SB Nation - San Francisco Giants

Winter Meetings, Day Three: A Byrd in the hand is worth, like, $2M, tops.

Grant — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:31:56 -0000

With Twitter mavens bringing in every stray rumor written on the bathroom wall, this year's Winter Meetings are insufferable. Don't like a player? Don't think he'd be a good fit? Well, people from the St. Olaf Bugler, USA Today, and The Economist are all tweeting that the Giants are extremely interested in that player. Blood pressure up, lucidity down, and we're only 40% through the week.

The rumors make for a neat little fantasyworld, even though there's no way to discern which ones are legit. Brian Sabean might have called the Padres and said something like, "Hey, we have two guys I don't really want to make room for on my bench. Are you giving Kevin Kouzmanoff away?" and the Padres might have chuckled, but the rumor is filtered as: "GIANTS IN ON KOUZ; PADS NOT WACKY ABOUT FRANDSO AND FLEW" by the time newsies are singing it on the the street corners.

And it's tough to take quotes seriously, even when they're straight from the source. There's nothing to gain by raising expectations. After the breathless C.C. Sabathimania of last year's offseason -- the next person to mention a "hometown discount" gets an oyster fork to the throat -- there's no reason for Sabean to say, "Oh, yeah, we have the money for someone like Jason Bay or Matt Holliday. We hope they like us. Are they looking at us? DON'T LOOK! Oh my god, did they see you? Are they looking at us? We totally like them." If those tires need kicking, it's best if they're kicked in the dark when no one else is looking.

If the best options don't like us like us, though, there's also nothing to gain by saying things like...

Man, if we have to start Eugenio Velez in left, we are screwed. Like, totally screwed. And we don't really think Edgar Renteria can still play, by the by. He's done, but, what, are we going to try Brian Bocock again?

It makes sense that the Giants would express faith in the fallback options and the de facto starters, even if there isn't a whole lot of supporting evidence behind the words.

(At this point, my post turned into another 500-word screed against a front office that believes Eugenio Velez is a viable corner outfielder on a team trying to improve an offense. It really did, and it included the words "freak jousting accident" and "spindly baserunning nonsense." I'm not really sure what it had to do with the Winter Meetings, but that's what this time of year does to a fella. The screed will be included on the second disc of the McCovey Chronicles DVD.)

So now that we've established that there's nothing worth believing, the Giants are linked to Marlon Byrd, Mike Cameron, Nick Johnson, Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and maybe even Jason Bay. But not Jermaine Dye, which is disinterest I want to believe in, but I just can't yet. I'd be fine with most of those names on one-year deals, begrudgingly accepting of most on two-year deals, and mortified at anything at three years and beyond for anyone not named Matt Holliday. Well, and Jason Bay, but I don't want to admit that, lest I be beaten with a UZR stick. Those things hurt.

Winter Meetings Day Three Continuation Thread.

Giants Pursuing Kouzmanoff?

Grant — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:10:58 -0000

According to Bob Nightengale, via MLB Trade Rumors...

The SF Giants are talking to the Padres about 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, but SD wants more than OF Fred Lewis and IF Kevin Frandsen

Makes perfect sense. Why play Ryan Garko at first when you can trade for a lesser player to take his lineup spot? It's like that time someone I brought a turkey sandwich to work and someone said, "Hey, I'll sell you this turkey sandwich that I dropped on the floor! Only $5.00!", and I immediately agreed because it made too much sense to pass up.

Rumors like this make me sad, and they cause computers to crash.

NL Source: Giants interested in Brandon McCarthy

Eli Greenspan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:03:55 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

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Jon Paul Morosi is reporting that Rangers pitcher Brandon McCarthy is drawing interest on the open market. McCarthy was limited by injuries to only 22 starts over the past two seasons. He went 8-5 with a 4.53 ERA during that time.

Morosi goes on to say the Rangers do not need to move McCarthy, but will entertain offers for the pitcher.

One NL source said after the Giants lost Brad Penny to the Cardinals, a cheap option like McCarthy would allow the Giants not to rush prospect Madison Baumgarden.

While I agree with the logic, one source said he would be surprised if the Giants interest was nothing more than "mild."

I exchanged queries with another reporter, who asked to remain anonymous, who said the Nationals did inquire about McCarthy when they looked into trading for Kevin Millwood. The Millwood talks got no where and it is still too early for McCarthy.

I'll keep you posted.

Tuesday Rockpile: Rafael Betancourt is officially a Rockie again

Poseidon's Fist — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:42:20 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

These two guys' fates seem to have shifted a bit.

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Some GM's, like David Dombrowski, choose to use the Winter Meetings to contact every team about Edwin Jackson - including the Rockies - only to pull him off the table. Instead, it seems Dan O'Dowd spent the majority of his time secluded in his room talking with his own players' agents yesterday.

Dan O'Dowd and Rafael Betancourt had danced in and out of option year, two year contract and three year contract discussions, with the Betancourt ultimately accepting arbitration (Renck) late last night. He'll likely make close to what he did had the Rockies exercised his option.

Thomas Harding reports that, as expected, Jason Marquis has declined arbitration (Harding), rewarding the Rockies with a sandwich pick for having the guts to risk dealing with his eight figure salary had he accepted. In truth, you would be hard pressed to find a more clearcut case for declining $10+mil guaranteed around the league.

Troy Renck reported that O'Dowd has been working on multi-year deals for Huston Street, Clint Barmes and Chris Iannetta, as fanshotted below by Hizilla. Street has been seeking $30mil, but the ultimate offer should be closer to $25mil.

As for locking up Iannetta (Harding), the deal is a buy-low contract that would buy out his arbitration years. It would be unlikely to pay him much more than he would receive those years. Harding notes that Iannetta actually improved his slugging percentage last season by twenty points. Who knew? A quick note from the bottom of the article. Dan O'Dowd said "[Franklin Morales] is going back into our bullpen."

As noted early in the day, the Rockies cleared space for Ryan Spilborghs (Harding). In deciding not to sell low on the gaucho, Dan O'Dowd had to tell Matt Murton he was once again squeezed from a deserved MLB roster spot. He was then sold to a team in Japan. I hope he can return to get another shot on this side of the Pacific in 2011.

For a brief wrap of NL West Rumors from the meetings, take the jump.

Arizona

MLBTR reports several teams are interested in reliever JJ Putz, including Arizona.

The Diamondbacks reportedly pushed yesterday's blockbuster trade, in which they would send Max Scherzer and one or two prospects while receiving Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy. The deal would also involve Curtis Granderson. While Joel Sherman called the deal dead and Buster Olney is "unsure if the embers can be re-lit", there is one optimist. Jon Paul Morosi reports it is still a possibility.

Arizona beat writer Nick Piecoro's head must have been spinning, as he clearly disagreed with the idea of offering Scherzer for Jackson.

Los Angeles

While Los Angeles has no plans to decrease payroll (Dylan Hernandez, LA Times), they don't seem to be in much of a place of power. The Mets reportedly agreed to send Luis Castillo to Los Angeles for Juan Pierre, a move that would improve the Dodgers' starting lineup and take an expensive bench player off the books, but Ned Colletti wants pitching in return.

The Blue Jays talked to the Dodgers about Roy Halladay (Jayson Stark) but there is expectedly no match there

Colletti is also open to dealing lefty George Sherrill.

San Diego

The Padres will apparently non-tender Kevin Correia MLBTR), who was clearly their most valuable pitcher from start to finish. The former Giant had just a $750k base salary last season. It's a very sad cheap move from the Friars, but I guess they'll need to the money to pay their closer. While Heath Bell is one of their most enticing trade chips, San Diego's new GM Jed Hoyer seems inclined to keep Bell (Corey Brock, MLB.com), who would garner about a $5mil salary next season.

San Diego has also been linked to outfielder Reed Johnson (Bill Center, San Diego Union Tribune) and are now on the prowl for a backup catcher with the loss of Henry Blanco (Center).

San Francisco

St. Louis put a dent in the Giants' rotational depth, as the Cards signed Brad Penny to a one -year $7.5mil base salary contract (Buster Olney). He will likely have a physical tomorrow to complete the deal.

MLB.com's Chris Haft has some Giants nuggets - Eugenio Velez or Andres Torres will be their leadoff hitter, neither Pablo Sandoval nor Ryan Garko will catch at all next year, and the Giants might attempt to acquire Juan Rivera if the Angels sign Jason Bay.

Speaking of Garko, he is still "on the bubble" for being non-tendered a contract, according to Sabean (Andrew Baggarly).

Only one NL team remains a serious player for Dan Uggla, that team being San Francisco (Joe Frisaro, MLB.com). The Orioles are the most likely landing spot.

Brad Penny Signs With Cardinals

Randy Booth — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:50:30 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

2 months ago: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Brad Penny throws to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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Brad Penny has a new baseball team to ~~blow up for~~ pitch for (that would be the St. Louis Cardinals). Not only that, but he's getting paid a lot of money, too:

The Cardinals and Brad Penny have a letter of agreement, for a $7.5 million base and $1.5 in performances bonuses. Physical likely on Wed.

Are you kiddiiiiiiing me? Penny received a $5M base from the Red Sox when he was signed last offseason. I don't care what he did with the Giants -- He. Should. Not. Get. A. Raise.

Penny sticking in the National League? Story definitely checks out.

(NOTE: I am going to just ignore the fact he was pretty good with the Giants. Completely ignored.)

Winter Meetings, Day I: Is it over yet?

Grant — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:39:02 -0000

Double-pronged comment starter: What do you think the Giants will do at the Winter Meetings that began today, and what would you like them to do?

I think the Giants will sign Jermaine Dye to a two-year deal for $18M. I think this because the crow with the scythe in my nightmares writes it in blood every night before I wake up. That’s science. Look in your heart. You know it’s true. He’ll be like Moises Alou, but without the blazing speed and ability to hit well. Dye, that is, not the crow.

I expect the Giants to sign a catcher who hits, runs, and fields like Bengie Molina for 20% of the price of the real thing, and they won’t expect the new guy to hit cleanup. It sounds like running in place, but it’s kind of an improvement, especially when Buster Posey hits .400/.500/.600 in the spring to win the job outright. Spring stats are usually the best way to tell if a hitter’s ready, but only if there aren’t any tea leaves or star charts around, so the Giants have the right idea. Don’t just give a hitter the job; make him earn it against guys from A-ball who are going to be sent to the minor league complex the following day.

What I’d like them to do is another story. My affinity for Nick Johnson is well documented, and Brian Sabean told the Chronicle that the Giants would rather keep Pablo Sandoval at third and acquire a first baseman, but I’m wondering if the heavy interest in Johnson will price him out of a sensible contract. If the price is reasonable enough, though, it would be nice to have a .400 OBP in the lineup.

But I’m starting to get a little crazy. I’ve been freebasing MLB Trade Rumors – I mean, I can quit any time I want – and I’m getting a little twitchy. Mainlining Curtis Granderson rumors is a good way to end up in cardiac arrest, but the rush isn't even describable. Granderson is:

going to be 29 on Opening Day
coming off a little bit of a down year, but that’s probably because his BABIP was at a career low, so he’s undervalued just a bit
locked up for the next three years for a combined $24M, and there’s a $13M club option for 2013
a good defensive center fielder
a 20- or 30-home run hitter who will probably get 6,203 triples in his first season in San Francisco
going to be pretty danged expensive to acquire

I just can’t help myself, though. Obviously, Posey stays. But I’d trade anyone else in the farm for Granderson. That most definitely includes Madison Bumgarner, and I don’t think the Tigers would even start talks without him. And I know how crazy that sounds. While I would have been the guy advocating a Foppert-for-Guerrero swap in ’01, I also would have traded Cain for Vernon Wells in ’04. So I know there is enormous potential for a team to look incredibly stupid on this one.

But could you imagine Granderson patrolling center for his peak? Oooh, ooh, and then the Giants trade Aaron Rowand for Milton Bradley. Oooh, ooh, and then John Bowker starts and hits like the projection systems say he can. Oooh, ooh, and then the Giants sign Nick Johnson. Ooooh, and then the Cardinals make an administrative error that gives Albert Pujols to the Giants for a signed Luis Pujols jersey. Oooh, ooh, and then…

I’m sorry you had to see that. Rosterbation can drive a man insane. I’m not totally serious about Granderson, but if the Tigers would take Bumgarner, a #5-#10 prospect, and one of the quasi-interesting twenty-something outfielders, I’d at least listen. And that’s probably too much to give up for a player who only had a 100 OPS+ last year. But I’d at least kick tires with due diligence when the time comes.

Open What You Expect and Want the Giants to Do Thread.

NL West in Review: Center Fielders

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:00:29 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Don't forget about this guy.

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Matt Kemp was a beast this season, but that doesn't mean the Dodgers had the best CF spot last season. For the second straight week, Los Angeles surprisingly gets pushed to second place by a team without a primary starter.

San Diego started the season with Scott Hairston and Jody Gerut platooning in center field, but by the All-Star break, both had been jettisoned, with the only returning position player being their new center fielder who had been in AAA all season to that point.

But don't let Petco Park and the constant new faces fool you. The Padres were strong in center field last season.


Teams	Players	Avg	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA*	WAR
1. San Diego	6	.292	17	65	.356	.445	.358	5.37
2. Los Angeles	4	.292	24	98	.350	.472	.371	4.97
3. San Francisco	4	.266	17	79	.305	.419	.332	2.76
4. Colorado	4	.269	17	58	.345	.451	.341	2.14
5. Arizona	5	.219	17	61	.288	.379	.291	-1.18

Hairston saved almost all his San Diego offense for his CF starts, posting a ridiculous .458 wOBA in 148 PA. His eventual replacement, Tony Gwynn Jr, had the best OBP in the division outside of Hairston matched with fantastic defensive play. That was enough to supersede the Dodgers, who had neutral defense and just a 13 point wOBA* edge. This can teach us two things - it is indeed a team game, and don't discredit the Padres' offense, as Petco Park can mask a lot.

All the proof and stats are under the fold.

Here's your visual breakdown, with the CF positional RAR set at +2.5. The Dodgers' team UZR is indeed included; however, it is equal to exactly zero:

The bottom three slots of the NL West's 23 center fielders are occupied by Diamondbacks. For the full player rankings, click here.

With three years and $36million remaining on that bad contract, Rowand is sufficiently entrenched in center field in the near future. He had a complete no-trade clause last season, but has a "limited no-trade clause" each of the three years. I'm fine if he stays in San Francisco until 2012.

MLB Trade Rumors: Winter Meetings Coverage Begins Monday

raygu — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:00:17 -0000

by Aaron J. Latham - AP

2 months ago: San Diego Padres' David Eckstein, left, celebrates with teammate Adrian Gonzalez, right, after they scored on Gonzalez's home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Aaron J. Latham)

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We at Fake Teams will be covering the trades and signings that occur at the Winter Meetings that start today in Indianapolis. We will address the fantasy impact of the trades and signings that occur this week and throughout the offseason. The biggest name discussed at the Winter Meetings will be the Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay.

Some of the rumored deals could involve the following players changing uniforms:

Steve Henson from Yahoo Sports tweeted the following last night:

The Dodgers have 3-4 teams interested in $$ Juan Pierre and a 3-team deal is being explored to get L.A. a bad-contract starter in return.
The "bad contract" starter the Dodgers might get for Juan Pierre would not be Derek Lowe, a source said. That bridge has burned.

It appears the Yankees and Red Sox are the favorites for Roy Halladay. Halladay to the Yankees for a package of Jesus Montero and Phil Hughes? Halladay to the Red Sox for Clay Buchholz and Josh Reddick? Halladay to the Phils for J.A. Happ and Michael Taylor? The Giants may make sense for Dan Uggla, but where would he play with Freddy Sanchez at second? I'd be shocked if Adrian Gonzalez isn't dealt to the Red Sox now that former Sox Jed Hoyer is the new GM in San Diego. Josh Willingham in Atlanta makes sense.

Would the rumored Milton Bradley-Pat Burrell deal result in one of the worst outfields in the majors? How can Pat Burrell and Alfonso Soriano play in the same outfield? Pierre makes sense in St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati, especially with Dusty Baker managing the Reds. Pierre for Arroyo??

Poll

Who is more likely to get traded during the Winter Meetings this week?

Fast Eddie Wade ends Astros' quiet offseason by signing pitcher Ryan Sadowski

HighLeveragePerformer — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:56:58 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

The Big Sadowski mows down the Astros this past July.

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Oh, Ed. Just when we thought you were going to sit on your hands and do nothing during the early days of the hot stove season, you make a savvy, depth-conscious signing by bringing former San Francisco Giant Ryan Sadowski into the fold.

You may remember Sadowski from such games as the July 3rd, 13-0 beatdown where Sadowski pitched seven shutout innings against our boys. So I guess, if you can beat them....join...them? We'll assume that's what went through Sadowski's head this morning.

After being drafted by the Giants in 2003, "The Big Sadowski" (and yes, that nickname will stick around these parts) hung around in the minors for six seasons before getting called up last season to take the place of injured starter Jonathan Sanchez. Sadowski had mixed results in his six big league starts, finishing the season with a 4.45 ERA and a 17/17 K/BB ratio.

Without having a ton of information to go off of, the knocks against Sadowski appear to be a lack of control, and a mediocre repertoire of pitches. CHONE recently released their 2010 pitcher projections, and their outlook for Mr. Sadowski is as a reliever, but is fairly optimistic:

IP	R	BB	K	ERA
53	28	26	44	4.42

Not going to wow you, but could be a useful arm to have around come spring training. With Wesley Wright, Felipe Paulino and Wilton Lopez expected to compete for the fifth starter's slot, Sadowksi should have an opportunity as well. If he can't beat one of them out, it's not as if the starting rotation in Round Rock is overflowing with talent, so he will be ready if and when he is needed.

Not quite the big move we were hoping for at this point in the offseason, but this is the sort of under the radar acquisition that may end up paying fairly large dividends in the upcoming season.

Down on the Farm: Part 2 of Interview with Adam Foster from Project Prospect

raygu — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:00:16 -0000

Here is the part 2 of the two part interview with Adam Foster from Project Prospect. Foster and the guys over at Project Prospect recently posted their top 15 catching prospects, so head on over to Project Prospect and check out their top 15 rankings.

Fake Teams: Aside from the AFL, what prospects that you have seen this year made the biggest leap forward? Step back?

Adam Foster: James Darnell is a guy who I went well out of my way to see this year. His swing really impressed me at Minor League Spring Training. He's very athletic with a good chance of sticking at third base. And his power potential is outstanding.

Some of my colleagues who are really into college statistics pointed Darnell out as a guy who may have fallen further than he should have in the draft - he wasn't healthy his junior season. Then I bumped into Darnell's Cape Cod League coach in Phoenix one night and he said he wanted Darnell over Justin Smoak on his Cape team.

I'm not saying that Darnell is a lock to become a superstar. But he's one of the best prospects in baseball. And people who aren't giving him that kind of recognition probably haven't done their homework.

As far as guys who took a step back, unfortunately Tim Alderson was a different pitcher this year than last. He lost some movement on his fastball. And his pinpoint accuracy left him. There are guys who chose to give up some velocity to gain movement. Alderson may have gone the opposite direction in 2009, I'm not sure. But even though his curveball is already a plus pitch, he wasn't giving High-A or Double-A hitters much trouble last season. He definitely has elite control. I just don't think he's a big league pitcher without outstanding command.

More after the jump:

Fake Teams: I read in your Rising Stars game chat that you and your colleagues are not as high on the Phillies outfield prospect Domonic Brown. What are your reasons?

Adam Foster: Guys who are outstanding fast-twitch athletes can become overrated in a hurry. People like to assume that they're athletic enough to do things that other players can't. In Brown's case, there's some false information floating around that he's an elite defender. He has a very good arm and he's fast, but he doesn't get good reads or take good routes. Those skills can't really be learned. So it's highly unlikely that he'll be more than an average defensive right fielder.

Additionally, he's really not very coordinated - compared to his peers. My first reaction when I saw him bat was that he looked awkward. He gets in a crouch to try to shrink down his big strike zone (Brown is 6-foot-5). And while he has a lot of bat speed, is patient, and recognizes pitches well, he's not going to be an above-average contact hitter. There's not much he can do about that. He doesn't have very good bat control.

Keep in mind that Brown is an elite prospect. He's in the 99^th percentile for his class. I'm just dissecting the heck out of him here. If you compare him to the other guys who are at the head of the class, I don't think he stands out as one who's going to become a star. He's very good and a likely bet to become an average big leaguer. But there are a dozen or so hitters out there who I see as better prospects than him.

Fake Teams: What players who underwhelmed in 2009 do you expect to jump back into the limelight in 2010?

Adam Foster: Reese Havens is a good one to start with. He moved to second base in the Arizona Fall League and looked solid at the position. He's a polished, well-rounded hitter who can play up-the-middle defense. He was a first rounder. And had a successful junior season in college - I'd be more confident in him if he was better his sophomore year, though. His baseball resume puts him in elite company. I'll be surprised if he doesn't break out in 2010.

Don't sleep on Jon Niese and Kevin Mulvey. They are solid bets to turn into useful big league starters. You could also end up looking like a genius if you snatch up Kellen Kulbacki cheap now that a lot of people have forgotten about him. Nick Noonan was one of the youngest players in High-A and has a lot of potential. Ivan De Jesus may not be a fantasy stud, but if you play in a deep dynasty or sim league, don't forget about him - and I'm sure you haven't ;).

Fake Teams: What prospects do you feel who should be getting more press based on their talent/performance?

Adam Foster: Josh Bell is just starting to get the attention he deserves. I guess you lose some street cred when you get traded for a reliever. But the Dodgers are clearly working under the win-now model, so I wouldn't hold it against him. He can play third base and has a lot of power. If Pedro Alvarez and Brett Wallace can't stick at third - and they probably won't - then Bell starts looking like a pretty good pick for the best "true" third base prospect in the minors. I'll have to compare my video of him and Darnell this offseason, though.

Brandon Snyder is another guy who has the resume to turn into a solid big leaguer. But you don't hear much talk about him. I'm a big Drew Cumberland believer. Matt Sweeney is a breakout guy. Lorenzo Cain has fallen out of the spotlight but I still see a lot of potential in him. Che-Hsuan Lin gets lost in the Red Sox depth of athletic hitters. Jaff Decker gets overlooked largely due to some old scouting biases.

Fake Teams: Who are your top 5 hitting prospects going into 2010? Who are your top 5 pitching prospects going into 2010?

Adam Foster: At the end of the 2009 season, we ranked Jason Heyward, Carlos Santana, Jesus Montero, and Buster Posey as the game's top five hitting prospects with Dustin Ackley, Desmond Jennings, Fernando Martinez and Mike Stanton on the bubble. Those guys will account for the bulk of - if not all - the spots among our top five hitting prospects entering 2010.

We didn't get to see many of baseball's top pitching prospects at the AFL. And I still want to get better reads on some guys. But Stephen Strasburg and Brian Matusz are clearly at the head of this class. Daniel Hudson and Jeremy Hellickson were two of the most impressive pitchers I saw in 2009 - Hudson for his FB and CH movement; Hellickson for his command. Then it's hard not to like Neftali Feliz' stuff. The five guys I've mentioned were our top five pitching prospects when we put together our October top 25 pitching prospect list. Most of them should also be top five on our 2010 list.

I want to thank Adam for taking the time for this interview.