Yes, the Giants check on signing Mark Mulder, too

The Giants were working on orchestrating a troll-job so fervent they would have felt it across the bay.

Years ago, the Athletics were sporting a starting rotation not yet broken up due to crippling financial issues. Featuring Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito in their prime, the triple threat was perfect for magazine covers and featured pieces and highlight reels across the land. They helped the A's to the playoffs for four years, from 2000-03.

Eventually, though, Billy Beane had to do what he always had to do and start losing them for various reasons. Mulder went to the Cardinals, then suffered with injuries. Zito signed an insane seven-year deal with the Giants. And Hudson was traded to the Braves for basically no one.

The Giants, still housing an injury-riddled Zito since 2007, went out of their way to sign 38-year-old Tim Hudson to a two year deal this offseason, reuniting two of the A's former big three.

"Heh, heh," hilarious people chortled, preparing their hyterically funny tweets. "I wonder if they checked in on Mark Mulder, too."

Mulder had actually retired in 2010, and only recently declared he would be attempting a comeback. And yeah, the Giants apparently did come calling.

So close, Giants. Also, off by several years.