We’ve covered some basics about hitting (I know there’s a ton more, but you got enough to understand and enjoy the game for now.) Now it’s time to venture into the mysterious world of pitching.
Nothing starts in baseball until someone throws the ball. And it is often thrown by some skinny guy from Kansas. The pitcher has several roles in a baseball game. He throws the ball to the batter; he tries to keep the runner on one base from stealing another; he can be part of the batting order in the National League; and, once he throws the ball, he becomes an active part of the infield, often covering first when needed. (Whew! I think I’d rather be taking a break every once in awhile from all that thinking and working and just hang out in left field, like Manny Ramirez.)
The most important role for the pitcher is to throw the ball in such a way that 1) the batter can’t hit it in the first place, or 2) the batter hits it in a way that the fielders can get him out before he gets to first base. The pitcher also has to work with the catcher to make sure that he knows what is coming so he doesn’t throw the ball to a place where the catcher isn't.
The Main Honcho Father Figure Guy (the manager) and the pitching coach also have a role in all this. They decide who gets to pitch, how long they pitch, and when a pitcher is starting to go down in flames. Trust me, girlfriend, these people are serious. Grady Little, former Boston Red Sox manager, lost his job because he left Pedro Martinez in too long in the 2003 American League Playoff game against the New York Yankees during the playoffs and lost the game in the 11th inning. That’s how serious the honchos are about baseball.
So let’s start by talking about the different kinds of pitchers. There’s the cute ones (like Brandon Morrow), the big ones (like Randy Johnson) , the ones that wear glasses (like Edwar Ramirez) the submariners who throw sidearmed (like Scott Sauerbeck back in the day), the ones who are legendary pitchers but also assholes (like Roger Clemens), the scary ones who look like they could eat you for lunch (like Mariano Rivera and Bobby Jenks), the ones with mental tics (like Jonathan Papelbon) and one whose claim to fame is a bloody sock (like Curt Schilling.)
Nah, just kidding. You can make up your own categories for your own personal reference, but usually pitchers are classified by starting pitchers, relief pitchers, and closing pitchers. All these pitchers do the same job, but at different times during the game.
The starting pitcher, or starter is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. Any pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher. The closing pitcher or closer (television stole this name for the detective show starring Kyra Sedgwick) is a relief pitcher who is put in at the end of the game to seal the deal and get those final outs in the game. It’s usually someone who can pitch well to both right handed batters and left handed batters and who has a killer fastball. It’s a glam position with prestige, but you better be a cool dude if you are a closer. Often closers come into the game when there are runners on base, so the team is depending on him to shut down the momentum.
If all goes well, the starting pitcher will pitch about 7 innings or about 100 pitches. In some cases, the starting pitcher will pitch a full game but it’s a rare feat. Pitchers get a 3-5 days rest between pitching, so you usually see about 4 or 5 different starting pitchers for a team. The Boyfriend says that the last pitcher to only get two days rest between pitching was Cy Young himself.
If a starting pitcher is having a bad day (such as those darn 8 run innings that the Mariners have suffered from multiple times this year), he might get pulled and sent into the clubhouse to end his broadcasting day. A middle reliever might be brought in to staunch the wound of bleeding runs or to keep things at bay until the specialty relievers are brought in toward the final innings. One of the better middle relievers in his day was a pitcher named Joe Page who pitched for the New York Yankees in the late 1940s. Go figure.
The most important role for the pitcher is to throw the ball in such a way that 1) the batter can’t hit it in the first place, or 2) the batter hits it in a way that the fielders can get him out before he gets to first base. The pitcher also has to work with the catcher to make sure that he knows what is coming so he doesn’t throw the ball to a place where the catcher isn't.
The Main Honcho Father Figure Guy (the manager) and the pitching coach also have a role in all this. They decide who gets to pitch, how long they pitch, and when a pitcher is starting to go down in flames. Trust me, girlfriend, these people are serious. Grady Little, former Boston Red Sox manager, lost his job because he left Pedro Martinez in too long in the 2003 American League Playoff game against the New York Yankees during the playoffs and lost the game in the 11th inning. That’s how serious the honchos are about baseball.
So let’s start by talking about the different kinds of pitchers. There’s the cute ones (like Brandon Morrow), the big ones (like Randy Johnson) , the ones that wear glasses (like Edwar Ramirez) the submariners who throw sidearmed (like Scott Sauerbeck back in the day), the ones who are legendary pitchers but also assholes (like Roger Clemens), the scary ones who look like they could eat you for lunch (like Mariano Rivera and Bobby Jenks), the ones with mental tics (like Jonathan Papelbon) and one whose claim to fame is a bloody sock (like Curt Schilling.)
Nah, just kidding. You can make up your own categories for your own personal reference, but usually pitchers are classified by starting pitchers, relief pitchers, and closing pitchers. All these pitchers do the same job, but at different times during the game.
The starting pitcher, or starter is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. Any pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher. The closing pitcher or closer (television stole this name for the detective show starring Kyra Sedgwick) is a relief pitcher who is put in at the end of the game to seal the deal and get those final outs in the game. It’s usually someone who can pitch well to both right handed batters and left handed batters and who has a killer fastball. It’s a glam position with prestige, but you better be a cool dude if you are a closer. Often closers come into the game when there are runners on base, so the team is depending on him to shut down the momentum.
If all goes well, the starting pitcher will pitch about 7 innings or about 100 pitches. In some cases, the starting pitcher will pitch a full game but it’s a rare feat. Pitchers get a 3-5 days rest between pitching, so you usually see about 4 or 5 different starting pitchers for a team. The Boyfriend says that the last pitcher to only get two days rest between pitching was Cy Young himself.
If a starting pitcher is having a bad day (such as those darn 8 run innings that the Mariners have suffered from multiple times this year), he might get pulled and sent into the clubhouse to end his broadcasting day. A middle reliever might be brought in to staunch the wound of bleeding runs or to keep things at bay until the specialty relievers are brought in toward the final innings. One of the better middle relievers in his day was a pitcher named Joe Page who pitched for the New York Yankees in the late 1940s. Go figure.
Sometimes in the last few innings, especially when the team is ahead and the manager wants to keep it that way, specialty pitchers are brought in, such as a pitcher who is good against left handed swinging batters, to pitch just against one batter. Sometimes you’ll hear the word "set up pitcher" which means the pitcher that pitches right before the closer is brought in. Closers don’t usually pitch for more than an inning or two. They have to be good and deadly, but they don’t have to be marathon pitchers.
See, it’s all strategy. The right tool for the job. A good looking, dark haired pitcher with soulful eyes… sorry, got off message there. Pitchers need to be more than a pretty face, and pitchers need to throw more than a killer fastball. A starting pitcher needs a couple different kinds of pitches in his pocket in order to keep ahead of those thirsty, hungry, slammer batters who are looking for a nice fat tomato across the plate. Closers don’t need as many different kinds of pitches to be good, but they better be deadly and they better have pinpoint control.
Where do pitchers hang out while they are waiting to pitch or while warming up? These guys hang out in the bullpen which is often an enclosed place along the side of the field. They sit and wait and warmup and sometimes get in trouble.
The bullpen is a place, but it also refers collectively to all of the relief pitchers waiting to be called out to pitch. And here is where the drama comes in. Ever seen the manager make “THE CALL TO THE BULLPEN” on televised games? Main Honcho Father Figure Guy picks up the TOP SECRET PHONE in the dugout (where all the fielders and hitters and the starting pitcher are sitting) and calls over to the bullpen (where all the relievers are sitting.) The camera zooms in. We see the Manager looking very serious, and nodding his head. We can almost hear the conversation.
See, it’s all strategy. The right tool for the job. A good looking, dark haired pitcher with soulful eyes… sorry, got off message there. Pitchers need to be more than a pretty face, and pitchers need to throw more than a killer fastball. A starting pitcher needs a couple different kinds of pitches in his pocket in order to keep ahead of those thirsty, hungry, slammer batters who are looking for a nice fat tomato across the plate. Closers don’t need as many different kinds of pitches to be good, but they better be deadly and they better have pinpoint control.
Where do pitchers hang out while they are waiting to pitch or while warming up? These guys hang out in the bullpen which is often an enclosed place along the side of the field. They sit and wait and warmup and sometimes get in trouble.
The bullpen is a place, but it also refers collectively to all of the relief pitchers waiting to be called out to pitch. And here is where the drama comes in. Ever seen the manager make “THE CALL TO THE BULLPEN” on televised games? Main Honcho Father Figure Guy picks up the TOP SECRET PHONE in the dugout (where all the fielders and hitters and the starting pitcher are sitting) and calls over to the bullpen (where all the relievers are sitting.) The camera zooms in. We see the Manager looking very serious, and nodding his head. We can almost hear the conversation.
“Hey, Bowser! Tell the skinny guy from Kansas to start warming up. I got to get that loser on the mound outta here. And send us down a couple dozen nacho boats with extra jalapenos from the snack bar while you are at it. With extra napkins.”
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