Brazoban Moved From Closing Role

Game over? Nah, just put on hold.

Yhency Brazoban, the rookie right-hander who became the Dodger closer when Eric Gagne was lost for the year because of elbow trouble in mid-June, has lost his job, “for a brief period of time,” and will be replaced by a combination of rookie Steve Schmoll and Duaner Sanchez, Manager Jim Tracy said Thursday.

These things happen when you give up a grand slam in the ninth inning of a tie game before you throw a strike, as Brazoban did the night before.

Maybe Brazoban should have chosen a different theme song than “Gasolina” after all. Besides, a fireman is supposed to douse the flames, not throw gas on them.

Earlier this season, Tracy said he did not expect 100% efficiency from the rookie, and if he did, “Shame on me.” Now, Tracy said he is looking out for Brazoban’s emotional well-being after being shelled.

“His self-confidence, his self-esteem, all of those kinds of things weighed heavily on my mind,” Tracy said. “He’s come such a long way in such a short period of time.

“We need to give him an opportunity to step back and not give him a stressful situation.”

Brazoban, 25, said he was OK with Tracy’s decision and insisted he was fine physically.

“When I first came up to the major leagues I was a set-up man so no, I’m not disappointed,” Brazoban, a converted outfielder in his third year pitching, said in Spanish. “I just need to work on things, my mechanics and my location, where I’m spotting the ball.

“My confidence is good. It’s just my mechanics and location.”

And the criticism heaped on him from fans?

“I haven’t been getting the job done,” he said. “I need to get to work.”

Brazoban, who was the closer to begin the season with Gagne on the disabled list before moving back to set-up man in May and then closer again, has been far better in save situations, where he has an earned-run average of 3.08 and has converted a club rookie record 21 of 25 save opportunities. In non-save situations, such as Wednesday night, Brazoban’s ERA is 10.98.

“He’ll still pitch,” Tracy said. “We’re just going to back him out of the ninth inning. He understands. You want to protect the integrity of the club and the player.”

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With the Dodgers activating outfielder Jayson Werth from the disabled list, the club put ailing left-hander Wilson Alvarez, 35, on the DL because of a sore pitching shoulder, the same ailment that has shelved him for 42 games in two DL stints earlier this year.