Alright, so, Jose Trevino pitching. Yeah, that’s a thing. And you know how I got to even thinking about it, really digging into it like it’s some sort of science? It wasn’t from reading some fancy analytics report, trust me. It was way more basic than that. It started during one of those baseball seasons where, frankly, my main team was just painful to watch. You know the kind – hopes high in April, crushed by June.
My Accidental “Research” Project
So, I found myself watching a lot of random games, mostly out of boredom or because they were the only thing on late at night. And one particular evening, the game was a total blowout. We’re talking like, 10-0 by the fifth inning. Absolutely brutal. I was about to switch it off, go do something productive, like stare at the ceiling. But then, they announced a pitching change, and out trots Jose Trevino. The catcher. My first thought was, “Wait, what? Are they serious?”
That was the start of my unofficial, highly unscientific “practice” of tracking position players pitching, with Trevino becoming a recurring character in this little hobby of mine. I wasn’t breaking down his mechanics or anything. My “practice” was more like trying to figure out the exact point in a game’s downward spiral when a manager throws in the towel so hard they let a catcher pitch. It became a weird little game for me.
Here’s what my “process” usually looked like:
- Step 1: Identify a lopsided game. This was easy. Just look for scores where one team looks like they forgot how to play.
- Step 2: Wait for the inevitable. Usually around the 7th or 8th inning, if the score was still ridiculous.
- Step 3: See who they send out. If it was Trevino, or any position player really, I’d make a mental note. Or sometimes, a literal note on a piece of scrap paper.
My “records” from this period are basically a collection of mental images of him lobbing the ball over the plate. No heat, no fancy stuff. Just… getting it there. And the reactions from the announcers, trying to sound professional while describing something that’s inherently a bit silly in a high-level sports context. It was a kind of comic relief, I guess.
What I Actually “Learned”
What did I “achieve” with all this? Well, not much in terms of actual baseball strategy breakthroughs. It wasn’t like I was going to write a thesis on it. But it did give me a different kind of appreciation for the game. It showed me the human side of it. When a team is getting hammered, and they just need to get through the game without burning out their actual pitchers, guys like Trevino stepping up, even if it’s just to throw some slow pitches, that takes guts. You’re out there, everyone knows it’s a surrender, but you still gotta do the job.
I remember one time trying to explain this whole phenomenon to my kid. “See, he’s usually the guy catching, but now he’s pitching because the game is… well, it’s over, but not officially over.” Kid just looked confused. Can’t blame ’em. It is weird.
So yeah, my deep dive into “Jose Trevino pitching” wasn’t some academic pursuit. It was born out of watching too many bad baseball games and getting a kick out of the absurd moments. It’s a reminder that sometimes, in sports, and probably in a lot of other things, you just gotta do what needs to be done, even if it’s not your primary skill set, and even if it looks a little funny doing it. That’s my takeaway. No fancy charts, just that simple thought.
