SAN FRANCISCO — The national media’s eye has been on the Giants for much of the past month, and this Sunday night against the Dodgers will mark the third time in the last four weeks the Giants have been on Sunday Night Baseball.
The Giants have been Fox’s primetime game in two out of the last three weeks, too. And with all corners of the country eyeing the Giants, no story has blown up bigger than Madison Bumgarner wanting to participate in the Home Run Derby on July 11.
He told ESPN’s Buster Olney on Sunday that he wanted to hit, and stood firm with his comments on Tuesday. Manager Bruce Bochy knows that Bumgarner’s participation will inject much fanfare into an event that is heavily criticized for its lack of it. But therein lies an injury risk for the Giants ace, and it’d be hard for Bochy to stomach a bad swing in the Home Run Derby derailing the Giants’ season.
“Initially your feelings are to keep him out of (the derby) because I know how competitive he is and how hard he’ll swing,” Bochy said. “But at the same time I think it would create interest with the fans getting to watch one of the bets pitchers in the game swing the bat and see the talent there.
“I’ll talk to Bum about it, Bobby Evans and Brian Sabean and see how they plan on doing it too. That’s a lot of swings. “
The situation first unraveled when Olney spoke with Bumgarner and Bochy during batting practice on Sunday, and only magnified with ESPN’s highlights from Bumgarner’s hitting session.
Madison Bumgarner wants to be in the @TMobile #HRDerby, shows why with a mammoth BP session. https://t.co/j2MLoIVbcD pic.twitter.com/PP3rqbVJgl
— Cut4 (@Cut4) June 6, 2016
Bochy said he’ll talk with his brass relatively soon about a decision. Bumgarner’s hit two home runs this year and is a two-time Silver Slugger award winner.