5 reasons Madison Bumgarner should participate in the Home Run Derby
By Brad Weiss
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner has made it known he wants to participate in the T-Mobile 2016 Home Run Derby.
It is not often that a pitcher wanting to be in a Home Run Derby is considered news, but Madison Bumgarner is not just an ordinary pitcher. A slugger in his own right, MadBum has recently been putting on power displays in batting practice, catching the imagination of fans and writers alike. If he can get his manager to get on board, he could be the biggest draw of the contest.
For the past three seasons, Bumgarner has been mashing Major League pitching, though in a small sample. His 11 home runs since 2014 are by far the most of any pitcher in baseball, and they have not been wall scrapers. His home runs are blasts, and he has the kind of fearless approach that fans love to see in a home run derby setting.
The T-Mobile 2016 Home Run Derby will take place on Monday, July 11 at 5pm PT. Last year, Cincinnati Reds slugger Todd Frazier was the hometown hero, beating Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson in the final round.
The 87th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard will be played the following night, with the winner getting home field advantage in the World Series.
With a little over a month before the Derby takes place, here is a look at the top five reasons Madison Bumgarner should participate in this year’s event.
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