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| Giants’ Madison Bumgarner is just scary good as San Francisco wins World Series over Kansas City | Giants’ Madison Bumgarner is just scary good as San Francisco wins World Series over Kansas City |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At 8:53 Central Bumgarner Time here, a certain 6-foot-5 left-handed San Francisco Giants pitcher walked from the bullpen to the mound in Kauffman Stadium to provide a little Show Me to Missouri. It’s said in this town that half the kids in the city would dress up as Madison Bumgarner for Halloween but their parents won’t let them because it would be just too darn scary. | KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At 8:53 Central Bumgarner Time here, a certain 6-foot-5 left-handed San Francisco Giants pitcher walked from the bullpen to the mound in Kauffman Stadium to provide a little Show Me to Missouri. It’s said in this town that half the kids in the city would dress up as Madison Bumgarner for Halloween but their parents won’t let them because it would be just too darn scary. |
| For the next 106 minutes, nearly every man, woman and child who has ever been a Kansas City Royals fan watched a horror movie that simply refused to stop as Bumgarner, entrusted with a one-run lead to start the fifth inning, allowed a single, then got out 15 of the last 16 men he faced, all of them angry, all found guilty, on just 68 pitches. As a final trial, to heighten his greatness and intensify this city’s pain, with two outs in the ninth, San Francisco center fielder Gregor Blanco misplayed a single into three bases for Alex Gordon who stood at, then died at, third base as Salvador Perez popped out. | For the next 106 minutes, nearly every man, woman and child who has ever been a Kansas City Royals fan watched a horror movie that simply refused to stop as Bumgarner, entrusted with a one-run lead to start the fifth inning, allowed a single, then got out 15 of the last 16 men he faced, all of them angry, all found guilty, on just 68 pitches. As a final trial, to heighten his greatness and intensify this city’s pain, with two outs in the ninth, San Francisco center fielder Gregor Blanco misplayed a single into three bases for Alex Gordon who stood at, then died at, third base as Salvador Perez popped out. |
| As Pablo Sandoval collapsed in joy, ball in glove, and the Giants stormed Bumgarner on the mound after the 3-2 win, the cheers all across Northern California probably registered on the Richter scale. | As Pablo Sandoval collapsed in joy, ball in glove, and the Giants stormed Bumgarner on the mound after the 3-2 win, the cheers all across Northern California probably registered on the Richter scale. |
| Make it a 0.25. That’s Bumgarner’s career World Series ERA. | Make it a 0.25. That’s Bumgarner’s career World Series ERA. |
| Now the Giants are the only team in the history of the National League that has won three World Series in a five-year span — if you exclude the player-depleted World War II period. And it probably should be excluded. In 2010 and 2012, Bumgarner pitched shutouts when he was 21 and 23. At age 25, he worked 21 innings in this World Series, allowed nine hits, one run (when he was already ahead 7-0), fanned 17 and, in what must be considered a moment of almost blinding fallibility, actually walked a batter. | Now the Giants are the only team in the history of the National League that has won three World Series in a five-year span — if you exclude the player-depleted World War II period. And it probably should be excluded. In 2010 and 2012, Bumgarner pitched shutouts when he was 21 and 23. At age 25, he worked 21 innings in this World Series, allowed nine hits, one run (when he was already ahead 7-0), fanned 17 and, in what must be considered a moment of almost blinding fallibility, actually walked a batter. |
| Maybe in a decade or perhaps another 29 years — the wait Kansas City had between World Series appearances — it will be possible to say the word “Bumgarner” without making the locals jump in their seats, wake in their sleep or just groan hopelessly. Is it really fair to let one pitcher carry a team to a World Series title almost solely on his broad North Carolinian back with two victories as a starter and then, in Game 7, a save for five innings of crucial relief? | Maybe in a decade or perhaps another 29 years — the wait Kansas City had between World Series appearances — it will be possible to say the word “Bumgarner” without making the locals jump in their seats, wake in their sleep or just groan hopelessly. Is it really fair to let one pitcher carry a team to a World Series title almost solely on his broad North Carolinian back with two victories as a starter and then, in Game 7, a save for five innings of crucial relief? |
| Royals fans, if they walked through a graveyard at midnight and met a giant with a hockey mask and a chain saw would say, “You can’t scare us. We just watched Madison Bumgarner take the World Series, stuff it in his hip pocket and take it back to San Francisco like an order of barbecue to go.” | Royals fans, if they walked through a graveyard at midnight and met a giant with a hockey mask and a chain saw would say, “You can’t scare us. We just watched Madison Bumgarner take the World Series, stuff it in his hip pocket and take it back to San Francisco like an order of barbecue to go.” |
| As usual, the modest Bumgarner said afterward he didn’t count innings or pitches. “I just tried to make pitches and get outs,” he said. “. . . On the last popup, I felt a little relief, a little excitement and then a little bit trying to figure out if it really just happened.” | As usual, the modest Bumgarner said afterward he didn’t count innings or pitches. “I just tried to make pitches and get outs,” he said. “. . . On the last popup, I felt a little relief, a little excitement and then a little bit trying to figure out if it really just happened.” |
| Then, as he got up to leave his final interview, he turned to Manager Bruce Bochy and said, “I can’t lie anymore. I’m really tired.” | Then, as he got up to leave his final interview, he turned to Manager Bruce Bochy and said, “I can’t lie anymore. I’m really tired.” |
| Bochy could laugh last, though he admitted his heart was in his throat when he left his dominant closer, Santiago Casilla, all warmed up in the bullpen to let Bumgarner finish. “Truly amazing, incredible, historic,” Bochy said. | Bochy could laugh last, though he admitted his heart was in his throat when he left his dominant closer, Santiago Casilla, all warmed up in the bullpen to let Bumgarner finish. “Truly amazing, incredible, historic,” Bochy said. |
| “I was trying to stay away from [Bumgarner],” Bochy added. “Afraid he’d say, ‘I’m starting to get a little tired.’ We just got on this horse and rode it.” | “I was trying to stay away from [Bumgarner],” Bochy added. “Afraid he’d say, ‘I’m starting to get a little tired.’ We just got on this horse and rode it.” |
| For two days, you haven’t been able to get a cab driver, a waitress, a desk clerk or anyone dressed in Royal blue to discuss any subject except one: When or if the Giants would unsheathe their ultimate and — in some sense — only really terrifying weapon in this World Series, the man with overwhelming wins in Games 1 and 4 of this Series by scores of 7-1 and 5-0? | For two days, you haven’t been able to get a cab driver, a waitress, a desk clerk or anyone dressed in Royal blue to discuss any subject except one: When or if the Giants would unsheathe their ultimate and — in some sense — only really terrifying weapon in this World Series, the man with overwhelming wins in Games 1 and 4 of this Series by scores of 7-1 and 5-0? |
| Before this Game 7, Bochy waved Bumgarner’s name in front of the Royals faces like a sword of Damocles. “He should be good for 50, 60 pitches at least,” he said. | Before this Game 7, Bochy waved Bumgarner’s name in front of the Royals faces like a sword of Damocles. “He should be good for 50, 60 pitches at least,” he said. |
| The number, please: 68. And on that final pitch, Perez did exactly what Bumgarner anticipated. “I figured he wanted to do something big,” he said. So he went up the ladder for a popup. | The number, please: 68. And on that final pitch, Perez did exactly what Bumgarner anticipated. “I figured he wanted to do something big,” he said. So he went up the ladder for a popup. |
| Bochy has explained for two days that Bumgarner would not start either Game 6 or 7 because of his incredible long-term value to the franchise, his relative youth and the common sense of not abusing a pitcher who now has worked more than 270 innings in 40 games this season. | Bochy has explained for two days that Bumgarner would not start either Game 6 or 7 because of his incredible long-term value to the franchise, his relative youth and the common sense of not abusing a pitcher who now has worked more than 270 innings in 40 games this season. |
| But in Game 7 of the World Series, after your 39-year-old starting pitcher, Tim Hudson, handed a 2-0 lead, has immediately given it back and been knocked out after getting only five outs, well, wisdom isn’t the only virtue in the human pantheon. | But in Game 7 of the World Series, after your 39-year-old starting pitcher, Tim Hudson, handed a 2-0 lead, has immediately given it back and been knocked out after getting only five outs, well, wisdom isn’t the only virtue in the human pantheon. |
| Well, the hell with it. Here comes Madison to throw 40, 50, 60 or 7,000 pitches. | Well, the hell with it. Here comes Madison to throw 40, 50, 60 or 7,000 pitches. |
| In a split-second of mini-defiance, Royals Manager Ned Yost considered the Bumgarner Conundrum and the issue of Kansas City’s “approach” to him. “The approach isn’t with Bumgarner. It’s with Hudson. If we get the lead off Hudson, it doesn’t matter if Bumgarner comes in. Then we hold the lead,” Yost said. “If we’re behind when Bumgarner comes in, then we’re going to have to battle. | |
| “Bumgarner’s a great starting pitcher. We’ll see what kind of reliever he is.” | “Bumgarner’s a great starting pitcher. We’ll see what kind of reliever he is.” |
| Now Yost knows. | Now Yost knows. |
| The issue of Bumgarner’s use also has issues of business ethics or perhaps just baseball savvy. The southpaw has never had a big payday even though he pitched those World Series shutouts. He chose to sign a long-term contract at an early age for some financial security — $33 million through 2017. But it is a dream deal for San Francisco in which the Giants hold options on multiple future years. That means if Bumgarner’s hurt, the Giants could, in theory, say goodbye to him, never pay on those fat dollar years. | The issue of Bumgarner’s use also has issues of business ethics or perhaps just baseball savvy. The southpaw has never had a big payday even though he pitched those World Series shutouts. He chose to sign a long-term contract at an early age for some financial security — $33 million through 2017. But it is a dream deal for San Francisco in which the Giants hold options on multiple future years. That means if Bumgarner’s hurt, the Giants could, in theory, say goodbye to him, never pay on those fat dollar years. |
| Bumgarner’s adventures will take their place with Walter Johnson, pitching in relief in extra innings in the 1924 World Series and getting the win in Washington’s only title. It will be compared to Randy Johnson, pitching one inning of relief to get the win in Game 7 of the 2001 Series against the Yankees, one of the most memorable games and Series ever played. | Bumgarner’s adventures will take their place with Walter Johnson, pitching in relief in extra innings in the 1924 World Series and getting the win in Washington’s only title. It will be compared to Randy Johnson, pitching one inning of relief to get the win in Game 7 of the 2001 Series against the Yankees, one of the most memorable games and Series ever played. |
| But they were old. These were late-career acts of team-first call to duty. Bumgarner works for a team with one of the best bullpens in baseball, although one that has been just a little shaky getting through the fifth, sixth and seventh innings recently to reach their trump setup man Casilla. | |
| So what the Giants needed, desperately needed, after Hudson and effective lefty Jeremy Affeldt had been used to get the first 12 outs was a bridge — Bumgarner — to reach the safety of Romo and Casilla. That’s what Bochy was thinking, right? | So what the Giants needed, desperately needed, after Hudson and effective lefty Jeremy Affeldt had been used to get the first 12 outs was a bridge — Bumgarner — to reach the safety of Romo and Casilla. That’s what Bochy was thinking, right? |
| Wrong. | Wrong. |
| The World Series has always had a simple phrase for the player who owns the whole stage, whether he’s a monster star like Bob Gibson or Sandy Koufax or a sudden unknown turned icon like Dusty Rhodes. He is simply called the Hot Hand. | The World Series has always had a simple phrase for the player who owns the whole stage, whether he’s a monster star like Bob Gibson or Sandy Koufax or a sudden unknown turned icon like Dusty Rhodes. He is simply called the Hot Hand. |
| When you have him, it’s said, you ride him or the baseball gods, if such there be, take note and punish. So Bochy let him try to go the distance — even with the tying run 90 feet away. | When you have him, it’s said, you ride him or the baseball gods, if such there be, take note and punish. So Bochy let him try to go the distance — even with the tying run 90 feet away. |
| In a sense, Bochy let baseball — and Bumgarner — decide a moment that belonged to the game’s history. At 10:24 Central Bumgarner Time, as gravity defeated Perez’s popup, the suffering was over here. And the celebration could begin in San Francisco. And the thinking, the long, hard thinking, about appropriate civic commemoration, could begin. | In a sense, Bochy let baseball — and Bumgarner — decide a moment that belonged to the game’s history. At 10:24 Central Bumgarner Time, as gravity defeated Perez’s popup, the suffering was over here. And the celebration could begin in San Francisco. And the thinking, the long, hard thinking, about appropriate civic commemoration, could begin. |
| The Golden Bumgarner Bridge. | The Golden Bumgarner Bridge. |
| Yes, that sounds about right, though perhaps a little understated. | Yes, that sounds about right, though perhaps a little understated. |
| For more by Thomas Boswell, visit washingtonpost.com/boswell. | For more by Thomas Boswell, visit washingtonpost.com/boswell. |
| More coverage: | More coverage: |
| Bumgarner’s relief work lifts Giants to third title in five years | Bumgarner’s relief work lifts Giants to third title in five years |
| Box score: Giants 3, Royals 2 | Box score: Giants 3, Royals 2 |
| On Baseball: Bullpens turn both starters into bit players | On Baseball: Bullpens turn both starters into bit players |
| Cain proves Royals have solid plan for developing talent | Cain proves Royals have solid plan for developing talent |
| Royals fans show a connection between generations | Royals fans show a connection between generations |
| Maddon reportedly set to become Chicago Cubs manager | Maddon reportedly set to become Chicago Cubs manager |
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