John Briscoe shut down Brewers in '96 game, saw 6 ML seasons

The Brewers were trying to mount a comeback and the Athletics turned to John Briscoe to shut them down.

Brought in with two outs in the ninth inning, the tying run on deck, Briscoe proceeded induce a ground out, sealing the win and Briscoe's second career save.

"That was definitely a lift for us," Briscoe told The Associated Press afterward. "They've beaten up on us pretty good the last few years. It would be nice to change that."

Briscoe knew how the last few years went for Oakland because he'd been with the team for those years. That season in 1996 was Briscoe's sixth with time with the team.

Briscoe's career began in 1988, taken by the Athletics in the third round of the draft out of Texas Christian University. His name was also misspelled John Briscoa.

Briscoe started in the rookie Arizona League. He moved to single-A Madison in 1989 and single-A Modesto in 1990. He also got three games at AA Huntsville that year.

Then, with little time above single-A, Briscoe made the jump in April 1991 all the way to Oakland. Briscoe got into 11 games for the Athletics in Oakland that year, giving up 11 earned in 14 innings of work.

He returned to Oakland for two outings in 1992, then 17 in 1993. In 1994, Briscoe returned for a career high 37 outings. He also came in with a 4.01 ERA and his first career save. He also went 4-2 that year, picking up a win in an August game by getting one out.

Briscoe got into another 16 outings for Oakland in 1995 and 17 in 1996. In 1996, he posted a 3.76 ERA, picking up one save and a loss. The loss came in an April game on a home run.

"I tried to throw him a fastball away, but it tailed back over the plate and he smoked it," Briscoe told The AP after that game. "I think that ball would have gone out of any ballpark on the planet."

Those 17 outings in 1996 were also his last outings in the majors. Briscoe, though, continued playing in the minors and independent ball through 2002. He played his final five seasons with independent Somerset in the Atlantic League.

Originally published Feb. 16, 2014 

• APNewsArchive.com, April 20, 1996: White Sox 4, Athletics 3
• APNewsArchive.com, April 23, 1996: Athletics 6, Brewers 2