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Madison Bumgarner on Max Scherzer's DH idea: 'He knew the rules'


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http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12778578/madison-bumgarner-rejects-max-scherzer-assertion-national-league-adopt-designated-hitter

 

he owner of two career grand slams and an affinity for hitting, Madison Bumgarner decidedly would not welcome a rule change that takes the bat out of his hands.

The San Francisco Giants ace and reigning World Series MVP responded critically to Washington Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer, who sustained an injured thumb while batting last Thursday before railing against the National League's long-held tradition of batting pitchers.

"He knew the rules. Whatever much he signed for -- what did he get, again? -- he didn't have a problem signing his name," said Bumgarner, referring to Scherzer's $210 million, seven-year free-agent deal he signed with the Nationals in the offseason. "He didn't have a problem with hitting then. I'm sure he had his pick of anywhere he wanted to go."

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Bumgarner, who has six career home runs as a hitter, took issue with Scherzer's implication that pitchers are not real hitters.

Scherzer had advocated over the weekend for the NL to adopt the designated hitter, saying to CBS Sports,"If you look at it from the macro side, who'd people rather see hit: Big Papi [Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz] or me? Who would people rather see, a real hitter hitting home runs or a pitcher swinging a wet newspaper? Both leagues need to be on the same set of rules."

Bumgarner pointed out that pitchers are vulnerable to injury in a variety of ways and that injuries sustained while hitting should not be singled out.

"What if he got hurt pitching? Should we say we can't pitch anymore?" Bumgarner said. "I hate what happened to him. He works his butt off out there. But I don't think it was because he was hitting. What if he gets hurt getting out of his truck? You tell him not to drive anymore?

"That's the way the game has to be played. I appreciate both sides of the argument and I get it. But [ending pitcher plate appearances] isn't the way to go about [addressing] it."

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