From the St. Petersburg Times’ Marc Topkin :
The way Dewon Brazelton looks at his controversial and disappointing season, he figures it could be worse.
“I’ve had an up-and-down year, but whatever,” Brazelton said. “I’m not dead. I’ve got a beautiful son. I’m healthy. I don’t have anything to complain about.”
Brazelton’s season of extreme ups and downs took another turn Tuesday when he rejoined the Rays to work out of the bullpen for the rest of what has been an eventful season.
He was the surprise opening-day starter, was demoted in May, refused to report to Triple A and took a mysterious three-week absence he has declined to explain. He was given a five-game suspension for his aggressive antics in an April brawl that he has yet to serve. He was unexpectedly called up in June after one Double-A appearance, demoted last month, then brought back up Tuesday.
In between, he has pitched relatively poorly, going 1-8 with a 6.85 ERA for the Rays in what was supposed to be his breakthrough season. He also was 2-2 with a 3.72 ERA at Durham.
Still, Brazelton said he feels good about things.
“I’m not really concerned about it,” he said. “That’s life. Sometimes this stuff gets blown out of proportion because it’s professional sports, but it happens to everybody. I don’t know any person who stays on top all the time.”