8th inning, leading 8-2

When you and I have a day off, it might involve a little housework, maybe kicking back and watching some TV. Maybe a little shopping at the mall. When a baseball player has a day off, he still has to go to the office. Then he has to watch all of his co-workers do their jobs all day. Sometimes, if he's lucky, his boss will ask him to finish an important project, or to work the rest of the day for somebody who got sick. Any of those things would still constitute a good day off for a baseball player.

Sometimes, things get tense, and the score is close. Other times, a pitcher might be throwing a no-hitter with all eyes on them. Those are tough days to be on the bench, showing solidarity through the intense moments is probably almost as draining as being out there.

The worst time to be on the bench, especially in a televised Major League Baseball game, is when your team has run up the score. There is danger lurking, a danger unlike anything I experience in my work. People will, in a heartbeat, be willing to make you look like an idiot on national television.

From twitter uesr @spookylish

Eric Thames is not an idiot. What he is, is a victim. That huge bubble on his head was a beacon to everyone in the ball park that the Blue Jays were winning by a comfortable margin. And yes, I mean everyone in the ballpark.

So where's the magic? Well, any great magician will tell you the hand is quicker than the eye. And it must take a little bit of misdirection to get that thing up there so securely. Many times, I've seen the volunteer on stage be the last one to catch on to the magician's game. Thanks to the silence of his teammates, the act went on for quite a while. Observe:

From @taggart7 twitter feed

   Note, 1-1 count, nobody on.

From @taggart7 twitter

Drabek has walked a batter, still nobody out. 

from @Rickyro24 twitter feed

Drabek has retired a batter, and is approaching the bench for congratulations.

From Twitter user @MLB4lifeKK

 Aaaand they let Thames give him the high five with the bubble still up there.

Thanks for your applause, folks, give it up for Eric, who helped us out so much!