One of the great baseball quotes, one that has transcended the genre, was uttered by legendary innovator Branch Rickey, who said, “Luck is the residue of design.” It’s a shame that Rickey is no longer around to offer up a corollary for what’s going on with the San Francisco Giants.
The one thing that the Giants couldn’t afford to have happen happened Friday afternoon during San Francisco’s final game of the Cactus League season. During the third inning, the Royals’ Whit Merrifield lined a screamer right at Madison Bumgarner, who reflexively reached up and deflected the ball with his pitching hand.