If Madison Bumgarner wasn’t the most feared hitting pitcher in baseball before, he certainly staked his claim to that title on opening day, when the lefty ace became the first pitcher in MLB history to launch two home runs in the first game of the season.
Former Giants reliever Javier Lopez was a teammate of Bumgarner’s for seven seasons, and is grateful he never had to face the Bunyan-esque figure. Lopez told Murph and Mac on Thursday morning that Bumgarner is in opposing pitcher’s heads, and that he’s become a feared presence at the plate.
“It’s now reached the point where the pitcher, when you’re facing him, he might be the hardest .160 hitter in the league,” Lopez said. “I don’t know what his career numbers are for his batting average (Bumgarner is a career .187 hitter) but you’re scared to death to see that guy come to the plate, which is really funny when you think about it.
“He’s not fazed by any situation, and now I think it’s in every pitchers head. He’s taking the best guys in the league out. He’s taken Kershaw out, he’s taken Greinke out. He’s taken some big name guys for a ride around the bases. I think it’s in everybody’s head now.”
Its been no secret around these parts that the Giants needed bullpen help heading into the 2017 campaign. The addition of all-star closer Mark Melancon will surely anchor the end of the ‘pen despite a blown save in his first appearance on Opening Day. That said, just three games into the season the Giants’ middle relief corps has been shaky.
Lopez knows a little something about getting adjusted in the bullpen early on, and he spoke about early inconsistencies.
“Well it’s a small sample size,” he said. “I think strong bullpens are the way baseball has trended over the last few years. When you have a solid back end I think it helps a lot knowing who’s gonna get the ball in the ninth.”
In 2016, the ninth inning proved to be the Achilles heel for Giants. So far in 2017, its been the seventh and eight innings that are in question.
“As far as the eighth I do think Law is going to have the first crack at it, then Strickland and and probably Kontos would be the guys I think would get a chance to throw that inning,” Lopez said.
Through three games the bullpen has thrown 7 2/3 innings, allowing 4 runs on 12 hits. An impressive silver lining is they’ve racked up 12 strikeouts over those innings.
Listen to the full Javier Lopez interview below.
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