The Giants don't have the most intimidating offense in the league, but they've got pitching and it's not going anywhere. The team announced a five-year extension for Madison Bumgarner that will keep the left-hander in San Francisco through 2017. The deal, which starts in 2013, includes options for 2018 (club/vesting) and 2019 (club).
The extension guarantees Bumgarner $35MM over five years, his agency, SFX, announced (all Twitter links). The contract represents a record for pitchers with one-plus years of MLB service, but the Giants saw enough from the 22-year-old to make a record-setting commitment after just one full season.
“Preserving our core pitching for the long term remains a top priority for the Giants and today’s extension certainly helps further that goal,” GM Brian Sabean said in a press release. “Madison has already proven that he is one of the best left handed pitchers in the game today and we are confident that he will continue to succeed for many years to come.”
The guaranteed portion of the extension covers Bumgarner's final pre-arbitration season, his three seasons of arbitration eligibility, and one free agent year assuming that CAA's projected super two cutoff proves accurate. The club options cover free agent seasons.
Bumgarner's guarantee would increase to $40MM if he qualifies for super two status following the 2012 season — a possibility that now seems remote. ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets the expected salary breakdown. The deal includes a limited no-trade clause, Olney tweets. Bumgarner can block trades to eight teams per year.
Bumgarner will pitch alongside Matt Cain, who recently signed an extension that locks him up through 2017. Tim Lincecum's under team control through 2013, as the Giants have been unable to work out a long-term deal with the two-time Cy Young Award winner so far.
As MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows, many pitchers have signed five-year extensions covering their arbitration seasons. However, most had more service time than Bumgarner has now. The 2007 first round selection entered the 2012 season with one year and 127 days of MLB service, but that didn't stop him from setting a record for his service class. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes previewed a possible extension for Bumgarner in December, suggesting SFX would do well to obtain $23-4MM in guaranteed money.
Bumgarner helped the Giants win the 2010 World Series, making 18 regular season starts that year plus three more in the playoffs. He followed up his rookie year by posting a 3.21 ERA with 8.4 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a 46% ground ball rate in 204 2/3 innings in 2011. Though he doesn't throw particularly hard, Bumgarner combines his low-90s fastball with an effective slider to subdue his opponents.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Sabean’s not messing around with new Dodger ownership being in place, is he?
Not sure if you are being serious or not, but I’ve read this sentiment many times since the news broke that McCourt is gone. If any of these recent, high-profile extensions (Votto, Cain, Bumgarner) were motivated in any significant part by the Dodgers’ ownership change, then the GMs were not doing their jobs. I think the notion is ridiculous, personally. By how much do people think that the Dodgers will increase payroll under new ownership? I don’t think it will be nearly enough to get this team made up of two superstars, two above average regulars (Ethier, Billingsley) and a whole bunch of scrubs to do much more than finish .500. Don’t let this small sample size of 10 games detract your attention from what this team really is.
People assumed Dodgers would be big spenders after spending 2 BILLION DOLLARS to purchase a team that was wayyyy overpaid for which in turn translates to everyone assuming they will be big spenders.
At the same time of the purchase ESPN was already claiming that Dodgers would be big players for Cain, Votto, Hamels, Greinke, and to some extent Phillips. One week later three of the five were extended. Is it a coincidence? Probably not, but the fact they were extended a week after the purchase will raise a few eyebrows.
Also after they were extended Stark wrote an article saying the Dodgers won’t be big spenders because in actuality they won’t have anyone to spend on if potential free agents are extended with their teams.
Thank you for explaining the obvious. I understand why people think that, but it’s a ludicrous notion to begin with, in my opinion. If they, whichever team, are willing to risk letting a player get to free agency in the first place, which is the only scenario where the Dodgers get involved, the likelihood of them re-signing with their current team is extremely low anyway. There are 28 other teams besides the Dodgers and said player’s current team. The fact that the new owners overpaid by what some have posited a factor of two makes them less likely to be able to afford massive new contracts.
Take Cain, for example. If he got to free agency after this year, do you think the Dodgers would be the only team in on him? Absolutely not. They would be one of many, meaning that the bidding would go up, likely driving the Giants out of the process. The idea that there *might* be one more bidder for a player like him is the dumbest reason to all of a sudden jump up and sign someone to an extension. My point is, the timing was coincidence. All of these extensions were in the works regardless of the Dodgers’ ownership change, not because of it.
Sometimes the obvious needs to be explained especially for those who don’t see through all the media hype of the Dodgers.
Yes!!!!
Great move by Sabes.
A bum would be lucky to garner as much
Now you’re just getting silly…
“Now,” he’s getting silly?
Good move by The Giants. The Giants (probably) saved a ton of money through arbitration, as this kid is already one of the best pitchers in baseball and only TWENTY TWO years old. Remember, he’s already pitching at an elite level, at a younger age than super prospects such as Matt Moore or Stephen Strasburg. Bumgarner would have gotten expensive through arbitration — the club has learned their lesson from Lincecum.
Eh what? Says right there are the club options for FA years. And how do you know if they saved anything in arbitration?
The Giants are assuming and expecting that Bumgarner will be building on the success he’s already garnered thus far in his career. If he did any better by winning a Cy Young or had another a great playoff run they won’t be in line to pay for those accolades.
When I wrote the post it was much shorter and didn’t include information on FA years or club options. And I don’t KNOW if they saved anything in arbitration, but if he continues to pitch at his current level, let alone get better (which all trends point towards), then The Giants estimated investment of $28 – $31 million dollars is going to save them money. Bumgarner gets security and The Giants save some money long-term — it’s part of the tradeoff of long term deals for young players.
Agreed. Let’s say 7 million is a hell of lot of a deal compared to the potential of paying him 10 to 18 million.
Now sure how you get that math. He’s going to get paid close to 35 million for his 3 arbitration years. That’s actually a LOT.
Looks like 1 free agent year is included, in that case that’s a pretty good deal.
And club (!!) options for 2 more.
I’m pretty sure the $35 million figure includes the first free agent year…
Looks like its 35 Million and is a record for a 1+ year player. Not really sure they save all that much unless he really is a perennial CY candidate.
This is a sign that Posey will be next in line which would mean that after the potential signing Giants would be able to focus on upcoming FA in the following years.
Very nice Giants. So many extensions in this past month i cant keep track.
MadBum and Cain forever and ever!
I think they are setting the Giants fan base up for Lincecum to leave via free agency after 2013.
You can say that they could be setting themselves up to keep Lincecum too. These next two years will determine whether or they keep him or not. Giants have what they call a “rainy day” fund they have been saving over the years plus the team will be done with their mortgage payments in 2017.
I wouldn’t be the least surprised if they shopped him for a big bat or two in the off-season, depending on the kind of season he has.
Now they can let Lincecum go, right???
Lincecum is as good as gone.
Yeah, I am assuming the same thing. Giants probably hedging their bets w/Cain & Bumgarner in the event Lincecum gets too expensive.
Or maybe they feel Lincecum’s workload will make him a long-term risk for a big extension.
Good for the Giants and Bumgarner.
Oops. Posted before this showed up…
That Hanwha Solar sponsorship deal the Giants just signed must be huge!
…the way the Giants were pumping Hanwha at Saturday’s game you would have thought Hanwha just bought the Giants.
That was honestly embarrassing to watch. They just made me want for them to go away.
Great. It wasn’t only me that thought that…
It’s only a matter of time before every exposed brick in AT&T park is cover with a sponsor’s logo and…
“this toilet flush has been brought you by…”
Anyone know how much the club/vesting options are for?
Great deal for the Giants, provides some stability for MadBum. I wouldn’t go crazy with the extensions though because we could end up looking like the Phillies towards the end of them.
wow