Madison Bumgarner is your 2014 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year

Sports Illustrated has named San Fransisco Giants left hander Madison Bumgarner the 2014 Sportsman of the Year.

Bumgarner was simply spectacular in the 2014 baseball playoffs, leading the Giants to their 3rd World Series Championship since 2010.

The World Series Most Valuable Player, Bumgarner came on to pitch five scoreless innings of relief in Game 7 just two days after his Game 5 victory over the Kansas City Royals at A T & T Park in San Francisco.

In the 2014 playoffs Bumgarner pitched 52 2/3 innings, allowing just 6 earned runs, striking out 45 batters with a ERA of 1.03.

Madison Bumgarner was born on August 1, 1989, in Hudson, North Carolina.

Madison attended South Caldwell High School in Hudson and was drafted by the Giants with the 10th pick in the 1st round of the 2007 Amateur Player Draft.

Madison made his big league debut on September 8, 2008 at the age of 20.

In six years with the Giants the left handed pitcher is 67-48, with a 3.06 era in 14 starts.

In 2014 Bumgarner was the Giants starter on Opening Day and went on to compile a 18-10 record with a 2.98 era, 219 strikeouts and a career best 1.090 WHIP.

Madison is the first ever San Francisco Giants player to be honored as the SI Sportsman of the Year, and the 14th baseball player (2004 Boston Red Sox make 15 baseball winners) to be honored as the SI Sportsman of the Year, and the first since Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter in 2009.

The very first SI baseball Sportsman of the Year was Brooklyn Dodgers LHP Johnny Podres in 1955.

                SI cover from @SInow on Twitter.

This Week's Sports Illustrated Cover... World Series

The San Francisco Giants have a 3 games to 2 lead in the World Series over the Kansas City Royals, with Game 6 tonight at Kauffman Stadium in KC.

We always love when baseball makes the cover of a magazine, and this week Sports Illustrated has the Giants Hunter Pence swinging a hot bat against KC this past weekend at AT&T Park.

The Giants give the ball to RHP Jake Peavy tonight on what could be the clinching game for the Giants 3rd World Series Championship in 5 years, cementing the Giants baseball dynasty run since 2010.

The Royals counter with RHP Yordano Ventura in the must win game for KC.

In 1985 the Royals returned home trailing the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 in games, won the controversial Game 6 and then blew out St. Louis 11-0 in Game 7 to win the only World Series in franchise history.

I'd like to see a KC win tonight, just because I want a Game 7 tomorrow night.

This has been a fun series to watch, as a pure baseball fan with no rooting interest one way or the other.

I hope you all enjoy the game tonight.

PLAY BALL!!

This weeks Sports Illustrated cover

The American League champion Kansas City Royals are on the regional cover of this weeks Sports Illustrated World Series preview issue.

The World Series begins tonight in Kansas City as the Royals send James Shields against Madison Bumgarner and the National League Champion San Francisco Giants.

Royals closer Greg Holland, my choice for this years Baseball Bloggers Alliance Goose Gossage Award, is the KC cover boy.

Happy Baseball Birthday...Johnny Podres

Today we celebrate the Happy Baseball Birthday of 1955 World Series hero Johnny Podres.

John Joseph Podres was born on September 30, 1932, in Witherbee, New York, and attended high school at local Minerville HS in Witherbee.

In 1951, at the age of 19, Johnny signed as a amatuer free agent with the Brooklyn Dodgers,  and made his big league debut with Brooklyn on April 17, 1953.

In 15 big league seasons Johnny Podres compiled a 148-116 record, with a ERA of 3.68,   for the Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, and San Diego Padres.

Johnny pitched in 2,265 innings, striking out 1,435 batters, walking 743 batters in 440 big league games.

Podres led the NL in ERA in 1957, at 2.66.

Johnny was a National League All-Star for the Dodgers in 1958, '60, '62.

Johnny won at at least 12 games for the Dodgers between 1957 and 1963... 12, 13, 14, 14, 18, 15, and 14.

His best regular season was in 1961, when Johnny won 18 games, losing just five games in 255 innings pitched, leading the NL in winning percentage, at .783%.

In the 1955 World Series Johnny Podres became part of Brooklyn Dodgers lore and big league baseball history.

The Brooklyn Dodgers won their one and only World Series in 1955, and it was because of the pitching of Series MVP Johnny Podres.

Podres went 2-0 against the New York Yankees, including a complete game 2-0 shutout win in Game 7 at old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Podres pitched 18 innings against the Yankees, allowing just 3 runs, 2 earned, striking out 10.

For his performance Podres became the first ever WS MVP, given out in 1955 by Sport Magazine.

Later that year Podres was also named Sports IlIllustrated Sportsman of the Year.

Johnny won three more WS titles with the Dodgers, all of them in Los Angeles, in 1959, '63, and '65.

After his big league career Johnny became a big league pitching coach, working for the Padres, Red Sox, Twins, and Phillies.

Johnny Podres passed away on January 13, 2008, in Glens Falls, New York, at the age of 75.

Today we remember Johnny Podres and say Happy Baseball Birthday Johnny!

PLAY BALL!