ROAD WARRIOR CALL THIS T.O. GRADUATE THE TRAVELIN' MAN COREY PLAYING ON SIXTH TEAM THIS SEASON.

Byline: HEATHER GRIPP Staff Writer

When Bryan Corey grabbed his glove and spikes and drove around Arizona from one spring-training site to another in hopes of landing a job this spring, he had no idea how much travel was in store for him.

Corey' s journey through professional baseball has been a long and winding one since being drafted out of Pierce College in 1993, but the 32-year-old pitcher has found his way back to the big leagues this season. Corey was called up to the Boston Red Sox last week, but not before having played for two other organizations and six teams -- this season.

``I've been all over the place,'' said Corey, a Thousand Oaks High graduate. ``It's been hectic all year. But I guess it's kind of a good hectic to go through what I've gone through. The way things started, I didn't really think they'd turn out the way they've turned out this year.''

The unexpected has become the norm for the right-handed reliever, who began his career as a shortstop in the Detroit Tigers' organization.

He was converted to a pitcher more than 10 years ago, but didn't earn his first major-league win until June 10 of this year as a member of the Texas Rangers. Corey made his big-league debut during a brief stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998, but one inning with the Dodgers in 2002 was the only other time he had appear in the majors before this year.

He has played for nine major-league affiliated organizations -- two of them twice -- as well as spending part of the 2004 season in Japan and the past threewinters playing in Mexico. The only time Corey considered retiring, he said, was last season while he struggled to re-establish his sinker and alter his mechanics while going 3-6 with a 7.65 ERA at Triple-A Albuquerque of the Florida Marlins' organization.

``The thing that kind of kept me going was that I knew I can get people out here in the big leagues,'' Corey said. ``Just helping the team in whatever role I can. If I didn't think I could still pitch at this level I wouldn't be playing. It's all about finding the right place at the right time.''

Finding that place was more challenging than usual this season. The Chicago Cubs released Corey near the end of spring training, leaving him scrambling to find a team that would let him try out even for the minors. The Rangers provided the only offer, but required Corey to begin at Double-A, a level he hadn't been down to since 1997 and where he was nearly 10 years older than most of his teammates.

Corey worked his way back to Triple-A and was promoted to the Rangers in June. He was shocked a month later when he was designated for assignment and eventually traded to the Red Sox. He opted to become a free agent when the Red Sox designated him for assignment, but after a week back home in Arizona, Corey decided the Red Sox were his best option and signed a minor-league contract.

He has been on the move so much he settles for living out of hotels or staying with friends (the last time he got an apartment was in Texas and he was traded two weeks later). He admitted it has been difficult constantly trying to get to know new teammates, but quickly felt at home with the Red Sox when some of the team's star players welcomed him aboard.

Corey entered the weekend 1-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 19 1/3innings this season.

``The big thing that's helped me is I changed my attitude,'' Corey said. `That's probably the No. 1 reason -- that and a small adjustment mechanically -- that I'm back here.

``When I got sent to Double-A at the beginning of the season I decided to have the attitude that it's about having fun and enjoying myself and take all the pressure off, that added pressure you put on yourself. I'm having fun now.

``And nothing surprises me anymore. If I didn't go through it in my 13 years playing, I've gone through it this year. There's been a lot of firsts: the first time I was released, the first time I was traded, my first win, and maybe I'll get another if we can get on a roll and make the playoffs, that's my first time in the playoffs. I'm just taking it one day at a time, because I've learned it's too hard to look further than that. Plans change. I know that better than anyone.''

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) Thousand Oaks' Bryan Corey, pictured here as an Arizona Diamondback and a Dodger (right), has played on six teams this season. He currently is pitching with the Boston Red Sox.

Jeff Carlick/Getty Images

(2) no caption (Bryan Corey)

Eliot Schechter/Getty Images

Box:

(1) LOCALS IN THE MAJORS

(2) LOCALS IN THE MINORS