Arizona brings up Gosling, sends down Medders

LOS ANGELES -- Needing a pitcher that can pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen, the Diamondbacks recalled left-hander Michael Gosling from Triple-A Tucson on Saturday.

To make room on the roster, the team optioned right-hander Brandon Medders to Tucson.

Gosling began the season in the Arizona bullpen after an impressive spring in which he narrowly lost out to Brad Halsey in a battle for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. In seven relief appearances with the D-Backs he compiled a 9.00 ERA and was optioned to Tucson on April 24.

As a starter in Tucson, Gosling was 3-5 with a 6.14 ERA.

The Diamondbacks bullpen is shorthanded because of the absence of reliever Jose Valverde, who left the team after Thursday's game to attend the funeral of his uncle in New York. He is expected back on Sunday.

In addition, Mike Koplove was unavailable on Saturday after throwing 2 2/3 innings on Thursday and another on Friday. Medders, too, was not available after pitching on Thursday and Friday.

Tough to take: Melvin had the unpleasant task of telling Medders, who had pitched well, that his first stint in the big leagues was coming to an end after just two weeks.

"It's really nothing that Brandon Medders did wrong," Melvin said. "He's got a taste of the big leagues now and we feel like he's a going to be a guy that's going to be a Diamondback for a long time up here."

Medders compiled a 3.38 ERA in six appearances.

"I felt like I had success up here," the 25-year-old said. "I felt like I threw the ball good. First time to be brought up and sent down, I know how it feels now. It [stinks], it's not a good feeling. They had to make moves and I was just the guy they chose to make a move with. [Melvin] made it clear that it wasn't performance related. He told me there had to be a move made for the bullpen."

Medders missed most of the 2004 season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder and was taken off the 40-man roster during the offseason. He responded by going 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA and seven saves in his first 27 games for Tucson this year.

"Coming off my surgery last year, I didn't know what my chances were of getting called up," said Medders. "I must have done something they liked when they called me up. That's something they can't take away. I've been up here and I have some experience now, and maybe that makes it easier to come back up in the future."