WELCOME TO THE JUGGLE

It’s the top of the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. The home team is holding a slim lead and the crowd is holding its breath in anticipation of blaring rock ‘n’ roll, of psychedelic eye candy rimming the stadium, of the bullpen gates bursting open and a goggle-eyed, goateed Canadian behemoth emerging to begin his trot toward the mound.

But Chavez Ravine is a much quieter place these days. The music, signage and atmosphere have been shelved for the remainder of the season, along with Eric Gagne and his troublesome right elbow.

Instead, a baby-faced Dominican rookie who is one inch shorter and 64 pounds lighter than Gagne ambles in from the bullpen, the faint sound of merengue music wafting through the air. The crowd, no disrespect intended, yawns.

Game Over?

For Yhency Brazoban, it’s more like Ghame On.

*

Baseball is king in the Dominican Republic, where little boys grow up fashioning gloves out of milk cartons, balls out of wadded-up socks and bats out of sticks.

Growing up in the island nation’s capital of Santo Domingo, Brazoban did not have so desperate an existence.

But like almost every other Dominican hungry for a shot at a better life through beisbol, Brazoban lived, ate, and breathed the game.

So much so that the Dodger closer (for now) was sure he’d make his mark in las grandes ligas as an outfielder, not as a pitcher.

And it’s of great consternation to Dodger fans that Gagne’s ninth-inning heroics have been entrusted to a 25-year-old rookie who is in only his third full season of pitching.

“I took the news very bad when I heard about Gagne because he’s my companero,” Brazoban said of the closer undergoing season-ending surgery. “And you always feel good when your friends feel good. He’s a true friend.

“Only God knows why it happened, but now, I have to try to do the best job I can.”

Forgive the Dodgers if they grit their teeth every time Brazoban toes the rubber. Replacing 160 saves with such a greenhorn can be daunting.

As recently as last spring, after Brazoban came to the Dodgers with Jeff Weaver and Brandon Weeden from the New York Yankees in a Dec. 13, 2003, trade for Kevin Brown, Brazoban was penciled in for Class A and there was no thought of the right-hander spending any quality time in the major league clubhouse.

“The next thing I know, in July I’m hearing about this Brazoban guy,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “And then he’s our setup guy in the heat of a pennant race.”

Much like now, Brazoban’s job description changed out of necessity.

He was called up July 31 after former setup man Guillermo Mota was traded to Florida. Brazoban, who spent time at three levels last year in the Dodger system, appeared in 31 games for the Dodgers, going 6-2 with a 2.48 earned-run average in 32 2/3 innings, striking out 27 batters and walking 15.

So impressed was the Dodger brass that when Gagne began this season on the disabled list, Brazoban was made the interim closer. And so dismayed is Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman that he has since expressed regret at including Brazoban in the Brown deal.

That’s what makes this go-round so different -- Brazoban isn’t just holding down the fort for a few weeks; the job is his for the rest of the season.

“I’m working a lot more now,” he said. “I need to because it’s a very big responsibility. Now, my whole focus is on three outs. Before, I’d work one or maybe two innings, six outs.

“There’s always pressure when I’m in the game but there’s more pressure now because when I come in, we’re winning and I’m trying to preserve the victory.”

With his relative inexperience, Brazoban has been given slack.

“I can’t expect perfect efficiency from this kid,” Tracy said. “If I do, then shame on me. This is on-the-job training.”

Things turned out well the last time Tracy used such a philosophy, turning Gagne from underachieving starter to cult figure.

Brazoban has 15 saves in 18 opportunities, is 2-2 with a 4.36 ERA and has struck out 28 and walked 12 in 33 innings.

Not quite lights-out numbers, but close enough.

Dodger catcher Jason Phillips pointed to Brazoban’s strength.

“He throws 97 [mph] so he definitely has the velocity to be a power closer,” Phillips said. “Coming up in the minors, you can pretty much overpower guys with one pitch, but you get to the big leagues and everybody can hit that fastball.”

Tracy agreed that Brazoban needs more than a fastball and slider.

“Another pitch could possibly make this guy devastating,” Tracy said. “A change-up would make his fastball look like one of those Japanese bullet trains going by.”

When Brazoban was playing for the Yankees’ Class-A Greensboro affiliate in 2002, Manager Bill Masse suggested to Brazoban that he convert from right field, where he batted .273 in 2001.

“The guy told me, ‘You have more of a future as a pitcher,’ and things weren’t going so well as an outfielder,” Brazoban said. “ ‘This is your future,’ he said. Plus, I already had a strong arm and they said they would make me a closer.

“The Yankees just had me do it, it was their decision to make the change and I’m glad it happened. You know how the Yankees are, always looking for prospects who are prepared. Being here, I got to the big leagues faster. The opportunity was greater here.

“It was hard at first, but little by little I got comfortable and things are turning out well.”

Still, Brazoban wears his biggest grins during batting practice, when he’s launching shots halfway up the left-field pavilion.

*

Brazoban is an enigma of sorts to his non-Spanish-speaking teammates. He makes himself a solitary figure in the clubhouse, his head bobbing to a merengue groove on his headphones as he stands at his stall, bobblehead dolls of Gagne and Don Drysdale standing sentry from above.

But to those who share his native tongue, Brazoban -- who lives in Pasadena with his wife Yoneidi and daughter Yelaini (another daughter is due within two months) -- is the life of the party.

“Quiet? Oh no,” pitcher Odalis Perez said. “He’s a crazy guy, like all the other Latino guys in here. We’ll joke with him about the [A.J.] Pierzynski home run in Chicago and he’ll smile and say, ‘Don’t bring that up.’ ”

Said Duaner Sanchez: “I told him, ‘What, your neck hurt, looking back so much?’ You’ve got to enjoy it, and he does.”

“I have to,” Brazoban said. “I have to stay calm and not let things get me down. When the call comes into the bullpen for me, I get excited.”

The Pierzynski walk-off homer two weekends ago, which came in the midst of Gagne’s departure, could have crushed Brazoban.

Instead, he’s looking forward to the next save opportunity.

And reliever Giovanni Carrara is looking for Brazoban’s theme song. With “Welcome to the Jungle” taken, he suggests “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee before belting out a few lyrics and doing a quick dance around Brazoban.

“He’s the one throwing gasolina,” Carrara said.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Closer’s ledger

Yhency Brazoban’s performance in save opportunities:

*--* Date Opponent Result Performance April 8 at Arizona Save Retired the side in order in ninth to protect an 8-7 lead. April 9 at Arizona Blown Gave up ninth-inning, game-tying run, but got the win in a 12-10 victory. April 13 vs. San Francisco Save Retired the side in order in ninth to protect a 4-1 lead. April 19 at Milwaukee Save Allowed first two batters to reach base, then retired three in a row in 8-6 victory. April 20 at San Diego Save Inherited 3-1 lead in 10th, struck out final two batters to strand runner at third April 24 at Colorado Save Retired three in a row to protect an 8-6 lead. April 29 vs. Coloardo Save Came in with one out in ninth, got a strikeout and ground out to save 6-3 victory. April 30 vs. Colorado Save Got final out, relieving D.J. Houlton with two on, two out, in 6-2 victory. May 1 vs. Colorado Save Recorded third save in three days with scoreless ninth in 2-1 victory. May 3 vs. Washington Save Finished off 4-2 victory with a double-play grounder and a strikeout. May 10 at St. Louis Save Had two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth to preserve a 9-8 victory. May 13 vs. Atlanta Save Pitched a perfect ninth, with two strikeouts, in a 7-4 victory. May 26 at San Francisco Blown Gave up two-run single in eighth, but got the win as Dodgers rallied for a 6-4 victory June 18 at Chicago (AL) Blown Inherited 3-1 lead, gave up four runs, losing on A.J. Pierzynski’s two-run home run. June 22 at San Diego Save Pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve a 6-4 victory. June 23 at San Diego Save Walked two batters in the 10th, but retired final two batters in a 4-3 decision. June 27 vs. San Diego Save Gave up a hit but retired the side in ninth to preserve a 5-4 victory. June 29 vs. San Diego Save Gave up a run on two doubles, but got the final three outs in a 4-2 victory.

*--*

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Dual role

A look at Yhency Brazoban’s numbers when he has been used as a closer compared to his numbers when he has been used as a setup man this season:

*--* Role IP H ER BB SO W-L SV ERA Closer 19 18 8 9 17 1-1 15 3.79 Setup 14 12 8 3 11 1-1 0 5.14 Totals 33 30 16 12 28 2-2 15 4.36

*--*