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Madison Bumgarner will be his own designated hitter
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy is putting all his trust in Madison Bumgarner. Instead of using a designated hitter for the final game of their home-and-home series with the Oakland Athletics, Bochy is letting starter Bumgarner take his hacks in the lineup.
Bochy said Bumgarner will hit tomorrow, no DH.
— Alex Pavlovic (@AlexPavlovic) June 30, 2016
With Bochy going with Bumgarner instead of a DH, MLB.com’s Chris Haft says the Giants are doing something that hasn’t been done in 40 years.
The Giants thus will become the first team to opt against using a designated hitter when it has one at its disposal since 1976, when the Chicago White Sox allowed starter Ken Brett, Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett’s brother, to hit for himself.
Well, it’s the first time in 40 years that a team has intentionally eschewed the DH. It’s unintentionally happened a little more recently.
Will be the first time the SP bats in the starting lineup in place of the DH since Andy Sonnanstine on May 17, 2009. https://t.co/VifNjMmMfY
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) June 30, 2016
Joe Maddon forfeited the DH in this game by accidentally listing both Zobrist and Longoria (planned DH) as the 3B. https://t.co/4vBkSS2SZ4
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) June 30, 2016
That’s a mistake you don’t make twice.
The Giants have had just a few opportunities to use the designated hitter this season. They’ve played four games in American League parks in 2016, three at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays, and one at O.co Coliseum against the Oakland Athletics. In those four games, Bochy has used three players at DH. In their first game against the Rays, he used Jarrett Parker, pinch hitting with Trevor Brown later in the game. Parker went 2-for-2 with a walk. In the other three games, Bochy used catcher Buster Posey at DH. Posey did pretty well at DH; he went a combined 6-for-12 over those three games.
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Bochy has gotten great production out of the DH spot in the four games he’s had to use it. So while his decision to use Bumgarner instead of anyone else would deepen his bench, it’s also a little puzzling. Bumgarner can hit home runs, but he only bats in a game once every five days. Of course, Bochy has his reasons, which he gave to MLB.com’s Chris Haft.
“He’s a good hitter, he’s dangerous and we’re facing a lefty [in Oakland’s Dillon Overton],” Bochy said after the Giants’ 7-1 loss to the A’s on Wednesday.
Bochy is welcome to give whatever reasons he wants to, but there are a few things in his comments that don’t quite add up. Bumgarner’s triple slash for 2016 is .175/.261/.350, which is way behind several other NL pitchers. Like Jake Arrieta (.294) and Patrick Corbin (.314). And facing a lefty isn’t exactly a reason for Bumgarner to bat. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Bumgarner’s batting splits this year, and over his career, show him to be better against right handed pitchers.
Regardless of whether it’s the best baseball decision, Bumgarner is probably thrilled with it. He loves to hit, and even wants to be in the Home Run Derby. If that actually somehow happens, being his own DH is certainly good practice.
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
