On Thursday night, Daniel Bard will make his debut as an MLB starter in Toronto. With the Red Sox bullpen in desperate need of help and Bard already a proven set-up man, he will need to be solid to prove he is valuable to the team as a starter. Otherwise, Bobby Valentine will face immense pressure to use the righty to solidify what looks like a shallow bullpen. Among many other reasons, Bard is hoping to prove his worth in Boston’s rotation so he can continue sleeping well at night.
“Pitching the eighth inning of a game, you warm-up and you get that adrenaline flowing at 10:30 at night, it makes going to sleep a lot harder,” Bard said Monday according to the Boston Herald. “In that respect it’s been nice. I’ve just tried to use the rest to my advantage. It’s a lot less stressful.”
Some of the reporters in attendance gave him a confused look, but the Red Sox new fifth starter wasn’t joking.
“I’m dead serious,” he explained. “It’s just a physical thing. When you have adrenaline pumping that late at night it’s hard to fall asleep before 1 (a.m.).”
Bard’s logic makes sense, it’s just something we’re not accustomed to hearing. I always thought MLB players were creatures of the night who slept in following games anyway, but maybe it does make a difference. Alfredo Aceves finally closed out a game for the Red Sox as they picked up their first win of the season on Monday night, but closer Andrew Bailey is going to be out for quite a while. If Bard struggles on Tuesday, it won’t be long before Valentine gives him a couple of sleeping pills and sends him back out to the pen.
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE
