Why Madison Bumgarner trade now seems more likely at July deadline

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article_body => "LAS VEGAS \u2014 When the Giants arrived here on Sunday, Madison Bumgarner was their Opening Day starter. After four days of circulated casino air, room service, $7 cups of coffee, a few rumors and one minor transaction, Madison Bumgarner is still their Opening Day starter.<\/p>\nThat still could change, though. <\/p>\nWhile the Giants are not close to any deals and have not gotten close, multiple sources familiar with their discussions said this week that the front office is still fully ready to trade the franchise\u2019s ace if the right deal comes along. The Giants have come to grips with the reality of making such a move, but also believe at this point that if they are to trade Bumgarner, the best deal likely will come before the July 31 trade deadline. <\/p>\nDiscussions about Bumgarner have been overshadowed by contenders focusing elsewhere. The Yankees filled their hole by trading for James Paxton and signing another lefty, J.A. Happ. The Nationals signed Patrick Corbin. Other dominoes will fall, but the Giants have never been all that close to finding their own deal, and they are sensitive to a perceived shift in recent weeks.<\/p>\n[REPORT:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/giants\/mlb-rumors-giants-less-likely-trade-madison-bumgarner-offseason\" target=\"_blank\">Giants might hold Bumgarner until midseason<\/a>]<\/p>\nSome recent stories written by national outlets have focused on Bumgarner's declining velocity, poor road numbers and concerning peripherals, but for the Giants, he still is valued highly. \"He's still Madison Bumgarner,\" one Giants person said this week. He also, several team officials pointed out, remains an incredible bargain at $12 million, regardless of what some might believe about Bumgarner's current skill level. <\/p>\n\u201cI would never bet against him,\u201d another source said when asked if Bumgarner\u2019s value has dropped. <\/p>\nDuring his required media availability on Wednesday, manager Bruce Bochy said he\u2019s confident Bumgarner will bounce back from an up-and-down season, pointing out that he had a tremendous spring in 2018 and looked poised for a big year before a line drive caught his finger. <\/p>\n\u201cI can assure you he is working and he\u2019s going to come in like he did last spring,\u201d Bochy said. \u201cHe\u2019s young. He\u2019s strong. He\u2019s smart. He has the ability to adjust. So I\u2019m not going to be surprised if he has done something to tweak his delivery or whatever. Not that I think he needs to. This guy, he\u2019s still really, really good.\u201d<\/p>\nBumgarner had a 3.26 ERA in 21 starts last season but his strikeout rate was down and his walk rate was a career-worst. There are other concerns for scouts who watched him last season, mainly a 4.97 ERA and 1.45 WHIP away from pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. <\/p>\nBut for the Giants, Bumgarner remains more than just the numbers. When asked about Bumgarner on Monday, team president and CEO Larry Baer pointed down to a ring on his hand, one Bumgarner helped the Giants win.<\/p>\n[MORE:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/giants\/bruce-bochy-reveals-he-thought-about-starting-madison-bumgarner-first-base\" target=\"_blank\">Bumgarner almost played first base?<\/a>]<\/p>\nBaer said the organization has dealt with \u201cconflicting feelings\u201d when discussing Bumgarner\u2019s future. There is an emotional pull, certainly, but this is also Farhan Zaidi\u2019s show now, and he has no ties to Bumgarner. Zaidi\u2019s most interesting quote this week may have come when asked about the Diamondbacks taking a step back by trading Paul Goldschmidt. He challenged that assumption that they\u2019re rebuilding, saying that deal was largely about the Diamondbacks \"trying to fill multiple spots with a guy that maybe they had doubts about their ability to re-sign.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Giants and Bumgarner did not have extension talks last season, when the previous regime was in place. New leadership will make the decision, and multiple rival executives said this week that Zaidi will do what he thinks makes sense for the Giants on the field, no matter the resulting PR hit. <\/p>\n\u201cYou hired the experts \u2014 Farhan and his team \u2014 to do what\u2019s best for the organization,\u201d Baer said. \u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s the San Francisco Giants on the front of the uniform, and we\u2019ve got to figure out a way to build this into where we want to go.<\/p>\n\u201cIf it\u2019s with Bum, great. There are multiple scenarios here. It\u2019s just too early to forecast it because we want to put the best team together. He may or may not be in that equation. Obviously you have your heart, and then you have what\u2019s good for the team. There are a lot of scenarios to understand where it\u2019s going to go. You may very well see him on Opening Day as the starting pitcher.\u201d<\/p>\nFor now, Bumgarner is still in that position. But the Giants do not in any way feel that they have approached the meaty part of their offseason, and they will remain open to any possibility with Bumgarner, even if this drags deep into the offseason. They believe there could be a contender \u2014 perhaps the Astros, or Braves, or Phillies \u2014 still looking for another big arm when the dust settles in January. This likely, though, will drag into the season and all the way to the trade deadline.<\/p>\nAfter weeks of whispers, the Giants still do not know where they\u2019ll end up with Bumgarner. He\u2019s still a Giant, but there\u2019s a long way to go before he\u2019s set to take the mound at Petco Park on March 28. <\/p>\n"
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Giants

LAS VEGAS — When the Giants arrived here on Sunday, Madison Bumgarner was their Opening Day starter. After four days of circulated casino air, room service, $7 cups of coffee, a few rumors and one minor transaction, Madison Bumgarner is still their Opening Day starter.

That still could change, though.

While the Giants are not close to any deals and have not gotten close, multiple sources familiar with their discussions said this week that the front office is still fully ready to trade the franchise’s ace if the right deal comes along. The Giants have come to grips with the reality of making such a move, but also believe at this point that if they are to trade Bumgarner, the best deal likely will come before the July 31 trade deadline.

Discussions about Bumgarner have been overshadowed by contenders focusing elsewhere. The Yankees filled their hole by trading for James Paxton and signing another lefty, J.A. Happ. The Nationals signed Patrick Corbin. Other dominoes will fall, but the Giants have never been all that close to finding their own deal, and they are sensitive to a perceived shift in recent weeks.

[REPORT: Giants might hold Bumgarner until midseason]

Some recent stories written by national outlets have focused on Bumgarner's declining velocity, poor road numbers and concerning peripherals, but for the Giants, he still is valued highly. "He's still Madison Bumgarner," one Giants person said this week. He also, several team officials pointed out, remains an incredible bargain at $12 million, regardless of what some might believe about Bumgarner's current skill level.

“I would never bet against him,” another source said when asked if Bumgarner’s value has dropped.

During his required media availability on Wednesday, manager Bruce Bochy said he’s confident Bumgarner will bounce back from an up-and-down season, pointing out that he had a tremendous spring in 2018 and looked poised for a big year before a line drive caught his finger.

“I can assure you he is working and he’s going to come in like he did last spring,” Bochy said. “He’s young. He’s strong. He’s smart. He has the ability to adjust. So I’m not going to be surprised if he has done something to tweak his delivery or whatever. Not that I think he needs to. This guy, he’s still really, really good.”

Bumgarner had a 3.26 ERA in 21 starts last season but his strikeout rate was down and his walk rate was a career-worst. There are other concerns for scouts who watched him last season, mainly a 4.97 ERA and 1.45 WHIP away from pitcher-friendly AT&T Park.

But for the Giants, Bumgarner remains more than just the numbers. When asked about Bumgarner on Monday, team president and CEO Larry Baer pointed down to a ring on his hand, one Bumgarner helped the Giants win.

[MORE: Bumgarner almost played first base?]

Baer said the organization has dealt with “conflicting feelings” when discussing Bumgarner’s future. There is an emotional pull, certainly, but this is also Farhan Zaidi’s show now, and he has no ties to Bumgarner. Zaidi’s most interesting quote this week may have come when asked about the Diamondbacks taking a step back by trading Paul Goldschmidt. He challenged that assumption that they’re rebuilding, saying that deal was largely about the Diamondbacks "trying to fill multiple spots with a guy that maybe they had doubts about their ability to re-sign.”

The Giants and Bumgarner did not have extension talks last season, when the previous regime was in place. New leadership will make the decision, and multiple rival executives said this week that Zaidi will do what he thinks makes sense for the Giants on the field, no matter the resulting PR hit.

“You hired the experts — Farhan and his team — to do what’s best for the organization,” Baer said. “At the end of the day, it’s the San Francisco Giants on the front of the uniform, and we’ve got to figure out a way to build this into where we want to go.

“If it’s with Bum, great. There are multiple scenarios here. It’s just too early to forecast it because we want to put the best team together. He may or may not be in that equation. Obviously you have your heart, and then you have what’s good for the team. There are a lot of scenarios to understand where it’s going to go. You may very well see him on Opening Day as the starting pitcher.”

For now, Bumgarner is still in that position. But the Giants do not in any way feel that they have approached the meaty part of their offseason, and they will remain open to any possibility with Bumgarner, even if this drags deep into the offseason. They believe there could be a contender — perhaps the Astros, or Braves, or Phillies — still looking for another big arm when the dust settles in January. This likely, though, will drag into the season and all the way to the trade deadline.

After weeks of whispers, the Giants still do not know where they’ll end up with Bumgarner. He’s still a Giant, but there’s a long way to go before he’s set to take the mound at Petco Park on March 28.