(of an athlete) sit on the sidelines rather than participate in a game or event.
‘what really bugged him was riding the pine’
‘A deeper team roster has been added for each squad, boosting the number of available players that ride the pine to twenty athletes.’
‘As a result, the decision of who goes north with the big-league club, who rides the bench and who gets to ride the buses in the minors has become more complex.’
‘He wound up riding the bench for the Crew in the U.S. Open Cup final when Mark Dougherty was sidelined with a knee injury.’
‘If Leftwich and Boller sit, that could be a lot of money tied up riding the pine, and that fact helps the rookies' chances.’
‘He came to L.A. as an all-star guard, rode the bench through the team's title run, then quickly and quietly faded away.’
‘Dilfer rode the bench behind Tony Banks for most of the season before getting his first start a week ago.’
‘The captain of the injured reserve squad picked up right where he left off last season, riding the pine.’
‘Another player who left the Giants as a free agent and has not prospered, Cornelia was supposed to cure what had ailed the Titans' running game, but he barely was a factor early on and wound up riding the bench more than anticipated.’
‘After riding the bench with Tampa Bay and Cleveland, he was given a chance to play every day and ran with the opportunity.’
‘He has speed and defense on his side, but riding the bench surely won't help him develop as a hitter.’
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