(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

As much as the first half of the 2009 season was kind to the San Francisco Giants, the second half has been downright cruel so far, especially the death of Sue Burns.

On the field, the Giants have lost four of five games, the last two by a combined score of 18-4. Tonight, the offense has been silent again, while Tim Lincecum exited the game after the fifth inning after giving up four runs on seven hits.

Ahead is a trip to Coors Field to face a Rockies team that has been red-hot, and now lead the Wild Card by more than a game.

Meanwhile, at Double-A Connecticut, Madison Bumgarner has continued to dominate on the mound. His opponents' batting average has actually decreased since his promotion from the hitter-happy California League, and after allowing seven runs in two starts in June, he hasn't allowed more than one in any game since.

On July 16th, Madison allowed just one hit in five-plus innings of work. But tonight, he gave a complete performance, one of the best by any minor-league player this season.

On the mound, Bumgarner was his usual self, allowing one run on three hits in seven innings. His ERA now stands at 1.56, barely .1 higher than his average at High-A San Jose.

But it was at the plate that Bumgarner surprised everyone. It wasn't just that he raised his average to nearly .430 by going two-for-three. It was his grand slam in the fifth inning to provide himself more than enough cushion for the win.

With one swing, Bumgarner drove in more runs than San Francisco's entire lineup did in the first two games of the Atlanta series. Maybe Bumgarner is the spark the Giants' offense needs.

Joking aside, Bumgarner has dominated Double-A, and with Buster Posey in Fresno, there is now a real advantage to promoting Madison to Triple-A. Having Madison throw to Posey in the minors would be a good start to what could be a battery in San Francisco as soon as April 2010.

On the other hand, Eli Whiteside is not the catcher of the future, and Ryan Sadowski was hit hard in his last start. Posey as a backup catcher would limit his at-bats, and he is hitting under .250 in Fresno despite averaging nearly one RBI per game.

However, Bumgarner might benefit from pitching in low-leverage situations at the major league level. Madison could be valuable in the bullpen, where the Giants have begun to struggle lately. And with Randy Johnson hurt, he could make a spot-start or two. If it doesn't work out, Bumgarner could be sent to Triple-A, where he could continue to work without pressure.

The Giants look in need of a shake-up, and they might be able to bolster their pitching by calling on Bumgarner. Trade assets could be saved for a hitter, and Posey could join him late in the season, especially if Molina is injured or needs extended rest down the stretch.

Besides, a grand slam by a rookie pitcher isn't without precident.

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