Axford ready to close opening day
Feb. 3, 2011
2011 -- Canadians in College list
2009-10 -- Canadians at Canadians schools -- March 8
2010 -- Most Influential Canadians list
2010 -- 11th annual All-Canadian college list
Canadian$ with $ix figure $igning bonuses
2010 -- Canadians in the Minors
CHRIS TOMAN -- Brewers' John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) ready for full-time job
By Chris Toman
With spring training on the horizon, John Axford is preparing to head to camp with something he's never had at the major league level before - job security.
The Milwaukee Brewers reliever is penciled in as the opening day closer after replacing newly retired and future Hall-of-Famer Trevor Hoffman of his duties last season.
Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) saved 24 games in 2010, an unlikely feat considering his season started in the minor leagues and he had appeared in just seven big league games prior to his call-up.
Despite a bright future ahead of him, Axford, 27, isn't about to forget the hard work he put forth in order to make that dream a reality.
"It's great knowing that I have maybe a little more of a relaxed atmosphere coming into spring," said Axford. "But I'm still going to battle when I go in there and I'm going to go into spring training trying to earn that job.
"I don't want to just go in, showing up thinking that that's mine. I want the coaching staff to have trust and faith in me knowing that they are going into the season with a solid closer."
Solid is certainly one way to describe the Canadian.
Despite not converting his first save until May 23, the 6'5 right-hander finished the 2010 season with the 11th most saves in the majors.
However, in order to get that opportunity, Axford had to steal the job from one of the greatest closers of all-time in Hoffman. And although the two were competing for the same role, it didn't affect their relationship.
"In all honesty, he meant everything to me last year," spoke Axford. "I had never closed before, and everything about him was fantastic.
"He never made it awkward and I think that was a true testament to his professionalism. He helped me along the way do something that I had never done before which was close out games on the big league level."
Axford said it was "fantastic" to chat back and forth with Hoffman and to pick his brain, gaining experience he said was invaluable.
"He's a great friend off the field, a great mentor on and a pure professional through and through. I couldn't ask for anybody better in all honesty."
Meanwhile, Milwaukee should feel comfortable handing the reigns over to Axford not only because of the mentoring he received from Hoffman, but also for his production during his brief time with the club.
Axford went 8-2, with a 2.48 ERA and 1.19 WHIP last season, tallying 76 strikeouts over 58 innings en route to an impressive 11.79 strikeouts-per-nine innings pitched. His high-90's fastball has not only enabled him to generate a lot of swings and misses, but it has also helped him keep the ball inside the park. During his brief career in the big leagues, Axford has allowed just one home run, while holding hitters to a .201 batting average and a measly .282 slugging percentage.
Delivering this type of production from April to October - and possibly beyond - is the next thing for him to prove. And by the looks of it, he'll be doing it for a much more competitive team than the 77-85 squad he pitched for last season as a result of a busy offseason by the Brewers organization.
After a pair of high-profile trades that netted the club two front-of-the- rotation arms to complement an existing lineup that features a pair of all stars in Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, Axford is confident in the upcoming year.
"We had a good core group last year and our general managers Gord Ash and Doug Melvin said they wanted to go out and find two pitchers, and they did. They got Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke; two opening day starters, a CY Young winner.
"It should be a good year."
And there's no reason why it shouldn't be, as the Brewers have a balanced team that is sure to continue receiving national attention providing the season pans out the way management anticipates.
Attention is something Axford, signed by Brewers scout Jay Lapp (London, Ont.) has seen more of this offseason, as he's created a greater following by using Twitter to socialize with friends and fans.
"It's all me on that," explained Axford. "My agent first came up to me about it, to be able for me to put my face out there, talk to fans, interact. At the end of the season when I thought about it a little bit more, I thought it would be a good thing to try out. I can go out and ask fans questions, they ask me questions. I can talk to them back and forth and they actually know that it's me.
"I like people to know who I am and what my mind thinks and does."
He's a humble ballplayer who makes a living out of throwing baseballs and does it well. And what he's thinking -- or at least hoping -- is that the upcoming season is actually going to be better than just a good year.
"It's going to be a fantastic year."
And how can it not be when he's playing for a team with a playoffs-or-bust mentality and, for the first time in his career, will be starting April on a major league roster? Past Blogs
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