Manager Gets To Call In Son For Relief

((HT: MLB.com))

This is just really a cool moment more than anything else...

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy was getting his hat handed to him last night in the game against the Dodgers. Tim Hudson started and got shelled- giving up 6 in an inning-plus. Tim Lincecum came in for a relief appearance and got shelled- giving up five runs in three innings. Mike Kickham came in for a relief appearance after that and got shelled- giving up four in an ining and two-thirds.

It was 15-0 before anyone could really get settled and Dodgers starter Zack Greinke even hit a home run to help his own cause.

So, the game was out of control. As a manager, what do you do...???

Call your son, Brett, out of the bullpen for the bottom of the sixth...


Brett was understandably shaky giving up 2 runs in an inning and a third, but, hey...

How many dads get to do that...???

Romine's Rough Outing As Reliever

((HT: MLB.com))

With the Tigers down 17-6 to the Twins last night, the tigers threw in the towel after their bullpen took a beating all night long.

Infielder Andrew Romine made his first career relief appearance in the bottom of the eighth inning, but he left with an ERA of 27.

He gave up a double to Kennys Vargas before giving up back-to-back home runs to Oswaldo Arcia and Trevor Plouffe. Arcia hit his second foul pole of the night in the right field bleachers.

The up side was that Romine retired three out of the next four batters, including a strikeout of Kurt Suzuki.

Semi-Pro Baseball Team Has A Real Closer

((HT: KPVI-TV))

Semi-pro ball and independent ball litter the United States and it's part of what makes the country one of the coolest places on this or any other planet...

And it takes all types to make up a roster...

Like a Pocatello, Idaho fireman who doubles as a relief pitcher


The HQ remembers when a certain antacid gave out a "Fireman of the Year" award to the best closer...
Seems like the Grays already have one...

2 Position Players Finish On Mound For Phillies In 18-Inning Marathon

((HT: CSN Philly))

Let's just say it was a long day for the Phillies Casper Wells...

Arizona scored five two-out runs in the top of the 18th inning to beat the Phillies, 12-7. Wells started in right field for the Phillies, went 0 for 7 at the plate and took the loss in just his second major-league pitching appearance. He pitched last month in mop-up duty for the White Sox.

Wells, forced onto the mound after the Phils depleted their bullpen, ended up allowing five two-out runs before being relieved by infielder John McDonald.

The game started at 7:05PM and ended at 2:12AM- 7 hours, six minutes: the longest in Phillies history. The teams combined to use 20 pitchers, tying a major-league record.

Here's Ryne Sandberg post-game...


According to Jayson Stark through his Twitter:

Last player before Casper Wells to go 0x7 & allow 5 runs in a game was Lum Harris for '42 A's. but he got 46 outs. Wells got 2!