CINCINNATI — Javier Lopez arrives at the park around 2 p.m. for a night game. He works out in the weight room, watches video and joins the other relievers when they take the field before batting practice to stretch, run and throw on flat ground. He might even have a meal and a snack.
Thirty-five times in his major-league career, including twice in the postseason, Lopez done all of that prep to enter a game and throw only one pitch. Talk about specialization.
According to baseball-reference.com, Lopez has retired the hitter 24 times, thrice getting double plays, the most recent last year against Dee Gordon.