SAN FRANCISCO -- Madison Bumgarner arrived at his locker Monday afternoon to find a gift from Hunter Pence, his teammate and resident "Game of Thrones" nut.
It was a huge black helmet in the shape of a hound's head, its snarling mouth open wide enough to allow the wearer an unobstructed view. It's worn by Sandor Clegane, a brutish character from the show, who reminded Pence of Bumgarner.Yes, something appears to be hounding at Bumgarner on the mound. His fastball has lost some zip and he is leaving enough mistakes over the plate to make his barking self-evaluations audible throughout the lower deck at AT&T Park.