D-backs’ Charles Brewer keeping bags packed
Jul 10, 2013, 12:53 AM | Updated: 1:05 am
Everybody knew the day would eventually come — the day when Arizona Diamondbacks’ center fielder Adam Eaton would be healthy enough to come off the disabled list and someone would have to go back to Triple-A to make room for the speedy leadoff hitter.
Tuesday was the day, and the player selected to go back to Reno was right-handed pitcher Charles Brewer. We in the media might call it unlucky, but the Arizona native doesn’t view it that way.
“You gotta kind of be you know, ready to pack your bags up a little bit, but it’s all good, glad to be here,” he said.
The 25-year-old appeared in four games with the Diamondbacks, coming out of the bullpen each time. He understands how this game works and he’s slowly learning that this might be the way things go for a while.
“I wouldn’t say I was expecting to go down obviously because you never really do, you don’t want to think about it,” said Brewer in the clubhouse Tuesday after getting the news he was headed back to Reno. “Just one of those things, your first year in the league you can be up and down a lot of times, as Heath (Bell) told me, he came up and down eleven times his first year in the Major Leagues.”
Brewer posted an ERA of 3.00 in six innings of work since making his Major League debut against the Dodgers in Los Angeles June 10.
“I’m just very thankful to come up here and be a part of this first place team, it’s always a blast playing on a team like this,” he said. “I’m just going to go down and work hard and hopefully be back up here soon.”
Brewer attended Chaparral High School in Scottsdale and has had a nice crowd on hand for games at Chase Field since his call-up. Having support from friends and family is nice, but so is performing when called upon.
“I can pitch here, that’s just a fact. I’ve done decently well since I’ve been here and I’ve done the best with the opportunities I’ve been given so I can pitch here and it’s just a matter of getting my opportunities again.”
Brewer was selected by the D-backs in the 12th round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft. Current Arizona pitchers Patrick Corbin and Tyler Skaggs were also drafted in 2009. Brewer said he’s talked with them about the journey to the big leagues.
“Talking to guys like that and guys even here in the organization like Mike Fetters, gave me a lot of good advice,” said Brewer. “Take what you learn up here and then go back down and work on it and next time you come back up here you’ll be even more prepared for the next opportunity.”
Brewer followed that advice after his last demotion to Reno, and his confidence soared because of it.
“My first start I had after my first stint in the Major Leagues this year, I was just totally relaxed and calm, even more so than I’ve ever been out there really in a Triple-A game and I threw really well and I just want to keep that going.”
The odds seem to be pretty good that we could see Brewer up with the Diamondbacks again this season, considering the way the season has played out for Arizona from a health standpoint. They currently have four pitchers on the disabled list: Brandon McCarthy, Trevor Cahill, Daniel Hudson and Matt Reynolds.
