While Chase Headley is on vacation until February, Headley admittedly still has baseball on the brain.
The New York Mets are scheduled to face Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night in a one-game do-or-die playoff game. And Headley had some advice for the Mets on how to defeat the Giants ace.
“Just hit his mistakes,” Headley said.
However, Headley couldn’t help but give a grin, because he knows Bumgarner isn’t prone to making mistakes. Headley is one of the few players in the Major Leagues that has good numbers against Bumgarner, going 10-for-36 with two doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI’s. Those numbers came when Headley was a member of the San Diego Padres.
Headley and Bumgarner reunited in 2016 when the San Francisco Giants came to Yankee Stadium for a three-game set. Headley went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.
“Repetition is good,” Headley said. “The more you see him, the better, so to speak. You don’t really want to go up against him, but I think it does help you pick up the rotation on the ball.”
Bumgarner puts a spin on his pitches, which helps him fool hitters. However, Headley thinks that’s also part of the reason he hit him hard all these years.
“By nature, with the spin on it, when you barrel it and get a good one to hit, it usually jumps pretty good,” Headley said. “But you have to be ready, because they don’t come around very often. And if he executes and puts the ball where he wants, there’s not much you can do.’’
So, if the Mets win the Wild Card Game based on Chase Headley’s advice and go to the NLDS, do you think Headley will consider being a coach at the end of his playing career?
