All the conjecture, rumor, innuendo and educated guessing swirling around Madison Bumgarner would be a simple deal if it wasn’t for Brian Sabean.
Pre-Sabes you simply would say, “Bumgarner is at (or darned near) the top of his game. He’s a horse and a fan favorite. The Giants may be looking at a rebuild. Wouldn’t Bumgarner, 30, currently a free agent, make a dandy foundation? Sign him now so we can all get back to the Warriors tire fire.
But we can’t say that, and here’s why.
Twenty-three years ago Sabean, in his first year as the Giants general manager and looking at a rebuild, traded fan favorite Matt Williams, 30 years old and close to the top of his game, to the Cleveland Indians.