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Nick Hundley is an 11-year major league veteran who, at age 35, has spent the overwhelming majority of that time behind the plate. So when Hundley sounds off on a strike zone, it’s something at least worth listening to.
In the fourth inning of an eventual 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, Hundley came up to the plate after a pair of leadoff singles from Evan Longoria and Brandon Belt. With a 3-0 count, Hundley saw a pitch that he described as being “eight outside, not exaggerating.” Two pitches later, Hundley popped out.
Hundley said Friday's strike zone was "probably the most inconsistent strike zone that I've seen all year." ? pic.twitter.com/KQoZ71Crkh
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 8, 2018
While the Giants scratched out a run from a Chris Shaw groundout on the next play, Hundley’s out prevented a bases-loaded, no-out situation and the chance to tack on more than the two runs the Giants scored on Friday. According to Andrew Baggarly, Hundley didn’t hold back after the game.
Nick Hundley called the 3-0 pitch in the 4th “probably one of the worst strike calls I’ve had on me in my career.”
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) September 8, 2018
But Hundley’s ire towards home plate umpire Adam Hamari didn’t stop there. In the ninth inning, Hundley struck out looking for the second out of the inning. He turned back to yell at Hamari before marking out the ground with his bat. According to Alex Pavlovic, Hundley said the frustrations from earlier on boiled over in the ninth.
Hundley on his frustration in the ninth: “That’s probably the most inconsistent strike zone I’ve seen all year. That built up.”
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) September 8, 2018