Cubs relievers are trying to keep things interesting during home games at Wrigley Field, and they’re playing chicken with foul balls hit their direction.
Wrigley Field, AT&T Park and Tropicana Field are the only three parks in the MLB to have bullpens on the field. And when the Cubs bullpen play in those parks, they play a game that the bullpen catcher Chad Noble started.
From the Chicago Tribune:
Here’s how the contest is played: During the game, as the pitchers are sitting in the bullpen, either on the bench along the wall or on folding chairs in front of the bullpen mound, they face the batter. If a foul ball comes their way, the object is to remain as still as possible, regardless of how close the ball comes to them, or even if it hits them.
The game was put to the test against the Cleveland Indians on Monday. Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor hit a foul ball directly at the Cubs bullpen.
*Grunt* pic.twitter.com/baXOlI7LKt
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) August 24, 2015
The Cubs bullpen succeeded and no one flinched, not even reliever Zac Rosscup, who was hit with the groundball. The ball hit Rosscup in the right hand, which is his non-pitching hand, and luckily, the 26-year-old pitcher didn’t get hurt after being called up from Triple-A Iowa on Monday.