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Thursday, January 28, 2010

Former Astros Pitcher Brocail Retires

Not quite as sad as when bro Cale left V.U. but…

After 15 years in Major League Baseball and just as many medical and surgical procedures, former Houston Astros pitcher Doug Brocail told FOX 26 Sports Thursday he is retiring from the game.

“I am retiring because it’s harder to get my arm in shape and the talent just isn’t there anymore,” Brocail said. “There’s no use in just hanging on.”

Brocail began his big league career with the San Diego Padres in 1992 and pitched for them for three years. He would return to San Diego in 2006 and 2007 and also was with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers and two stints with the Houston Astros, most recently in 2009 when injuries limited him to just 17.2 innings.

“I’ve had a great career and why not go out when I’m feeling good,” Brocail said. It’s time to hand it off to the younger generation.

Repoz Posted: January 28, 2010 at 11:17 PM | 18 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General, Houston

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1. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: January 28, 2010 at 11:23 PM (#3449226)

"I've had a great career and why not go out when I'm feeling good," Brocail said. It's time to hand it off to the younger generation.

Either there are missing quotation marks, or that's an unnecessary editorial.

2. Al Kaline Trio Posted: January 28, 2010 at 11:23 PM (#3449227)

He wasn't a cheater. That should help his HOF case.

3. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: January 28, 2010 at 11:41 PM (#3449247)

One of the last great stolen base threats among pitchers calls it a day.

4. Leroy Kincaid Posted: January 28, 2010 at 11:53 PM (#3449264)

Holy crap. I think I need glasses. I thought this was about Brocail dying and was a bit surprised at the snark.

5. Gary Truth Serum Posted: January 29, 2010 at 04:34 PM (#3449723)

Someone sent me an e-mail last season containing a list of "most times placed on the disabled list" among active players. Brocail was #1 on the list, although it was midseason and Nomar may have passed him since then. (But Brocail was placed on the DL three times himself, so I doubt it.) You could have given me 100 chances to guess the top spot and I never would have gotten it.

6. Crispix Attacks Posted: January 29, 2010 at 04:38 PM (#3449726)

#1 in most times placed on the DL, and #1 in most pitching appearances with no playoff teams? What a career.

7. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: January 29, 2010 at 04:45 PM (#3449735)

One of the last great stolen base threats among pitchers calls it a day.

was he the last pitcher to be used as a pinch runner?

I found this SABR article about PRs and pitchers, but it's pretty outdated

I remember when Pete Ramos was the #1 PR for the Indians

8. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: January 29, 2010 at 04:48 PM (#3449740)

was he the last pitcher to be used as a pinch runner?

I don't know. He was the last, unidentified answer in Bob Dernier Cri's pitchers as basestealers trivia quiz in the Dugout the other day.

9. tl; dr (Voxter)

Posted: January 29, 2010 at 05:07 PM (#3449768)

I thought this was about Brocail dying

Me, too.

10. Suff Posted: February 04, 2010 at 09:11 PM (#3454284)

I apparently had Brocail's old Houston cell phone number after he stopped using it a few years ago. I would occasionally get a call for what sounded like "Doug Brocail" and eventually I asked if they meant the pitcher. I got some sarcastic response and then he the guy didn't believe I really didn't know him. I was weird that one of a pretty small percentage of people who would actually know who Doug Brocail was got his old cell phone number. I would always wonder who I was talking to when people would ask for him.

I still had that number when he had his heart surgery a few years ago, which brought a flood of calls, about a year after I had quit getting them.

11. Der Komminsk-sar Posted: February 04, 2010 at 09:20 PM (#3454294)

Anyone interesting call?

12. Crispix Attacks Posted: February 04, 2010 at 09:27 PM (#3454303)

Did Ed Wade ever call?

13. PreservedFish Posted: February 04, 2010 at 09:32 PM (#3454307)

A friend once had Pele's old phone number. Now THAT is awesome.

14. Crispix Attacks Posted: February 04, 2010 at 09:36 PM (#3454312)

A friend once had Pele's old phone number. Now THAT is awesome.

"Please, all-powerful one, I'll do whatever you want. How many virgins do you need?"

15. Accent Shallow Posted: February 04, 2010 at 10:01 PM (#3454339)

Is he going to devote his newfound free time to hunting down the Buenos?

16. Morally Excellent Posted: February 04, 2010 at 10:41 PM (#3454375)

#1 in most times placed on the DL

He beat out Chad Fox?

17. Suff Posted: February 04, 2010 at 10:57 PM (#3454385)

Anyone interesting call?

It's hard to ask someone who they are when they have called the wrong number. I may watch a lot of baseball, but I don't think I cold definitively identify Ed Wade, Craig Biggio, or anyone else with just "Is Doug there" or "can I speak with Doug Brocail" over the phone. (And I tried not to be too stalkerish about it, but I did once run a reverse phone search on one of the numbers--unlisted of course).

18. Morally Excellent Posted: February 04, 2010 at 11:10 PM (#3454386)

Did Ed Wade ever call?

Awesome.

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Former Astros Pitcher Brocail Retires

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