By Will Lingo
(contributing: J.J. Cooper, Matthew Eddy, Will Kimmey, Chris Kline, John Manuel and Alan Matthews)
May 17, 2004

EIGHTH INNING

Richmond reliever Buudy Hernandez was spending more time watching for foul balls while Roman Colon was warming up than actually sitting in the pen in the eighth inning, but he was still able to offer insight into bullpen culture.

"We're watching the game more than anything else," he says. "Watching the batter's tendencies or what a pitcher's doing that might be wrong so we can talk about it later on, but the crowd gets in it, especially here. I mean, they're right on top of us. It doesn't get boring, because we're trying to pay attention. It's part of the game as a bullpen guy. You have to watch and try to get a read."

At the DBAP, the visitor's bullpen is right next to a picnic area, making interaction with fans almost inevitable. Unlike the sometimes ugly back-and-forth that can go on in a major league park between fans and the bullpen, however, here it's all low-key and good-natured.

"It's just guys down there shooting the bull," Hernandez says. "It's good at times, because for the most part the fans leave you alone. They'll ask you a question every once in awhile, but for the most part they're OK."

As the relievers start to get into the game, the radar guns from scouts and the pitchers charting the game light up for Durham's Franklin Nunez, who pops several mid-90s. When he posts 96, 97 and even a 98 mph reading, Richmond lefthander Ray Aguilar has to add to his chart, which isn't prepared for anything harder than 95.

"He had some nice stuff--some sink on his fastball, a slider in the 78-82 range, and a change at 83," Aguilar says. "He only threw one change."

As a lefthanded knuckleballer, Aguilar needs a pitch column all to his own, and his velocities often dip below the 65 minimum on the chart. "I'm probably easy to chart," he said. "I'm throwing 90 percent knuckleballs."

Because he starts tomorrow night, it's Aguilar's turn to chart pitches. He sits just to the left of home plate and two rows back, with a clipboard that has the pitches (fastball, curve, slider, change, split-finger) separated in columns, with various speed readings beneath each pitch. The R-Braves have their pitchers chart both teams throughout the game, though Aguilar said most of the time they skip an inning or two to take a break. It's not a chore pitchers relish.

"It's not as good as being in the dugout," he says. "When you're not playing, you want to be in the dugout, picking your teammates up, being part of the team. But it's not so bad to be in the stands."