Madison Bumgarner entered spring training this year with a clear message: he wants the Giants to do anything in order to win in 2019. If it's up to him, he's staying in San Francisco for the long haul.
“Obviously, this is where I came up. I’ve been through a lot here,” Bumgarner said to reporters on Tuesday. “A lot of good times and a few bad times, also. Obviously, I would love to stay here. If that happens or not, I don’t know. Some parts are in my control, some parts aren’t.
“For right now, I’m just focused on getting this year started and getting back to the postseason.”
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SIGN UP HERE Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper took notice of Bumgarner's words to open camp, and he couldn't be any happier.
“He’s such an important person to this franchise," Kuiper said Wednesday on KNBR. "His voice needs to be heard and it was heard yesterday, and I thought it was terrific."
Bumgarner is used to winning. He's a three-time World Series champion and was named the 2014 World Series MVP when he produced a 0.43 ERA over 21 innings, in perhaps the most dominant playoff performance in MLB history. But the last two seasons have been much different.
After a stretch run full of championships and four straight All-Star Game appearances, Bumgarner has dealt with two straight injury-plagued seasons. In those last two years, the Giants have lost a total of 187 games as well.
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Bumgarner is ready to win again. If that doesn't happen quickly in San Francisco, we could see the ace in a different uniform.
After an offseason full of trade speculation, the left-hander will once again be the team's Opening Day starter. Where he's pitching come August, though, is a whole different story.
[RELATED: Giants top prospect Joey Bart catches Madison Bumgarner on first camp day]
"There's a lot of reasons you want to win. And certainly one of the reasons you want to win up to the trading deadline is you want to keep him in a Giants uniform," Kuiper said. "If you win, he's not gonna go anywhere. If it's a total disaster, it's more than likely he's gonna go ... He's just a Giant, ya know?"
Yes he is, Kuip. For now at least.