Brazoban To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

Remember the cartoon character who walked around with a dark cloud over his head with lightning flashing out of it? He was the symbol of bad luck and his sighting in the Los Angeles area for the second season in a row has been confirmed when the club announced reliever Yhency Brazoban is down with elbow trouble and Tommy John reconstruction surgery will be scheduled.

To replace Brazoban on the roster, the Dodgers activated outfielder Kenny Lofton, out since opening day with a calf injury, thus saving outfielder Cody Ross' job for the timebeing at least and reducing the pitching staff from 12 to 11.

Brazoban told Manager Grady Little that the elbow gave way while pitcing one inning in Pittsburgh Wednesday. He continued to pitch, getting a pair of popups to end the inning and as it turned out, his season.

An MRI confirmed a torn ligament and ended what looked to be a comeback season for the big righthander.

Brazoban, after a solid rookie season, replaced the injured Eric Gagne last year and rang up 21 saves, a Dodgers rookie record. But late in the season he had trouble and his earned run average ballooned.

But he seemed to have straightened his problems out during 27 appearanced in the Dominican Winter League season and he even left the league early to be able to report for spring training in a rested condition. To replace Brazoban on the roster, the Dodgers activated outfielder Kenny Lofton from the 15-day disabled list, reducing the pitching staff from 12 to 11.

Counting the winter league action and his 74 appearances during the 2005 N.L. season, Brazoban pitched in 101 games.

The Dodgers got Brazoban and Jeff Weaver from the Yankees in exchange for Kevin Brown in December 2003.