Brian Bruney, Throw Strikes; Drew Storen Is Closer Than He Appears

When the Nationals traded their Rule V pick last winter to the Yankees for reliever Brian Bruney, many thought it to be a solid addition to a woeful bullpen.

The 28-year-old veteran had a career record of 17-10 with a 4.31 ERA and he seemed like a logical option to either be the team’s eighth-inning set-up man or perhaps even their closer.

But buried deep within his otherwise solid statistics is one glaring red-flag: Brian Bruney has trouble throwing strikes.

In 230 career innings, Bruney has averaged just 7.5 hits per nine-innings allowed, but has walked an astonishing 6.3 batters per nine. For his career, he has struck out 1.3 batters for every walk.

Not very good.

Heading into Monday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs, Bruney had not had much success with his new team. He had walked nine in 8.1 innings while striking out just six.

So what happened last night against Chicago wasn’t a total surprise.

After Ryan Theriot opened the inning with a single, Bruney induced Jeff Baker to strikeout.

Then it became classic Bruney.

He walked Derrek Lee on four pitches and then allowed another single to former National Marlon Byrd.

The bases were loaded with just one out. Up stepped Aramis Ramirez.

Bruney threw four straight balls and the game was over.

Just like that.

Bruney has now pitched 9.2 innings in 2010 and has walked 12 batters.

The Nationals could have excused this type of pitching last year, perhaps even lived with it.

But not this year.

There are too many signals that the team is ready to make a run towards respectability to lose games this year like they did last year.

Now, I’m not blaming Brian Bruney. He has a career history of walking far too many batters. There is no reason to believe that he should suddenly find his control.

It’s not time to give up on Brian Bruney. But there will come a time when Mike Rizzo and Jim Riggleman will have to decide if the Nationals can be a .500 team—perhaps better—with Bruney walking a batter an inning.

Very soon, Drew Storen will be called up. He might replace Miguel Batista or Tyler Walker, neither of whom are pitching particularly well.

But Storen is a one-inning guy, just like Bruney. My guess is, unless something changes quickly, Brian Bruney will be the odd-man out.

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