Stud of the Week: Madison Bumgarner

Madison Bumgarner continued his postseason brilliance this week.
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a while since we have done a Stud of the Week segment, so as I'm hunkering down here in Eustis, FL as Hurricane Matthew passes over, I figured I would bring it back while I still have power. So, here it goes...

Madison Bumgarner might be the best postseason player ever. Not just pitcher, but best overall postseason performer. Entering Wednesday's NL Wild Card Game at the New York Mets, Bumgarner owned a 7-3 postseason record to go along with a 2.15 ERA. This included him being named the MVP of the 2014 World Series. In World Series games specifically, Bumgarner has 5 appearances (4 starts), a 4-0 record, a 0.25 ERA and a WHIP of 0.528. In other words, Madison produces video game numbers on the baseball's biggest stage. This past Wednesday was absolutely no different as Bumgarner absolutely dominated the defending National League champs, leading the Giants to a 3-0 victory.

This game epitomized everything that makes Bumgarner great. His control was fantastic as he walked only 2 batters over 9 innings. He  give up just 4 hits, including just 1 extra base hit. Perhaps most impressively, Bumgarner did this while his Giants failed to score any runs until Conor Gillaspie connected on a 3-run homer in the top of the 9th inning. Up until that point, the only thing between the Giants and elimination was Bumgarner. He answered New York ace Noah Syndergaard pitch for pitch and then some, laboring through the game's final out while Syndergaard had to leave after 7 innings. With yet another masterpiece, Bumgarner improves to 8-3 overall in postseason play, lowering his ERA to 1.94 and his WHIP to 0.863. For this performance, he is our latest Stud of the Week.  The rest of Major League Baseball ought to be warned: it's an even numbered year and Madison Bumgarner's Giants are in the postseason!


World Series Champions Since 2010

2010

San Francisco Giants

2011

St. Louis Cardinals

2012

San Francisco Giants

2013

Boston Red Sox

2014

San Francisco Giants

2015

Kansas City Royals