Fun and games as bullpen waits for its call

Relief pitchers may know what days they could be called upon to pitch, but for the most part they have to keep themselves entertained and ready to come into a game.

One way this group does that is by playing games. Reliever Spencer Herrmann estimated the guys have played about 20 different games this season.

"The animal game has been a popular one lately," he said. "There's also the name game, where you try to name Major League Baseball players, the alphabet game, and a couple of other ones."

The recent favorite, the animal game, starts with one player naming a city. The other player has to name an animal that starts with the same letter as the city, but if an animal is repeated the player gets a strike.

"If you ever see us jumping up and down in the bullpen, it's because someone got a strike," Herrmann said. "Most of the time it's because of something on the field, but if we're up big it's because someone got a strike."

The AquaSox relievers have to keep an eye out for foul balls, too. A line drive could take out one of the pitchers if they aren't paying attention. Some of the relievers grab foul balls to give to the fans sitting in the bleachers behind them, too. Herrmann noted that one reliever in particular is a fan of foul balls.

"I think it's a competition between Joselito Cano and himself to get fouls," he said, laughing. "He made it his job to grab every foul ball, but every few days (Joe) Pistorese will try to see if he can beat him there. If a ball comes in too hard, you'll see Cano run up to it and then pull his hand away and it comes in full speed at the rest of us on the bench!"

The relievers also go through a lot of gum and seeds, Herrmann said. Almost all of them chew gum and seeds or drink an energy drink to stay alert during the game.

"We're always fun to talk to, we always are trying to figure out ways to pass time, so if you have questions you can come down and ask us every once in a while," he said.

But when one of them gets called on to warm up for the game, it's like a switch flips and they put on their game face.

"I'm one that locks in for the five minutes that I'm throwing, and then I pretty much zone out when I'm on the mound," Herrmann said. "We're pretty zoned into the game, but when you get your sign it's a whole different level."