Buzzkill of the Day: Bucket Duty

To hitters, batting practice is one of the best and most important parts of their day. For one unlucky pitcher, it's hell.

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Fetch the balls and stay the fuck out of the way of the outfielders---this is the job description of the entire pitching staff.

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The term is 'shagging,' and trust me, it's like watching paint dry. Hitters are using all parts of the field, crushing balls down the line, and even hitting them out of the park (unless you're a 2B). Shaggers become the fetch-dogs of BP. There's only one thing that gets you through the hour-long turmoil---"Hey, we could be doing the bucket."

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'The bucket' is primarily assigned to starting pitchers that threw the previous day. As a starting pitcher, I have done my fair share of bucket duties and let me tell you...whether you got shelled and didn't make it past the 3rd (happened way too many times) or threw 8 shut-out innings, the bucket would diminish any ounce of pride you had prior to BP.

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The process of running the bucket is quite simple:

1. Pick up the balls that are rolled to you from your fellow pitchers

2. Angrily throw them into the bucket...making sure to mix in your different grips

3. When the bucket fills up, make the 90ft trot from short-CF to the mound

4. Drop off the balls

5. Jog back

6. Repeat

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You've picked up what felt like 4oo baseballs and made more deliveries than the guy from Boston House of Pizza---and all you wanted to do was play Password in the outfield. Talk about a Buzzkill.

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Being Bucket Bitch of the Day = bigger buzzkill than Buzz Killington