Dodgers: What Would Happen if LA Signed Madison Bumgarner?
Madison Bumgarner has been a thorn in the Dodgers side all decade long. For starters, there’s his regular season success against Los Angeles, with a 2.72 ERA across 36 games. Of course you can’t forget his postseason accolades, in which Dodger fans have had to watch at home out of jealousy. Lastly, and the biggest reason he is loathed amongst fans, his petty arguments and feuds with a plethora of Dodger players.
https://twitter.com/Wyatt_Asher_/status/1203412098002194437
The good news is that Bumgarner is a free agent and poised to leave San Francisco. The frightening part of this is the idea of him signing with the Dodgers. This is a very unlikely scenario, but one worth thinking about. By the off chance Bumgarner signed with the Dodgers, what would happen? Let’s look at a few different perspectives.
https://twitter.com/Wyatt_Asher_/status/1203412275882627072
The Fans
As a Dodger fan myself, I would find it pretty hard to cheer on Bumgarner after all his shenanigans over the years. Between his whining after surrendering home runs, sly comments in post-game interviews, and (seemingly) intentionally plunking batters, it’s quite hard to just forget all of that. From what I’ve gauged from other fans, there is mostly agreement.
There is no doubt a Bumgarner signing would be met with groans and complaints, and probably even booing when his name gets announced on opening day. However, if Bumgarner were to pitch well and help win games, I could see those tides turning.
While the circumstances were very different, center Dwight Howard was hated among Lakers faithful up until this year. He was signed to come off the bench, and after a mixed response, started playing his best basketball in years. Now, just a few months later, he is a fan favorite. Making a fanbase convert from hating you to loving you can be done in one simple step: help their team win games.
https://twitter.com/Wyatt_Asher_/status/1203412520037302273
The Players
Another dimension of a Madison Bumgarner signing would be how certain Dodger players would take it. Bumgarner’s biggest foe, Yasiel Puig, is obviously gone, but he’s also riffed with plenty of other Dodgers, such as Max Muncy.
Madison Bumgarner yells at Max Muncy, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/7hJQDnlWXk
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) June 10, 2019
Not only did Muncy wear this shirt during batting practice several times, so did many of his teammates. Bumgarner has been publicly, and I’m sure plenty of times privately, clowned on and mocked by Dodger players.
As someone who’s not a professional athlete, it’s hard to say exactly how he would mesh with guys like Muncy. At the end of the day, they’re all grown adults and would be bound together by the common goal of winning a championship. But acquiring Bumgarner could definitely make for some awkward team flights.
Strictly Baseball
From a strictly baseball perspective, and how the Dodgers front office will look at things, Bumgarner to the Dodgers still does not make a whole lot of sense. He’s a good starting pitcher, but his ERA and FIP last year of 3.90 is nothing to go bonkers over, and he’s 30, an age where pitchers typically begin to regress.
There’s no ignoring his postseason success, something the Dodgers could absolutely use given their failures in the past seven years. However, there is no statistical significance in postseason performance and no guarantee that this would carry over to Los Angeles.
As free agency dominoes fall, Madison Bumgarner is now expected to fetch at least $100 million, too. https://t.co/Uc8wNE6xBR
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 4, 2019
One last important detail, as seen above, Bob Nightengale of USA Today has Bumgarner fetching a contract north of $100 million. There’s just about a negligible chance that Andrew Friedman hands that out to a 30 year old, slightly above average pitcher. Especially with that money (hopefully) being saved for one of the three marquee free agents still on the board.
Conclusion
When looking at the fans and players expected reaction to a Bumgarner signing, along with his iffy fit, it is extremely unlikely he heads to LA. It is also worth noting that there have been no legitimate reports linking the two sides. But, given the extensive history between Bumgarner and the Dodgers, it is an interesting hypothetical to consider.
NEXT: Dodgers Can Move on Big Name Players, But Are They Willing to Take a Risk?
He’d suddenly be a choker after dawning the Dodger uniform
The Big One will hit. Angelenos know what I’m talking about. IDK, maybe the Dodgers will fare better in the post season?
It would be totally manufactured and I’m not just talking about the playoffs. They have underground bombs ready to be detonated for their man made big one. They’ve been testing smaller ones the last few years, after these small quakes locals all report hearing explosions and thinking a bomb went off rather than a quake. The big one will be detonated in 2021 as part of a World Series championship narrative
Can’t say I like Bumgarner. But I won’t say I don’t either. I definitely like him better than Puig and his career long decline. Bumgarner isn’t a self idolizing hot dog like Puig. He’s a serious competitor who has done enough in the post season alone to be in the Hall of Fame with Boche and Posey. Three championships in 5 years should get you in. Bumgarner carried the Giants in 2014. Boche has a career 500 winning percentage. I don’t care. Championships are bigger than season records. Bumgarner and Boche are winners. I don’t hate them because they were Giants. I respect them. And I think the Dodger players would respect Bumgarner too. And they could use a winning postseason attitude. With that said we already have one aging superstar pitcher, who is now number two behind Walker Buehler. How much does Bumgarner have left in his tank?
Glad you’ve finally woken up and realized that despite the meaningless 106 regular season wins this team needs playoff pitchers
Bochy has a below .500 winning percentage for his career. The 3 World Championships will get him in the H.O.F. Most of the other years were mediocre at best.
To be fair he managed mostly mediocre to bad teams. The 3 above average teams he got he made the most of
Jerry Hairston Jr. would have a heart attack! I don’t think the players really care much about that stuff. My guess is if Dodgers signed Bumgarner Muncy would be first one to shake his hand!
All I can say is that this particular page is reaching, and honestly Wyatt certainly knows this. Dodgers are in the best position to get at least 1 of the big 3 top FA’s but honestly I am guessing that 100% of the fans here believe that won’t happen at all.
This article is as worthless as the pc it was written on. There’s a little thing called clubhouse cancer and mad bum is a total loser. We do not need another pitcher with his best days behind him, we already have one.
I’d take Bumgarner any day of the weak…Friedman signed Alex Wood, Rich Hill, MCcarthy.All absolute failures in Big Games. One thing Bum would do is demand this team get fired up and not be so intimidated in the Post season. But I’d take Cole, Strasburg, Rendon, and 20 other players 1st. But what do i know, I just buy tickets and MLB packages hoping to see a World Series winner with my Money investment.
Week
Oh christ, we have the spell check police. It’s not misspelled, it’s just like your handle and your comment!! WEAK!!
Hello Kirk. Can you just imagine what it will be like around Dodger faithful here if and when Cole, Strasburg and Rendon sign elsewhere? BTW, I read where the Yankees already have a 7 year $245 million deal on the table for Cole and I am willing to bet he ultimately signs with the Yankees. Strasburg either goes back to the Nats or signs with the Angels and Rendon signs with Texas and Freidman will be left wondering what hit him.
Paul, exactly bud but I think It’s already like that with the Dodgers faithful as we speak. The Previous 2 years of having the team well built and just needing a few superstar players to lead the way, but Kasten and Friedman keep blowing smoke up our you know what’s has already created the disdain. I’m with you on Cole and Rendon, but I see the lowly Padres signing Strasburg as he’s from there and has ties to the Yanks ex pitching coach who they just hired. The Pads also just got Pham and have signed Machado and Hosmer the past off season’s. The Pads are going to be the division winners or WC this next season. The Pads have a better closer and now are building the staff to beat us. If Friedman and Kasten sit on their butts again this season, it will be the Pads. Window of opportunity to contend for a World series championship is Now, and the Pads can jump on Kasten and Friedman’s negligence with this FREE Agent class. That’s how I see it. When Machado told the fan last season that the Pads would win a World Series before the Dodgers, it’s now looking quite possible.
Paul, here we go again. Moderator didn’t like my reply to you… Deleting my post because it mentions the Pads are going to win a World Series before the Dodgers. Quoting Manny Machado last season.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO WIN THE WS NEXT YEAR THEN SIGN BUMGARNER’S EXPERIENCE. BUT IF UR LOOKING TO WIN A FEW WS THEN U NEED RENDON AN COLE. I SAID BEFORE LUX IS A BUST . ALSO YOU GIVE 1 MORE YEAR 4 SEAGER AND HOPE HE CAN BOUNCE BACK IF NOT SEND HIM OUT. OR GET LINDOR WITH RENDON AND LINDOR JT AT FIRST MAX AT SECOND WHAT A INFIELD. KEEP CT KIKI SAME OUTFIELD HOPE 4 HELP IN BULLPEN. AGAIN JUST MY OPINION ?
Kiki and CT are horrible and we will not win a WS with those failures in the clutch. Same goes for Pederson. Lux is a gem, He was Minor league player of the year and deserves a shot. To call him a bust is just silly at this point.
Not only would the Dodgers sign him, he would not want to come to the Dodgers. If he were to sign with them, however, I for one would not buy a ticket for that game. This article mentioned his effectiveness in the post season. The Giants have not been to the post season for at least 3 years now. Bumgarner is 3 years older as is his arm. He may have difficulty finding a job with any team but especially with the Dodgers. He would not be very popular with the players, and he would not be very popular with the fans. So this article is just nonsense as is Bumgarner!
If Dodger fans could learn to love Sal “The Barber” Maglie, they can certainly learn to love Bumgarner. Especially when Bumgarner outhits Bellinger and Seager in the post season as you know he would.
No, No, No, Not Bumgarner! He’s no friend of the Dodgers nor the Dodger fans. Don’t invite the enemy to your dinner table. This guy is no guarantee to the World Serie’s.
You are so wrong