In Baseball, You Never Get Something For Nothing

Do you think the San Francisco Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi has called David Stearns of the Milwaukee Brewers during the off-season and had this conversation?

I suggest Zaidi here, because the Giants have yet to name a General Manager, while the Brewers just added President of Baseball Operations to General Manager David Stearns' job title.

Zaidi: So, we're looking to trade Madison Bumgarner......you want him?

Stearns: Sure.....

Zaidi: What do you have to trade?

Stearns: How about a coupla fungo bats and a bag of baseballs?

Zaidi: I'm thinking he's worth a little more than than...

Stearns: I'll kick in a sixer of Spotted Cow. You can't get that in California.

Zaidi: It's gonna take more

Stearns: Geez, you're putting on the squeeze. OK. Make it a CASE of Spotted Cow.

Zaidi: How about Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta? We'll settle for any two of those three. I'm flexible...

Okay, so I'm sure the phone call didn't go exactly like that, but you get the idea. To get something, you have to be willing to give something. The question remains, is Madison Bumgarner (known affectionately as MadBum) worth giving up young pitching talent? MadBum will be 30 in 2019. From 2011 to 2016, he posted a 93-61 record with an ERA under 3.00 and was as dominant as a pitcher an be.

However, over the past two years he is 10-16 with an ERA over 3.00. Blame that on injuries or age. But while it's possible he could bounce back, especially in a contract year, is he worth $18 million as a rental?

Burnes will be 25 this season, Woodruff 26, Peralta 23. Young arms with heady potential. Burnes was 7-0 with an ERA of 2.61 last year, and was 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in the postseason. Woodruff was 3-0 (3.61 ERA) and 1-1 (2.89 ERA) in postseason, while Peralta was 6-4 (3.72 ERA). Peralta pitched three scoreless innings in the postseason.

Pitchers and catchers report in just a couple of weeks. That's the best part of winter!