Spring Training: Watching Bumgarner vs. Posey I (Priceless!!)

Post by San Francisco Giants.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152656891366828&pnref=story

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152656674896828&set=vb.43225541827&type=3&permPage=1

Post by San Francisco Giants.

I would have paid to watch these two go at it full tilt. Judging by Alex Pavlovic story and tweets, they might have been. That would have made this well worth the price of admission. More than just a battle of Giants, this was epic spring training competition.

from csbbayarea.com:
http://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/posey-clear-winner-during-first-matchup-bumgarner?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo

Bumgarner and Posey sailed through October by relying on an unhittable fastball-cutter combination, and Bumgarner went back to his bread-and-butter when Posey stepped back into the box, mixing in a touch of the moxie he showed so often last season. Posey had yelled “Cain threw harder” when he walked out after the first two “hits,” so Bumgarner let it rip when Posey stepped back into the box. A fastball cut in at Posey’s knees, leading to smiles all around. 

The next pitch was a curve — a beauty, Bumgarner thought. Posey lined it off the base of the wall in dead center, 10 feet under the “430 feet” sign. 

“The curve made me scratch my head,” Bumgarner said. “I was like, you look pretty dang sharp for the second or third day. I thought (the curveball) was really good. I was surprised, especially after all the fastballs. That’s completely uncalled for, him doing that like he did.”

Pitchers are generally far ahead of hitters early in camp, and Bumgarner hasn’t given up any real contact to others through two live BP sessions. (Belt gleefully noted that he topped a ball that rolled 30 feet down the third-base line for what would have been an infield hit in a game.) After hitting the ball off the wall, Posey stepped out of the cage. Bumgarner laughed and gestured at him to stay in the box. Posey yelled back that he didn’t want to hurt Bumgarner’s confidence any more than he already had. 

“It’s not going to get much better, so I might as well end on a high note,” Posey said later. “Let that one rest in his mind a little.”

“I wasn’t quite done with him yet,” Bumgarner said. “He’s my catcher. I like throwing to him and I want him to feel good. I’m going to try to give him something he can hit before I get him out. At least, that’s what I’m saying. That’s my side of the story.”