SB Nation User Blog: Kid Fresh

Lowry vs. Zito- Poll

Kid Fresh — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:48:10 -0000

Lowry vs Zito- eerily similar numbers (thanks JoeMac for the stats):

Lowry: 13 starts, 6-5, 3.46 ERA, 83.1 IP, 76 H, 38 R, 46 K's, 39 BB

Zito: 13 starts, 6-6, 4.02 ERA, 78.1 IP, 74 H, 38 R, 46 K's, 36 BB

Poll

Which pitcher will finish 2007 with a better ERA?

Noah Lowry

23 votes

Barry Zito

45 votes

68 votes | Poll has closed

Pitching- Who Will Surprise?

Kid Fresh — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 03:01:10 -0000

In my estimation- barring injury or trade- 9 of the 12 slots on the SF Giants pitching staff are mortal locks:

DEFINITELY IN:

Barry Zito

Matt Cain

Noah Lowry

Matt Morris

Jonathan Sanchez

Steve Kline

Kevin Correia

Brad Hennessey

Armando Benitez

Of the 3 spots remaining...

WOULD HAVE TO PITCH THEIR WAY OUT:

Brian Wilson

Vinnie Chulk

Russ Ortiz

You just know someone from the above list of twelve pitchers won't work out, will be injured, or traded, which leaves...

TOP CANDIDATES TO PITCH THEIR WAY IN:

Billy Sadler

Jack Taschner

Patrick Misch

Scott Munter

LONG SHOTS:

David Cortes

Sun-Woo Kim

Eric Threets

Damian Moss

Justin Hedrick

Kelyn Acosta

VIRTUAL NO-SHOTS

Ryan Meaux

Scott Atchison

Daniel Giese

Carlos Hines

Matt Palmer

Mitch Wylie

POST ALL-STAR BREAK, AT EARLIEST:

Tim Linecum

Nick Pereira

Tyler Walker

Is the pitching staff set? Who is the leading "dark horse" candidate? Who will surprise in spring training?

Poll

Best shot to make opening day roster:

Billy Sadler

40 votes

Jack Taschner

25 votes

Patrick Misch

8 votes

Scott Munter

5 votes

David Cortes

3 votes

Sun-Woo Kim

3 votes

Eric Threets

6 votes

Damian Moss

3 votes

Justin Hedrick

2 votes

Kelyn Acosta

1 votes

96 votes | Poll has closed

Are the Giants a .500 club?

Kid Fresh — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 13:05:58 -0000

INTRODUCTION

Do you think the Giants will finish 2007 above .500? I would put the "over-under" on the 2007 Giants (with Bonds) at 82 wins. Personally, I would take the over. I think the Giants are going to win around 86 games and take the West. Be warned: this is coming from Mr. Rainbows & Lollipops himself, who also thought the Giants had a shot the last two years. (Actually, they did- they just imploded during crucial stretches). Let's take a look at the bullpen, rotation, defence, offence, bench, and coaching.

BULLPEN: D+

The most efficient relief pitcher of 2006 (Stanton) is gone. So it seems as though the pen is doomed for suckage again, right?Sanchez, Correia, Hennessey, Chulk, Wilson, and Sadler are all young and could impress. Or not. Linecum could close. Or start. Or spend the year in the minors. At least Worrell is gone. Hard for Benitez to pitch worse- especially in his contract year. There will be some surprises, some disappointments, some injuries, and perhaps a trade or two. But right now, just can't gitve the pen a passing grade.

ROTATION: B+

2006 basic numbers:

Schmidt- 11-9 3.59 ERA
Cain- 13-12, 4.15
Morris- 10-15, 4.98
Lowry 7-10, 4.74
Wright 6-10, 5.19

I firmly believe that every single spot in the rotation will improve- higher win totals and lower ERA, top to bottom.

Does anyone want to take the over-under that Zito wins more than 11? Lowry more than 7? Cain's ERA is lower than 4.15?
Linecum, Sanchez, or Ortiz stepping up could turn this into an "A+" rotation, and the backbone of the team.

DEFENCE: B

"the defense..a shade better than last year..."

2007 vs. 2006:

Molina > Alphonszo
Aurilia > Hillendbrand
Durham = Durham
Vizquel = Vizquel
Feliz = Feliz
Winn > Alou
Roberts > Finley
Bonds = Bonds

Yes, the old guys are all "a step slower," but Winn and Bonds are coming off injuries and should actually be healthier and better.

I'm not arguing the defence will be fantastic, just slightly better than how the Giants ended 2006.

OFFENCE: C+

As for the line-up- I would describe it as "solid, not spectucular." From top to bottom:

Roberts is the most exciting and well-suited lead-off hitter the Giants have had in a long time. Bochy knows how to maximize his platoon skills.

Vizquel will probably decline, and might bounce between #2 and #7 slot.

Love Aurilia, but Richie hitting third is pathetic. Should be Durham- much faster, way better OBP = more runs.

Bonds, healthier and with everything to prove, could be much better than last year... (if he is with the Giants, that is!)

Klesko could surprise- won't do worse than Hillendbrand in terms of OPS.

Winn in the six hole could rebound nicely, off-setting any decline from Durham & Vizquel.

Molina hitting seventh is an asset, not a liability.

Feliz hitting 8th, dittto.

BENCH: A-

Bench should be much stronger than last year:

Linden > Finley
Alphonszo > Greene
Frandsden > Vizcaino
Sweeney = Sweeney (Greeney?),
Aurilia, Kelsko, or Feliz off bench = +

COACHING: C

Bochy is merely average, but Felipe was so awful at the end of last year, this looks to be an upgrade in bullpen management, tactical decisions , player development, pitching changes, and general motivation and communication. The effort put forth by the players should be much better this year.

IN CONCLUSION

For 2007, I could see the Giants finishing in 3rd again, due to better divisional competition. But in the Wild West, anything can happen, and 1st place is not out of the question. I definitely think the Giants will improve on last year's win total, to finish comfortably above .500. And hey, if someone steps up in the bullpen, if the rotation lives up to the hype, if Bonds smacks 30, if Winn and Klesko rebound, if, if, if. Hell, it's January. Hope springs eternal. If I can't be optimistic now, when?

Poll

Will the Giants finish better than .500?

Yes

44 votes

No

14 votes

58 votes | Poll has closed

User Profile

Kid Fresh — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:49:07 -0000

Today marks the nadir of the long baseball off-season, so let's take some time to get to know each other! Feel free to skip any questions below, or add new ones...

User Name: Kid Fresh

Real Name: Jesse Stirling

Age/Sex: 35, Male

Born: San Francisco, CA

Currently Resides: St. John's, NL, Canada

Occupation: Television executive

Favorite Current Giant: Omar Vizquel

Favorite All-time Giant: Christy Matthewson

Least Favorite Giant: Jeff Juden

Best Giant no one talks about: Scott Garrelts

Best Giants memory: Will Clark Grannie vs. Cubs

Worst Giants memory: Game six. I was hosting a party at my house at the time, so the horror was rubbed in by 50 drunken "friends." Good times.

Best experience at a game: Dave Dravecky come back game- cold shivers for 3 hours straight.

Giants fan since: My whole life, but became a "serious" fan in 1985.

Why a fan: My aunt was an usherette at the Stick. She was originally from NY, so family ties with the Giants trace back to the east coast.

What would you do to "fix" baseball: Give Portland an AL West expansion team, move Texas to the AL Central, Detroit to the AL east, and contract Tampa Bay.

Advice for Giants fans: Experience spring training baseball at least once in your life.

Anything else: Humm Baby!

OT: Favorite "Twilight Zone" Episode?

Kid Fresh — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 05:01:09 -0000

"You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's a signpost up ahead: your next stop: the Twilight Zone!" -Rod Serling

The original "Twilight Zone" (1959-1964) is my favorite TV show of all time- a real cult classic. Not coincidentally, the satellite TV station I work for just secured the broadcast rights. We're going to present a four-hour, commercial free TZ Maraton. Basically time for ten episodes.

All Zone fans- your input is greatly appreciated! What are the all-time classics? What's #1?

Giants Coaching Staff

Kid Fresh — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:09:48 -0000

Who would you most like to see added to the Giants coaching staff?

CURRENT COACHING STAFF:

Bench coach Ron Wotus
Pitching coach: Dave Righetti
Bullpen coach: Mark Gardner
Hitting coach: Joe Lefebvre
1B coach: Willie Upshaw
3B coach: Tim Flannery
Bullpen catcher Bill Hayes

Poll

Who would you most like to see added to the Giants coaching staff?

Dusty Baker

1 votes

Bob Brenley

2 votes

Brett Butler

0 votes

Will Clark

18 votes

Mike Matheney

17 votes

Chris Speier

3 votes

Robby Thompson

20 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

Giants WHIP Leaders & Free Agent Replacements

Kid Fresh — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 12:56:09 -0000

Giants WHIP Leaders & Free Agent Replacements:

1.02 Chulk- Good, cheap bullpen guy. Sign him for next year.

1.22 Schmidt- Will his greatness come at too steep a price? Is his greatness now just "really goodness," masquerading as greatness on reputation alone?

1.27 Henessey- Is it just me, or does Henessey seem more effective out of the pen than as a starter? Definition of "spot starter/6th man." Solid campaign at any rate.

1.28 Correia- Entrenched in the bullpen. Young, cheap, effective. Kudos to Giants minor leage system to turning out the occasional pitcher.

1.29 Morris- Surprised me that his WHIP was this low. Morris is overpaid, but a good innings eater guy, team guy, ideal #5 starter.

1.29 Cain- Almost everything we could have hoped for in Cain's rookie season: double-digit wins, flashes of brilliance, way fewer hits than IP. (Well, we all secretly wished for 20 wins, but this season Cain showed is he could win 20 one day...)

1.32 Sanchez- The mid-season demotion to AAA was one of the most baffling moves in Giants front office history. At that point, he was the only guy in the pen consistently dominating... so they send him down to Fresno? Felipe and Sabean worship at the altar of veteran savvy, and roles defined by salary instead of performance.

1.34 Lowry- Okay for a back-of-the rotation lefty. We all hope the "real" Lowry emerges next season. Could win 15-20.

In my opinion, the above eight pitchers have all earned a roster spot with the Giants. Hopefully, Schmidt can be retained, or replaced with Zito. Every staff needs an ace, an anchor. Cain and Lowry are not there yet; Sanchez, Correia, and Henessey are unproven commodoties, and Morris, while sporting a beard, is really a 5th starter in disguise.

Wright, Stanton, Kline, Worrell, Wilson, Munter, Tachner, and especially Benitez have all sucked this year. In my world, the Giants would be looking for 2 solid free agent pitchers, and let the youngins fight it out for the last openings. Of course, in my world, the Giants would spend like the Yankees and plug Soriano into 2B, Carlos Lee into 1B, Torii Hunter into CF, re-sign Bonds and Schmidt, re-sign Durham, Feliz, and Hillendbrand as bench players, bring back Crazy Crab, change the name of the park to "Mays Field," bring back Scott Garrelts as a pitching coch, Will Clark as 1B coach, Robby Thompson as 3B coach, Brenley as bench coach, and myself as manager, of course.

Poll

Assuming fair market value, what free agent pitcher would you like to see the Giants sign?

J. Schmidt

11 votes

B. Zito

21 votes

D. Hermanson

1 votes

G. Maddux

1 votes

T. Lilly

7 votes

A. Pettite

1 votes

R. Wolf

0 votes

S. Estes

1 votes

S. Kline

0 votes

None of the Above

12 votes

55 votes | Poll has closed

Giants OPS Leaders & Free Agent Replacements

Kid Fresh — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 12:27:18 -0000

Giants OPS Leaders:

GIANTS CURRENT OPS LEADERS:

.979 Bonds- If Bonds bolts to the AL to DH in 2007, that .976 OPS will be hard to replace. Consider Torii Hunter at .801, Frank Catalanotto at .871... or a lot of pressure on Todd Linden.

.881 Durham- If Bonds re-signs for one year, would Durham re-sign for one year... or is he looking for one last multi-year contract? I think the Giants should bust the piggy bank on Alphonszo Soriano's .969 ops. Solves multiple problems: 2B, lead-off, team speed, youth, and the guy can even cover LF.

.873 Alou- Gone w/Felipe after this season. Might DH in the AL. Again, this is the third best hitter on the Giants, and the Giants are replacing his roster spot with... Fred Lewis? Jason Ellison?

.807 Alphonszo- Nice, cheap, in-house option for back-up catcher. Who wants to wager next year on Alphonszo's OPS ending up above .800 after a full season? Giants could explore B. Molina or G. Zaun, if Matheney can't go. Piazza just to weird.

.776 Vizquel- Perfect this season in the 2-hole, but will age catch up eventually? Would be an amazing 7th place hitter. Provides all-universe defence. Softest hands on planet earth.

.748 Feliz- Takes a lot of crap, but if the Giants could sign him to a 2 yr/$9M or 3 year/$13M, I would do it. Feliz can play many positions, is never hurt, seems like a low-maintenence club house guy, and can hit 6th or 7th in your line-up and be adequate. Hacks at slop nightly, has a little pop, streaky as hell. Ideally, get enough starting talent to stick Pedro Feliz Navidad back to his "super sub" role, where Feliz was an asset and not a liability. Free-Agent alternatives include R. Aurilia, D. Bell, N. Garciapara. Trade for Tejada would be the dream.

.735 Sweeney- The OPS numbers are now starting to get uncomfortably low. Proof that Sweeney is not a starter on any good team, much less hitting out of the 3-spot in the line-up. Solid bench guy. Leave it at that.

.732 Hillendbrand- If he's willing to sign a 3 yr/$8M to back up 1B and 3B, great. To be the full time starter at either position? Hillendbrand is not the answer. Pass. Unless the Giants can sign him for super cheap.

.722 Greene- Not impressive, even for a back-up catcher. Seems like a nice enough fellow, though. Bald as hell.

.719 Winn- Ah, the magic of Brian Sabean. We are now at the Giants 10th most productive hitter this season, making $7 million per season till 2009. Ugh. The Marvin Bernard signing, on a more grandiose and grotesque scale. Winn would be the perfect fourth outfielder on a championship club, really. Unfortunately for the Giants, Winn bats lead-off, leads the team in AB's, and again, has proven to be the 10th most effective hitter this season. G. Matthews Jr., D. Dellucci, or M. Cameron as F.A. options to bolster the outfield? Trade for Vernon Wells would be the dream.

I will spare us the agony of outining the OPS of Finley, Niekro, Frandsen, Ellison, and Matheney. Suffice it to say, if they were to appear on a major league roster at this point, you would hope each would be the last one off the bench. Only Frandsen shows a glimmer of upside, that of being a solid utility infielder.

Poll

If the price was "fair,' which free agent position player would you most like to see the Giants sign?

A. Soriano

34 votes

T. Hunter

4 votes

F. Catalanotto

4 votes

D. Dellucci

0 votes

M. Cameron

3 votes

G. Matthews Jr.

1 votes

R. Aurilia

2 votes

D. Bell

0 votes

B. Molina

0 votes

G. Zaun

1 votes

49 votes | Poll has closed

Off-Season Contract Signings

Kid Fresh — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:20:42 -0000

To retain, or not to retain; that is the question.

Poll

Which player would you most like to see the Giants re-sign?

Barry Bonds

48 votes

Moises Alou

1 votes

Ray Durham

8 votes

Pedro Feliz

10 votes

Shea Hillendbbrand

12 votes

Jason Schmidt

42 votes

Steve Kline

5 votes

Mike Stanton

3 votes

129 votes | Poll has closed

2007 Giants Payroll Musings...

Kid Fresh — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 19:36:59 -0000

My take on the Giants 2007 Pay-roll / Roster:

POSITION PLAYERS--

First Base: Hillenbrand 4M (2 yrs- 4M, 5M)
Back-up: Sweeney .95M

Second Base: Durham 7M
Back-up: Frandsen .35M

Shortstop: Vizquel 4.4M

Third Base: Feliz 5M (3 yrs- 5M, 5.5M, 6M)

Catcher: Matheney 4.5M
Back-up: Alphonszo .35M

Left Field: Bonds 7M (+ 5M deferred)
Back-up: Linden .35M

CF/RF: Winn @ 7M
Back-up: Ellison .35M

CF/RF: FREE AGENT - Dye at 9M or Hunter at 11M

OR, if the Giants go cheap, Neikro or Ortemeier or Schierholtz as 25th man...

OR, if the Giants go super-cheap, no Barry, Linden starting, and another youngin on the bench

ROTATION--

Schmidt 11M (4 years- 11M, 12M, 13M, 14M)
Morris 9.5M
Lowry 1.115M
Cain .35M
Hennessey @.35M

BULLPEN--

Benitez @ 7.6M
Kline @2.5M (2 yrs, 2.5, 3)
Worrell @ 2M
Correia @.35M
Chulk @ .35M
Sanchez @ .35M

Pick One, Preferably a lefty:
Munter/Taschner/Wilson/Threets @.35

Dead Money: $11.8M

Alou 1.5M
Finley 1M
Wright .3M
Matheney (can he play?) 4M
Barry's 5M

TOTAL SALARY:

POSITION PLAYERS TOTAL SALARY: $40-$56M

(Depending on re-signing Barry + F.A. OF)

PITCHERS TOTAL SALARY: $25M-$36M

(Depending on re-signing Schmidt / Kline)

DEFERRED MONEY: $11.8M

TOTAL PAY-ROLL= $76.8M - $103.8

CONCLUSIONS:

I expect the pay-roll to regress next year from $90 millionish to $80 millionish. (After all, Magowan has been talking about this mysterious "nest egg" the Giants have been dipping into to exploit the "Barry Window.")

I don't expect any big free agent signings next year. No Soriano, no Hunter, no Dye, no Zito. Not even an Aurilia nor a Lilly.

In fact, I expect a Bondsless, Schmidtless club. The dreaded "Rebuilding" process, with the allure of the All Star game to take the focus off a lousy team... at least for one year...

If you read between the lines, the Giants P.R. machine is already gearing up for life without Bonds, Durham, Schmidt, Feliz, and the Alou boys.

It would cost nearly $80M to retain this old, .500 club anyway. Sabean- if he is still running the Giants next season- should focus on the trade route to secure a centrepiece like Vernon Wells, then go from there...

That's one fans opinion...

what does everybody else think?