After a lot of hype, there will be an unfortunate let down in the case of Madison Bumgarner and the Home Run Derby.
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy said on Thursday that Bumgarner will not be participating in the competition during the All-Star festivities.
“That’s done, there will be no Home Run Derby for Madison,” Bochy said. “That’s been nixed. It’s out for this year, but they’ll revisit it next year.”
Bochy said the players union did not like the idea of a pitcher taking the spot of a position player in the derby, and the concept of a pitchers’ Home Run Derby did not catch on.
Interestingly enough, CSN Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic says had Bumgarner been invited, the Giants likely would not have stood in his way of participating.
Bumgarner, one of the best hitting pitchers in baseball, had been campaigning for a spot in the competition.
