DENVER -- Retaining some left-handed bullpen depth in the organization, the Giants announced Wednesday that Erick Threets had cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Fresno.

Threets, 26, has missed most of this season with a strained muscle in his right side. He made the Giants' Opening Day roster and was 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in seven appearances before going on the disabled list April 18.

Since Threets was out of Minor League options, the Giants had to place him on waivers before trying to send him to Fresno once he completed his injury rehabilitation assignment. Any team claiming him would have had to keep him in the Majors, perhaps explaining why nobody picked him up.

"We're glad we still have him in the organization," said manager Bruce Bochy, who proceeded to detail the improvements Threets must make to return to the Majors. "He needs to get better at all the peripherals -- handling himself on the mound, holding runners and fielding bunts, along with getting command of all his pitches."

sfgiants.com

So what's the deal now with his options?  Next season will Threets and the Giants go through the same thing all over again?

Wow in just a matter of 10 minutes some Giants minor leagers go off at the palte. The Fresno Grizzlies Nate Schierlotz (6) and Brian Horwitz (5) both hit home runs back to back. Then shortly after in Augusta the Greenjackets Nick Noonan (2) and Garrett Baker (5) hit back to back home runs. The homers Noonan and Baker hit were off of NYY top pitching prospect Dellin Betances. Schierholtz and Horwitz hit their homers off of the Dodgers AAA team.

Kenji Johjima Signs Extension.  3yr./16.5M according to Ken Rosenthal.  I didn't see this comming.  Makes you wonder what the Mariners plan to do with Clement.  DH? 1B? Trade?  Any ways this leaves the 2009 free agent catcher pool looking like this:

Rod Barajas
Michael Barrett
Johnny Estrada
Jason Kendall - club option for '09; vests with 110 games played in '08
Paul Lo Duca
Miguel Olivo - $2.7MM club option for '09 with a $0.1MM buyout
Ivan Rodriguez
David Ross
Jason Varitek
Gregg Zaun - $3.75MM vesting option for '09; vests with 160 games played in '08

That's a pretty weak list of old catchers. I think this bodes well for the Giants if they want to trade Molina at a high value this season or this winter. If they could move Molina for something good I'd like to see them target either catcher Jeff Mathis, Angels, Bryan Anderson, Cardinals or Taylor Teagarden , Rangers. These players are expendable to their teams because they have better catchers already and good catcher prospects in the minors. Each of these guys are great defensively behind the plate and would be ML ready in 2009. Plus they're young.

I'm listening to the game and with runners on first and third and no outs the batter hit a line drive to Neal at first base which he caught for the first out then he stepped on first base for the second out and tossed the ball to the third baseman Davis for the final out of the triple play.  Poor base running by the other team but still pretty cool.

Villalona is not playing in this game either.  Brock Bond is the DH.

http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_8742469

Bochy said it would be wrong to assume that Steve Holm would be the backup catcher; the Giants have looked outside the organization for catching help and Josh Paul could be one possibility. Paul was released by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who also reassigned catcher Mike DiFelice on Saturday.

Josh Paul is 33 years old and played in 35 games for the Rays in 2007.  His career numbers in 9 ML years are .244/.303/.341.

Mike DiFelice is 39 years old and played in 16 games for the NYM in 2007.  His career numbers in 12 ML years are .235/.287/.355.

No thanks.  Keep looking Sabean.

Anyone else listening to this game?  16 of his first 18 pitches today were balls with one wild pitch.  Four BB to start the game?

Chronicle article

"I'm going to start taking my windup a little more back," Lincecum said. "Going into the season, I'm sure I'm going to get back to it, going full bore. Today was just getting a feel for it and seeing the batters."

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