Ryan Brasier

The Talented Allen Ripley

holden
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 2, 2003
12,723
MetroWest, MA
A man throws a ball 100 mph, he gets his own thread.

He was drafted by the Angels out of high school in 2007, made a slow but steady progression through their farm system, finally making his MLB debut at the age of 25 in 2013, pitching 9 innings over 7 appearances while giving up 2 earned runs.

He had Tommy John surgery in 2014 and bounced around the minors and Japan until this winter, when the Sox signed him and sent him to Pawtucket out of spring training. He had some success there, throwing in the high-90s and posting a 1.34 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 40 strikeouts and eight walks in 40 1/3 innings. He held the opposition to a .215 batting average and converted 13 of 14 save opportunities.

The Sox promoted him on July 7, and he's had two scoreless appearances of an inning each so far, including finishing last night's win against Texas, where he hit 100 mph on the ballpark gun.

Could he be the bullpen acquisition we'd otherwise be looking for come the trade deadline?
 
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The Gray Eagle

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2001
16,723
Brazier brings the heat.



His stuff is really impressive. The fastball obviously, but in his first appearance at least he was throwing an 89-mph slider that had real break to it. (I assume it was a slider; NESN was calling it a 2-seam fastball but it sure looked like it was breaking way too much for that.)

If he can command that stuff in the majors, he has real potential. I'm glad he is getting a shot before we give up resources to try to trade for a reliever. Any reliever we trade for at the deadline might throw 25 innings or so the rest of the regular season, and in that small sample size, anything can happen. I'd rather see us try internal options rather than trade for a "name" who might not even do well in his limited time here.

Though maybe I am just still burned from the Eric Gagne experience.
 

Rasputin

Will outlive SeanBerry
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Oct 4, 2001
29,421
Not here
I am getting increasingly comfortable with doing literally nothing af the deadline.
 

AB in DC

OG Football Writing
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Jul 10, 2002
13,629
Springfield, VA
The Sox promoted him on July 7, and he's had two scoreless appearances of an inning each so far, including finishing last night's win against Texas, where he hit 100 mph on the ballpark gun.
MLB.com has him topping out at 97.6. What's considered the official (or best) measurement for this sort of thing? Pitch f/x?
 

Mugsy's Jock

Eli apologist
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Dec 28, 2000
15,069
UWS, NYC
Somebody suggested "Bruiser" as an official SoSH nickname for Brasier, which I endorse.

Another alternative could be "Burger" (hat tip to DQ).
 

Average Reds

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 24, 2007
35,330
Southwestern CT
A power arm who seems able to get people out pretty consistently. Feels a bit like JoKe with a few more pounds and better control.

What's not to like?
 

Sox Puppet

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 7, 2016
724
Somebody suggested "Bruiser" as an official SoSH nickname for Brasier, which I endorse.

Another alternative could be "Burger" (hat tip to DQ).
The dictionary definition of a brasier as a "metal receptacle for holding live coals or other fuel" seems fitting for someone with a fiery arm. We had our Oil Can back in the '80s -- now maybe we have a Coal Pit?

Either that or we go in the Bro/Manzier direction. :)