This article looks at the life, college and professional baseball career, and now his transition to broadcasting. And it does it without pulling any punches, right down Broadway.
Born in Florence, Alabama on September 5, 1963, Jeffery “The Cowboy” Brantley would become a local sports legend. Quarterback of a state championship winning football team at W. A. Berry High School (now Hoover High School), lettering in football, baseball and wrestling, and would go on to play division one baseball for a loaded Mississippi State baseball team. There wasn’t much “The Cowboy” couldn’t do. In clllege, he would go on to co-own the SEC record for career wins with 45, participated in the 1985 College World Series on a team with other stars like Rafael Palmeiro, Will Clark and Bobby Thigpen. He would be inducted into the Mississippi State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Early Career
“The Cowboy” was drafted out of high school by the Montreal Expos in 1983, but would elect to play college baseball at Mississippi State University. After an illustrious career at Mississippi State, becoming tied for the all-time wins record in the SEC at 45 wins, First Team All-American, All-SEC, season leader in wins and strikeouts in the SEC, and an SEC champion, the San Francisco Giants would select Jeff Brantley in the 6th round of the 1985 MLB Draft. He would debut in 1988, going 0-1 with a 5.66 ERA with 11 strikeouts and 6 walks. He would put it together in his 3rd season, earning his lone All-Star selection. He would go 5-3 with a 1.56 ERA in 86 innings pitched, 61 strikeouts and 33 walks. He would finish his tenure with the Giants in 1993. He would have a career line of 29-20, 3.24 ERA and 42 saves.
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds signed Jeff Brantley on January 4, 1994. The Reds were looking for that next closer after the last of the Nasty Boys, Rob Dibble, had struggled in 1993. Brantley would do just that. Brantley would go on to lead the National League in Saves in 1996 with 44 (a team record) and would be named the Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year that season. Some of Brantley’s best years in Major League Baseball were as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. In 4 seasons, he would have a 2.64 ERA in 218 innings pitched. He would finish with 88 saves, an 11-11 record and a 6.7 WAR. He still holds the Reds record for saves in a season and is tied for 6th in franchise history in that category.
Final Years
Brantley would be traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Dimitri Young in November of 1997. He would go 0-5 with a 4.44 ERA, allowing 25 earned runs in 50.2 innings pitched. He would be traded the following season to the Philadelphia Phillies. He would pitch 2 seasons with a 5.77 ERA in that time. Allowing 41 earned runs in 64 innings pitched. He would finish his playing career with the Texas Rangers in 2001, alllowing 12 earned runs in 21 innings.
Broadcasting Career
Jeff Brantley would begin his post playing career working at ESPN in 2002. He would color commentate for ESPN MLB broadcasts and would work as an analyst and contributor for Baseball Tonight. He would also color commentate some College Baseball games as well.
The Cincinnati Reds would hire Brantley in 2006 to be a part of the Reds broadcast team for the Radio on 700WLW and for Fox Sports Ohio on the Television side. Reds fans would grow to love “the Cowboy’s” style of broadcasting. He would be a great complimentary piece to the styles of Marty Brennaman on the Radio, as well as working with Thom Brennaman, George Grande and Chris Welsh on TV. You would often hear Brantley talk about the food selection in the Reds diamond club section, and his love of ice cream, coca-cola and barbecue. He would joke about eating 7 scoops of ice cream if the Reds lose, and 8 if they win. If there is one thing you can say about Jeff Brantley, he stays true to himself as a broadcaster.
Nowadays, you can find Brantley on 700WLW calling games for the Reds with Tommy Thrall, as well as some games on television with John Sadak for Bally Sports (now Fanduel Sports Network). Brantley is a devout Christian, he would become strong in his faith during his tenure with the Giants. Himself, as well as Atlee Hammaker, Dave Dravecky and Scott Garrelts would become known as the “God Squad” because of their strong Christian faith. They would be seen with Bible’s during road trips in their hotel rooms, straying away from the party lifestyle that can be alluring on the road as a Major League Baseball player. Brantley is married to his wife Ashley, who he has 2 children with, as well as having 2 children from a previous marriage.
Photo Credits; MLB.com(ai upscaled), Mark Lyons AP, Cincinnati Reds, RedsCowboy on 𝕏
Sources; Wikipedia, MSFame.com, MLB.com, Reds.com, Baseball-Reference
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