A couple of years ago, a longtime player noted the workload of one of his teammates, a reliever, who had been asked to work day after day after day, in keeping with the general credo of the bullpen. As a reliever, you do everything you can do to take the ball when you’re asked to take the ball.

“It’s not right,” the teammate said. “This guy is being worked until his arm falls off, and before he knows it, his career will be over.”

The teammate’s suggestion was that