Brewers’ Fox Makes It All the Way Back

In the week that former Dodger Ramon Martinez retired, telling the Pittsburgh Pirates he had gone as far as possible in his comeback from rotator cuff surgery in 1998, Milwaukee Brewer relief pitcher Chad Fox continued to produce one of the most improbable comebacks.

The 30-year-old right-hander started the weekend having pitched 8 2/3 scoreless innings since his mid-April recall. He had struck out 13 and walked only one. His fastball and slider seem as effective as when he was acquired by the Brewers from the Atlanta Braves before the 1998 season and before he sat out virtually all of the 1999 and 2000 seasons because of a second reconstructive surgery on his elbow and yet another elbow surgery after he fractured it in spring training of 2000.

In other words, Dr. James Andrews rebuilt Fox’s elbow three times in five years, and while there were times during his seemingly never-ending rehabilitation that Fox wondered if it might be best to get on with his life, he continued to receive support from Andrews, his family and the Brewers.

“If any of them had told me it might be time to stop, I probably would have done it,” Fox said. “With the support I was getting, it just felt right to keep going.”

The Brewers offered Fox the same $225,000 contract he had in 2000, invited him to spring training as a nonroster player and ultimately sent him to triple A after he pitched well in exhibitions.

“I would have gone to rookie ball if they asked me,” Fox said.

He was recalled April 14 after another Brewer reliever, Valerio De Los Santos, suffered a severe elbow injury.

Now, Fox said, every time he takes the mound, “I think this is the greatest thing in the world. People take things for granted. I was guilty of it, I’m not going to lie. But after my injuries, I’ve learned to appreciate being out there. I’m going to get beat some days, but I’ll go down fighting. I think I’ve already proved that.”

Martinez, 33, retired Wednesday after his record had fallen to 0-2 and his earned-run average had risen to 8.62 in Tuesday’s loss to the San Francisco Giants. He had signed with the Pirates for the major league minimum of $200,000 on April 11 after his spring release by the Dodgers and could have continued to pitch, collecting his money until he was released. He chose otherwise.

“Ramon came into this organization as a proud individual and he leaves as a proud individual,” General Manager Cam Bonifay said. “I know it was tough for him to accept that he wasn’t helping as much as he wanted, but he’s a real pro, a guy with great class. I mean, as much as you hate to see his career end this way, he’s doing it on his terms.”

The 13 home runs hit by Arizona Diamondback outfielder Luis Gonzalez tied Ken Griffey Jr.’s major league record for April. Only twice in his first seven major league seasons did Gonzalez hit more than 13 homers for the entire season, but over the last three, his production has increased from 23 to 26 to 31. Gonzalez credits weight work, but 13 in a month?

“It’s embarrassing because I still don’t consider myself a home run hitter,” he said.

Added teammate Mark Grace: “It didn’t matter who was pitching to him--right-handers, left-handers, octopus. He hit them all.”

The Florida Legislature ended its latest session Friday without acting on a bill that would have helped fund a retractable-roof stadium for the Marlins. Commissioner Bud Selig has said the Marlins would either move or fold if there was no stadium on the horizon by the end of the year, and at this point the horizon is empty.

The one Marlin who might be most affected by the stadium situation is catcher Charles Johnson, who returned to Florida with a five-year, $35-million contract. However, resourceful agent Scott Boras included a clause that allows Johnson to elect free agency if the team doesn’t have approval for a new stadium by season’s end. Johnson insists he and his wife haven’t followed all the political action but doesn’t think he is the most affected player.

After all, he said, if the team moves or folds, “I think it involves everybody.”