PHOENIX — Giants first round draft picks Phil Bickford (2015) and Joey Bart (2018) have had vastly different experiences in professional baseball, but the prospects met for a brief, entertaining and somewhat controversial moment in the ninth inning of Friday’s game between the Brewers and Giants.
With the game tied 5-5, Bickford –who is now pitching in Milwaukee’s farm system– threw a 2-2 fastball that seemingly missed off the outside corner but was still called strike three by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney. Moments later, Blakney ejected Bart for arguing the call before Giants manager Gabe Kapler could step in and sort out the disagreement between his batter and the umpire.