YANKEES ARE "COOLING" ON BUMGARNER

The clock is ticking down and Madison Bumgarner's days as a San Francisco Giant. We've been watching and speculating about where he may go for months now. The Yankees have always been tied to Bumgarner, but so have other top teams. We are just over one month away from the trade deadline so talks should be heating up, right?

It is rumored that the both the Yankees and the Twins have not been engaged in serious negotiations lately with the Giants. Shouldn't the teams with the best records in the American League be working hard to get a deal done with the Giants? According to reports, neither team is.

And even Jon Heyman says the Yankees interest in Bumgarner is "so-so" at this point, read more HERE. The Yankees are concerned with what they would be getting with Bumgarner, and understandably so. On Tuesday, Bumgarner looked like an ace against the Rockies only allowing 2 runs on three hits with 11 impressive strikeouts in 6 innings, but last week against the Dodgers was another story. That night he was schooled by the Dodgers where he only lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowed 10 hits and six earned runs. It's a tale of an inconsistent pitcher.

Tuesday's performance was special, but his stats this season are far from extraordinary. Bumgarner's 4-7 record, and 4.21 ERA makes him look ordinary, not an ace or reliable pitcher from years past. The Yankees are also rumored to be "split" based on advanced analytics that don't match up well in hitter friendly Yankee stadium read more HERE.

The Yankees are no doubt intrigued by Bumgarner's proven track record in the postseason. He's arguably one of the best MLB postseason pitchers of all time. In 16 career playoff appearances he has an 8-3 record with a 2.11 ERA. He's a three-time World Series Champion....any team would like that.

But that's the look of a vintage Bumgarner. Obviously the Yankees and the Twins have some concerns here. He has a month to prove to his new team would be buying a consistent top of the order pitcher, not a regressing rental. Until he does....it's no wonder why teams will continue to question his real value.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't questioning it too.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj