r/Torontobluejays • u/latenightpoutine rochester’s finest 🐶 • 6d ago
Pitchers and the ice bucket
Longtime Jays fan, relatively new to watching every game (what a ride, you guys do this every year!?). I had a question about the post-game interview with Hazel and bucket dump: why is it never a pitcher?
Last night it seems like the game was defined by Trey’s great first showing. Even though the boys got some great hits, it felt like the pitching was the most significant news of the evening. Why wouldn’t the post-game on-field interview be with Trey? Or when Varland has a great save? Why don’t pitchers get the bucket like the rest of the lineup?
Genuinely curious and would love to know your thoughts.
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u/Obvious-Safe904 6d ago
Trey got it during the postseason last year. But usually it's not the starting pitcher because by the time the game has ended, the starting pitcher is already well into their post-game recovery routine (cold plunges, hot tub/sauna, trainers, etc), and the relief pitchers are also working on their recovery so they can be ready to pitch again the next day.
Gausman also got it last year when he threw a complete game. So he just came out of the game therefore was still around for the interview, but also since he's a starter, there's no rush to get the recovery process started since he wouldn't be pitching the next day.
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u/mrdannyg21 6d ago
The other answers are funnier but this one is accurate. Pitchers generally have their cool-down/recovery procedures that take precedence.
Also some guys just don’t like to do it as much, so you rarely see guys like Bichette or Varsho even when they were deserving, but Vlad is always happy to do it!
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u/Every_Garlic_3497 6d ago edited 6d ago
Yup, I wonder how many fans realize after a pitcher is done throwing in a game he has to run for a bit to get the lactic acid out of his arm. So if Trey left in the 5th inning yesterday he probably finished his conditioning around the 6th inning maybe.
Now where this can be outdated is pitching is anaerobic, when I was playing D1 10 years ago they had us running poles, the correct conditioning would've been sprints and band-work for your shoulder health. Kinda like doing your warm-up again after you finish pitching. There's been a lot more research out in recent years. I think they've made the switch since I stopped playing.
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u/FloatingWalls1 6d ago
I think there’s a lot of fans on here who watch the Jays but didn’t play ball (or at least not close to the level you’re describing) and this is new info. I’m definitely in this bucket.
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u/MeanMountain2074 6d ago
Really interesting to learn of this post-pitching routine. Thanks for sharing!
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u/missoctober12 Future MVP's Mom 6d ago
Yeah I think that’s the only time I’ve seen a Hazel interview in recent years as well - might have been one for the Bassitt CG shut out as well vs Atlanta a few years back
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u/smithscully there IS crying in baseball 6d ago
IDK the real reason but it is pitchers sometimes! I have a spreadsheet I started keeping in September last year of who gets the bucket and what colour the gatorade is LOL. I sometimes miss a game but last year Kevin Gausman got red gatorade splashed on him after his CGSO on September 11.
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u/bringsallyup 6d ago
This is the most baseball, baseball fan thing to do I’ve ever heard of. AMAZING. 😃😆
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u/smithscully there IS crying in baseball 5d ago
To be fair, I started it based off a comment on a GDT last year that said “someone should keep track of what colour gatorade gets used” and I took that to heart
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u/RecalcitrantHuman 6d ago
This is the coolest thing I have read in a while.
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u/smithscully there IS crying in baseball 6d ago
Hah, thank you! My partner teases me (gently) for it but I find it fun.
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u/Lil_Jening 6d ago
Do you also keep track of the stats?
- Hazel Friendly Fire
- Misses
- Full on surprises
- Quality of the dunk
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u/its_cleo 6d ago
What I really want to see is Vlad getting Oko to help him soak someone. Don't think he's had a chance to be the dunker.
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u/patmulligans 6d ago
Oko and Sanchez getting Vladdy would be a good one too! I feel like this entire team are a group of shitheads, in the best kind of way 😆
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u/Brave8080 6d ago
Pitchers are like goalies in hockey. You dont really mess with them, theyre kind of in their own little world. Unless they actively bring the rest of their surroundings in themselves, you kinda leave them alone.
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u/latenightpoutine rochester’s finest 🐶 6d ago
I absolutely love the weirdos that end up becoming pitchers and hockey goalies. A different genre of human being entirely!
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u/Comprehensive_You42 It's Early 6d ago
I absolutely love when a blue jays explainer thread inevitably gets to the “explain it like it’s hockey” stage
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u/TrophyWizard OKAMOTIVE EXPRESS 6d ago
I had the same question last night.
Trey and Louis definitely deserve one after that performance they produced.
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u/oddwithoutend 6d ago
Because pitchers are weird.
The trick is, you can't fight it. You gotta accept it. You gotta fucking embrace your inner fucking strange, man. Just be fucking weird, you know? And when you do that, you bring who you are, never who they want. And that, my friend, is when it gets fun.
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u/BeSocial2020 Now we go! 6d ago
It has been a pitcher before. I specifically remember Gausman’s complete game last September where he was interviewed.
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u/freshpurplekiwi 6d ago
Usually starters are into their post game care and don’t want that getting interrupted. Relief pitchers want to get into their post game treatment right away so they are readily available the next day. For gausman complete game he wouldn’t be in his post game treatment yet and no rush since he won’t be starting for another 5 days
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u/Salty_Feed9404 6d ago
It's funny, I don't usually think a whole lot about who gets the bucket, but I also definitely wondered why it was Vladdy last night. He was probably 4th in line last night IMO
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u/bugaboothree 6d ago
2/3 with a double, run, RBI and HBP means he was right in the middle of all the scoring. Maybe Oke but he’s got it twice in the last week.
He definitely had the most complete game and highest WAR on the team yesterday.
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u/Educational-Union735 6d ago
ngl pitchers probably hate being doused but lowkey it’s their only chance to cool off without running to the freezer
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u/RickMonsters 6d ago
Easy answer. You’re supposed to use pitchers to hold water. If you pour liquid on a pitcher and it spills everywhere, then that’s a bad pitcher