I had last night's game off. Well, at least I had it off for most of the game before I came in to pinch-hit. I was intentionally walked and eventually scored our fifth run in a 5-4 win over Baltimore when Placido Polanco singled in the eighth inning.
It is interesting coming off the bench to possibly pinch-hit or to go in as a defensive replacement. If you are a regular starter, it's difficult to switch roles. One good thing that helps me is that I was coming off the bench when I was first called up in 2004. I try to recall that year every time I am asked to be in the substitution role.
There are certain keys to success in coming off the bench to help your team. I break it down into three steps.
- You have to find a way to stay warmed up and stretched out in the dugout and in the clubhouse any way possible for when you are called upon to go into the game.
- You have to somehow get some swings or get your body ready to hit. This can be harder if you are on the visiting team, because some visiting clubhouses don't have a batting cage. In Detroit, though, we have two cages on our side that guys can use at any time to get some swings in. The swings can come hitting off a tee, against a pitching machine, or against a player or coach.
- You need to prepare yourself for any situation. As a defensive replacement I have to know the situation, who is coming to bat from the other team, how deep to play in the outfield, and where to position the other outfielders. As a pinch-hitter I need to get my mind ready about 3-5 batters before I might enter the game. I need to know if I might be bunting, pinch-running, or facing a lefty or righty from the bullpen.
When all that is done, I need to get into the game and do my best to help the team either come from behind and win the game or hold a lead. Even if I prepare well, it is still very hard to go into the game and succeed. That's why I give a lot of credit to someone like Julio Franco, who might be the best pinch-hitter ever, because it is a very hard thing to do.
Before starting the three steps mentioned earlier, you have to stay relaxed, yet focused. While the game is going on, most of my time is spent eating a lot of sunflower seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds or chewing gum.
I'm also watching the game to see what possible things I can pick up, like how a pitcher might be pitching another lefty in our lineup. I take a few mental notes either for a possible appearance in that game or for later in the season if I have to face that pitcher again.
On a non-serious note, some of my time in the dugout is spent messing with the other starting pitchers or other position players. We also spend time looking at some of the interesting signs that fans bring to the ballpark. In fact, that's one of our favorite things to do. Fans, take note. This is not much different from what I wrote in an earlier blog entry about taunting us from the stands. Keep your signs interesting!
The most recent and best ones I have seen are "Durbinator," "Brandon Inge, will you go to the prom with me?" and "Curtis -- We R Friends on MySpace." So fans, keep up with the interesting signs, because they make us players laugh. We may not always be able to acknowledge them, but we definitely notice them.
Curtis Granderson
