By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, March 19, 2016

AP photo: San Francisco Giants hosted the Oakland A’s at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner hadn’t pitched for 11 days for a couple of good reasons. He was scratched from his last scheduled Cactus League start due to a sore rib cage muscle and a bout with neuroma – inflammation of a nerve in his right foot.

Saturday, Bumgarner had a rough outing in his third spring start, giving up five earned runs on seven hits – including a three-run blast by Bill Butler – in 2 2/3 innings. He also struck out four without a walk and threw a wild pitch.

As Bumgarner was quick to point out following the Giants’ 9-1 exhibition loss to an Oakland split squad, it had more to do with pulling his mechanics together than the physical discomforts.

‘My delivery was terrible,” Bumgarner said. “It’s not quite where I want it, but it’s not too far off either. My timing is a little off, and my rhythm is off. I’m opening up a little too soon, and that’s probably playing a big part of what’s wrong with the timing and the rhythm.”

Bumgarner said that, compared to four or five years ago, he’s better at recognizing when his mechanics are off.

“Back then, it took me a while to realize what it was, and it would take a little bit longer to fix,” he said. “I put so much work into my delivery that it’s frustrating that it even happens. But I feel like I can turn that around. It’s been tough to watch on video, but I knew something wasn’t quite the same.

“I really don’t think about my delivery when I’m out there. I just want to make sure everything is right because it keeps you from getting bad habits.”

As for treatment for the rib and foot issues, Bumgarner said, “I’ll probably do that every day until it’s completely gone, just to make sure it stays that way.

“None of that hindered me today at all,” the All-Star left-hander continued. “I felt really good, actually. It was a pleasure pitching.”

A good hitter, Bumgarner – who has 11 career home runs, most of any active pitcher – said he hasn’t taken any swings yet.

“There’s no sense in taking any chances with that,” Bumgarner said. “We’ll play that by feeling and see. If I don’t get to hit until regular season, that’s fine too. My main concern is what I’m doing on the mound.”

THE GAME
It was split-squad day for Oakland, and the road team piloted by bench coach Mark Kotsay defeated the Giants in front of a sellout crowd of 12,095 at Scottsdale Stadium.

Butler hit his first CL home run for Oakland with one out in the third inning off Bumgarner, giving the Athletics a 5-0 lead at the time. Marcus Semier and Khris Davis each singled, setting the table for Butler.

Non-roster invitee Tyler Marincov added a two-run homer in the ninth inning off San Francisco closer Santiago Casilla. Hunter Pence drove in the only Giants run with a two-out infield hit in the bottom of the third.

Marincov, Butler and Jake Smolinski each had two hits for Oakland.

Oakland starter Felix Doubront (1-0) worked four solid innings, giving up one earned run on five hits, with two strikeouts and a walk. A’s reliever Liam Hendriks struck out three in two innings, as the Oakland bullpen of Hendriks, Ryan Dull and Patrick Schuster threw five scoreless innings.

CACTUS NEEDLES: The A’s announced they will continue their “Green Collar Baseball” marketing campaign for the seventh consecutive season. … A’s 3B Danny Valencia has has homered in three of his last four games. He’s tied with teammate Franklin Barreto for ninth in the Cactus League with three home runs each. Three of Barreto’s three hits are homers, including a pinch-hit three-run belt on Friday against Cleveland. … Oakland 1B is 6-for-14 (.428) in his last five games. … Giants INF-OF Kyle Blanks was scratched from Thursday’s game due to soreness in his right Achilles tendon, and OF Gregor Blanco was also a Thursday scratch due to a tight back. Blanco returned to action on Saturday. … Giants third base coach Roberto Kelly pulled a calf muscle earlier in the week and wound up in a walking boot. Assistant hitting coach Steve Decker is filling in for Kelly. … Giants OF Mac Williamson is tied for the Cactus League lead in home runs (four), ranked second in total bases (27), tied for third in RBI (11), and is ninth in slugging percentage (.711).

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