WOODARD SUCCEEDS QUIETLY

Miller Park in Milwaukee

     Some secrets are just too good to keep.       So Steve Woodard is enjoying his low-key existence as long as he can. 
      Just don't expect the Brewers' best pitcher to remain under wraps for much longer.
vWoodard makes his first start of the season for the Milwaukee Brewers tonight at Busch Stadium in the second game of a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals. 
      And if his track record is any indication, you will be hearing Woodard quite a bit about the quiet and affable Alabama native before long.
      "He doesn't have the ego or attitude, he just goes out and does his job,'' Milwaukee manager Phil Garner said. "Woody just throws strikes.'' 
      On a starting pitching staff of question marks, the 6-foot-4 right-hander from Hartselle, Ala. is the closest thing the Brewers have to an ace.
      But when previously-tabbed No. 1 starter Scott Karl struggled all spring, Garner decided to make left-hander Rafael Roque the team's first starter in the rotation and leave Woodard in the No. 2 slot.
      The 23-year-old Alabama native had no problem with it either.
      "I'm fine where I'm at. I'm just happy to be in the big leagues,'' said Woodard, who was 10-12 with a 4.18 earned run average a year ago, including a 7-4 mark on the road. ``Once the season gets going, it doesn't matter. You're going to get your starts every five days anyway. That's the way I see it. Just give me the ball every five days.'' 
      Woodard made quite a splash when he tossed eight shutout innings in a 1-0 victory over Toronto in his major league debut nearly two years ago. He allowed just one hit and had 12 strikeouts in besting his boyhood idol, Roger Clemens.
      But while preparing for his second full season in the major leagues this past winter, Woodard decided it was time to make a few changes in his routine. Unbeknownst to the Brewers, Woodard entered a serious workout program that allowed him to drop nearly 30 pounds.
      Surprise.
      " We wanted him to lose a little bit of weight. We didn't want him to go that far,'' Garner chuckled. ``He lost probably more than we ever expected. I think he just got on a roll and kept going with it. But it doesn't seem to have affected him so far adversely.''
      That was evident during spring training when Woodard was the Brewers' most productive starter. But that didn't change Garner's perception of his role.
      " He's comfortable right where he is. We'll keep him right there,'' Garner said. " He throws strikes and he does it with several different pitches. He throws his fastball for strikes, his slider for strikes, his changeup for strikes and that's what everybody needs to do.''
      The new-look Woodard is still the same " Woody,'' though.
      " I feel great right now. It was something I needed to do. I got down pretty quick where I wanted to be and I just kept going. I actually feel better than I thought I would,'' said Woodard, who is between 205 and 210 pounds. "Right now, I'm exactly where I want to be at and hopefully I can maintain that.''
      Woodard is refreshing.
      " He's never going to change, he's got a great attitude that rubs off on you,'' said director of media relations Jon Greenberg. " He's a real professional.'' 
      But what the Brewers like best about Woodard is that he goes after hitters and keeps them off base. Woodard allowed just 33 walks in 165 2/3 innings a year ago. He has allowed just 39 free passes in 202 1/3 innings in his big-league career.
      While Woodard allowed just 1.79 walks per nine innings a year ago, good for seventh in the National League, his run support of 3.59 runs per game was the fifth lowest in the league.
But Woodard just shrugged it off. He preferred to focus on the things he can control.
      " I'm just going to be a guy who goes out and goes after people. I'm a control pitcher. I go right after the hitter,'' Woodard said with pride.
      " You never know what's going to happen. I can give up a bunch of hits one inning, then the next night have a great game.'' 
In making the long progression to a spot in the Brewers' rotation, Woodard has tried to keep one thing in mind.
      " My goal is to have people see me as someone who works hard and goes after the hitters,'' Woodard said. " A guy who goes after guys like that, that's the kind of reputation I'd like to have.'' 
      Just don't be surprised if you can soon add quiet winner to his resume, too.
Secret or no secret.