Bumgarner the Elder Speaks on MadBum

The World Series MVP "would try to sneak a steak off the devil's plate."

There's only one man who can criticiz  a four-hit Madison Bumgarner shutout.

The same man who texted the World Series MVP before Game 7 ended, according to the New York Times.

Kevin Bumgarner is not only Madison's nearby neighbor in Granite Falls, North Carolina, an area that is known locally as "Bumtown," due to "a lot of Bumgarners" in the area.

One of them, Kevin, is Madison's father. And though Kevin keeps a shrine to his son's career in his home, he can also be the pitcher's harshest critic.

After Bumgarner won Game 5 of the Series on Sunday, Kevin pointed out to his son that he hadn't had all that good of a game: he was hitless at the plate.

"First thing I mentioned after Sunday was, 'Don't forget you were 0 for 4," Kevin told his son.

That Bumgarner hit .258 during the season with four home runs, a better line than some shortstops, didn't seem to matter.

Then Game 7 rolled around. Kevin watched from his home as Madison Bumgarner came out of the bullpen to throw five scoreless innings. He had only thrown four when Kevin pulled out his phone and texted his son.

"OMG. You're so much more than awesome," father wrote to son. "To see your work on the mound reminds me of watching you in high school. You are willing yourself to perfection and dragging the team along with you. I couldn't be more proud of your baseballl accomplishments."

As he explained to the Times, Kevin "wanted him to know this was what his daddy thought of him."

Then the MVP ceremony rolled around. Madison won himself a truck. He already has several.

"I got hopes," Kevin told the paper, "he might give that one to me."

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