He's been lights-out ever since," Yost said.
The impact is tangible. Statistically, the Brewers' bullpen is the best in the NL.
"Your whole bullpen settles down when they know they have a closer out there," Yost said.
And the position players know their chances at a victory are improved when the ball is in Turnbow's hands.
"I'm glad I'm playing behind him and not trying to hit against him," Milwaukee middle infielder Bill Hall said. "Anybody who throws slide-step 98, 99 is pretty tough. He's tough to get a read on because you don't know if his ball is going to sink or rise."
Turnbow probably isn't sure, either. He just takes the ball and throws it.
"To be honest, I can't tell the difference between a 94 mph fastball and a 98 mph fastball. I never look at the (radar) gun," he said. "But you know that sometimes you let one go and it comes out feeling really good."
Bringing the heat
Hitters call it selling out.
They approach an at-bat against a pitcher such as Turnbow looking for nothing but a fastball. They are willing to risk the embarrassment if they get knocked off-kilter by an occasional offspeed pitch, because they know they won't otherwise stand a chance against that fastball.
Cincinnati's Adam Dunn sold out in the ninth inning of a one-run game April 29 and popped out to center field on the first pitch. The Cubs' Derrek Lee and Jeromy Burnitz sold out Tuesday night, only to strike out to end the game. The Cardinals' Albert Pujols sold out with the tying run on base April 27 in St. Louis, only to make the final out.
The Cubs' Aramis Ramirez sold out in the ninth inning Thursday. He was looking for the fastball on a 2-0 pitch and missed. He was looking for it again on the 2-1 pitch, and that time hit it for a home run that tied the game before the Brewers came back in the bottom of the inning for the victory.
"This guy, he gives you something to hit, but he throws hard," Ramirez said of Turnbow. "He throws a lot of fastballs. I just try to hit the ball. When a guy throws like that, if you hit the ball good, it's going to go a long way."
Turnbow wasn't fazed by Ramirez's blast, just like he wasn't excited by a stretch that saw him go unscored upon for nine straight appearances. In that span, he picked up four saves and struck out 13 over nine innings.
"You never complain about that when the team gets a win," Turnbow said after Ramirez's homer. "Things happen like that even when things seem to be going your way. You take what you get and hopefully keep moving on."
The Brewers aren't about to complain about the direction Turnbow is taking. The down-home kid with the nickname "Gomer" has Milwaukee written all over him.
The crowd buzzes every time he warms up. When the gate to the left-field bullpen opens and he emerges, the buzz turns to a roar. When the scoreboard radar gun flashes 97, 98, and 99 mph, the roar becomes a gasp.
"He's easy to root for," Yost said. Milwaukee is kind of a blue-collar city and they see guys who have worked hard and getting their opportunity, and I think they appreciate that."
The Turnbow file
* Full name: Thomas Derrick Turnbow.
* Age: 27 (born Jan. 25, 197 .
* Hometown: Union City, Tenn.
* Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds.
* Bats-throws: Right-right.
* How acquired: Claimed off waivers from the Angels Oct. 14, 2004.
* 2005 stats: 3-1, four saves (five chances), 1.88 ERA, 13 strikeouts, seven walks in 14 innings.
* Career stats: 5-1, four saves (five chances), 2.91 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 53 walks in 74 innings.
<b><font size=4>A tale of two pitchers</font>
Turnbow turns heads; Kolb falters</b>
As Milwaukee right-hander Derrick Turnbow was pounding 98 mph fastballs into the strike zone, stringing together saves and earning national raves last week at Miller Park, you could almost sense the questions circulating through the ballpark, barrooms and living rooms across the state.
Whatever happened to the guy who closed for the Brewers last year?
He had a pretty good fastball, too, didn't he?
Didn't he make the all-star team last year?
What was his name again?
If the name "Dan Kolb" has escaped the consciousness of the local sporting public since he was traded to Atlanta during the winter meetings, there is a reason. Actually, there are two reasons: Turnbow has been terrific for the Brewers; Kolb has struggled for a bit for the Braves.
Wednesday night in Colorado, Kolb blew a save for his predecessor, John Smoltz, and gave up a 420-foot homer to Dustan Mohr in the process. It was Kolb's second blown save of the season, and it snapped a string of five straight scoreless outings that was preceded by a shaky stretch.
"Got to deal with the good and bad, and right now I can't get a lot good to go for me," Kolb told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
In 16 appearances heading into the weekend, Kolb had a 1-3 record with a 6.28 earned run average and nine saves. He had worked 14 1/3 innings and allowed 15 hits, 10 runs, one homer and 13 walks. He struck out eight batters.
Turnbow had worked 16 games, too, and was 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA. In 17 1/3 innings, he allowed eight hits, including three homers, and seven walks. He struck out 16.
Kolb is being paid $3.4 million by the Braves. Turnbow, who was claimed off waivers from Anaheim, is making $322,000 from the Brewers and is considered one of the steals of the winter.
Right-hander Jose Capellan, the pitching prospect the Brewers acquired from Atlanta in the Kolb trade, entered a start Friday with a 3-1 record and 4.31 ERA in six starts for Class AAA Nashville.
While it's too early to declare that the Brewers "won" the trade with Atlanta, it's not too early to wonder what is happening to Kolb.
Is his arm bothering him? Is he having trouble with the mechanics of his delivery? The fact that Kolb has issued 13 walks in fewer than 15 innings, after giving up 15 walks in 57 1/3 innings all of last season, indicate that could be a factor.
Or not.
"Numbers for a closer are misleading," Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone told the Associated Press. "They can have three good outings in a row, but one bad one skews the numbers. Coming into a new environment, I think he's off to a pretty good start."
What about the mental side? Kolb was extremely self-critical during his time with the Brewers, a team that isn't pegged to compete for a playoff berth every season. Now, he finds himself following a legendary closer (Smoltz), and pitching for teammates and fans with high expectations that come from winning the division title year after year. That would cause anyone to press a little bit, wouldn't it?
"A lot of it was coming into a new place and putting so much pressure on myself," Kolb told the Associated Press. "It's not directly because of John (Smoltz), but I know the success they're used to having out of that position. It's a combination of little things adding up to one big thing. I probably made more out of it than I should have.
"I've got to remember what I did last year. That's what got me here."
<b><font size=4>Idle time for Turnbow</font>
He finally works an inning after unplanned layoff</b>
Minneapolis - In the span of one week, Milwaukee Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow went from being one of the hottest - not to mention busiest - pitchers in the major leagues to a guy searching for a mop-up inning to scrape off a layer of rust.
"That's the way it is with stoppers," Brewers manager Ned Yost said in the hours before the Brewers' 7-1 loss to Minnesota Friday night at the Metrodome. "It can be feast or famine. It's getting to the point where I can't even remember the last time he pitched."
When Turnbow nailed down a 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh on May 13 at PNC Park, he had worked in seven of 10 games and picked up three victories and three saves. During the next six games - two in Pittsburgh and four in Washington, D.C. - he didn't leave the bullpen.
"Things have a way of balancing out," Turnbow said.
The decrease in Turnbow's workload coincided with a decrease in the Brewers' offensive production.
"He's been warming up almost every day in case we do take the lead, but we just haven't been able to do it," Yost said.
After a layoff of almost seven days, Turnbow entered the game with one out and a runner on first in the eighth inning. Justin Morneau punched his first pitch for a base hit into left-center, but Turnbow got Torii Hunter to fly out and struck out Jacque Jones to end the inning.
"It seemed like it had been a long time," Turnbow said. "But I felt OK. I threw a couple of bullpens trying to stay sharp."
<b><font size=4>Working out the kinks</font></b>
After a wild night on Wednesday that helped the Padres bring the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow took the field for some early work at Dodger Stadium with pitching coach Mike Maddux.
"We just played catch, let him look at a few mechanical things," said Turnbow, who has converted seven of nine save opportunities this season but does not have a save since May 27. "It lasted all of five minutes. Hopefully, I can get out there again tonight."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=392650#post392650 target=_blank>Admiration society</a>
<b><font size=4>Thrill a minute</font></b>
Derrick Turnbow has converted 10 of 12 save opportunities since taking over as the Brewers' closer. Many of his recent saves have been fraught with peril, however, with Turnbow having to work out of jams.
"I ask him to get the job done," Yost said. "I don't ask for a 1-2-3 inning. It's never easy. He's in the process of making adjustments himself, trying to develop a second pitch to keep them off his fastball."
<b><font size=4>Pitching in</font></b>
Derrick Turnbow got the save in Saturday's thriller over the Twins, but Julio Santana deserved one, too. The veteran right-hander allowed a pair of one-out baserunners in the Twins' eighth, but struck out Luis Rivas and the dangerous Shannon Stewart to preserve a one-run margin.
When Stewart swung through a 1-2 pitch, Santana jumped off the mound and threw his arms in the air.
"That was like a double fist-pump, chest bump, the whole deal," said fellow reliever Matt Wise. "I think it was some kind of record."
Santana couldn't help it.
"That just comes out," he said. "It's fun. Every time I go out there and give the team a chance to win, it makes me feel like that."
He has been feeling like that a lot. Santana has a 3.46 ERA and has limited opponents to a .143 batting average, second-best in the Majors to the White Sox's Cliff Politte (.129). Only two of his 19 inherited runners (10.5 percent) have scored, the sixth-lowest percentage in the Majors.
"I saw glimpses of this in Spring Training," Yost said. "I thought he could be serviceable."
Santana pitched all of last season for the Yomiuri Giants in the Japanese League and caught the eye of Brewers consultant Dick Groch while pitching in the Dominican Winter League. He signed a Minor League contract with Milwaukee in December and allowed eight runs in nine Spring Training innings.
"He pitched up in the strike zone too much," Yost said. "We wanted him to work more down with his fastball."
The Brewers are sure to get calls about their relief corps as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches, and they might have room to deal because of guys like Santana. The team's bullpen ERA is third-best in the National League at 3.80, and its .235 batting average against leads the league.
"For now, we continue to get it done," Santana said.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?t=52384 target=_blank>Hidden Treasures</a>
<b><font size=4>A closer is born</font></b>
It was on April 28 in St. Louis that Derrick Turnbow took his first big step in establishing himself as the Brewers' new closer. In his second save opportunity, he nailed down a 4-3 victory, the Brewers' first against the Cardinals in six tries this season.
Turnbow struck out the dangerous Jim Edmonds with one of the blazing fastballs for which he has become known since, and induced Albert Pujols to pop out with the tying run on base to end it.
"I haven't thought much about it but I do remember having to get Pujols for the last out," said Turnbow, who has converted 19 of 21 save opportunities while holding opponents to a .194 batting average. "Any time you have to face that guy, you remember it.
"I was just trying to get the job done. I try to take it day by day. It's been unbelievable. I can't complain one bit. I'm just trying to keep it up."
During his professional career, the most appearances Turnbow has made in one season were 46 in relief for Class AAA Salt Lake City last year. He already has pitched in 41 games for the Brewers but said he was holding up under the workload.
"I've been surprised by the way my body has responded," he said. "I feel good, strong and healthy. I just want to stay that way."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=403256#post403256 target=_blank>He spells relief</a>
<b><font size=4>Extra bases</font></b>
Closer Derrick Turnbow is fifth in the National League's ROLAIDS Relief Man standings.
<b><font size=4>Turnbow turns it on</font></b>
Closer Derrick Turnbow had both managers talking about mowing through Cardinals sluggers Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen in the ninth inning of the Brewers' 5-4 win on Tuesday.
Turnbow got Pujols to fly out after a nine-pitch at-bat. After the count went to 3-2, Turnbow just kept throwing his 98-mph fastball.
"It was the pitch I had the most confidence in, and in my mind it would work in my favor," Turnbow said. "If I threw anything else, I felt it would work in his favor."
Yost said he has confidence in Turnbow, but as a manager it was still a nerve-wracking situation.
"It's not fun going through it because you have the best hitter in the league up there," Yost said.
After getting Pujols to pop up, Turnbow went eight pitches deep to Rolen before getting a flyout. The performance even warranted the praise of Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.
"They've got a real get there," La Russa said. "He's a legitimate last-inning guy. He's going to be tough to score on. But I look at the three guys that went up there, and you can't have better at-bats than that. Albert had a great at-bat. Scott had a great at-bat. Mark [Grudzielanek] took him to 2-2. But he's legitimate."
Turnbow capped what was a gutty bullpen performance on Tuesday. Five relievers held the Cardinals scoreless over five innings.
"It was unbelievable," Turnbow said. "It was definitely a big confidence booster, overall, for the bullpen. You can't ask for a better performance from the guys who pitched the middle and late innings."
<b><font size=4>He'll take it</font></b>
Derrick Turnbow's outings of late have been pretty uneventful. After pinning down his 21st save on Monday night, Turnbow had retired the last 20 batters he faced, spanning seven outings. He had converted his last 15 save opportunities.
"I like the boring ones," catcher Damian Miller said. "I'm sure he does, too."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow under the gun</font>
Brewers' reliever doesn't believe Shea's slow readings</b>
New York - Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow is pretty sure he showed up with his Grade A fastball Tuesday night even though the scoreboard readings at Shea Stadium indicated otherwise.
During the ninth inning, when Turnbow blew only his third save opportunity of the season by allowing a one-out home run to New York's Mike Cameron, the pitch speed indicator had his fastball in the 93-94 mph range. Normally, as one of the hardest throwers in the majors, Turnbow unleashes his fastball in the 96-98 mph neighborhood.
"I think the (radar) gun is a little slow here," said Turnbow. "Everywhere else on the road, (the readings) are the same as at home. I can usually tell when I'm throwing hard or not and I felt I was throwing as hard a usual.
"I just made a mistake and it cost me the game."
Turnbow had converted 15 consecutive saves before that string came to an end in the 9-8, 11-inning loss to the Mets. He issued a pair of walks later in the inning before getting the third out and keeping the score tied.
"I went out with my best stuff and (Cameron) beat me," said Turnbow, who threw 27 pitches in the inning. "I'm not going to be successful every time. You can't make a mistake, especially in a one-run game."
<b><font size=4>Knows the feeling</font></b>
In the fall of 2003, Turnbow was kicked out of the Olympic training camp of the Team USA baseball team for failing a drug test. He had taken androstenedione, a steroid precursor that was allowed by major-league baseball at the time but was on the list of banned substances for the Olympics.
Thus, in somewhat lesser fashion, Turnbow understands what Baltimore's Rafael Palmeiro is going through these days. Palmeiro received a 10-game suspension for violation of MLB's drug policy, and his integrity was further questioned when reports revealed he tested positive for stanozolol, one of the most powerful steroids.
"It's not a good thing to go through," said Turnbow, who said he did not know in 2003 that the Olympics banned andro (MLB now does, also). "I heard about it a lot. It was in all the papers. I just tried to put it behind me."
Turnbow said MLB drug testers paid their most recent visit to the Brewers last month. He said he takes no nutritional supplement now other than creatine, which purports to help athletes get more out of weight lifting and warned that players should know what's in any supplement they take.
"You've got to be able to trust that if you go to a nutrition store that (what you buy is) will be OK," he said. "You can't stop guys from taking things over the counter."
Turnbow admitted it looked bad for Palmeiro now that the steroid he was taking has been identified as stanozolol, more commonly known by the brand name Winstrol. Others in the Brewers clubhouse agreed.
"I'm glad it's not me," said catcher Chad Moeller. "It's not going to go away. It will be with him forever. Five years after he retires (and is eligible for the Hall of Fame), it will start all over again."
<b><font size=4>No worries</font></b>
Yost was among those who noticed closer Derrick Turnbow's fastball registering 94-95 mph on the Shea Stadium scoreboard during the ninth inning on Tuesday night. Usually, it tops 97-98 mph.
Turnbow, who surrendered a game-tying home run to Mike Cameron for his first blown save in more than two months, said he felt fine.
"I think this [radar] gun is slow, anyway," Turnbow said. "I can usually tell when I'm throwing hard or not. Last night, I felt like I was throwing the hardest I've been this year. So I'm not worried about velocity, I think it was up there pretty high."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow rested and ready</font></b>
PHILADELPHIA -- Derrick Turnbow insists that one day off is all he needed.
After pitching in four straight games, including three straight blistering days at Shea Stadium in New York, the Brewers' closer let Matt Wise work the bottom of the 10th inning of Friday's win over the Phillies. But on Saturday afternoon, Turnbow declared himself available and said he was hoping for an opportunity to push the Brewers back above .500.
"I feel really good today and I'm ready to go," Turnbow said. "It was nice to have one day to relax a little bit."
Turnbow, whose fastball tops out in the 97-98 mph range when he's at his best, has been used three straight days six times this season, but his most recent set represented the heaviest workload. He threw a total of 65 pitches in the three-game Mets series, suffering a blown save in the opener but recovering to notch his 22nd and 23rd saves the next two days.
Every day, pitching coach Mike Maddux stops by Turnbow's locker -- and that of every pitcher on the staff -- and asks how he's feeling.
"You have to be honest, because there's a difference between not feeling that well and being really sore," Turnbow said. "You don't want to jeopardize your team by being selfish and coming into a game when you're not ready to go."
Entering play Saturday, Turnbow was 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA.
<b><font size=4>Wise decision</font></b>
Turnbow admitted he was on edge when Wise took the mound in the bottom of the 10th with a 3-1 lead. On the line was the Brewers' first stop at .500 since late May, Wise's first career save at any professional level and a chance to make good on a brilliant performance by starter Ben Sheets.
"I was sitting there, all nervous," said Turnbow, who still feels butterflies before and during his own save opportunities. "You go through that every time you go out there. It's only three outs, but the game is on the line. I don't think you ever get used to it, you just deal with it as best you can."
That was bullpen coach Billy Castro's advice to Wise as he left the bullpen: It's only three outs. That may be true, but it does not feel that way.
"It's not the same," said fellow reliever Julio Santana. "Closing is like, the intensity of every second is just different than pitching in every other situation. You need a lot of confidence and you need to be prepared every single day to be almost perfect."
Five Brewers relievers have converted their first Major League save this season: Mike Adams, Tommy Phelps, Santana, Turnbow and Wise.
It was good to see Wise get it done Friday, Santana said, because, "Turnbow needed at least one day of rest. He's been working like a horse."
For his part, Wise hated to sound sappy, but he was thrilled Saturday night. Save No. 1 was another milestone for the changeup specialist, who had Tommy John surgery in 2003 and was handled very carefully by Maddux and Castro last season.
"My mom and dad put so much effort into supporting me throughout," Wise said. "It's more for them. They celebrate these milestones more. To us, it's another game that got us to .500. They take a lot of pride in it, and I take a lot of pride in making them proud."
<b><font size=4>No stopping him</font></b>
The rest of the baseball world might not have noticed, but Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow is on a remarkable run of dominant pitching.
Turnbow picked up his fifth victory by striking out all three hitters he faced in the ninth inning Wednesday. As if Turnbow's 98-mph fastball isn't deadly enough, he whiffed all three batters on breaking balls so nasty that catcher Chad Moeller couldn't handle them cleanly.
"That was amazing," fellow reliever Justin Lehr said. "He was dropping some unbelievable breaking balls on them."
Turnbow has allowed only one earned run over his last 27 innings, lowering his earned run average from 3.07 to 1.76. Previously known as a pitcher who couldn't command his pitches, Turnbow has issued 21 walks and recorded 53 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings for the season.
<b><font size=4>Close encounters</font>
Turnbow watches as his save streak is blown away</b>
One of the more remarkable streaks by a closer in the majors this season came to an end Wednesday night because of lapses by the Milwaukee Brewers' defense.
Right-hander Derrick Turnbow, who had converted 12 consecutive save opportunities and 16 of 17 in the second half, was charged with a most-undeserved blown save in a 7-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
With Milwaukee leading in the ninth, 6-4, Turnbow should have gotten out of the inning with no runs allowed and his 34th save. But the Cubs took advantage of three Brewers miscues to score twice and tie the game.
With one out, Neifi Perez doubled to right. Todd Walker followed with a bouncer to second base that rookie Rickie Weeks fumbled, and then Weeks' throw pulled Lyle Overbay off first. It was Weeks' second error of the game and 19th in 87 games this season.
Derrek Lee then hit a bouncer up the middle that shortstop J.J. Hardy and Weeks couldn't handle after getting tangled up behind second. Lee got credit for a RBI single.
Nomar Garciaparra lined out to right and Lee should have been doubled up at first after straying far off base, but rookie Nelson Cruz, who had replaced Geoff Jenkins, threw wide of the bag. Jeromy Burnitz followed with an RBI single to center to tie the game.
Thus, Turnbow was tagged with his fourth blown save of the season in an inning in which he was forced to record six outs. He did get credit for the victory when Jeff Cirillo hit a run-scoring single with two down in the bottom of the ninth.
The first run charged to Turnbow was officially earned - only the second off Turnbow in 34 appearances since June 24. Turnbow mowed down opponents with such efficiency over that stretch that his fellow relievers were in awe.
"It's ridiculous, silly," said setup man Matt Wise. "From where he came from at the start of the season, he's probably one of the top two or three relievers in baseball."
Known in previous seasons as a pitcher who couldn't be counted on to throw strikes, Turnbow has conquered his command problems In 62 1/3 innings, he has issued only 21 walks while logging 59 strikeouts.
<b><font size=4>Peek-a-boo</font></b>
If it seemed as if Turnbow was a bit wilder than usual in the ninth inning Monday night, he had a good excuse.
Basically, Turnbow couldn't see.
Turnbow had trouble with his baseball cap coming over down over his eyes just as he was delivering pitches in the 12-9 victory over Cincinnati. He walked two batters before shortstop Bill Hall and second baseman Rickie Weeks bailed him out by turning a sensational, game-ending double play.
Turnbow said he usually wets his thick, shaggy hair and pulls his baseball cap down snug on his head, creating some suction. He said his hair dried before he came in against the Reds, causing his cap to keep flying off.
"I told him to get a bigger hat or cut that mop," said Yost, who did a great job before the game of mimicking Turnbow, with his hat coming down over his eyes.
So, what would have happened if a batter sent a liner back in Turnbow's direction?
"I would have been done," Turnbow said. "I'd never see it."
<b><font size=4>Brewers hope Turnbow keeps it growing</font></b>
Derrick Turnbow was a man without a home prior to this season. Almost a nobody in the baseball world from elsewhere, hoping to stick on the 2005 Milwaukee Brewers' roster.
Seven months later, a program is no longer needed. Turnbow has become a top closer in the National League and is one of the Brewers' most popular players -- even if he never met a barber he liked.
Turnbow's hairstyle (or lack of one) has been a popular topic of conversation in recent days. His wookie-like mop is so long, that he often has to keep it wet during games so his cap doesn't move below his eyes.
"His hair is pretty cool -- they've been referring to him as the creature," Geoff Jenkins joked. "He's kind of scary to face. He's nasty.
Nasty indeed. Turnbow has allowed just three runs in his last 37 innings of work and has 38 saves, one short of the Brewers' team record.
"I couldn't ask for anything more," Turnbow said. "It's been unbelievable."
As for his for the locks, Turnbow is even digging in for product as the Brewers near the end of the season.
"I put some gel in it today. I get it trimmed once in a while to keep it contained, but I'll keep letting it grow...until they make me cut it. "
<b><font size=4>Turnbow is pleasant surprise</font>
Brewers closer has established himself among league's best</b>
CINCINNATI -- Ned Yost is still tinkering with his bullpen, trying to figure out who he should pitch in what situations.
About the only absolute in the bullpen right now, Yost said, is that Derrick Turnbow is the closer.
Turnbow has come out of nowhere this season to solidify himself as the one of the league's best closers. Entering play Wednesday, he was 6-1 with a 1.73 ERA and 29 saves, which is better than Yost and the rest of club expected from the young right-hander.
"We really weren't hoping for anything," Yost said of Turnbow. "We didn't really know what we had. We had a guy who we knew had a great arm but had trouble commanding his pitches for strikes. We knew if he could throw strikes, he'd be a real serviceable guy. And he worked real hard in Spring Training to throw strikes. We gave him an opportunity, and he ran with it."
And he hasn't stopped.
Turnbow has done just about everything for the Brewers late in games. In his appearance Sunday against the Padres, Turnbow came in to shut down opposing hitters and give his offense a chance to win the game.
In his previous appearance, Turnbow had done the same against the Pirates.
And five days before that, he shut down an Atlanta offense to secure a win and his 29th save of the season.
"He just comes and gets three outs," Yost said. "A lot of closers will say, 'I don't want to pitch unless it's a save situation.' But he doesn't care when he pitches."
Given Turnbow's pitching history before this season, Yost shouldn't be surprised.
Turnbow pitched in 39 games -- all with the Angels -- in the three seasons before 2005, but he never got much of a chance to prove himself.
With the Brewers, though, Turnbow had a chance to come in and make a statement, something Yost didn't think Turnbow would have been able to do with the Angels.
"I don't know how much of an opportunity he would've gotten on a high-profile team," Yost said. "On high-profile teams, they don't give guys like that opportunities. They way we're set up, we can provide opportunities. But this just shows that if you put guys out there and you hang with them, good things can happen."
And have continued to happen all season.
<b><font size=4>Turnbow turning heads</font></b>
MILWAUKEE -- Until Wednesday, opponents had scored one run off Derrick Turnbow in 33 games since June 23. The scary part is that the Brewers' closer seems to be getting better every day.
"Before, he was a one-pitch pitcher, really," said longtime bullpen coach Bill Castro. "Now, he can throw his fastball in and out, up and down, because he has the other pitch to go to."
That other pitch is a nasty slider that Turnbow has begun to use against baffled opposing hitters looking for his 97-98 mph fastball. Turnbow abandoned his one-fingered curveball earlier in the season and started working to perfect the slider.
"When I first started, it was kind of slow and loopy," Turnbow said. "I kept working at it and it got better and better and better. I'm starting to get harder action to it."
But it remains most definitely a work in progress. Hampered by some defensive mistakes behind him and unable to get ahead in the count in key situations, Turnbow was tagged with two runs, one of them earned, and his first blown save in seven weeks on Wednesday. The Brewers rallied for a 7-6 win over the Cubs.
Castro equated Turnbow's development to buying a new pair of shoes. It's taking awhile for Turnbow to break in his new pitch, which now comes in at 86-87 mph and looks like a fastball before diving down in the zone.
"For a guy closing games to learn a new pitch over the course of a season, that's kind of tough because every time he comes in the game, everything is on the line, and he doesn't have the luxury to try different things," Castro said. "To his credit, he's done a great job. It's unbelievable."
Until Wednesday's hiccup, the results had been unbelievable, too. Since allowing a run to the Cubs in a successful save back on June 23, Turnbow had a 0.23 ERA in a span of 33 games. The lone run came in an Aug. 2 blown save at New York, but Turnbow responded with 12 consecutive conversions.
The burly 27-year-old, known for his blazing fastball and wild long hair, was claimed off waivers from the Angels after last season. Pitching coach Mike Maddux and Castro helped him learn to throw strikes in Spring Training and Turnbow supplanted Mike Adams as Milwaukee's closer in late April.
"He's pitching," manager Ned Yost said. "It comes with improved confidence and the ability to throw a strike. ... I used to worry about, 'Is he going to come in and throw strikes?' I don't have to worry about that anymore."
Along the way, Turnbow has been downright dominant. On Aug. 31, he struck out all three Pirates hitters he faced with that slider. The pitch was so nasty that catcher Chad Moeller couldn't hang on to any of the third strikes, and had to throw down to first base for all three outs.
In Tuesday's win over the Cubs, Turnbow tied Dan Plesac for fourth on the Brewers' all-time single-season saves list with his 32nd of the season. He struck out two Chicago batters, both with sliders. On Wednesday, he notched his seventh win thanks to a Brewers rally in the bottom of the ninth.
"He's getting guys to swing through it more now," Castro said. "Before, guys were just looking at it because it had a big rotation on it. Now it's tighter, and the more he keeps throwing it the more confidence he has in it, and it's getting better and better."
Turnbow calls it a work in progress.
"So far it's been pretty effective," Turnbow said. "I'm still trying to get more consistent with it. If I'm behind in counts, it might be harder for hitters to go after but if I'm ahead, it's a good pitch."
<b><font size=4>No respect</font></b>
At some point, maybe baseball will take note of Turnbow. MLB.com and DHL announced 10 finalists for their "Delivery Man of the Year Award," and Turnbow did not make the list.
"Is he one of the best-kept secrets in the game? I don't know about that," Yost said. "Everybody I talk to seems to rave about him."
brewersrock
10-15-2005, 05:27 AM
derik played well with all of those saves a new Brewers recored have you seen the way he kiks before the pitch its more like a running step than a kik
Yeah, He was one of the Biggest success story of the season for the Brewers.
There is no question that he was a big find for the Brewers.
brewersrock
10-15-2005, 08:34 AM
yep only a few slipups
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=428650#post428650 target=_blank>Lee, Turnbow merit Brewers' top awards</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=446626#post446626 target=_blank>Brewers sign Fielder, Turnbow, Eveland</a>
<b><font size=4>Brewers counting on Turnbow</font>
Last year's surprise closer now a bullpen mainstay</b>
PHOENIX -- Bushy-haired Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow did a national television interview Tuesday that had one of his teammates rolling.
"I was cracking up the whole time," said Brewers newcomer Jason Kershner. "He actually said, 'Preesh.'"
That's Turnbowese for, "I appreciate your kind sentiments." There's also the rapid-fire "Whaddup-whaddup," Turnbow's favorite greeting and the basis of his clubhouse champion fantasy football team's name. And while most people might simply say, "Yes," Turnbow goes with, "Believe it."
It sometimes gets confusing because the Tennessean tends to slur his words more than the two-fisted slobber on the old scoreboard at County Stadium. When that happens, fellow reliever Matt Wise steps in as translator.
"He's one of my best friends and it's cool to know that he's not going to change," said Wise, who first met Turnbow when they were teammates with the Angels and does a spot-on impression. "He's going to be the same guy."
The Brewers hope so.
They plucked Turnbow off waivers from the Angels and he shocked himself and everyone else by emerging as the closer and saving 39 games, tying the club record. He won his last seven decisions and his 1.74 ERA was fourth-best of regular Major League relievers behind Mariano Rivera, Billy Wagner and Huston Street.
Turnbow was named the Brewers' pitcher of the year, tied Carlos Lee for top newcomer honors and won a legion of fans in Milwaukee.
Did he ever see it coming?
"Not a chance," Turnbow said this week at Maryvale Baseball Park. "I was just hoping to be in the big leagues. I never expected to be anywhere close to where I'm at. I just have to keep working hard and just keep it going as long as possible."
Turnbow extended a hot streak for Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and assistant GM Gord Ash. Scott Podsednik, selected off waivers from the Mariners, was the first, followed by Brady Clark (Mets) and Turnbow. All have blossomed into big-league regulars.
That doesn't mean Melvin could have envisioned Turnbow's dramatic step forward.
"We took some chances [at the 2004 Winter Meetings] trading Danny Kolb and Luis Vizcaino, both our closer and setup guy, and a great story came out of it with Derrick Turnbow," Melvin said. "We can't sit here and say we knew that was going to happen."
Turnbow reported to Spring Training last year as a relative unknown. The Brewers knew he could throw hard, but finally harnessed his command under the tutelage of Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux and bullpen coach Bill Castro.
He eliminated jerky hand movement in his delivery and found a consistent release point. He learned a slide step. As the year progressed, he developed a devastating slider.
By mid-April, Brewers manager Ned Yost had lost some confidence in right-hander Mike Adams, who was supposed to be the closer. He needed a new closer, and turned to Turnbow on April 24 at San Francisco.
"I was in a daze, but at the same time I knew what the situation was," Turnbow says now. "It was the first time that I had felt pressure like that. I'm not going to lie. But like every first, you just have to get through it and try to learn something from it.
"It's something where either a guy can deal with it or he can't deal with it. Fortunately, I can deal with it pretty well."
At the time, Turnbow had 11 Minor League saves but none in 44 career relief appearances since 2000. He took quickly to the new role, saving 39 of 43 opportunities for the Brewers.
"He's a special guy," Castro said. "He got the chance and went ahead and took advantage of it. It's unbelievable what he's done."
"I seriously think he should have gotten some consideration for the Cy Young [Award]," said Wise. "Maybe I'm biased because I'm a teammate and he's a good friend of mine, but he was dominating."
Turnbow's goal this spring is to "continue doing what I'm doing." But there were a few changes; he was married on Nov. 7 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and he did not start a throwing program until the first week in December. He is tinkering this spring with a move from the first base side of the pitching rubber to the third base side, looking for more plate coverage with his slider.
For the first time in his career, he heads into the season entrenched as a closer. Wise and the newly re-acquired Kolb (who shares the franchise saves record with Turnbow) likely will set up Turnbow, leaving three or four open spots in what should be another solid Brewers bullpen.
"It makes you a little more relaxed because you know your role, but at the same time it adds a little more pressure," Turnbow said. "There is pressure to repeat, no question about it."
<b><font size=4>Follow the rules</font></b>
Count his teammates among those who can't wait for Derrick Turnbow bobblehead day at Miller Park on May 13.
Turnbow's likeness will come complete with his trademark bushy hair, which begged a question: What on Earth would Turnbow do if he played for the New York Yankees?
The Yankees forbid long hair and apparently a lot of other things, evidenced by a rulebook that looks like the baseball version of War and Peace. Yost got his hands on a copy and compared it to the two pages of rules distributed to Milwaukee players when they arrived in camp.
"But I've got different things that I don't allow my teams to do that they do, I'm sure," Yost said.
One of Yost's biggest pet peeves is pregame music in the clubhouse, and he also does not allow anything on the stereo system postgame that contains profanities. Otherwise, the Brewers' rules are straightforward.
Rule No. 1: Be on time. Others set standards for things like dress code, card playing and curfews.
"It's common sense," Yost said. "Set some structure and discipline with common sense rules that treat men like men, and let's go. This ain't kindergarten."
<b><font size=4>Last call</font></b>
Attanasio said that a contract extension for closer Derrick Turnbow is "on the radar." Turnbow already signed for 2006 and reportedly will earn $488,000, but by extending him now the Brewers could gain some cost-certainty and avoid at least one season of salary arbitration with the big right-hander.
<b><font size=4>Brewers look to sweeten Turnbow's deal </font>
Team seeks to avoid arbitration</b>
Phoenix - Realizing they face some potentially costly salary arbitration cases after the 2006 season, the Milwaukee Brewers are preparing to open discussions with the agent for closer Derrick Turnbow for a two-year contract extension.
Turnbow, who recently signed a one-year deal for $488,000, is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time after the season. If he performs as he did last season, when he saved 39 games with a 7-1 record and 1.74 earned run average in 69 appearances, his salary will skyrocket.
With that in mind, the Brewers are willing to talk about buying out his first two years of arbitration eligibility.
"That's what all of these are about, getting a few arbitration guys out of the way," said general manager Doug Melvin, who also is discussing a multi-year deal with infielder Bill Hall, another player eligible for the first time after the season.
"We haven't made any proposals or offers. It's just in early discussions."
Melvin is aware of the dangers of offering multi-year deals to players coming off their first big year in the majors. Should Turnbow's 2005 performance turn out to be a fluke, the club would be on the hook for the salaries, nevertheless.
On the flip side, if Turnbow has another huge season, he could command a tremendous raise in salary.
"It's hard to pick and choose," said Melvin, who is looking for cost certainty in future payrolls. "You look at guys who had good years. If they don't work out, maybe you go to somebody else. Not many teams do it after one year."
Turnbow, who expressed satisfaction with the one-year deal he signed last week, said he was open to the possibility of extending the deal.
"I never thought it would happen this fast," he said. "We're just starting to talk. Hopefully, we can get something done. I love it here. We'll wait and see how it goes, but I'm excited."
If the Brewers do not agree on a three-year deal with Hall by Thursday, assistant general manager Gord Ash said the sides would put a one-year deal in place and continue negotiating. For liability reasons, the Brewers want all players under contract before exhibition season starts that day.
<b><font size=4>Let's talk</font></b>
Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow said his representatives from the Beverly Hills Sports Council have begun preliminary discussions with Melvin regarding a possible contract extension.
Turnbow, who is already signed for 2006 and would be eligible for salary arbitration if he pitches the entire season, said the first meeting between his agents and the Brewers included talk about a two-year extension through 2008. Such a deal would effectively buy out his first two arbitration years.
"They're in the early stages," Turnbow said. "We'll see. I'd love to be here, so I hope it happens."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=448870#post448870 target=_blank>Marathon men</a>
<b><font size=4>Turnbow tries other side</font>
Brewers closer moves over on rubber for first game action</b>
PHOENIX -- Derrick Turnbow was not exactly thrilled with his first game action of the year.
The Brewers' closer surrendered three runs in his inning of work during an 11 1/2-inning intrasquad scrimmage at Maryvale Baseball Park on Tuesday, including a laser beam, two-run home run to second baseman Rickie Weeks.
It was Turnbow's first opportunity to pitch in a game situation from the third-base side of the rubber. Last year, while tying the franchise record with 39 saves, he worked from the first-base side.
"I was throwing from the third-base side for the first time in five or six years, so I just wasn't comfortable with it today," Turnbow said. "I didn't throw that good. I'm just not comfortable throwing to righties now."
After a J.J. Hardy double sparked the rally, Tony Gwynn, Jr. hit an RBI single to right field. He then scored when Weeks turned on an inside fastball and deposited it onto the left-field berm.
Manager Ned Yost said he was pleased with Tuesday's performance, including Turnbow's. Pitching coach Mike Maddux suggested the change, and Turnbow said he would give it a few more tries.
"Mainly, for me, it's for the slider, to cover more of the plate and [get] a little more deception to it," Turnbow said. "I guess there is a drawback. It's tougher to throw a fastball down and away. ... Any time you pitch bad, it's not good. I was just up today, and [Weeks] made me pay for it, like you're supposed to."
A number of position players from Minor League camp played the later innings, including Yost's son, Ned IV, a first baseman, who homered off non-roster pitcher Wilfredo Rodriguez.
<b><font size=4>End of experiment</font></b>
Why mess with success?
That was the conclusion of pitching coach Mike Maddux and closer Derrick Turnbow when they ended an experiment that had Turnbow changing sides of the pitching rubber.
At Maddux's suggestion, Turnbow had moved from the first-base side of the rubber to the third-base side at the start of camp. The idea was to help Turnbow catch more of the strike zone with his sharp-breaking slider.
But Turnbow's blazing fastball also was catching more of the plate, and he was uncomfortable trying to correct that problem. The final straw came when Weeks blasted a long home run off Turnbow in an intrasquad game Tuesday when he didn't get his fastball far enough away.
"I just didn't feel comfortable with it," said Turnbow.
"I didn't want to mess with what I did last year. My fastball is my strength and I don't want to take away from my strength. I feel like that's where I need to be."
Back on the first-base side of the rubber Friday in an exhibition outing against Oakland, Turnbow worked a scoreless inning. He walked one batter but immediately erased him with a ground-ball double play.
Maddux, who went to Turnbow to suggest that he drop the experiment, said he had no problem with shelving it after only a couple of weeks.
"We gave it a whirl," said Maddux. "He said some things and I thought about it. He had been pretty effective where he was. After I thought about it, I was disappointed in myself for even suggesting it."
<b><font size=4>Slump city</font></b>
Closer Derrick Turnbow's control problems continued Thursday. He was pounded for six hits and five runs in a third of an inning.
"Power-arm guys in spring training generally take a little longer," Yost said, pointing out that Dan Kolb had had similar problems.
Said general manager Doug Melvin: "You would worry more if they were walking a bunch of guys."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow deal</font></b>
The Brewers continue to negotiate with the agent for closer Derrick Turnbow on a two-year contract extension. General manager Doug Melvin said the sides exchanged proposals Wednesday and agreed to talk again soon.
Turnbow, who signed a one-year deal for $488,000 earlier in camp, is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time after the season. By extending him for two more years, the Brewers would buy out two years of arbitration, which could save money if he has banner seasons.
If a deal is struck, Turnbow said his 2006 contract would be torn up and a three-year deal put in its place.
"They're still talking about it," Turnbow said. "Right now, I'd say it's 50-50."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=471337#post471337 target=_blank>Turnbow, Lee make NL all-star team</a>
<b><font size=4>Turnbow gets some sweet relief</font>
Struggling closer tosses solid inning</b>
Pittsburgh - Milwaukee Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow, who staggered to the all-star break with a handful of dreadful outings, came through with a confidence-restoring performance Tuesday night on his first national stage.
Pitching the seventh inning of the National League’s stunning 3-2 loss to the American League in the 77th All-Star Game at PNC Park, Turnbow worked around a leadoff single by Chicago’s Paul Konerko to deliver a scoreless frame.
After Konerko’s jam-shot single to center on a full count, Turnbow induced Toronto’s Troy Glaus to bounce into an around-the-horn double play. Texas infielder Michael Young then popped out to shallow right and Turnbow had protected a one-run lead that later vanished.
Turnbow’s outing became all the more impressive when the Konerko-Glaus-Young trio combined to deliver two runs with two outs in the ninth to give the AL the victory.
Turnbow said he was told before the game to be ready for anything from the sixth inning on. He realized there was no guarantee of getting in the game and was determined to make the most of his chance.
“It’s everything I thought it would be,” Turnbow said. “I knew it would be special.”
Turnbow invited his mother, stepfather, wife and two sisters to the event, and said they had as much fun as he did during the 2½ days of activities.
“There’s been a lot going on, that’s for sure,” said Turnbow, who had a 27.00 earned run average and two blown saves in his last four outings of the first half. “I just tried to relax and take it easy.”
The evening didn’t go as well for Brewers leftfielder Carlos Lee, who made the final out of the game. With the tying run on second and two down in the bottom of the ninth, Lee popped out to Young at second.
Lee was facing fellow Panamanian Mariano Rivera, the New York Yankees’ future Hall of Fame closer. At first, his blooper appeared to have a chance to drop into shallow right but Young ranged back to snare it.
“I was hoping I could face him,” said Lee, who entered the game in the eighth as a replacement for Pittsburgh’s Jason Bay. “Coming to the All-Star Game is fun, and facing Mariano in the ninth is fun.”
The Brewers’ third all-star, left-hander Chris Capuano, was withheld from action, in large part because of a tie in the 2002 contest in Milwaukee. Wanting to protect himself in the event of a tied score after nine innings, NL manager Phil Garner held back Capuano.
“He was my most rested guy,” said Garner, referring to the fact that Capuano had not pitched since Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. “If the game was tied, he’d be able to pitch the most innings.”
NL manager Bob Brenly and AL manager Joe Torre used all of their available pitchers in ’02 at Miller Park, resulting in the game being stopped after 11 innings with the score tied, 7-7. That unpopular verdict led to the expansion of rosters to 32 players as well as home-field advantage in the World Series being awarded to the winning team.
Had Lee come through with a tying hit in the bottom of the ninth, Capuano would have seen his first all-star action as the NL’s pitcher in the 10th.
“I actually got a chance to get up in the ninth inning and get ‘hot,’.” said Capuano, who was added to the NL staff when New York Mets veteran Tom Glavine was unavailable to pitch.
“I wish I could have gotten in the game. It was such a well-pitched game. It went by in a hurry.”
Despite not pitching, Capuano said he thoroughly enjoyed his experience. Players were chauffeured to PNC Park on the back of open-top vehicles, crossing the nearby Roberto Clemente Bridge on a red carpet.
Capuano was accompanied on the back of his vehicle by his mother, Kathy.
“That was pretty cool,” he said. “I think she had a blast.”
As most players discover in their first all-star trip, the schedule is hectic, with events planned for wives and families and many obligations, not the least of which is autographing a mountain of baseballs.
“I signed balls for an hour,” Capuano said. “You sign jerseys, bats, everything.”
Capuano, a left-hander, said he didn’t have to worry about writer’s cramp affecting his pitching.
“I write right-handed,” he explained.
<b><font size=4>Turnbow stars for Brewers contingent</font>
Reliever tosses scoreless inning; Lee makes final out</b>
PITTSBURGH -- Admiration runs high between All-Stars from different teams, but there is also plenty of respect between teammates who are here in Pittsburgh together.
Take, for example, Brewers left-hander Chris Capuano, when asked what he would like to have in baseball that he doesn't already.
"I wish I had Derrick Turnbow's fastball," Capuano said. "Just once, I'd like to know the feeling of a baseball being thrown 100 miles per hour leaving my hand."
Capuano, Turnbow and outfielder Carlos Lee completed a Brewers trifecta at the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh, which the National League lost, 3-2. It's the largest Milwaukee contingent at an All-Star Game since 1983.
Turnbow pitched the seventh frame, allowing one hit, but giving up no runs and preserving the National League's 2-1 advantage. He threw 14 pitches, eight for strikes. Capuano did not pitch.
Lee entered the game in the eighth, playing left field and batting fourth. It didn't look like he was going to have a chance to bat, but after Trevor Hoffman allowed two runs in the ninth to blow a 2-1 lead, the National League had its last at-bats in the bottom of the frame.
Lee turned out to be the final batter of the game. He popped out to second baseman Michael Young, stranding Carlos Beltran at second base.
"We thought it was going to be a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth, but it didn't happen that way," Lee said of the AL's comeback. "We were one step away from winning the game."
Lee maintained that the teams would play just as hard even if the game did not carry the weight of determining home-field advantage in the World Series. But he did admit there was a little extra rush of adrenaline toward the end of the game, considering what was riding on the outcome.
"It's always intense," Lee said. "It is definitely a little more. It's a game. Stuff happens out there."
Regardless of the outcome, the All-Star experience was every bit as thrilling as Turnbow expected. The 28-year-old closer described the week as "overwhelming."
"I was told before I got here that I'll have the time of my life," Turnbow said. "It's been every bit of it. It's been pretty special."
From the sidelines on Monday, Turnbow videotaped the Home Run Derby, and on Tuesday, his family taped the game from the stands.
And then there was the issue of autographs from his All-Star teammates.
"I want all of them," Turnbow said. "There's so many great guys, great players. You just enjoy being in the clubhouse, taking it all in. You want to get all of the autographs that you can."
<b><font size=4>Vote of confidence</font></b>
Derrick Turnbow is in a rough stretch, but he is still the Brewers closer.
"He's our closer. Nothing changes," Yost said.
On Friday night, Turnbow entered with a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning and surrendered a Luis Gonzalez double and a Johnny Estrada, game-winning home run. Over his last five appearances, Turnbow has blown all three of his save chances and has a 34.71 ERA. His ERA for the season has ballooned from 3.28 to 5.21.
"I wouldn't call it a long slump," Yost said. "He's struggled a little bit lately, and it started with him not being able to command his breaking ball. He's worked through that a little bit. It's like any pitcher; you're going to have good nights and you're going to have bad nights."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow making changes</font></b>
Cincinnati - Derrick Turnbow says he's making some subtle adjustments while trying to shake out of his mind-boggling - and team-shaking - slump.
The Milwaukee Brewers' closer has opted to throw a curveball in place of his slider, a switch that gives hitters a different look on his off-speed pitch.
"I'm just trying to make any kind of adjustment I can," Turnbow said Friday. "I went from a slide step to a little bit of a leg kick to slow things down.
"It's a matter of consistently locating my fastball and doing a better job of putting guys away if I get ahead of them. I've let a lot of guys back in the count, which is tough.
"When you think about it, there's no secret what I'm doing out there and what I'm coming after them with. At this level, if you leave pitches out over the plate, bad things can happen."
Turnbow entered the weekend series against the Reds in a major funk. He had blown four straight saves and gone 0-3 in his last seven outings while compiling a 29.73 earned run average.
The latest disaster came Wednesday, when the San Francisco Giants rallied for two runs off Turnbow in the ninth for a 7-6 victory, after the Brewers held a 6-1 lead early in the game.
Brewers manager Ned Yost said he had not considered taking the closer role away from Turnbow.
"I'm going to probably grab some 90-year-old lady out of the stands and let her try it," Yost said. "That wasn't Turnbow's fault (in San Francisco). Everybody wants to change the closer when a guy has two or three bad outings. That's not the way it's done."
Turnbow took the blame for the heartbreaking defeat, however.
"I could have pitched to a couple guys a little bit different," he said, "get ahead of (Ray) Durham, maybe. It always comes down to that kind of thing."
Durham singled home the winning runs on a potential double-play bouncer that went off Turnbow's glove and trickled into right field. The inning also featured Steve Finley's high chopper that got past shortstop Billy Hall and second baseman Rickie Weeks, and a near strikeout of Giants slugger Barry Bonds.
All the trouble started when Bonds managed a pinch single to open the bottom of the ninth.
"It was a curveball down and in," Turnbow said of a pitch that the Brewers thought was Strike 3. "I thought it should have been called a strike, and I thought he checked-swing on top of that.
"That's the way the game goes. It makes it tougher, especially when you're facing a guy like that. You want to get a guy like that out as quick as possible."
Yost also pointed to the Bonds at-bat.
"He had Bonds struck out and the umpire didn't call it," Yost said of home plate umpire Ed Hickox. "It was a young guy afraid to call Bonds out. Then there was the bad hop that got by Billy and Rickie. And the worst part of the inning was he (Turnbow) stuck out his glove to catch that ball."
Turnbow said he was encouraged about the success of his curveball, which he has not used much since the middle of last season. He said it usually was clocked from 81 to 83 mph, compared with his slider at 84 to 87 mph.
"I'm going back to the curve and throwing more of a true curveball," Turnbow said. "It's just my slider wasn't feeling all that comfortable. I've been a curveball guy my entire life, and so far I've been able to throw strikes with it.
"I'll keep trying to throw it and see if it's effective. You work on both (curve and slider) each day and see which one you've got."
Turnbow remains confident he will escape his current predicament and return to the dominant closer he was earlier in the season.
"My confidence is good," he said. "I still feel I can get the job done. I'm still aggressive going after guys and challenging 'em.
"It's just going to take that one save, no matter how you get it done. Hopefully that gets you over the hump."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow back in closer's role</font>
Brewers now have three All-Star closers on the roster</b>
MILWAUKEE -- Derrick Turnbow is back in the closer's role, at least for now.
That was the word from Brewers manager Ned Yost on Friday, when the team dealt All-Star outfielder Carlos Lee and an outfield prospect to the Texas Rangers for four players including one-time Rangers closer Francisco Cordero.
"We believe in Derrick Turnbow," Yost said. "He's had a rough couple of weeks, but he's had a pretty solid year-and-a-half for us. We don't bail on someone after a rough couple of weeks.
"Production will decide who closes ballgames. It's all about getting the job done. Derrick Turnbow did a great job in the first half and then struggled a little bit. Is the opportunity still going to be here for him to do that? Yes, it will."
The Brewers now have three All-Star closers on the roster. Cordero and Dan Kolb were both chosen for the Midsummer Classic in 2004, and Turnbow made the cut this season. But Turnbow has struggled badly since just before the All-Star break -- 0-4 with four blown saves and a 27.00 ERA over his last nine appearances, including a scoreless inning on Tuesday -- and Kolb had been filling in as the closer on an interim basis.
After pulling the trigger on Friday's blockbuster trade, Yost, general manager Doug Melvin and owner Mark Attanasio placed a call to Turnbow so he heard of the deal firsthand.
"We told him we're bringing another plus-arm into the bullpen and not to worry about it," Melvin said. "He and Francisco give us two power-type arms that can be closers. Both have that experience."
Turnbow appreciated the early heads-up.
"They did the same thing when they got Kolb," said Turnbow, referring to the offseason trade that brought Kolb back to Milwaukee from Atlanta. "That's a first-class move. It means a huge deal to the player. I know that if I do my job, I'm going to be the closer. If I don't do my job, I won't be the closer. It's as simple as that. To have two other guys out there, who are All-Star closers, is only going to help the bullpen."
The Brewers entered Friday's game with a 5.20 bullpen ERA, worst in the National League.
After being handed the job late last April, Turnbow converted 51 of his first 55 save opportunities including his first 12 this season. He had 23 saves at the All-Star break but has been stuck there since June 27.
<b><font size=4>Dealing with the situation </font>
Brewers ease Turnbow's mind after trading for Cordero</b>
Doug Melvin wore his cell phone out for 24 hours while making the trade that sent slugger Carlos Lee to the Texas Rangers.
But the Milwaukee Brewers' general manager had time to make one more phone call Friday morning, when he dialed struggling closer Derrick Turnbow.
Melvin wanted Turnbow to know that the Brewers still had confidence in the right-hander, even though the trade brought needed bullpen help in the form of 31-year-old right-hander Francisco Cordero. The Brewers also picked up corner outfielder Kevin Mench, centerfielder Laynce Nix and left-handed pitcher Julian Cordero in the trade, while including highly regarded Class AAA outfielder Nelson Cruz with Lee in the swap with Texas.
"I talked to Derrick this morning," Melvin said. "I think he might have thought the call was that he was being traded. But we were telling him we were bringing in another plus arm in the bullpen, and not to worry about it.
"He and Francisco give us two power-type arms that can be closers, and both have closing experience. There are a lot of clubs out there that are trying to fix their bullpens up. There were a lot of people that didn't know that Francisco Cordero was even available, and he wouldn't have been available if it wasn't for Carlos Lee being on the other side of the deal."
Turnbow said he understood the Brewers' rationale for making the deal, and he appreciated getting the call from Melvin.
"They just called and told me, I'm still the closer," Turnbow said before the Brewers played the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
"I like it. It helps our bullpen and gives us more depth. And if I'm not getting the job done, you've got another closer to maybe step in and do it."
The Brewers entered play Friday with a bullpen earned run average of 5.17, the worst in the National League.
"You know what? Production will decide who closes ball games," manager Ned Yost said. "It's all about getting a job done."
One Brewer who is familiar with Mench and Cordero is lefty reliever Brian Shouse, who was a teammate of both players in Texas. The Brewers acquired Shouse in mid-May in a trade with the Rangers.
"He (Cordero) solidifies that bullpen for you," Shouse said. "He's been a closer in Texas for a few years; he's been a setup guy. You name it, he can do it."
Cordero was one of the top closers in the American League in 2004 and 2005, but he lost that role with some bad outings in April and was used as the team's primary setup man.
In his last 37 outings with Texas, he had a 2.87 earned run average and was scored on just eight times.
The 28-year-old Mench has hit .284 with 12 homers and 50 RBI for Texas this season, and he set a major-league record for right-handed batters by homering in seven consecutive games from April 21-28.
"He brings a lot of fun and excitement to the team," Shouse said. "We'll see if he's his true self when he gets here. He's got some pop. He usually makes contact and puts the ball in play."
Brewers veteran outfielder Geoff Jenkins said he was sorry to see Lee go.
"I've seen a lot of trades go down and players moved," Jenkins said. "That's the part of the game you hate. You play with guys, and all of a sudden they're gone. It's a tough part of the game that you never really get used to.
"We got major-league parts; we got good players back. It's not like we traded Carlos away for a bunch of young, A-ball prospects. These guys are producers right now."
Yost spoke to the team before the game and told the players the Brewers were not giving up on the season, and that other players must do their share.
"We explained the move and explained that everybody needs to play a lot better than they've played in the last 2½ weeks," Yost said.
Turnbow said he did not think the Brewers were rolling over by making the trade.
"Sometimes you make a trade and a team takes off; you never know," Turnbow said. "Even though everything is stacked against us, there's still an opportunity.
"Anytime you get veteran guys and experienced guys, it helps your team. I think it sends a message how strongly they feel we can still get this thing done. Carlos was a great player, but one player doesn't make the whole team.
"I'm sure he'll be great in Texas or wherever he goes from there. But we've got to try to do it here."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=476127#post476127 target=_blank>Right now it's Cordero</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?t=61119 target=_blank>Yost replaces Turnbow with Cordero</a>
<b><font size=4>Turnbow still struggles</font>
Yost will stop turning to reliever in close games</b>
Atlanta - Despite suffering through a horrific period that would break many pitchers, Brewers reliever Derrick Turnbow insists he has not lost his confidence.
Manager Ned Yost said he doesn't see how that is possible.
"I think it's human nature to do that," Yost said.
"He just needs to relax a little bit. He's grinding mentally to the point that he's not smooth and fluid."
Yost conceded that he'll have to stop using Turnbow with games on the line after the deposed closer's latest failure Friday night. Entering the game in the ninth inning of a 1-1 tie, Turnbow issued a pair of walks and the game-winning double to Atlanta's Jeff Francoeur.
It was the continuation of an astonishing six-week meltdown in which Turnbow - who pitched a scoreless inning in the All-Star Game last month - has gone from being one of the top closers in the league to an absolute wreck. In 15 appearances since July 1, he is 0-5 with four blown saves and an 18.32 ERA. In 9 1/3 innings over that stretch, he has allowed 16 hits, 13 walks and 19 earned runs.
Much as he did the day before, when he announced he was removing slump-ridden Geoff Jenkins from his role as the starting rightfielder, Yost said he had been patient to a fault in sticking with Turnbow (4-8, 6.40) in game-deciding situations. Even after removing Turnbow as closer, Yost continued using him in the late innings.
"You've got an all-star closer," said Yost, trying to explain why he stuck with Turnbow so long. "You look at what he's done in the first half. And even though he's struggled in the second half, you're looking for that one outing that's going to get him turned around."
Yost said he thought Turnbow had the best repertoire of his available set-up men to face the hitters Atlanta had coming up in the ninth.
"For pure stuff, Derrick probably has the best stuff," Yost said. "You send him out and see if he can get the three outs, and get him going, and get us going, too. It would be a big boost if he could get through that inning. There were some pitches that were borderline pitches that could have been called strikes. But he didn't get the breaks."
Yost said he would look for situations with as little pressure as possible to use Turnbow, until he gets turned around.
"We're going to have to get him straightened out a little bit, get his confidence back," Yost said.
Turnbow, who talked with Yost about picking up his tempo on the mound, insisted he was not expecting the worst every time he takes the mound.
"I'm past the point of not trusting myself and not having confidence on the mound," he said. "I'm just thinking too much, what I want to do with this pitch and that pitch. For whatever reasons, I haven't been consistent.
"It's really tough (to deal with). You always have to fight that. It's part of it. Guys are out there busting their butt and putting us in position to win, and I'm going out and costing the team wins. You feel personally responsible. I've struggled in the past but never to this magnitude.
"I just need to keep going out there and be aggressive, pick up the tempo, throw all my pitches and keep after it. I need to have a good outing, then go out and have another good outing, and get on a roll. I haven't been able to string them together."
<b><font size=4>Turnbow blows control experiment </font>
Adjusting his pitching mechanics backfires</b>
Derrick Turnbow was so erratic with his control in 2004 that the Los Angeles Angels gave up on him after the season and placed him on waivers.
That's how Turnbow found his way to Milwaukee, where he evolved into an all-star closer. Now, at another crisis point in his still-burgeoning career, the 28-year-old right-hander insists he hasn't come full circle to those tumultuous days with the Angels that led to his exodus.
"Not really," said Turnbow. "There's a little bit of similarity. The difference is I struggled the whole season there. Here, it's just been the second half."
Some conspiracy theorists attribute the start of Turnbow's downfall to the Curse of the Bobblehead. On Derrick Turnbow Bobblehead Night, May 13 at Miller Park, with a full house on hand, Turnbow took over in the ninth inning with the score tied, 8-8, and surrendered a game-winning homer to New York's Paul Lo Duca.
But Turnbow turned in many fine outings after that game, compiling a 2.84 ERA in 13 appearances in June while converting eight of 10 save opportunities. Turnbow's descent into closer's hell actually began on July 1, when manager Ned Yost tried to coax a four-out save from him for the second time in three days in an interleague game in Minnesota.
Instead, Turnbow turned a 7-6 lead into a 10-7 loss, walking in the go-ahead run on four pitches. Two days later against Cincinnati, he melted down again, surrendering two hits, three walks and three runs in two-thirds of an inning to blow another save.
Turnbow would go on to blow four consecutive save chances before finally converting one on July 29. In 11 appearances that month, he went 0-4 with a hideous 21.32 ERA. A scoreless inning for the National League in the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh proved to be only a temporary reprieve.
Along the way, the Brewers dipped below the .500 mark to stay, a ruinous slide for which Turnbow felt greatly responsible. Soon after reliever Francisco Cordero was acquired on July 28 from Texas in the Carlos Lee trade, he was shifted into the closer's role, with Turnbow being demoted to set-up duty.
"It all started when I lost the feel for my slider," said Turnbow, who later lost command of his blazing fastball as well. "Then, I started changing things mechanically to try to find my slider instead of just sticking with what I was doing.
"It's kind of weird. I was being very successful with the way I was pitching before. I think what got me in trouble was I always wanted to do something different. Now I've learned that what I was doing was good enough. Maybe I was at my best and that was as good as it gets, and it was good enough.
"That was a hard lesson, but I've learned from it."
Yost continued to give Turnbow chances to turn his season around, and he came through with better performances toward the end of August. But Turnbow slid back into wild spells on occasion, forcing Yost to yank him.
The final straw came a week ago against St. Louis, when Turnbow blew sky-high again, turning a close game into a 12-2 whipping by surrendering five runs in one-third of an inning. Afterward, Yost said he would not use Turnbow in a close game again this season.
Turnbow hasn't pitched since, and it remains to be seen whether Yost will use him on the Brewers' season-ending trip to Chicago and St. Louis. Some of the pain of his collapse has been eased by the tremendous work of Cordero, who is 16 for 16 in save opportunities, but Turnbow signed a three-year deal in April and both he and the club are hoping a winter of rest and relaxation will prove therapeutic.
"It's hard to make in-season adjustments," said Yost. "There's so much going on.
"What happens is when the year is over, you can go home and digest it and re-evaluate it, relax and clear your mind a little bit. Then you start fresh. By the time you get back to spring training, you're in pretty good shape."
Yost believes part of Turnbow's problems came from accepting advice from too many parties. He began experimenting with his delivery, which only served to get him further out of whack.
Turnbow agreed with that assessment and vowed to return to what made him successful in the first place, including a club record-tying 39-save season in 2005.
"I've tried everything and anything," said Turnbow, who is 4-9 with a 6.71 ERA and 24 saves in 32 chances.
" 'Mad Dog' (pitching coach Mike Maddux) and I have been working a lot on getting back to what I used to do. I feel like I know what I need to do now to get better, the adjustments I need to make."
If Turnbow does return to his all-star form, there's no guarantee he'll get his old job back. Cordero has earned the right to be the closer entering spring training, based on his near-flawless work thus far.
Turnbow only hopes to make it a difficult decision for Yost and his staff.
"If I'm pitching well next year and ready to go, I'd like to be the closer," said Turnbow, an affable, fun-loving sort who has the entire clubhouse pulling for him. "I hope I've done enough up here to get another chance. We'll see what happens."
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PHOENIX -- Trivia tidbit: Brewers reliever Derrick Turnbow's full name is Thomas Durwood Derrick Turnbow. The first two names are in honor of his mother's father, and while he still signs legal documents Thomas D. Turnbow, he's been called "Derrick" his whole life.
Funny thing, but it takes Turnbow longer to say his own name than to describe the second half of 2006.
"Horrible," he says. "Misery."
The Official Site of The Milwaukee Brewers: News: Milwaukee Brewers News (http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070218&content_id=1806854&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil)
Phoenix - Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux thinks he first heard the adage from former Houston Astros manager Larry Dierker.
"I think he was the one who said experience is a tough teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson later," Maddux said with a knowing smile.
No one understands that cruel ir