Brewers provide comfort for Jeffress
PHOENIX – It is right there in black and white, for all to see, and absolutely indisputable.
Jeremy Jeffress has pitched much better wearing a Milwaukee Brewers uniform than he has for any other club. In fact, much, much better.
“That’s why we traded for him (last season), why we reacquired him,” manager Craig Counsell said.
No one was happier than Jeffress when the Brewers grabbed him in what was considered a minor trade last July 31 for minor-league pitcher Tayler Scott. For a variety of reasons, the right-handed reliever has felt more at home performing for the Brewers, as if donning a pair of comfy slippers instead of baseball cleats.
“People ask me that all the time. They want to know why,” said Jeffress, 30 said of his success with the Brewers. “All I can say is that sometimes players get caught looking over their shoulder. I’ve never felt that one time in Milwaukee.
“I’ve felt if I take the ball and just do what I can do, I’ll be fine, whatever the result. I don’t feel any pressure here. I don’t know why. I just feel comfortable here.”
The numbers certainly support that feeling. In 180 appearances with the Brewers, including a spot start late last season when the rotation was injurythinned, Jeffress is 13-3 with a 2.56 earned run average over 176 innings, with 27 saves and a 1.301 WHIP.
In 91 games with three other clubs,
Kansas City, Texas and Toronto, Jeffress is 4-3 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.702 WHIP. It was that tremendous difference in production that prompted him to take a risk by accepting a non-guaranteed deal over the winter from the Brewers that will pay him $1.7 million in 2018 with club options for $3.175 million in 2019 and $4.3 million in 2020 (he can earn an additional $2.2 million in incentives each season).
It was a club-friendly deal, but Jeffress and agent Josh Kusnick were well aware of how the pitcher flourished with the Brewers, and saw no sense in venturing into an uncertain free-agent market. Jeffress’ attitude at the time was that if he pitched well in camp, having a non-guaranteed contract would be moot.
“I feel like all I have to think about is doing what I can do, and that will help both sides,” Jeffress said. “It will help me, and it will help the team. I came into spring a little achy, so I just wanted to make sure I got my arm and shoulder ‘under me.’ I’m just trying to fill up the (strike) zone.”
Jeffress has done a good job of that in his first three spring outings, allowing one hit and no runs over three innings with two walks and four strikeouts. Last time out against Oakland, he struck out three hitters in an impressive showing.
This is the third time around for Jeffress with the Brewers, who selected him in the first round of the 2006 draft (16th overall) out of Halifax County (Va.) High School. He had pitched in only 10 games for Milwaukee when he was included in the blockbuster trade on Dec. 19, 2010, with Kansas City that netted ace Zack Greinke.
Jeffress later was traded to Toronto, and when the Blue Jays released him weeks into the 2014 season, he jumped at the opportunity to sign with Milwaukee. He became the bullpen closer two years later and was having a brilliant year (2.22 ERA in 47 games, 27 saves) when the rebuilding Brewers put him in a trade with catcher Jonathan Lucroy to Texas for three top prospects, including outfielder Lewis Brinson.
Things didn’t go well with the Rangers last season (5.31 ERA in 39 games) but Jeffress perked up after being acquired by the Brewers. In 22 appearances, he went 4-0 with a 3.65 ERA, working around some command issues to help a well-used relief corps.
When Counsell speaks of the six relievers he considers locks to make his bullpen, Jeffress is included. Having developed a split changeup to keep hitters off his fastball, Jeffress could again play a key role in the late innings, and the Brewers are counting on his continued success wearing their uniform.
“It’s tough to identify that with players,” Counsell said. "Where are they most comfortable? Where can you get them in their sweet spots, and the best versions of themselves? How does our atmosphere help that come out?
“For J.J., the comfort of this place helps him. That’s great. I’m glad we’ve got him in a comfortable spot. We’ll try to do that again.”
Jeffress’ influence in a tight-knit yet loose clubhouse can be seen, and felt, every morning during spring training. In essence, he is the team’s disc jockey, supervising a music play list designed to please the varied tastes of many players. Depending on the teammate and request, he is ready with heavy metal, soothing R&B, country, pop, disco-style dance music.
You name it, Jeffress is ready to please, often at high decibels blaring over speakers near his locker.
“I know the guys are counting on me,” he said. “And different guys want different music. So, I have to have stuff prepared. Guys are doing other things, so they put me in charge. It helps keep the camaraderie going. I let guys write what they like on a list. I take requests. I don’t hog it.
“That’s me. I enjoy it. It’s hard for me to smile at 6:15 in the morning but when I see other guys smile, it’s all good. We have fun in here. That’s all I know.”
With this experience, might Jeffress have a second career playing tunes in a club?
“Maybe,” he said with a smile. “DJ Jazzy Jeff. That’s me.”