According to Baseball Reference, 197 position players have accumulated at least that many plate appearances since 2014 and have hit 11 or fewer home runs.
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In the National League, pitchers bat as the league has never adopted the designated hitter role.
On Sunday, during his team’s batting practice, Bumgarner put on a big hitting display of power at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium.
Alas and alack. There’s always the Imaginary Home Run Derby of America’s Heart, Mad Bum.
It’s understandable why Bochy doesn’t want his star pitcher participating in a silly exhibition.
Madison Bumgarner’s pleas aren’t exactly falling on deaf ears, but San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy isn’t about to give into temptation.
“No, to be serious, I couldn’t let him do it”, he told ESPN.
Unfortunately for Bumgarner, Bochy is the one who won’t let him be in it. “We couldn’t let him do it”. Bumgarner came up to Olney and said he wanted to be in the July 4 home run derby in San Diego. However, Bochy said that Bumgarner might wear himself down too much during the first round trying to hit the ball so hard.
“He’s convinced he could win it”, Bochy continued. Members of the grounds crew told ESPN’s Buster Olney that they remember only Seattle’s Nelson Cruz hitting a ball there during the Home Run Derby, but the Mercury-News pointed out that Mac Williamson landed one in the top deck Saturday.
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Yes, that final stroke traveled to the upper deck of Busch, where only eagles in Ultralights dare.
