Jeff Brantley

Infobox MLB retired


width=250
name=Jeff Brantley
position=Pitcher
birthdate=birth date and age|1963|9|5
city-state|Florence|Alabama
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=August 5
debutyear=by|1988
debutteam=San Francisco Giants
finaldate=May 23
finalyear=by|2001
finalteam=Texas Rangers
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=43-46
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.39
stat3label=Saves
stat3value=172
teams=
* San Francisco Giants (by|1988-by|1993)
* Cincinnati Reds (by|1994-by|1997)
* St. Louis Cardinals (by|1998)
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1999-by|2000)
* Texas Rangers (by|2001)
highlights=
* All-Star selection (1990)
* 1996 NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year

Jeffrey Hoke (Jeff) Brantley, (born September 5 1963 in Florence, Alabama), is a former relief pitcher with a 14 year career from by|1988 to by|2001.

Collegate career

Brantley played college baseball at Mississippi State University, where he was a teammate of Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Thigpen on a Bulldog team that participated in the 1985 College World Series. He is the co-holder of the SEC record for career wins by a pitcher with 45, along with University of South Carolina and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kip Bouknight.

Major league career

He played for the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, all of the National League, and the Texas Rangers of the American League.

An All-Star in by|1990, Brantley led the National League in by|1996 with 44 saves.

Broadcasting career

Brantley was a color commentator for "ESPN" broadcasts of Major League Baseball games and an in-studio contributor for "Baseball Tonight" from 2002 through 2006. In 2007, he joined the radio broadcast team of the Cincinnati Reds on WLW 700 AM, joining Marty Brennaman and Thom Brennaman and the FSN Ohio television broadcast team with Chris Welsh and George Grande.

Jeff "The Cowboy" Brantley has become well respected by the baseball-savvy Cincinnati fans, due largely to his insightful observations on the subtle nuances of the pitching game. Though occasionally criticized for his play-by-play radio commentary's failure to paint a clear picture of the game, his slow, easy-to-follow verbal delivery and sense of humor has filled the large void left in the Reds' radio booth by the death of Joe Nuxhall.

Personal

He and his wife are the parents of one daughter, Elizabeth and one son, Mason. Jeff also has two children from his first marriage, Emily and Murphy. Jeff lettered in 3 sports at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball saves champions
*List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/brantje01.shtml Baseball Reference]