Madison Bumgarner gets taste of pitch clock, calls his own pitches in spring debut
Count Diamondbacks left-hander Madison Bumgarner among those who do not have a problem with the pitch timer.
“Everyone is playing by the same rules, whatever they are,” Bumgarner said. “I would still rather go back to baseball 30 years ago, but we’re not doing that. Out of all the rules changes, I probably like this one the most.”
Bumgarner got his first semi-official exposure to the clock on Sunday during his Cactus League debut, in which he allowed two runs in three innings against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.
“I don’t think it’ll affect me,” Bumgarner said.
He seemed more interested in relaying his experience of having control of a PitchCom transmitter for the first time, thus enabling him to call his own pitches. He said he wound up alternating pitch-calling duties with catcher Gabriel Moreno.
“But I like it,” Bumgarner said. “I’m going to work on where I put it. I put it on my belt. Might try the glove next time. It might be a little easier. I like it. I wish we could have a microphone and we could just talk to each other. That would be perfect, I think. But we’re going in the right direction, I think.”
Major League Baseball is allowing pitchers to experiment with the transmitter this spring. The league has yet to determine if they will be allowed to use them during the regular season. Last year, catchers were the only ones permitted to have a transmitter.
Bumgarner said the outing felt very much like his first of spring. He was not particularly sharp, issuing two walks and hitting two batters. But he was glad he was able to get through three innings.
Manager Torey Lovullo liked what he saw from Bumgarner when it came to his pitch mix — that is, he wasn’t overly reliant on his cutter.
“I thought he was throwing a lot of curveballs, mixing in some change-ups,” Lovullo said. “He’s going to try not to be as predictable as possible.”
Despite a rough performance in the second half of last year, Bumgarner said he is not putting any additional emphasis on getting good results in his spring training outings, saying he is treating it like any other year.
He brushed off the idea that he did much different in his offseason preparation, though he admitted he is in good shape and has dropped some weight.
“I’m definitely in shape and as strong as I’ve been in quite a while,” Bumgarner said. “It’s probably in reality not all that much different.
“I’ve pretty much fluctuated between 240 and 260 (pounds) my whole career, except when I was a baby. I’m closer to 240 now, but it’s not like it’s the first time I’ve been 240 in the last eight years, either.”
Short hops
The Diamondbacks reassigned five players to minor league camp: shortstop Jordan Lawlar, left-hander Blake Walston, right-handers Slade Cecconi and Bryce Jarvis and infielder Deyvison De Los Santos. All five rank among the club’s better prospects, though none was expected to open the year in the majors.
*Lovullo said Nick Ahmed most likely will start at shortstop on Monday in Surprise. It will be Ahmed’s first game in the Cactus League after missing the first week and a half due to left wrist/forearm inflammation.
*First baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith was feeling better on Sunday, a day after exiting early due to back spasms. Lovullo said the club is hopeful the issue is not serious and that Smith will be back in the lineup in the coming days.
*Right-hander Zac Gallen is scheduled to make his first start of the spring on Tuesday. Right-hander Ryne Nelson is expected to pitch in relief that day.
Diamondbacks 6, Guardians 4
At Goodyear Ballpark
At the plate: CF Alek Thomas had a two-run triple to left field, capping a three-run second inning for the Diamondbacks. He also walked, struck out and had a sacrifice fly in three other trips to the plate. LF Corbin Carroll drew three walks and doubled off the wall in right-center field, the latest impressive day for the Diamondbacks’ talented young outfielder. “I think the walks have been the most impressive thing to me,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “He is surveying the strike zone against left- and right-handed pitching and not coming out of it. He’s very stubborn to what he’s looking for.” Carroll has six walks in 22 plate appearances in the Cactus League. DH Kyle Lewis went 0 for 3 with a strikeout in his first action of the spring.
On the mound: RHP Scott McGough followed LHP Madison Bumgarner to the mound, firing a scoreless fourth inning with one strikeout. RHP Corbin Martin also turned in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit with one strikeout. RHP Justin Martinez, showcased his electric stuff, including a triple-digit fastball, by striking out the side in the eighth. But he also showed his erratic side, loading the bases on a hit and two walks. He escaped the inning unscathed.
Extra bases: CF Alek Thomas made a pair of nice defensive plays behind Bumgarner, a change to the narrative from last season, when several of Thomas’ only defensive miscues of the year came with Bumgarner on the mound.
Monday’s game: Diamondbacks RHP Drey Jameson vs. Royals RHP Brady Singer, 1:05 p.m., Surprise Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Madison Bumgarner tries out pitch clock, calls own pitches in debut
