Burke Badenhop made his Major League debut on April 9, 2008 when he tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Marlins. In the eight years that followed, he tossed 512 1/3 innings of 3.74 ERA ball with the Marlins, Rays, Brewers, Red Sox and Reds. He’s been a part of four trades (most notably the Miguel Cabrera/Dontrelle Willis blockbuster), tested Major League free agency and been in more than a dozen Major League and minor league clubhouses. We’re thrilled to have Burke bring some of that unique perspective to a guest post on MLB Trade Rumors.
What does August mean to a bullpen?
August means two things to me. August is time to start prepping for my next amazing fantasy football team (shameless plug, check out profootballrumors.com!) and it’s time to really grind on the mound. Now, it’s important to grind every day of every season, but I found it easier to grind in August. August starts the home stretch. August starts the promise of expanded rosters in September. August is juuuuuust when you can start to see the light at the end of the 162-game tunnel.
To the casual fan, expanded rosters are a time to see that top prospect they’ve heard so much about. For a team, it’s a chance to see how a player’s skills translate to the big leagues. For a bullpen, September call-ups pump new blood at a time you need it the most.
Having extra men out in the ‘pen means there’s much more of a safety net every night. No more having to worry about covering seven innings if your starter gets knocked out in the second frame. Young guys with options can rest easier knowing they won’t be sent to the minors simply because you just played 16 innings that night and need fresh arms for tomorrow. Other relievers with tired arms might be able to grab an extra day of rest. Without these worries, it’s easier to focus on the task at hand. It’s easier to grind.
Now I’m not saying that you should work your hardest in August just to coast in September. That should never be an option. September isn’t a breeze. Your team counts on you to perform regardless of the month of the year or your place in the standings. If you coast, you’re liable to lose your job to one of those guys that was just called up.
A Major League season is impossibly long, though. August is usually a time when a team will play 17 or 20 straight games before having an off day. Seeing September on the horizon just gives you a feeling that you’re going to make it. That everything is going to be ok. That your arm isn’t going to fall off, despite its persistent efforts to do just that. August means that the dog days of summer will soon end. That it won’t be long ‘til you have to find your long sleeves in the back of your locker. August is a time to grind.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I like this. Thanks for writing it!
Great article!
Nice article, thanks Burke!
Really interesting article. Thanks Burke!
Good read. Thanks!
Dontrelle Willis…now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long, long time.
You do know him, then?
Nobody? Nobody goes with the Obi-Wan Kenobi reference? *sigh*
We all got it
So true
He’s actually an analyst on Fox Sports 1 now and is really good.
Thanks for sharing Burke! Love the insight.
Great article Burke.
August is always the most stressful month for me to watch, so it’s interesting to hear a very different take on it from a player.
PS: we miss you here in Boston, Burke : D
Most stressful for long time Sox fans, who saw them lose pennant after pennant during the month and finally started enjoying more teams and the game itself over the years..
Winning is great, no doubt Karkat, but when one watches a team blow 1st place leads half a dozen plus times during the month over 40 odd years? It doesn’t become a fixture.
Great article Burke! Welcome to MLBTR
Hey Burke! I remember you smacking a game winning RBI hit in extras against my Mets back in 2011. Nice to see you writing, keep it up!
If I’m not mistaken, Jon Niese had a pinch hit triple in that game and got stranded at third to end it. Gotta love the 2011 Mets, it’s sad that the current incarnation is spiraling back to that level
Haha, that’s correct! I initially had it in my mind that Badenhop hit the triple, but went back to check the box score and jogged my memory.
Awesome article. Would love to hear more insight about relief pitching. Grew up wanting to be a lefty-reliever.
Excellent article, and thank you for making me seriously miss playing ball!! lol
September is a magical time for baseball players and fans alike. Even if a fans favorite team is out of the race, they can still build up momentum for the next season, and it gives fans a chance to see some of the minor leaguers called up for a glimpse of the future!!
For my beloved Braves, there are a couple of guys that really intrigue me, that might possibly get the call:
Dustin Peterson (unlikely)
Ozzy Albies (possibly)
Dansby Swanson (possibly)
Rio Ruiz (more than likely)
Jason Hursh (more than likely)
AJ Minter (unlikely)
Mel Rojas (more than likely)
Most likely, only 3B Rio Ruiz and RHP Jason Hursh will get the call as September call-ups, but Mel Rojas a 26 year old former top prospect could also get a taste of some big league action and it will definitely be intriguing to see what he can do after he has been playing extremely well at AAA Gwinnett..
AJ Minter, is most likely the Braves closer of the future, but he hasn’t seen any action at the AAA level yet. Even so, he very well could fight for a spot in the bullpen next season, and don’t be suprised if he gets alot of attention and a very long look during spring training next season..The kid is just about unhittable, his only real issue is maintaining his health, and that’s why I think he will most likely just get a few appearances at the AAA level before the season is all said and done. ..
Peterson, Albies, and Swanson all project to be major contributors to the Braves lineup at some point in 2017, the only question is when they will get the call. I am not quite sure if they will get a call up this September, but I do know each player will get a long hard look during Spring Training next season, and most likely they will each start the season at AAA, to avoid their collective service clocks from starting too soon.
Also, with the rotation issues from all the injuries, there’s no telling who might get a spit start here and there. Most likely, if any new faces are going to take the rubber, it will be Chris Ellis. Long shot candidates are Sean Newcomb, Lucas Sims, and Max Povse, but most likely they won’t be seen on a major league mound until some point late next season, barring injuries.
It is definitely an exciting time to be a Braves fan, and I’m looking forward to what this year and especially next season bring for this historic franchise!!
Outstanding article…would love to see more articles similar to this in the future. Great idea, well written and a perspective that sometimes gets lost behind bigger news headlines. Keep up the great work at MLBTR!