MadBum

Bumgarner, Bumgarner, Bumgarner--that was the actor James Garner's real name. If he hadn't changed it, think how famous he'd be.

Madison Bumgarner is a farm boy and baseball player. He's six-five, 250 pounds, wears muddy jeans. At 27 he is already a legend. Legends are players like Stan Musial and Sandy Koufax. And now there's one among us. 

As things stand MadBum of the SF Giants is the greatest post-season pitcher in the  history of baseball. He's pitched in three World Series, he's won every time, he's got the lowest World Series ERA ever, and last night he threw a nine inning shutout in an elimination game that put the Giants back in the hunt. 

Last night we saw him smile for the first time, a brief smile at his coach. MadBum is deadly serious. He pitches his game. Then he relieves himself on the mound and pitches the ninth. He doesn't celebrate. He walks off the field. If he thinks a batter is disrespectful--defined as looking at him too long--watch out.

Two years ago, MadBum (a combination of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox) had won his two starts in that year's World Series, and there was talk of him being brought back as a relief pitcher in the seventh game.  (That did happen, and he threw five scoreless innings.) A reporter asked Bumgarner how many pitches he thought he could throw in the deciding game, given how many innings he had already completed. 

"Two hundred," Bumgarner replied.