The current product in Oakland is abysmal. And it's still stunning to think of the talent that passed through the A's dugout in recent years. The ongoing downfall of the Athletics is just one nugget from this weekend in baseball, writes ByMcCullough.
in the bowels of AT&T Park. Bumgarner had just bulldozed Kansas City: Nine innings, four hits, eight strikeouts, zero runs. His performance had given San Francisco a 3-2 lead in the series. His performance, really, had kept San Francisco in the series; he had smothered the Royals in Game 1, too. So Yost took heart. After he congratulated Bumgarner on a fine outing, Yost mentioned how glad he was his team would not have to face him again.
Bumgarner reached that pinnacle a few months after his 25th birthday. At the time, the Hall of Fame seemed within the realm of possibility; after 2013, his closest comparison, according to Baseball Reference, was. Bumgarner put together some of his best seasons after the 2014 World Series. He made the All-Star team in 2015 and 2016, part of a string of four consecutive appearances.
Then, in the spring of 2017, Bumgarner injured his shoulder in a dirt bike accident. He made only 17 starts that season. A broken finger cost him a chunk of 2018. He reached free agency heading into his age-30 season — but it was a hard 30. He had logged 1,846 big-league innings, plus several lengthy postseason stints. He signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the, but mostly looked like a ghost of his former self.
In his prime, Bumgarner pitched like a bully. He challenged hitters in the zone with fastballs and sliders. Like Kershaw, his fastball velocity was unremarkable. But like Kershaw, the pitch had late life, from a unique angle, which batters hated. But unlike Kershaw, as Bumgarner’s velocity dimmed and hitters caught up, he could not adjust.
The game changed. Bumgarner could not keep up. His body changed. He struggled to adapt. There is little shame in that. Baseball is a hard game. Any ball player will remind you about that, if you ask. To see a player like Bumgarner, who once stood astride the sport on its biggest stage, humbled is a reminder of the fate that awaits all players.Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.
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