Atlanta Braves add Madison Bumgarner return to postseason: Castrovince
By Fred Owens
Why adding Bumgarner makes sense
Although injury interfered with his last two seasons, neither injury came as a result of pitching. They did disrupt his training and in an effort to help his team, he returned earlier from both injuries than he should have.
Bumgarner will come back for the same reason Verlander returned to form; he’s very talented, and he refuses to let others dictate his future. Here are a few reasons the Atlanta Braves should add him now before he ends up in Milwaukee beating the Braves in the postseason.
He’s tough as nails
Bumgarner is a fierce competitor with something to prove. his postseason performance shows that in spades. He’s a throwback to the days of Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Warren Spahn, and Lew Burdette. He’ll throw inside, and if you get upset, he’ll throw the next one closer and hope you charge the mound so he can lay one on your nose.
He’s embarrassed by his results in the last two seasons and anyone who believes for one minute Bumgarner is sitting at home and accepting his decline is living in fantasy land.
He’s worked this entire offseason to find and correct the issues in his mechanics that cost him his location and that one mile per hour velocity everyone is sure marks the end; it doesn’t.
He’s the best postseason starter in the live ball era
Madison Bumgarner is the best postseason starter you’ve ever seen. Believe it or don’t, the numbers do not lie. He’s better than John Smoltz, better than Roger Clemens, better than Andy Pettitte; you name the starter, and Bumgarner’s pitched better. He holds the World Series record for:
- Lowest single season ERA – 0.25 in 36 innings pitched
- Lowest career WHIP – 0.528
- Lowest career hits per nine IP – 3.5
- starter in major league history
In his last nine postseason outings Bumgarner
- Posted a 0.79 ERA, and 0.670 WHIP,
- Threw 23 shutout innings in win-or-go-home games
- Made six consecutive scoreless starts of seven or more innings
His 1.79 postseason ERA is a record for a starter with at least 12 postseason starts.
He’s tied with Burdette, Whitey Ford, and Mordecai Brown for second all-time with three postseason shutouts.
Tutelage
A veteran with a resumé like Madison Bumgarner provides something no pitching coach can; an experienced peer who not only pitched in the postseason but also holds records for doing it.
No one works harder at his craft, and few have his level of experience and success. Young pitchers become better just sitting down and talking with him about handling the pressure and pitching on the biggest stage.