Jonathan Broxton

Infobox MLB player
name=Jonathan Broxton


caption=Jonathan Broxton pitching during spring training action in Arizona, 2008.
position=Relief pitcher
team=Los Angeles Dodgers
number=51
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1984|6|16
birthplace=city-state|Augusta|Georgia
debutdate=July 29
debutyear=2005
debutteam=Los Angeles Dodgers
statyear=August 27, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=12-10
stat2label=Earned Run Average
stat2value=3.15
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=290
teams=
*Los Angeles Dodgers (by|2005-present)

Jonathan Roy Broxton [cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/broxtjo01.shtml|title=Jonathan Broxton Statistics|accessdate=2007-09-15|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com] (born June 16, 1984, in Augusta, Georgia), [cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=7613|title=ESPN - Jonathan Broxton Stats, News, Photos - Los Angeles Dodgers - MLB Baseball|accessdate=2007-09-15|publisher=ESPN] nicknamed "The Ox," "Big Jon," and "The Biggest Man In The World" by former Cub and current Arizona Diamondbacks announcer Mark Grace, as well as "Johnny Double-D" by many Dodger fans, is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats and throws right handed.

A prototypical fireballer, the 6'3" 288-pound Broxton features an overwhelming fastball, and is widely considered the heir apparent to Dodgers closer Takashi Saito.Fact|date=July 2007 On June 26, 2007 Broxton hurled a 101.0 mph fastball. [cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/fastest-pitcher-in-baseball.shtml|title=Fastest Pitcher in Baseball by Baseball Almanac, Inc.|accessdate=2008-03-05|publisher=baseball-almanac.com]

High School years

Broxton attended Burke County High School in Waynesboro, Georgia. As a senior, he posted a 9-2 record and a 1.21 earned run average as a pitcher.

He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2nd round in 2002 and signed with them on June 30 2002.

Minor League career

In the minor leagues, from 2002-06, Broxton was 23-11 with 12 saves and a 3.03 ERA in 303 innings. He struck out 332 batters, while walking 115 and giving up 244 hits.

His minor league teams were the Great Falls Dodgers of the Pioneer League, the South Georgia Waves of the South Atlantic League, the Vero Beach Dodgers of the Florida State League, and the "AA" Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League.

Major League career

2005 Season

Broxton made his big league debut on July 29, 2005 against the St. Louis Cardinals, pitching one inning in relief, allowing one run, and striking out two. His first strikeout victim was Cardinals great Albert Pujols. During the 2005 campaign, he appeared in 14 games, all in relief, striking out 22 batters in only 13 and two-third innings.

2006 Season

Broxton began the 2006 season with the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s. After allowing no runs in 11 appearances (with 18 strikeouts), on May 1, 2006, Broxton was recalled from the minors after the demotion of veteran Lance Carter.

After gradually gaining the confidence of manager Grady Little, Broxton has become Takashi Saito's primary setup man, and the team's backup closer.

He held batters to a .159 Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position, and held right-handed batters to a .196 batting average.

2007 Season

Appeared in a career high 83 games for the Dodgers, third most in the National League and fourth most in franchise history. Threw 99 strikeouts (second most among all big league relivers), ranked fifth in the Majors with 32 holds and his 2.85 ERA placed him as one of nine Major League pitchers with more than 75 innings pitched and an era below 3.00.

2008 Season

Began the season as the set-up man for Takashi Saito. On July 19, 2008 Saito was placed on DL Broxton inherited the closer role where he was 5 for 5 in the month of July.

Weight

Listed at a weight of 288, in all of major league baseball only C. C. Sabathia and Dmitri Young are listed at a heavier weight.Fact|date=March 2007

Personal life

Broxton is married. [cite web|url=http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=455009|title=The Official Site of The Los Angeles Dodgers: Team: Player Information: Biography and Career Highlights|accessdate=2007-09-15|publisher=MLB.com]

References