“My new team, the Cincinnati Reds, knows about my experience and my work. One of the reasons why they hired me is because they know that I throw a lot of strikes and I always come to compete”, said the Zulian right-hander Silvino Bracho.
The closer, who is a reinforcement of Leones del Caracas for the LVBP 2022-2023 postseason, added: "They only recommended that I stay healthy and do my things."
Silvino will try for a place in the intermediate relay of the former "Great Red Machine", which also has the rights Ian Gibaut, Tony Santillan, Fernando Cruz and Joel Kuhnel, among others. By their numbers, none of them is a safe card in the red relay.
"I don't see rivals, but to do my job well and let the Cincinnati coaching staff decide," stressed the Marabino.
The Maracaibo native has pitched six seasons in the majors with Arizona; team he debuted with in 2015, plus the Atlanta Braves last year.
For life, in 95 games and 94 innings, he has a 2-2 record with a 4.88 ERA, three holds and one save. Opponents are hitting .188 from him, but with a fairly high OPS of .840.
His best year in MLB was in 2018, where he appeared in 31 games, posted a 3.19 ERA and prevented 10 of 23 inherited running backs from being scored on.
Experience, the best weapon
Regarding his current repertoire to keep the knife closing, he outlined: “After coming from a Tommy John (2019), experience is essential. That's why I've developed my pitching a lot instead. I have been working on it for years and I have been working on it year after year, giving me good results so far”.
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Apart from his fastballs and changeup, he acknowledges that the slider and sinker will help him too: "As for the changeup, I started learning it in 2017, when I was in that year's classic with 'Kid' Rodríguez, who was my supportive corduroy and helped me develop it. I have also been working with the slider. The rest I learn by observing”.
Regarding the mechanics, he admitted that “during my entire career I followed Pedro Martínez. And now that they tell me that I have the change as he launched it, I love it. I also liked his aggressiveness. He used to hit balls, high fastballs and then finished them off with his changeup.”
Closing for this Zuliano is not a trauma: “Experience speaks for itself and it helps you get out of those situations, but there will always be pressure because if the game is for one or two races, the responsibility is always on you . The guys (team) have done an exceptional job all game and the pressure of the last inning is yours, but someone with experience knows how to control and deal with those moments.
He noted that when he relieves people on base, “in those situations one must control what one can control at that moment. If you come in with two outs, try to make the out anyway, if you come in with one, try to strike out or find a ground ball for a double play; or failing that, a fly to the infield. And if he goes to the outfield, they are already things that one does not control but one tries to do the job ”.
“I am not aware of the perreo. Any hitter who wants to do that, let him do it. The only thing that doesn't look at me or doesn't turn to look at my team. That what he is going to do for his team, that he do it, but that he respect me; Because in the event that I strike out, I and the team will celebrate my strikeout, but I will never look at them. If they disrespect me like that, that's where the problems start to live."
He is happy with his career in the LVBP: “I saw that I have a record for saves in the postseason. Asking God to continue giving me health to continue doing what I have been doing."
As for taking over in the Caracas 2023 Caribbean Series, he was sincere: "I don't think so, I don't think so, because I have to wait for the decision of my new team, the Cincinnati Reds, since the organization has told me that I have thrown a lot this year ”.
However, “if they call me for the World Classic I would be XNUMX percent sure. Once I will be there to support the team."
Regarding this great final, he recalled again that “in this game you must get all 27 outs and sometimes more. There's always something going on on the ground."
