Turnbow designated for assignment

FRIDAY, May 2, 2008, 9 a.m.
Brewers designate Turnbow for assignment

The Milwaukee Brewers today designated relief pitcher Derrick Turnbow for assignment.

In a corresponding move, Joe Dillon was recalled from Class AAA Nashville.

Dillon will be in uniform tonight when the Brewers play the Houston Astros.

Turnbow was an all-star closer for the Brewers in 2006 and pitched well for the most part last season in a set-up role, but has become increasingly unreliable this year. His low point came Wednesday night when Yost sent him to pitch the eighth inning with the Cubs leading, 13-5.

Turnbow was unable to get out of the inning, surrendering six runs on four hits and four walks, forcing Yost to use left-hander Mitch Stetter to get the third out in the 19-5 loss. That meltdown came on the heels of an outing Sunday against Florida in which Turnbow failed to retire any of the three hitters he faced (two walks, single).

The numbers tell the story of how awful Turnbow has been. In eight outings, he is 0-1 with a 15.63 earned run average, allowing 12 hits, 13 walks and 11 runs in 6 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .414 against him.