Madison Bumgarner Bats for Himself, But Won’t Be in Home Run Derby
San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner takes pride in his hitting ability. And he’s not bad at it either, with 13 career home runs. He’s been lobbying for a spot in the All Star Game’s Home Run Derby. But Giants manager Bruce Bochy put the kibosh on that, saying that while he’d personally like to see what MadBum would do in the Derby, he would not let him participate. Probably something about not having his ace pitcher get hurt doing something like that while in the midst of a pennant race. The point was made moot when the player’s association said it didn’t want a pitcher taking a slot in the contest away from a position player, although a separate home run derby for pitchers will be considered down the road.
Bochy did allow Bumgarner to hit for himself in an interleague game at Oakland on June 30th. Since the game was in an American League ballpark, the designated hitter rule was in effect, but MadBum accepted Bochy’s offer and became the first pitcher to be scheduled to hit instead of a DH in an American League park since another good hitting pitcher, Ken Brett of the Chicago White, did so in 1976 (Andy Sonnanstein of Tampa Bay had to hit for himself after a lineup card screw up in a 2009 game).
Bumgarner did not disappoint, blasting a double and scoring a run, as well as picking up his ninth win of the season, in the Giants 12-4 victory over their across the bay rival.
The Giants’ next interleague opponents will be a five game stretch at Boston and at the New York Yankees July 19th-24th. Bumgarner will almost assuredly pitch in one of those contests so we’ll see if he gets to hit for himself again.
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The casual fan may not have heard of Ken Brett, but has probably heard of his brother George. Ken, though, does hold the distinction of being the youngest to pitch in a World Series.
Yes, I’d forgotten that he was George Brett’s brother. Ken pitched for the Red Sox in the 1967 World Series a couple of weeks after turning 19. He bounced around baseball, playing for 10 teams in 14 seasons. His best years, both in pitching and in hitting, were 1973 with Philadelphia (13-9, 3.44 ERA) and 1974 with Pittsburgh (again 13-9, 3.30 ERA). As a hitter, he hit .262 in 347 at bats with 10 homers and 44 RBIs. He hit .310 with 2 homers and 15 RBIs in 87 at bats with the Pirates in ’74 and hit 4 homers and 16 RBIs in 80 at bats with the Phillies in ’73. Ken Brett died of cancer at age 55 in 2003.