San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is mainly known for what he does on the mound, but he can really swing the bat as well.
Last week against the Atlanta Braves, Bumgarner — who bats right-handed despite throwing left-handed — hit a 411-foot bomb at Turner Field:
That was MadBum’s second homer of the year, and his 11th dinger over the last three seasons. This tweet to puts his home run production into perspective:
#Nationals Bryce Harper
Last 190 PA: 11 HR#Angels Mike Trout
Last 190 PA: 11 HR#SFGiants Madison Bumgarner
Last 190 PA: 11 HR— Ace of MLB Stats (@theaceofspaeder) June 2, 2016
Fangraphs’ Jeff Sullivan digs much more into Bumgarner’s power surge over the last three seasons, and here’s an excerpt from the article:
Bumgarner apparently figured out hitting in 2014. Maybe he got bored because he’d already mastered pitching. Since then, over just shy of 200 trips to the plate, Bumgarner has batted .234/.265/.451, good for a 101 wRC+. The next-best offensive pitcher has been Zack Greinke, with a wRC+ of 65. On the mound, Madison Bumgarner is Madison Bumgarner, and at the plate, Madison Bumgarner is Jonathan Schoop. The Giants’ advantage is that no other pitcher hits like a powerful second baseman.
Well, after Bumgarner launched homers in St. Louis’ “Big Mac Land” during batting practice on Sunday, he told ESPN’s Buster Olney that he’d like to participate in the Home Run Derby at Petco Park in July:
“I want to do it,” Bumgarner told Olney prior to ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball matchup between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
It’s hard to blame Bumgarner for wanting to see how he’d stack up against the game’s best hitters. After all, his 13 homers top all active pitchers.
“I want to be in it,” Bumgarner said. “I’m going to be in it — don’t let me be in it.”
During batting practice Sunday, Bumgarner sent more than a dozen balls over the fence in left. Two balls reached the third deck, above the “Big Mac Land” sign. His final cut reached the fourth deck, a feat rarely accomplished at Busch Stadium.
However, Giants manager Bruce Bochy sounds against his star pitcher participating in the event:
“No, to be serious, I couldn’t let him do it,” Bochy said. “We couldn’t let him do it.”
Bochy, however, said he’d love to see what Bumgarner could do if he competed in the derby.
“And Bum, he’s convinced he could win it,” Bochy said. “I think he would wear himself down in the first round, he’d try to hit it so hard.”
So, even if Bumgarner wants to be in the contest, it seems the Giants wouldn’t let that happen. That’s probably the smart move for the Giants, but it’s disappointing for those of us that would like to watch a pitcher compete with star hitters in a home run contest.
[ESPN]
