SB Nation - Edgar Renteria

The NL Central Offseason Revue: Ursine Children

the red baron — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:43:23 -0000

Sure, I've used it before. It's a good picture, damn it.

But first, a story. (Just so you know it's a Baron post.)

Last weekend, my mother and I went shopping. The Cherokee Street Antique Row Association was holding their annual Cookie Spree, and we go every year. There's always people milling around, free hot apple cider, and most of the shops are decorated.

We met up in South County, deciding it was a better idea to take one car. Mom tends to get motion sickness when not driving, so I generally just ride with her. We headed up 55 toward the city, then exited at the 4500 block of Broadway.

At the bottom of the ramp was an old woman holding a sign. A square of cardboard scrawled all over in black marker, I couldn't read exactly what was written but the message was clear nonetheless. It was cold out, and the ragged old overcoat she was clutching around her looked woefully inadequate. I've been conned before, I'm sure, but this was no panhandler. This was an old woman with no place to go who badly needed help.

We came to a stop at the bottom of the ramp, and I dug out my wallet. Mom reached for her purse, and I told her I would get it. I opened my wallet and grabbed the first two bills in it, a ten and a twenty. Then, guided by some internal calculus I don't at all understand, I put the ten back. I handed my mother the twenty, she motioned the old woman over, and gave it to her. The old woman said something, toothless mouth moving quickly, blessing us and wishing us well, but by then the car was moving and I couldn't entirely tell what it was. We continued on our way, had hot chocolate and apple cider and cookies. I bought an antique light fixture; it seemed like a fine day.

I tell you all this not to make you think I'm some sort of saint for giving this old woman twenty dollars, but because ever since then I haven't been able to stop thinking about the ten dollars I didn't give her. I had almost $300 in my wallet that day, and a credit card nowhere near the limit to boot. In no way, shape, or form would that extra ten dollars have hurt me, yet I put it back. And worst of all, I don't understand why. I like to think I would do whatever it takes to help someone in need, but apparently that only goes so far. Apparently there's a price on my generosity, and it's painfully low. A truly good person would have been willing to hand over everything they had in hand and never thought twice about it; I certainly didn't need another antique to litter my already cluttered house.

We went back the same way later, on the way back to my car, but the old woman was gone. I hope what I gave her was enough to help, but I can't stop thinking about that moment, when I arbitrarily decided the limits of how much I was willing to help another human being.

I've had these posts in mind for a while now, trying to take a look around the division at our rivals and what their offseasons might look like, but simply hadn't had the chance to do so yet. With my inability to post a full post on Wednesday, I thought I might ask Dan if he minded me taking today. He seemed amenable to the idea, unsurprising given the dearth of real meat to work with this time of year and what is undoubtedly a crowded schedule for everyone. So here I am, telling you what the Cubs need to do this winter.

I begin with the Cubs because they are our chief rivals and also because it simply fits. We care more about the Cubs. So here we are.

As the Cubbies head into their first offseason with new ownership, the question of payroll undoubtedly must be raised. Their new owner, Tom Ricketts, has pledged to update the stadium and build a winner, but just how much one will impact the other remains to be seen. For now, it looks as if Ricketts is willing to pour money into the franchise in order to win, and we'll have to operate under that assumption.

Offense

The Cubs' offense took a huge hit last season from the high times of 2008, due to several players underperforming. Alfonso Soriano was the biggest culprit, stumbling to an OPS+ of 84 after three seasons over 115. Geovany Soto went through an awful sophomore slump, falling from a 118 OPS+ to 79. Aramis Ramirez missed significant time with a shoulder injury, and Derrek Lee struggled mightily early in the season before turning it around.

There were bright spots, such as the improvement Kosuke Fukudome made from his first season in the majors or the continued non-suckitude of Ryan Theriot, but overall it was an intensely disappointing season for Chicago at the plate. In 2008 the Cubs scored 855 runs; in 2009 they plated only 707. Enough said.

Starting Pitching

If the Cubs' offense was decidedly disappointing, the pitching was underwhelmingly good. Carlos Zambrano continued his human roller coaster act, yet still managed to post an ERA under 4.00 for the eighth straight year. Nonetheless, the Big Z is no longer quite the intimidating force at the front of a rotation he once was. He's still solid, but he doesn't really scare you anymore. (Well, unless you happen to be something edible or punchable in the dugout, that is.)

Ryan Dempster fell off from his 2008 performance, but was still a plus pitcher for Chicago. He was awful much of the early portion of the year, but came on strong late to lower his ERA to 3.65. Dempster provides much-needed innings, and at a reasonably high level. After Z and Dumpster, though, things get a bit murkier.

Ted Lilly, a relatively unsung contributor to the Cubs' back-to-back division titles, has had shoulder surgery already this offseason. It was minor shoulder surgery, yes, but then again, I'm not entirely sure there is such a thing. Lilly was absolutely brilliant in 2009, posting a 3.61 FIP, but until he can prove his shoulder is unequivocally sound, he has to be a concern.

Perhaps the brightest spot of all for the Cubs in '09 was the performance of their rookie hurler, Randy Wells. He went 12-10, 3.05 in his first extended taste of the majors at 27. His peripherals were mostly in line as well, so it doesn't appear he did it all with smoke and mirrors. Still, Wells is a relatively unknown commodity, and may simply be waiting until the time is right to give up a crippling home run, then rip open his jersey, revealing the Cardinal jersey underneath. So there's that.

The Cubs' fifth starter spot was, for the most part, a disaster. Sean Marshall continued to impersonate Sean Marshall. The Cubs acquired Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates, and he picked up basically where he left off in Pittsburgh. There were positives in his performance, but for the most part it was another disappointing season for the man once voted Most Likely to Actually Live Up to His Billing among all Pittsburgh left-handed starting prospects.

Relief

Carlos Marmol is sort of the pitching equivalent of a British motorcycle. Yeah, it's a whole lot of fun when it's working, and it certainly looks impressive, but damned if the thing isn't broken down and spilling oil all over your driveway more often than not. Marmol has some of the nastiest stuff in the game, but not much idea where it's going a fair amount of the time. Hitters did a much better job of laying off his slider in 2009, and he had a tough time throwing it for strikes. He still struck out a bunch of hitters (93 in 74 innings), and didn't give up many hits (43), but he also walked 65 hitters, leading to a 1.46 WHIP fueled almost entirely by batters simply standing there and doing nothing.

Kevin Gregg was solid, though not the force the Cubs were undoubtedly hoping for, and he has now departed via free agency. Angel Guzman was impressive, combining a repertoire just a step down from Marmol's with actual control, but he remains very young and was shut down late in the season with an injury. Neal Cotts was, um, how do I put this?- shitty, only to be replaced as the primary lefty by John Grabow. Grabow did what he always does, and should be a definite plus in the 'pen for 2010.

Jeff Samardzija continued his enigmatic career arc, following up his 2.28 ERA in 2008 with a 7.53 in 2009. Sure, he's talented, but at some point Samardzija is going to have to come up with something more than a big fastball and a passing resemblance to Andy Samberg if he wants to succeed at the major league level.

Needs

Any discussion of the Chicago Cubs' offseason has to begin with the outfield, where they badly need to figure things out. Milton Bradley wasn't a bad player for them in 2009; on the contrary, he was probably still their best outfielder, but all signs point to him being dealt this offseason, and I'm not sure I can blame the Cubs. As much as Bradley wasn't the problem with the team this year, I just don't know if his relationship with the fans, not to mention his teammates, is a tenable one.

If Bradley is dealt, the Cubs will have to come up with someone to try and replicate his offensive contributions, and several names have been floated. Rick Ankiel was thought to be their first choice until fairly recently, but things seem to have cooled slightly on that front since Scott Boras made his comments about multiple years and big dollars for Swingin' Dick's services. The Cubs don't seem to have much interest in Matt Holliday, perhaps being a bit gun shy after witnessing how horribly wrong a seven-year deal for an outfielder can go. They also haven't been mentioned all that much in the Jason Bay sweepstakes, so I have to assume they're looking at lower-hanging fruit.

Beyond the outfield, it's somewhat doubtful the Cubs will be able to make any substantial upgrades to their offense. Both corner infield positions are set, and rightfully so. Soto will be looking for a bounceback season; it's far too early to write him off as a one-year wonder. The only spots the Cubs could look to upgrade are the middle infield positions, but I'm not sure how much help is really available at those spots this offseason. Perhaps the Cubbies get involved in trying to trade for Dan Uggla? They do have an exciting young middle infield prospect in the pipeline named Starlin Castro, who has garnered plenty of comparisons to Edgar Renteria, and could draw interest from Florida, but little beyond that.

The bullpen has to be an area of concern, and priority one has to be sorting out who will at least begin the season as the Chicago closer. Marmol, I'm sure, will have the inside track on the job, but after his 2009 performance it shouldn't be a foregone conclusion. I doubt the Cubs will go outside the organisation to find a stopper, but it's likely they'll try to acquire at least an arm or two to bolster the overall depth of the 'pen.

Priorities

Deal with Milton Bradley situation. Trade is most likely outcome.
Acquire offensive upgrade to replace Bradley's production. Left-handed hitter would be desirable.
Shore up bullpen, likely through trades. (Bradley?)
Look at other possible offensive upgrades, i.e. Uggla or Mark DeRosa as utility player.
Acquire 5th starter/ insurance arm for Ted Lilly.
???
World Series title.

The Bottom Line

The Cubs are by no means in dire straights. They underachieved badly last season, but the offense should receive a boost from a full season from Ramirez and, hopefully, better years from Soriano, Soto, and Lee. The same can't really be said for the pitching, which performed right about where one would expect, given the talent level. The starting rotation will remain their biggest strength, while the bullpen remains somewhat suspect.

At this point, the Cubs have to be considered the Cards' main competition for the division again in 2009. Both teams are clearly a step or two ahead of the pack.

There you go, folks. One in the can, four to go.

The Baron's Playlist for the 11th of December, 2009

"The Blizzard" - Camera Obscura A cover of the Jim Reeves/ Johnny Cash classic. Any CO fans out there (and I know there are some), you might want to check out their holiday 7" release, with the Blizzard backed by Swans.

"My Wife and My Dead Wife" - Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians

"Oh You Pretty Things" - Peter Noone I just heard this on Pop! The Beat Bubble Bursts yesterday morning, and I can't stop listening to it. It's a Bowie cover by the former Herman's Hermits frontman, and it has a bit of an early Harry Nilsson vibe to it. Really great.

"Intermezzo Sinfonico" from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana - James Levine

"Take On Me" - A.C. Newman Another tip of the hat to KDHX, this time to Nick Acquisto and the Space Parlour. Outstanding cover of the A-Ha classic.

Edit: And, of course, on the day I write this, some actual news comes down the pipeline, as the Cardinals have now apparently made an official offer to Scott Boras and Matt Holliday. Sigh. They couldn't have waited just one more day? Really?

2014: The year we realize how Edgar Renteria won a championship for the Giants

Grant — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:06:54 -0000

Every single free agent rumor leads to the same mental dead end. I'll entertain the thought of a player like Dan Uggla, Orlando Hudson, or Nick Johnson, and I'll cycle through the new, rosterbatory nonsense in my head. "Wow, they almost would have a legitimate hitter at every position! Sandoval, Sanchez, Rumor du Jour, and...Renteria." Enthusiasm over. Every time. It's like planning out the Olympic relay team for the 4x100 and having to work in Tyler Walker.

To be fair to Renteria, the Giants offense is doing just fine if he's the only bad patch in the lineup. If the acreage of terrible is reduced to a patch by March, everyone will be pleased with the offseason. And, hey, it isn't that crazy to think that a 34-year-old hitter can rebound a little, even if he looked liked he was swinging underwater last year.

But, yeah. The easiest way to help the offense would be to send Renteria on the Dave Roberts Express and find someone who can hit a little, even if that might not be the most realistic solution. Yet every time I cycle through infield options, there's Renteria, sitting on the couch, minding his own business, and eating my chips. It's not like he makes up for the impotent bat with Neifilliant range, either. Our shortstop has the range of a piranha plant.

It's pretty clear that while the idea behind the Renteria signing was sound -- pounce on a non-Bocock early to make sure the Giants don't go into the season without one -- the signing was kind of a dud. Still, I have hope that it will all work out. There were other options last year, but did you notice the seasons they had? Rafael Furcal was a little better, but he wasn't an extra year, a draft pick, and $21M (!) better. Orlando Cabrera can still play defense, and he rebounded a little for the Twins, but he was still pretty bad at the plate, and he cost the A's a second-round draft pick (that they eventually made up for by trading him). One of the reasons that the Giants went after Renteria so hard is that he wouldn't cost a draft pick. I can't grumble about that, even if that's left the Giants in a bad spot this offseason.

So a part of me is hoping that Renteria rebounds, and we realize that the deal wasn't a total and colossal failure while Renteria is still playing. That'd be nice. A much larger part of me knows that isn't likely. So my hopes for the Renteria contract lie with second-round pick Tommy Joseph, who is the pick that was saved by not signing a Type-A.

The count is full. Two outs and the tying run on first. Mariano Rivera, who's like 65 or some crap, needs one strike to win yet another World Series. Joseph stands at the plate. Rivera throws.
It's a long drive, I do believe...the Giants won the World Series! The Giants won the World Series! The Giants won the World Series! The Giants won the World Series! Tommy Joseph hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the World Series and they're goin' crazy, they're goin' crazy! HEEEERRRRFFFOOAH! I don't believe it! I don't believe it!

And while the rest of you are jumping up and down like idiots, I'll calmly pump my fist and say, "Thank you, Edgar Renteria. You've delivered a championship because you weren't Orlando Cabrera or Rafael Furcal."

Maybe not. But that dream keeps me from drinking when thinking about next year's lineup*. Mainly, I'm just hoping that the Giants have average-or-better hitters in seven lineup spots when the offseason is done, which isn't totally insane, and I'm hoping that Renteria is a little better. Just a little. I'm not asking for much. Except for the Joseph walkoff Series win, but we deserve that.

_{*Note: this isn't true}

Theo Tries Again: Marco Scutaro Signs with the Red Sox

Ben Buchanan — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:28:00 -0000

More photos » by Frank Gunn - AP

7 months ago: Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Marco Scutaro, top, leaps to catch the throw from the plate as Baltimore Orioles' Adam Jones steals second base during eighth-inning AL baseball game action in Toronto on Friday, May 1, 2009. (AP photo/The Canadian Press,Frank Gunn)

Browse more photos »

Theo Esptein has taken another swing at filling the shortstop position for the Red Sox, signing free agent Marco Scutaro to a 2-year deal.

News came from Venezuelan paper Lider first, over an hour before other sources confirmed the move.

A type-A free agent, Scutaro's signing will require a draft pick compensation, though if the Sox sign a higher-ranked free agent such as Matt Holliday, the Jays will only receive a second round pick from the Sox instead of a first.

Scutaro is coming off a career year during which he posted a line of .282/.379/.409 while playing above average defense according to UZR.

For the Red Sox, Scutaro provides hope for some consistency at shortstop. Since the departure of Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera, the Sox have struggled to find a replacement, with disappointing performances from Edgar Renteria and Julio Lugo. Alex Gonzalez played solid defense in 2006, and again in the last half of 2009, but was a significant hole in the lineup.

The deal is expected to be announced tommorow (Friday), likely with a mutual option for a third year.

Free Agent Profile: Miguel Tejada

davoag — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:13 -0000

by Alex Brandon - AP

The market for Tejada will be tough to ascertain.

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Lots to talk about since the last time we looked at the free agency market. In this profile of what kind of deal Miguel Tejada may get, I thought it prudent to look at two important facts. First, how much will the Astros have available to spend?

If, as Wade said, the Astros will reduce payroll in 2010, that means their number will be lower than the 102 million they spent on Opening Day 2009. How much less is up for debate. After arbitration raises to Hunter Pence, Wandy Rodriguez and others, the Astros will have about 80 million committed already in 2010. Assuming the Astros lop 12 million off last year's number, that leaves them with 10 million to spend. Seems about right, doesn't it?

It's still what we've been projecting as their available room since the offseason began, before Wade confirmed it was the case. We'll get to my theory on how much Tejada will cost, but that's not a lot of money to spend to fill a couple of glaring holes.

The second thing to look at is the current market for third baseman. It may not be a foregone conclusion that Tejada will have to switch positions, his bat seems to fit more in line with the corner of the infield market. Of that list, Tejada is probably not going to get the richest deal and possibly not the third-richest deal. I still think he commands a good chunk of change, though. The question is, does it make more sense for the Astros to spend on Tejada or a guy like Pedro Feliz? Just some things to think about when looking at last winter...

The Shortstops

Rafael Furcal, Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract Details: 3 years, 30 million (09-6.5m, 10-8.5m, 11-12m, 12-12m option)

Notes: Furcal entered last year's market after totaling just 164 plate appearances. Still, the then-31-year old posted a wOBA of .440 and a UZR/150 of -15.2. The Dodgers still rewarded Furcal with the richest contract any shortstop earned last winter. Furcal's defense has been all over the boards the past couple of years, but I think it's safe to say conventional wisdom shows he's was better defensively heading into last offseason than Tejada is now. Consider this contract the upper boundary of what Tejada can expect.

Nick Punto, Minnesota Twins

Contract Details: 2 years, 8.5 million (09-4.25m, 10-4.25m, 11-5m option)

Notes: The 30-year old got this contract coming off a season where he played 99 games. Punto hit pretty decently when he did play, posting a wOBA of .324 and had a UZR/150 of 17.9. Punto is a much better fielder than Tejada, but can't hit nearly as well. He's also younger, but couldn't get more than a two-year deal in last year's market.

Orlando Cabrera, Oakland A's

Contract Details: 1 year, 4 million

Notes: Cabrera couldn't have illustrated the plight of Type A free agents any better. With no team willing to give up draft picks for a 34-year old shortstop coming off a season where he posted a wOBA of .316 with excellent defense (by all accounts). Obviously, Cabrera falls into the same situation as Punto. Both players were good defense, bad bat types, which makes them the exact opposite of Tejada. Still, it may be hard for Tejada to get more than a one-year deal this winter.

Cesar Izturis, Baltimore Orioles

Contract Details: 2 years, 5 million (09-2.4m, 10-2.6m)

Notes: Another good defensive shortstop that posted a sub-par wOBA heading into his free agency period. Izturis got a multi-year deal and performed admirably for Baltimore. His contract is lower than the deals that Punto and Cabrera ended up with, but not for a lack of offense. In fact, the only difference tangibly between these three players is that the other two had a better defensive reputation and Izturis had a down year offensively with the Cardinals in 2008. Of course, I say 'reputation' about defense since there is not much difference in the three's defensive stats.

Edgar Renteria, San Francisco Giants

Contract Details: 2 years, 18.5 million (09-7m, 10-9.5m, 11-10.5m option)

Notes: While Renteria's defense wasn't as bad as Tejada's, at least by UZR, Renteria also didn't post as good a wOBA as Tejada's. It fits that Renteria would be the best shortstop comparable for Tejada, though by all accounts, his defense is good enough to stay at short for a little while longer. This deal, though, feels like something Tejada could end up with this winter.

The Third Basemen

Casey Blake, Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract Details: 3 years, 17.5 million (09-5m, 10-6m, 11-5.25m, 12-6m option)

Notes: Now we move into the third basemen that hit the market last winter. Blake had a great run with the Dodgers after being traded to Los Angeles and was locked up to a reasonable deal. Blake more than outperformed his contract in 2009, but his deal was the richest given to a potential third base free agent last winter. If Tejada moves to the hot corner, look for his deal to be in this range.

Ty Wigginton, Baltimore Orioles

Contract Details: 2 years, 6 million (09-2.5m, 10-3.5m)

Notes: Ahh, the dearly departed Astro, Wigginton signed with Baltimore for two years at a very reasonable 6 million. Wigginton probably was over-extended as a third baseman and only played 39 games there in 2009. Wigginton was close to as valuable offensively as Tejada but wasn't good defensively at third. Tejada's advantage over this deal is that he's moving from a premium defensive position to third, instead of moving off third like Wigginton.

The Utility Players

Ramon Vasquez, Pittsburgh Pirates

Contract Details: 2 years, 4 million (09-1.75m, 10-2m)

Notes: There is a lot of Wigginton here too, as Vasquez wasn't as good offensively as Tejada nor was he as good defensively (comparatively, that is). Still, Vasquez landed a role with the Pirates and a reasonable contract. This reminds me too much of a Geoff Blum signing instead of what Tejada will fetch.

Mark Loretta, Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract Details: 1 year, 1.25 million

Notes: At this point in his career, Loretta was going to be nothing more than a valuable addition off the bench. His contract reflects this and though he could still play third base in a pinch (Loretta played 23 games in 2009), but this is more like the contract Tejada may get in two years.

The Outlier

Willie Bloomquist, Kansas City Royals

Contract Details: 2 years, 3.1 million (09-1.4m, 10-1.7m)

Notes: Remember when we were talking about Jose Valverde? And we saw all the crazy stuff that Dayton Moore has done? Fit the Bloomquist signing into that vein. The utility player with the Mariners was given a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract and played mostly in the outfield for the Royals. This was just a weird signing all around.

Non-Free Agents of Note

Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays

Contract Details: 2 years, 7.6 million (09-2m, 10-4.7m)

Notes: This starts a couple of third basemen who recently signed contracts, before they get to free agency. With Encarnacion, the Reds were simply buying out a couple of arbitration years, but the numbers fit into the overall picture of what Tejada could command. Interestingly enough, the Reds traded Encarnacion to the Blue Jays mid-season for Scott Rolen.

Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves

Contract Details: 3 years, 42 million (10-13m, 11-13m, 12-13m, 13-7m option)

Notes: Jones is the outlier of all outliers, since he's a franchise icon in Atlanta and could end up in the Hall of Fame some day. The Braves couldn't have let Chipper walk out the door, but after flirting with .400, his leverage was very high to get a huge deal done. Thus, this three-year deal, averaging 13 million per. Was an aging player worth this? I'm not sure, but it's definitely going to be the contract Tejada's agent bases his sales pitches around.

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington Nationals

Contract Details: 5 years, 45 million (09-3.325m, 10-6.25m, 11-8.925m, 12-12m, 13-14m)

Notes: Another deal which bought out part of Zimmerman's arbitration years. This also goes for Troy Tulowitski and Ryan Braun's new deals. Zimmerman got a nice bump and quite the salary security for the next five years.

The Breaking News

Jack Wilson, SS, Seattle Mariners

Contract Details: 2 years 10 million (10-5 million, 11-5 million)

Notes: Wilson avoided free agency by agreeing to a deal with the Mariners last Friday. Wilson is nowhere near the hitter Tejada is, posting a wOBA of .286, but is much better with the glove. The Mariners acquired Wilson midway through last season to replace the departed Yuniesky Betancourt. Wilson had an 8.4 million dollar option, which the Mariners didn't have to exercise by coming to terms with him on this deal. If a more one-dimensional player like Wilson can get an average of 5 million per year, it doesn't bode well for Tejada, who may be moved to a less premium defensive position.

Forecast for Tejada

Taking into account Buster Olney's latest comments from above and the market from last season, it's safe to assume Tejada will sign for somewhere around 7 million per year for two years. Some team may be willing to up that number to around 9 or 10 million, but only over one season. I could see the White Sox possibly making a move here, but I don't see Tejada getting more than a two year deal from anyone. Not at his age nor when he'd have to most likely move positions. It's also highly unlikely any team would commit serious money to him as a shortstop, but don't rule out the Royals.

Minor League Update -- 11/16/09

Ben Buchanan — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:16:28 -0000

Jose Iglesias is not to be kept down. via cache.daylife.com

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First, a weekly reminder to join in on voting for the OTM Top Prospects list here

Arizona Fall League

Only one more week for the AFL and the Sox' biggest name prospects playing this offseason.

Luis Exposito: 3-9, BB -- .295/.340/.409

Jose Iglesias: 8-16, 3 2B, BB, K -- .293/.348/.439

-And just when it looked like he was going to follow through on that "no bat" prediction. A roller coaster stint for Iglesias is so much better than a flatline.

Ryan Kalish: 5-14, HR, 3 BB, 3 K -- .306/.392/.387

-Finally, some of the power! But it's Kalish's continued OBP and patience (BB% of ~12.5) that are really impressive.

Casey Kelly: 3-9, 4 K -- .241/.353/.345

-Y'know, I think Kelly's skills as a shortstop probably get underrated. It's hard to pick things up when everyone is already in midseason form and you're just starting out. Not to mention it seems like he really could have a nice bit of pop for a middle infielder.

Still want him to be a pitcher though...

Randor Bierd: 4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K – 5.40 ERA, 13:10 K:BB, 1.29 WHIP

Richie Lentz: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K – 1.98 ERA, 13:2 K:BB, .88 WHIP

-Everybody has a bad game sometimes. Lentz' season is still something to write home about after his crappy year in Portland

Chris Province: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 0 K – 3.86 ERA, 8:4 K:BB, 1.03 WHIP

Dustin Richardson: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 3 K – 5.91 ERA, 16:9 K:BB, 1.97 WHIP

-I'm starting to notice a trend as far as earned runs are concerned...

Columbian Winter League

Reynaldo Rodriguez: .213/.310/.311

-Wow, that must've been one bad week.

Puerto Rican Winter League

The late-starting Puerto Rican League started play this week. Only Aaron Bates and Jorge Jimenez saw playing time among Sox players so far.

Aaron Bates: 1-8, 3 K -- .125/.125/.125

Jorge Jimenez: 2-7, HR -- .286/.444/.714

-Two hit by pitches! He's an on base machine!

Sydney Winter League

Boss Moanaroa: 2-4, 2B, K -- .409/.500/.500

-Boss is seeing some time in the corner outfields in Sydney. Committed an error, though.

Moko Moanaroa: 2-4, 3B -- .278/.409/.389

-Though corner outfielder Moko is playing center, so perhaps it's just a matter of level of talent?

Venezuelan Winter League

Yeiper Castillo: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K – 5.68 ERA, 4:5 K:BB, 1.74 WHIP

-Castillo bucks the trend, but in the wrong direction.

Felix Doubront: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K – 1.74 ERA, 3:2 K:BB, 1.06 WHIP

-Not a big "peripherals" year for Doubront.

Ryan Westmoreland Looking Good

The Providence Journal reports that Ryan Westmoreland's recovery is coming along quite nicely. Westmoreland suffered a broken collarbone after running into an outfield wall in the process of making a catch. If Westmoreland is as well as reported, it seems very likely that he won't miss any more baseball due to this injury.

Peter Gammons Chimes In

Gammons had a few notes on Iglesias—not much more than the usual other than this bit:

"What impressed me is that he squares the ball," says an NL scout. "He's not some overwhelmed teenager. He squares the bat on the ball. He shows some pop, and with his speed, if he learns to steal bases, could be a pretty good offensive player."

First time I can remember having heard positive scouting on Iglesias' bat. Maybe he's just having a hot streak, but there's no reason not to hope.
Gammons also notices a long-developing trend in the Sox' minor league system involving depth at shortstop and catcher. While the Sox may not have a wealth of top-level talent, they've been building up a large number of lesser names that could all turn out to be good major league talent at some of the league's most talent-bereft positions. Whether any of them hit remains to be seen, but between Wagner, Exposito, Federowicz and Lavarnway at Catcher, and Iglesias, Navarro, Gibson and Renfroe at SS, they've got some surprisingly good odds. Which is to say nothing of the under-18 group in Oscar Perez and Jose Vinicio.

Sox Acquire Stephen Fox, RHP, from Can-Am League

Fox is the second player acquired by the Red Sox from an independent league this year, joining Reynaldo Rodriguez. Fox had a rocky start to his year, but finished strong by posting a 1.90 ERA and 29 strikeouts in his final 24 innings of work, earning him a look from MLB teams.

So far, Reynaldo Rodriguez has struggled during his short time spent in Edgar Renteria's Columbia Winter League. Daniel Nava, another independent league acquisition, has been dominating every level of competition he's faced in the Sox' farm system, and is likely to start the year in Pawtucket.

NL West in Review: Shortstops

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:00:43 -0000

by David Zalubowski - AP

If UZR wasn't so strangely hard on Tulo, the Rockies' shortstop would be even higher above his competition.

View full size photo »

This is about as suspenseful as a modern day cookie-cutter horror flick. Not even our pudgy four-letter Philly fan can deny the proper anointment of the NL West's top shortstop in 2009. However, it wasn't quite so clear just last March.

Coming off of a miserable 0.8 WAR season in 2008 (at the same level as Brian Barton and Carlos Gonzalez), Troy Tulowitzki silenced all critics in 2009, giving the Rockies a clear advantage over every team in the West. In fact, the 6.85 WAR that Tulo, Barmes and Quintanilla generated represent the strongest infield position of any team in the division.

Even considering Tulo's down year, the preseason projections had the Rockies as clear favorites in the NL West, with Los Angeles, Arizona, San Francisco and San Diego following in order. Colorado delivered in a big way, representing the division's sole above average offensive unit. Everth Cabrera's surprising rookie season ruined what would have otherwise been an accurate ranking:


Teams	Players	Avg	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA*	WAR
1. Colorado	3	.298	32	96	.377	.536	.387	6.85
2. Los Angeles	4	.271	9	54	.330	.371	.321	3.64
3. Arizona	3	.265	12	73	.332	.417	.326	2.49
4. San Diego	4	.231	4	43	.319	.328	.304	1.98
5. San Francisco	4	.255	11	72	.306	.353	.296	0.74

Shortstop was the most stable position among divisional infield positions, as all five teams had clear full-time starters from start to finish. With the positional RAR set at +7.5, here is the graphical RAR representation:

For the full rankings and team rundowns, turn the corner.

Seventeen different men manned shortstop, including Josh Wilson twice (for San Diego and Arizona), and all but five were above replacement level:

Rank	Player	Team	PA	Avg	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA*	UZR	WAR
1	Troy Tulowitzki	COL	628	.296	32	92	.377	.551	.362	-1.2	5.07
2	Rafael Furcal	LAD	671	.266	8	45	.331	.368	.321	8.0	3.24
3	Stephen Drew	AZ	586	.262	12	65	.320	.432	.334	3.4	3.00
4	Everth Cabrera	SDP	437	.255	2	31	.343	.362	.335	-11.7	0.84
5	Augie Ojeda	AZ	116	.289	0	6	.381	.371	.331	3.2	0.83
~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~
14	Blake DeWitt	LAD	5	.000	0	0	.200	.000	.141	-0.4	-0.08
15	Luis Rodriguez	SDP	119	.196	1	6	.314	.268	.272	-1.8	-0.12
16	Kevin Frandsen	SFG	20	.056	0	0	.150	.056	.119	-0.2	-0.21
17	Chris Burke	SDP	76	.214	1	5	.276	.314	.268	-2.6	-0.23
18	Josh Wilson	SDP	42	.108	0	1	.195	.162	.141	-2.0	-0.55

Edgar Renteria was one of the first signings last offseason, before the market crashed. Consequently, his contract looks silly now, as he just finished the first year of a two year $18million contract. Nine million of that will come in 2010, with an obvious $500k buyout to be exercised next offseason. The option year in 2010 is for $10.5million. If Renteria falters there more, the Giants could do a lot worse than using Juan Uribe there.

Bad Gift Ideas For Your Favorite Tigers Fan

Ian Casselberry — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:30:24 -0000

What would be a worse gift idea for a Detroit Tigers fan this holiday season? An Edgar Renteria bobblehead or a Gary Sheffield bobblehead?

(I'm kind of impressed by the Sheff bobblehead's likeness. Usually, these things look nothing like the actual person.)

What, no Todd Jones bobblehead? Maybe a Jacque Jones model on super-clearance?

These are among the offerings available through MLB.com "Gift Finder."

I don't mean to poke too much fun, however, because if you play around a bit, it could actually a pretty clever tool to come up with Tigers-related gifts for different people you know.

But you can never go wrong with an authentic jersey or cap. I'm just sayin'.

Fixing the Giants Offense, Part I: Just Do Nothing

Grant — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:37:54 -0000

The offseason hasn't even started yet. I already hate the offseason. The hopes of improving the Giants' offense are dead; long live the hopes of improving the Giants' offense.

The team wants to re-sign Juan Uribe, which is a fine idea. But they want to sign Juan Uribe to start at second or third. The Giants' yer-only-good-as-yer-last-200-at-bats organizational philosophy doesn't see how it's possible that a player can decline after a good season. Randy Winn had a heckuva run before the Giants extended him, and he kept producing at that same level, averaging almost 30 home runs a year. Aaron Rowand was a 25-homer guy when the Giants signed him, and, gee, no one's regretting that move, what with Rowand continuing to be a middle-of-the-order force. So when you're looking to repair a completely broken offense, the first question you should ask yourself is, "Are there any 30-somethings who are coming off good seasons that were totally unexpected?" That's where they hide the gold in this league, people.

If Uribe hits like he did this year, he'd be perfectly fine at second or third. The odds of that happening are less than stellar. You have to factor in a possible decline with Uribe. And if he drops back to the performance level of his previous two seasons, he'll be another millstone around the neck of the offense. That's a big leap of faith.

If I were running the team, though, I'd re-sign Uribe too. And I'd promise him a starting job. So I'm not anti-Uribe. He should be the starting shortstop next year. I had a chance to talk with Giants Brass about this, and our conversation is after the jump.

Giants Brass: Whoa, whoa, whoa. But we have Edgar Renteria.
McC: ...who is one of the worst regular players in baseball. His offense is so poor that he'd be a bad player if he were a Gold Glover, which he most certainly is not. He plays the game as if he's encased in a Jello mold, and he's trying slowly fight his way out.

Giants Brass: Well, give him a chance. He was injured.

McC: Even if that's true, even if for the past two seasons his abysmal performances were due to injury, why would you expect him to get better? He's getting older, not younger. When you re-sign Juan Uribe and start him anywhere but short, you're doubling your risk. You're saying, "Well, I hope this 34-year-old, nicked up shortstop can stop being terrible, and I hope this 30-year-old player who had his best season in five years doesn't regress." Why not minimize the risk and say, "I hope this 30-year-old player doesn't regress...but if he does, at least he won't be worse than the player he's replacing, and we'll be able to upgrade another position in the lineup."

Giants Brass: But Renteria makes $9M. He has to start.

McC: Would you like to pay $9M and have a good shortstop, or would you like to pay $9M and have an awful shortstop?

Giants Brass: Uh. The first one?

McC: Good. Because you're going to pay $9M regardless. So you might as well find a good shortstop.

Giants Brass: But Renteria makes $9M. He has to start.

several hours later, after three PowerPoint presentations

McC: So, as you can see, the concept of "sunk costs" applies to baseball as well. You're paying Renteria $9M, yes. But that doesn't mean he's an asset to the team. So if you can find a better player who improves the team, you do it. That $9M isn't coming back, so there's no sense in paying all that money and getting a lackluster performance in exchange.

Giants Brass: Okay, smart guy, answer me this: Why wouldn't Renteria start if we pay him the kind of money that starting players usually get. Hmmm?

McC: Let's move on. So you're plan is to put Uribe at third, moving Sandoval over to first. Edgar keeps his starting job. Rowand starts in center.

Giants Brass: Have you seen what that guy makes? He must be some player!

McC: So that leaves second base as an open position, and...

Giants Brass: I'm pretty sure we'll find a way to keep Freddy Sanchez. He hit .284 for us!

McC: Uh, okay. So now you have two outfield spots to play with, and....

Giants Brass: Oh, no. We're going to start Andres Torres and Eugenio Velez in left. Vrrrrrrrooom!

McC: ...

Giants Brass: Vrrrrrrrooom!

McC: So you have one outfield spot with which to fix the entire offense.

Giants Brass: It'll be tough, especially if Bengie doesn't come back. I mean, the drop off from Molina to Whiteside will be huge over 162 games.

McC: Do you have any players in mind?

Giants Brass: Well, not Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. They'll require contracts that are too big, and they're not worth the long-term risks.

McC: Wow. I agree wi...

Giants Brass: Just kidding. We'll pursue them as if they will fix the offense single-handedly, but they won't want to come here. No, but there are a bunch of options out there. Marlon Byrd is over 30, and he's likely to just keep getting better. He hits for a little power in Texas, which will obviously translate well here, he doesn't take walks...he's perfect. Garret Anderson is due for a breakout season. Randy Winn is due to rebound. We have a bunch of options.

McC: Thank you for your time. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go commit hari kari.

Giants Brass: Good luck! I don't even think he's broadcasting for the Cubs anymore, but he is crazy. I saw a documentary once where he talked about the moon being made of spare ribs. Crazy stuff!

McC: ...

Giants Brass: Vrrrrrroooom!

This team is going to want to rebuild a very bad offense, yet they're committed to retaining one of the worst pieces of that offense, even though he doesn't provide any defensive upgrade, and even though there's a capable replacement who wants to come back to the team. I don't get it.

Facing Lincecum: Cubs vs. Giants Preview, Friday 9/25, 9:15 CT

Al — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Eric Risberg - AP

Write your own caption; another prize for the best one.

Browse more photos »

The last time the Cubs faced Tim Lincecum, on May 5 at Wrigley Field, Lou sent onto the field a makeshift lineup that included Joey Gathright leading off in CF (the only game he started as a Cub), Kosuke Fukudome batting third, Micah Hoffpauir hitting fifth, and Aaron Miles starting at SS and batting second (surprisingly enough, he actually worked a walk off Lincecum).

I really have no idea why Lou did this; maybe he was thinking "we're going to lose this game anyway to this pitcher, so I'll give my regulars some rest". And you know what, the spring training style lineup might have actually worked if Sean Marshall hadn't given up a three-run homer to Bengie Molina in the first inning. After that, Marshall settled down and matched Lincecum well for the next six innings; each of them allowed a pair of runs between the second and the seventh.

Tonight, there will be a few sub Cubs in the lineup again (see below), but this time out of necessity due to injuries and several other factors. With Carlos Zambrano on the mound, maybe this time, the Cubs can beat Lincecum; they have done so only once before, on August 21, 2007, and that was primarily the fault of the Giants' bullpen, though Jason Marquis matched up well with Lincecum that night. I was at that game in San Francisco; here's the recap I wrote the next day.

There are only three visiting teams that have a winning record at AT&T Park. Believe it or not, last night the Cubs (now 17-16) joined the Dodgers (43-38) and, amazingly, the Pirates (15-14) on that very short list. (Hat tip to BCB reader bison for the link.)

Lineup via Twittermyer:

Fukudome, rf; Theriot, ss; Ramirez, 3b; Hoffpauir, 1b; Baker, 2b; Scales, lf; Hill, c; Fuld, cf; Zambrano, p

Paul Sullivan asks whether the Giants might be a good match for Milton Bradley in an offseason trade and posits whether Aaron Rowand would be a good return:

... both GMs are motivated sellers, and a Rowand-Bradley deal would not be out of the realm of possibility. Rowand has three years and $36 million left on his contract, while Bradley has $21 million and two years left on his deal. Obviously more players would have to be involved, unless the Giants were willing to pay the Cubs around half of the $15 million difference in the contracts.

Well. Rowand has had a mediocre year (and looked awful striking out against Carlos Marmol last night) and is two years removed from his fine offensive season with the Phillies. But he is an outstanding center fielder; getting him would allow the Cubs to move Kosuke Fukudome back to RF (perhaps he could platoon with Reed Johnson there?) and maybe Rowand has one more good year left in him. Maybe some of the difference in salaries could be made up by asking the Giants to take Aaron Miles in return, too. If a deal like this were made, the Giants would probably have to leave Bradley home during any series at Wrigley Field. It's not the only option or even the best one, but it might be worth considering.

Finally, for the third day in a row, I found a fun photo for which I'll run another caption contest. Prize again is a DVD of "Chasing October". Previous winners can enter, but can't win again (ballhawk and KaliCub, who won last night for this entry).

Today's Starting Pitchers


Carlos Zambrano Cubs	vs.	Tim Lincecum Giants

8-6	W-L	14-6
3.91	ERA	2.47
138	SO	247
73	BB	63
10	HR	10
vs. SF	--	vs. Cubs

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Carlos Zambrano	8-6	33	26	0	0	0	0	154.1	147	74	67	10	73	138	3.91	1.43

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Tim Lincecum	14-6	31	30	4	2	0	0	211.1	160	65	58	10	63	247	2.47	1.06

The crack in Tim Lincecum's armor might be his recent performance. Is he tiring at the end of a long season? In his last six starts he's a pedestrian 3-2, 3.69 with 20 walks in 39 innings. Maybe the Cubs can wait him out and get on base via walks tonight. The more pitches you make him throw, the quicker the Cubs can get into SF's bullpen. Derrek Lee is 6-for-16 (.375) with a pair of doubles vs. Lincecum, but he won't be starting tonight. And maybe someday, Lincecum will look like he's older than 15.

Carlos Zambrano hasn't faced the Giants since 2007, when they had quite a different-looking lineup than today's, on August 23, 2007. Z threw OK that day, but allowed his opposing pitcher, Matt Cain, to hit a two-run homer. Overall Z is 4-1, 3.40 in seven career starts vs. the Giants, and has not lost (3-0) in six road starts (2.76) since the All-Star break. Edgar Renteria (12-for-31, .387) and Randy Winn (6-for-11, two doubles, a HR) have hit Z well.

Today's game is CSN-centric; Chicago and Bay Area. In Chicago it'll be on CSN Plus, so "check local listings" for the channel on your system (CLTV in Chicago and 285 for the HD version if you have Comcast in the city). For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles. Grant, who runs the site, is one of SBN's best writers.

Overflow comment threads will post today at 10:15 and 11:15 pm CDT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

It Was Twenty-Five Years Ago Today: Cubs vs. Giants Preview, Thursday 9/24, 9:15 CT

Al — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

Write your own caption.

Browse more photos »

As mentioned in this FanShot, today is the 25th anniversary of the clinching of the Cubs' first title of any kind in 39 years, the 1984 NL East championship. It happened in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium in front of a crowd announced as 5,472, but it sounded more like 50,000 -- almost all rooting for the Cubs. I know, because I was one of them. Some friends of mine and I paid an usher $10 to let us sit six rows behind the Cubs dugout, where we saw (and congratulated) Dallas Green on his way from the dugout to sit in one of the suites.

Here's the boxscore from that game, which was not only the clincher, but Rick Sutcliffe's 20th win of the season (capping his 16-1 run as a Cub, it was his final regular season start). He threw a complete game and allowed only two hits and a run, striking out nine. What many people don't remember about the two hits -- but I do -- is how close those hits came to being outs. Both hits were by Pirates outfielder Joe Orsulak. The first was a sharp grounder down the 1B line in the third inning that just eluded Leon Durham's glove. It quickly went into the RF corner and Orsulak, then a 22-year-old September callup with good speed, legged out a triple. He later scored on a groundout.

Orsulak came up in the sixth inning with two out and laid down a perfect bunt (hard to do on that old Astroturf field) and beat it out for a single. He was promptly picked off; Sutcliffe thus came within a couple of heartbeats of throwing a perfect game. Orsulak also thus wound up being the final out of the game, a called strikeout, setting off a celebration among the Cubs fans in Pittsburgh.

Wonderful memories. If only we could have repeated them this year. Also, Bruce Levine recounts his memories of being there as a reporter and has this cogent observation on Ryne Sandberg:

Veteran shortstop Larry Bowa and future Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg did what they always did before a game, taking 75 ground balls from coach John Vukovich. It was a routine that Sandberg said helped solidify his work ethic, one that he teaches today as a minor league manager in the Cubs organization.

There is no doubt in my mind that Sandberg will make an excellent major league manager.

Last night's impromptu photo caption contest drew some really good and funny entries, so I'm doing it again tonight. Write your caption in the comments; I'll go through all of them and post the winner's user name in the thread in the morning (if you missed it, last night's winner was ballhawk -- and to be fair, ballhawk, you can enter but you can't win again). Go for it.

Today's Starting Pitchers


Ryan Dempster Cubs	vs.	Brad Penny Giants

10-8	W-L	10-9
3.72	ERA	5.35
150	SO	100
61	BB	49
20	HR	22
vs. SF	--	vs. Cubs

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Ryan Dempster	10-8	28	28	0	0	0	0	179.0	178	87	74	20	61	150	3.72	1.34

Note: Brad Penny's stats below are with the Giants only; see the pitcher box above for his full-season stats.

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Brad Penny	3-1	4	4	0	0	0	0	24.2	18	11	11	5	7	11	4.01	1.01

Brad Penny is 3-3, 2.64 in nine career starts vs. the Cubs; the most famous of them is probably this 2006 game at Wrigley Field, pitched by Penny not long after Greg Maddux was traded to the Dodgers. Penny let Maddux call all his pitches that day and Penny threw seven shutout innings, allowing seven singles and no walks. Penny had a rough time with the Red Sox this year; they released him and he's been better with the Giants, although he got pounded in his last start against the Dodgers. Aramis Ramirez (10-for-26, .385) and Derrek Lee (6-for-13, 3 doubles), both of whom have been hot this month, like hitting Penny.

In Ryan Dempster's last six starts, he has gone 4-1, 1.91 with 33 strikeouts and only eight walks in 42.1 innings, looking very much like the dominant pitcher of 2008. Let's hope he continues that tonight to finish this season on a positive note. He threw seven strong innings in a 4-2 Cubs win at Wrigley Field on May 4. Current Giants are hitting .235 (31-for-132) against Dempster; the only one who'll likely be in tonight's lineup who hits him well is Edgar Renteria (7-for-22, 2 HR).

Today's game is CSN-centric; Chicago and Bay Area. If you have EI and get the Giants feed, Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper are among the best local broadcast teams. For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles. Grant, who runs the site, is one of SBN's best writers.

Overflow comment threads will post today at 10:15 and 11:15 pm CDT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.