Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander hurler Madison Bumgarner is best know for his talents on the mounds, but apparently he has been moonlighting under the alias of Mason Saunders to compete in rodeo events, even winning a team-roping competition back in December, according to The Athletic.
Bumgarner said that he had been roping since he was about 15 or 16 and added that he has been doing it for so long that “it’s just part of who you are.”
Fresh off inking a five-year, $85 million deal to join the Dbacks back in December and winning the rodeo competition that took place in Wickenburg, Arizona, Bumgarner doesn’t seem ready to slow down, on either sport.
Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said that he was “not going to get into discussing specific contract language” when asked about Bumgarner’s hobby in the rodeo game.
“Something for my wife to call me when we were out in public to keep people from recognizing me,” Bumgarner said of his alias. “But you’re going to ruin that for me.” Bumgarner said that the Mason Saunders moniker was formed by shortening his first name and adopting his wife’s maiden name as the surname, and it has been effective in keeping his participation in the sport under wraps, until now.
Additionally, Bumgarner said that he might pursue roping more seriously after his baseball playing days are over, which may be a few years if he plays out the extent of his current deal with Arizona.