What Really Goes On In The Bullpen?

If you have ever watched or listened to a baseball game, you have problem heard the announcer mention the bullpen.  This mysterious area of the ballpark actually has an important role.

There are several theories on how the term “bullpen” came to be used.  One theory says that it represents the fenced area where bulls would wait to be slaughtered, and the bulls symbolized the pitchers.  Another theory says that it may be a reference to when rodeo bulls are penned up just prior to being released into the arena.  In 19th century baseball games, fans that arrived late to the game were sent to standing room only areas in foul territory.  With so many people, they ended up being herded like cattle, causing the area to be known as the bullpen.  Another theory says that in the 1800s many jails were nicknamed bullpens after the officers that ran them – who were usually strong and short tempered.  Around the 20th century, the term bullpen became widely used in the form that it is known today – as the area where pitchers warm-up before entering a game, as well as the pitchers themselves.

The bullpen is a specially sectioned area for the players to warm up in.  It is usually situated in the foul territory down the baselines or just past the fence for the outfield.  Instead of waiting in the dugout with the rest of the team, relief pitchers will usually wait in the bullpen.  That way they can practice throws and do other warm up exercises to keep them limber and stretched.  They are ready at a moment’s notice to be called in to relieve the main pitcher.

In the bullpen, there are several types of relief pitchers waiting to get into the game:  Long relievers, middle relievers, LOOGYs, Setup men, and closers.  Each has his own role to play to try and help his team earn a victory.

Long relievers are expected to pitch until the point in the game when the starting pitcher would have been pulled.  He is usually put in when the starting player is pulled from the game early either because of an unexpected injury or an ineffectiveness at preventing runs for the other team.  If the game is beyond saving and the long reliever is put in for a lost cause he is also known as the mop-up man.

If it is later in the game, usually around the 6th or 7th inning, then a middle reliever is used.  Middle relievers are often only used to pitch one inning.  They are often used if the starting pitcher has allowed several batters to reach base, or in the late innings of games where there team is losing the game.

Left One Out GuYs, are also know as “LOOGYs”. These players are left hand relievers.  They are almost always used if there are runners already on base.  Their strength is to get one or two outs against the opposing team’s best left-handed hitters.

Setup men are used as fill in pitchers and are often saved for close games.  They are brought into the game typically during the 7th or 8th inning to fill in the gap between the starting pitcher or the middle reliever and the closer.  They will generally only pitch one or two innings.

Closers are the finishers of the game.  They are usually used to finish off a game that their team is already winning in the 9th inning and is several runs ahead.

Relief pitchers must stay in the bullpen in order to be ready to be called into the game at a moment’s notice.  Games can go from winning to losing in an inning, so a coach may decide to switch out pitchers at any time.