SF Giants Ace and World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner
Madison Bumgarner put himself into a whole other category of pitchers in yesterday’s season opener at Arizona. Not only did he pitch a perfect game through the sixth. Not only did he whiff 11 over that span. He also hit two homers to help his own cause, the first time in MLB history that a pitcher hit multiple homers on Opening Day.
And then the Bullpen happened.
MadBum left the game with the score tied after giving up 3 quick runs in the 7th, then Ty Law came on in relief. He managed to give up three hits and the go-ahead run without getting a single out. Hunter Strickland followed, got his one man out, then Bruce Bochy turned the game over to the G-men’s new incredibly expensive closer, Mark Melancon, who got the first two guys he faced then went on to give up the final two runs as the D-Backs won on a walk-off single in the 9th, 6-5.
It was one of the most disappointing losses in the last few years, in part because it followed so closely the way the Giants lost repeatedly in 2016. Moans of “not again” rippled through the crowd where I went with three friends to watch the game. We were all stunned into disbelief.
There was a lot of fan overreaction. I was reminded of my old baseball buddy Sandi Golden who used to follow any early-season loss by the orange-and-black with the observation, “Well, there goes the season!” She was of course joking. No telling how much of the disillusionment this time was real and how much was facetious. Either way, there was enough to go around.
I have to believe Melancon will be fine. If he gets 49 more save opps this season, he’ll save 45+ of them. But why, oh why, did he have to lose this one?!
In a scheduling quirk the likes of which I’ve never seen before, the Giants have the day off today and pick up the four-game series in Arizona tomorrow.