MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers bolstered their bullpen on Wednesday by signing a pair of pitchers on the rebound, locking veteran Ricky Bottalico and two-way threat Brooks Kieshcnick into one-year contracts. Both pitchers are right-handed and each signed for less than $1 million. Bottal ico was a free agent and Kieschnick, who has spent the last two seasons with Mi lwaukee, was eligible for salary arbitration. He filed for $750,000 on Tuesday while the team offered $500,000, and both sides presumably met within that rang e. Both players will fit into the late-inning mix for the Brewers' revamped relief corps. General manager Doug Melvin parted with closer Dan Kolb and durable set up man Luis Vizacaino in a pair of Winter Meeting trades, leaving the team shor t on experience in the bullpen. Bottalico, a 35-year-old former All-Star with 114 career saves, could win the c loser's job if 26-year-old Mike Adams, the presumptive favorite, falters. Melvi n also traded for A's right-hander Justin Lehr, a candidate to close or fill se tup duties alongside Kieschnick and Jeff Bennett. The team has helped Kieschnick revive his career over the last two seasons. A f ormer collegiate star at the University of Texas, the Cubs selected him in the first round of the 1993 draft. Kieschnick then spent the first nine years of hi s professional career as an outfielder before returning to the mound in the Whi te Sox chain in 2002. The Brewers took a flier on Kieschnick in 2003 and the gamble paid off. In 74 r elief appearances over the past two seasons, Kieschnick went 2-2 with a 4.50 ER A in 96 often staff-saving innings. At the same time, he hit .286 with eight ho me runs in 133 at-bats as a pitcher, pinch-hitter, designated hitter and outfie lder. Kieschnick was sidelined from the All-Star break to Sept. 9 of last season with right shoulder tendinitis, but posted a 3.65 ERA in eight appearances after re turning from the injury. He will turn 33 on June 6. Bottalico was let go by the New York Mets after enjoying a bounce-back season i n 2004. He was 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 60 relief appearances, holding opposing h itters to a .215 batting average. Since breaking into the Major Leagues in 1994 with the Philadelphia Phillies, B ottalico is 31-40 with a 3.96 ERA and 114 saves in 522 big league contests, but his career hit a roadblock in 2003, which he spent almost exclusively in the D iamondbacks' minor league chain. "Ricky had a very solid season with the Mets last year," Brewers general manage r Doug Melvin said. "He will bring us a good veteran presence in our bullpen as well as quality experience as a closer." Bottalico is a native of Connecticut and one of just two Central Conneticuit St ate University Blue Devils ever to make the Majors (catcher Skip Jutze was the other). He was an All-Star in 1996, his first of two straight seasons with 34 s aves for the Phillies. With Bottalico, the Brewers have 39 players on their 40-man roster. And with Ki schnick under contract, infielder Junior Spivey, outfielder Brady Clark and pit cher Ben Sheets are the three remaining Brewers players eligible for arbitratio n. -- ★opengoodbook 你什麽时候设我为好友啦?!XD To opengoodbook: 第一次丢你水球之後阿XD ★opengoodbook 我会害羞(跑) To opengoodbook: :P ★opengoodbook 这麽主动...... --

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