Hello, McCoven! It's been awhile. Hope all is well.

I was surprised to not see a trade-proposal discussion, so figured I'd post one. If this happens to be redundant, I apologize.

I'm sure everyone has strong opinions about who the Giants should add with the trade deadline approaching. Thought I'd put a couple names out there to see what you all think. Also, obviously would like to hear what players you all would like for the Giants to pursue.

So, two names ... 

Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar and Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta.

A couple days ago John posted that Alex Gordon is on the trading block. Sorry for creating a new post on the subject, but I figured it wouldn't get much respose if I posted it in a three- or four-day old thread.

Anyhow, three questions about Gordon. One: What is his trade value? Two: The Royals are going to want pitching in return, right? Three: Does Gordon have any future at third base, or is he destined for the outfield?

Two intriguing call-ups in 2010 are Craig and Moreland. What interests me most about them is they each have the potential to be better-than-average, if not exceptional, big-league starters. However, they are also each in the position of having to prove they belong in the bigs to the point where neither is guaranteed of a roster spot past this season.

Craig is a fifth-year pro, drafted by the Cards in the eighth round in 2006. A collegiate shortstop at Cal, he was converted to third base where he hit a wall over recent years in the upper minors. He has since played exclusively at first base and corner outfield, with the exception of two recent big-league appearances at the hot corner which evidently convinced Tony LaRussa that Craig is not a viable option there. At the plate, he is somewhat comparable to Xavier Nady for his athletic frame and raw power.

Moreland is a fourth-year pro, drafted by the Rangers in the 17th round in 2007. He was a two-way player at Mississippi State, and was projected by many pro scouts as a future pitcher. The Rangers signed him as a first baseman, though. With the Rangers prospect depth at first base, they converted Moreland to the corner outfield where he has been useable. He has played both first base and right field since his recent big-league call up. At the plate, he has drawn comparisons to Rafael Palmeiro for his combo of gap power and contact ability.

This is a great smackdown, in my opinion, because of the similarities of these two players. They are both potential middle-of-the-order hitters who could develop legit home run power. In the meantime, they both have balanced gap power, and figure to handle the same positions of first and corner outfield in the future. Perhaps what they most have in common, though, is that each of their clubs have made deadline deals this season -- with the Rangers trading Justin Smoak, and the Cardinals trading Ryan Ludwick -- which has opened the door for them to emerge as big-league regulars.  

So, If you could choose one of these players, who would it be?

Does anyone know where to find hit by pitch stats for minor-league pitchers? I can't seem to find any.

In other news, What the deuce is going on with Kevin Ahrens? It's like the guy just flipped a switch. Curently hitting .356 in August with three home runs, but the most impressive stat is he's struck out just six times in 45 at bats. According to his MiLB player page, he is a right-handed hitter. Does anyone know for sure if he has in fact scrapped switch-hitting?

Thanks. Filler. Filler.

Jordan Pries is a right-handed junior at Stanford. While the more projectable pro prospect is sophomore Brett Mooneyham, who Baseball America tabbed as a potential first-round pick in the 2011 draft, Pries is the bona fide Friday night starter at Stanford. He threw a two-hit shutout Saturday against Pepperdine, his second win of the year, and his first since the sesaon opener against Rice.

My question is: Where do you guys project Pries being drafted in June. Just a spitball round would be fine. Not looking for exact slot placement. Also, if you are just out-and-out guessing, please say so or denote with an askerisk or something.

Thanks.

Well, it's taken some time for me to get over the first-base poll. Not that Will Clark is a poor choice. On the contrary. It just seems Willie McCovey is the logical choice, being as the website is named after him. That's all I have to say on the matter. Long live The Thrill.

Results of the first-base voting: Will Clark 45%, Willie McCovey 32%, J.T. Snow 20%.

This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants closer. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. Regarding WRITE-IN VOTES ... do it! Click "other", put the name of your favorite IN THE TITLE OF A COMMENT.

I read a rumor the other day that the Braves may look to trade Jair Jurrjens for a bat. Any chance this actually happens? At 23, Jurrjens is one of the best young pitchers in basebal, and is not yet arbitration eligible. I don't have the link to the actual rumor, though the one justification given in the snippet I saw was that he is a Scott Boras client. I'm not sure why that is a factor for a non-arbitration elibible player.

So, two questions for Braves fans: 1) Is it realistic to think the Braves would trade Jurrjens? 2) Any interest in Luke Scott and a prospect package in exchange for him?

Alright, here it goes. I've been really looking forward to this one. I believe this one is going to appease many of the people who have been upset by the lack of old-school representation. Of course, I could be wrong. There is certainly a clear-cut fan favorite for every generation. Only one way to find out fer sure though.

First, the results from second base and lefty starters. I'm calling the second-base voting for Jeff Kent, who registered 50% of the votes. Robby Thompson registered 43%.

Favorite left-handed starter is Kirk Rueter by a landslide. Here are the results: Woody 45%, Dave Dravecky 11%, Noah Lowry 11%, Vida Blue 11%, Shawn Estes 10%.

This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants first baseman. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. Regarding WRITE-IN VOTES ... do it! Click "other", put the name of your favorite IN THE TITLE OF A POST. Once again, I'm listing just the cream of the crop.

The last trade idea I posted didn't inspire a lot of conversation, and perhaps it didn't warrant much. Maybe the reason for this is the two players involved in that proposed trade are neither top prospects, nor are they well known. I realize it's difficult to assess fringe players. This was evident in a similar post from a year ago; a smackdown querry between Michael Aubrey and Travis Ishikawa. The memorable response from that one was something to the effect of: Neither of them are very good. Well, I suppose by a higher standard of prospecting, this is true of many of the guys I've posted about.

So I'm trying a different approach. Luke Scott and Willy Aybar are in interesting and similar situations. They each performed quite well in the '09 season. Each probably deserved more playing time than he received, but they were dealing with a lot of competition at their respective positions.

Now, the reason this is applicable to minor-league ball, and the grounds for my posting the subject at this site, is a straight-up deal for these two players could likely involve some lesser-known prospects. So in proposing this trade, I'm hoping not only to gauge the value of Scott and Aybar, but to inspire some conversation about prospects of value and interest who could conceivably be involved in such a trade. Also welcome is anyone wanting to propose such a trade involving either Scott or Aybar going to another team.

The second-base poll was as close as I had anticipated. I am surprised, however, at the outcome. Personally, I voted for Jeff Kent. Going in though, I had Robby Thompson picked to take it at 3:2. Kent actually had a massive lead early on, but Thompson closed the gap. I think it's safe to call it, but if anyone still needs to cast a vote, here is the link:

http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2009/10/8/1077582/all-time-favorite-sf-giants-second

The current second-base poll is as follows: Jeff Kent 50%, Robby Thompson 42%.

I am calling the pinch-hitting poll for Candy Maldonado, who received 19% of the votes. Second place was approximately a four-way tie between Felipe Crespo, Mike Ivie, Nate Schierholtz, and (write-in) Mark Sweeney.

Now, in honor of the Carlton Chronicles re-dux, this is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants left-handed starting pitcher. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. Regarding WRITE-IN VOTES ... PLEASE, when casting a write-in vote, check other on the questionnaire, then below title a comment with ONLY THE PLAYERS NAME. Any thoughts, statements, etc. should go in the body of the comment. Anyone else voting for the same write-in candidate, PLEASE respond to the previous player comment by titling your comment with ONLY A "+1". If you would like to clarify a "+1" comment, please include the player's name in the body of the comment.

Hello Crawfish Boxers. I've hardly ever posted here, but a topic came up at another board and I wanted to get the Houston perspective on the issue. 'Tis the season where the baseball world inevitably starts talking possible trades. Of course, par for that course is one team's fanbase coveting another team's fan favorite, with the former deluding themselves into believing the player can be had. If there's one thing I've always respected about Astros fans, it's that they embrace their likeable heroes.

So, I'm looking for a point-blank perspective of Hunter Pence. The impression I've gotten is that he is one of the biggest fan faves to come along since Craig Biggio. I'll pose the question bluntly, so please take it with a grain of salt. I'm really just trying to prove a point. Thanks.

The foremost reason for this post is to gauge the respective values of Brandon Boggs and Trevor Crowe. So, like John's Crystal Ball projections, please don't take the trade proposal all too seriously. It's just a hypothetical scenario, the purpose of which is to measure people's perceptions of the players, organizational needs, etc.

So, Would trading Brandon Boggs for Trevor Crowe be a fair deal? Both have been described as fourth-outfielder types. And both are playing for teams that have a lot of competition at their respective positions. Crowe is a natural center fielder, and will likely have to prove himself there to maintain a big-league career. The Indians have plenty of depth in CF with Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo, and Michael Brantley. Boggs has power potential though he has pretty much been relegated to left field. The Rangers, however, currently have David Murphy and Nelson Cruz at the outfield corners, while Marlon Byrd will most likely be departing via free agency.

So, What are your thoughts on the balance of this trade proposal?  

I think it's safe to call the right-handed pitcher fave as Tim Lincecum has been anchored around the 55% mark for a couple days. It was fun to read the spirited support for Juan Marichal, as well as people sticking up for Jim Barr, Ed Halicki, Bill Laskey, Bill Swift, and many others. A bit of trivia: Anyone know the first time Bill Swift pitched at Candlestick Park?

So, as it stands, the favorite right-handed pitcher voting is as follows: Tim Lincecum 54%, Juan Marichal 19%, Matt Cain 8%, Jason Schmidt 8%.

As for the voting for favorite pinch hitter, votes are still trickling in. So here is the link if anyone still wants to chime in: http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2009/10/4/1068451/all-time-favorite-sf-giants-pinch

This is the one I've really been looking forward to. I'm keeping the selections to the cream of the crop, so please feel encouraged to use the OTHER choice if necessary. This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants second baseman. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. Regarding WRITE-IN VOTES ... PLEASE, when casting a write-in vote, check other on the questionnaire, then below title a comment with ONLY THE PLAYERS NAME. Any thoughts, statements, etc. should go in the body of the comment. Anyone else voting for the same write-in candidate, PLEASE respond to the previous player comment by titling your comment with ONLY A "+1". If you would like to clarify a "+1" comment, please include the player's name in the body of the comment.

First of all, what a freakin' baseball game that Tigers/Twins elimination match-up was!! I can't wait to see Web Gems on Baseball Tonight. (For the top five, I'm guessing: 5 - Orlando Cabrera 4 - Ryan Raburn 3 - Curtis Granderson 2 - Brandon Inge 1 - Nick Punto.)

As for the all-time favorite SF Giants pinch-hitter, it's too close to call at this point. I'm going to ask people to rec the thread to allow as many people to cast votes, as there are four players within seven votes of one another. And that doesn't even count the write-in support for Mark Sweeney. So here is the link, if you would like to rec it and/or if you would still like to cast a vote.

http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2009/10/4/1068451/all-time-favorite-sf-giants-pinch

As it stands, here is the current voting: Candy Maldonado 18%, Mike Ivie 14%, Nate Schierholtz 14%, Felipe Crespo 12%, Joel Youngblood 9%.

This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants right-handed starter. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. Regarding WRITE-IN VOTES ... PLEASE, when casting a write-in vote, check other on the questionnaire, then below title a comment with ONLY THE PLAYERS NAME. Any thoughts, statements, etc. should go in the body of the comment. Anyone else voting for the same write-in candidate, PLEASE respond to the previous player comment by titling your comment with ONLY A "+1". If you would like to clarify a "+1" comment, please include the player's name in the body of the comment.

For the many organizations turning to the speed-and-defense philosophy, the ability for leadoff hitters to work strike zones and earn walks is still somewhat of a lost art. Maybe it's because I grew up watching two of the best leadoff hitters in the history of the game, Rickey Henderson and Tim Raines, that I am a tough critic. One of the things that distinguished their style of batting leadoff was their ability to draw more walks than strikeouts. There have been a lot of great base stealers to break into the big leagues over the past few years. But in my opinion, most of them -- Dexter Fowler, Jacoby Ellsbury, Nyjer Morgan, Michael Bourn, and Julio Borbon -- tend to draw too few walks and strike out too often.

This year, Chone Figgins became one of the premier leadoff hitters in the game. Yet, he didn't do anything as a hitter he hasn't done before. He has hit around the .300 mark his entire career, as he did this season, finishing at a .298 clip. What made this season special for him though was the increase in his walk total. He drew 101 walks this year (though he did still strike out 114 times) which caused his OBP to spike. The most he had previously walked in a season was 65 times.

Two of the old-school leadoff prototypes that have really caught my eye this season are Padres outfielder Luis Durango and Blue Jays prospect Darin Mastroianni. Both are making names for themselves because of speed-and-defense tools. Durango had never been much of a base-stealing force in years past, swiping no more than 17 bases in a season heading into this season. He stole 44 bases at Double-A San Antonio this year though. And in addition to hitting .281, the switch-hitting Durango produced a .390 OBP by walking 81 times against 70 strikeouts. Mastroianni is one of the biggest stolen-base threats in baseball, swiping 70 bases between High-A and Double-A this year. He produced a .400 OBP, though more because of his hitting prowess in the Florida State League where he posted a .325 average. A right-handed hitter, he totaled 74 walks and 83 strikeouts. Both are predominantly singles hitters. Defensively, they both appear to be above average fielders with plus arms -- although the latter is a summation based on assist totals.

So, my question is: If you had to choose one to build around as a leadoff hitter, which one would you pick?  

The voting is still pretty close in the shortstop category, though I think it's fair enough to call it for Rich Aurilia.

Current results are as follows: Rich Aurilia 39%, Omar Vizquel 32%, Chris Speier 10%, Jose Uribe 9%.

This one is going to be fun. I'm sure the write-in ballots are going to pour in on this one, so please be specific in your post titles. Simply vote "other", then make the title of your post JUST the name of the player. Anything else you have to say please include in the body of the post. If you are casting a write-in for someone who has already been mentioned, please simply title your post "+1".

This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants pinch hitter. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays.

Alright, I think it's fair enough to call the third base voting for Matt Williams. It is worth mentioning that some people who voted for Williams also gave a shout to Bill Mueller, who currently has received 7% of the total votes. Also, players such as Kevin Mitchell who played memorable seasons at different positions will appear on the polls for multiple positions. If by chance a player wins the voting at more than one position, we will conduct a run-off to decide on the appropriate position and re-vote for the other. I don't see that happening though.

So, here are the results of the third base voting: Matt Williams, 54%; Pablo Sandoval, 23%.

This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants shortstop. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. If you vote "other", please specify who it is in a post below. Anyone else wishing to vote for a specified write-in player can do so by the traditional "+1" method. Note: Any "-1s" for Johnnie LeMaster -- though he is actually listed on this poll -- will not be tabulated.

The results for catcher are heavily in favor of Benito Santiago as favorite all-time SF Giants catcher. First, let me apologize to all those who were forced to cast write-in votes for Dick Dietz. Although it seems fairly silly now, at the time I started the poll I was intent on limiting the voting to five players. Curiously enough I had deliberated between Santiago and Dietz for the final spot. Perhaps a run-off is in order. I'll post one down the road here. Also, I will be more liberal in including as many deserving candidates at each position.

As it stands, Santiago received 37% of the votes, Kirt Manwaring 21%, and Bob Brenly 17%.

This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants third baseman. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. If you vote "other", please specify who it is in a post below. Anyone else wishing to vote for a specified write-in player can do so by the traditional "+1" method. Note: Any "-1s" for Johnnie LeMaster will not be tabulated.

Back in the '82 season, the Giants held a promotion to vote for the all-time Giants team. Fans voted for a top player at every position, and at the end of the season they had a give-away at one of the home games with memorabilia (I think it was a coffee mug) with pics of the winners on it. If memory serves, the infield was Davenport, Speier, Fuentes, and McCovey. The outfield was Bobby Bonds, Mays, and Jack Clark. The catcher was Bob Brenly. The pitchers were Marichal and Lavelle. Don't quote me on these though. That was a long time ago.

I've been wanting to conduct a similar poll among current fans, so here goes. We'll vote position by position, perhaps at the rate of a position per week. Maybe quicker, we'll see.

This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants catcher. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. If you vote "other", please specify who it is in a post below. Anyone else wishing to vote for a specified write-in player can do so by the traditional "+1" method. Note: Any "-1s" for Johnnie LeMaster will not be tabulated.

This survey is inspired by today's NBA Hall Of Fame induction. I am foregoing the "OT:" headline on the grounds that Michael Jordan played minor league baseball. So here goes....

If an all-time International sports Hall Of Fame was instituted, Who would you choose as the first overall inductee? As per standard HOF rules, candidates must be retired from their respective sports. Therefore, not yet eligible would be: Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, the Williams sisters, etc.

Last time I posted one of these hypothetical trade threads I got bombarded with negative comments. And since the wife was being a sweetheart all day today, I figured what better way to get my daily dose of abuse than to post another. So here goes.

If the White Sox continue to falter and find themselves a seller as the trade deadline nears, how would the Sickels community feel about a Bobby Jenks trade? Here is the hypothetical trade proposal: Jenks to Tampa Bay for 3B Willy Aybar, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, adn LHP John Satow.

Specific questions: Is this a balanced trade? If not, how to balance it? Is it plausible?

There is no basis of reports or rumors for this topic. It is merely something I was pondering after seeing the Geoff Blum highlight on Baseball Tonight last night. I started thinking of possible trade destinations for Blum, who is in a contract year. Houston is unlikely to be a contender this year. There will probably be plenty of inquiries about Blum on the trade market, if there haven't been already.

So, here is a trade proposal, and I'd like to get folks' opinions on it. Geoff Blum to the Blue Jays for minor-leaguer Kevin Ahrens.

(I tend to get carried away with over responding to people's replies, so if you are open for a conversation and a response from me, please include a "#" in your response title.)

Hola Birdos! Como estas frijole? Just wanted to ask the Cards fans about Shane Robinson's recent big-league stint. I know he got a couple starts over the past week. Just wondering about folks' take on the different fascets of his game: hitting, patience, speed, range, arm, etc. Two questions in particular: 1) Does he have the speed to hit at the top of a big-league batting order? 2) Is he ticketed for CF, RF, or does he project as a versatile Randy Winn-type defender?

Disclaimer: I started this post an hour ago and was interupted by a phone call. So, if by chance this is now a rerun, I apologize.

I realize trade proposals are as taboo around here as heart-themed boxer shorts in the locker room. Since this ran at traderumors however ...

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/12/giants-will-lis.html

it is, as they say, official. So I thought I'd make an excuse to down a third cup of coffee and create this Jonahtan Sanchez trade proposal post. There were some interesting, though mostly cliche ideas after the traderumors article. I consider mine to be a bit more creative. Please feel free to offer your ideas. Or criticize mine.

Should you feel the need for a hijack topic ... Linda Richmond, is neither a Linda, nor a Richmond. Discuss. And please rememeber we now require puns for any Brewers player linked to a trade proposal.

I'm new here. Big baseball fan. Feel like I've got a Houston connection from following Rice University for so many years. Nice to meet you all.

Got to thinking about catching solutions for the Astros this year. Ed Wade has said he is looking for a short-term solution, meaning a two-year contract at most, with prospect Jason Castro in the wings. I read a rumor about the team making a run at Ramon Hernandez, but today read that the Orioles are considering trading him to the Reds for Ryan Freel.

Was curious to see what the interest is in Josh Bard -- released by the Padres earlier this offseason -- and figured who better to ask than an Astros nation who no doubt has the peak catching radar dialed this winter.

I'm starting this post because I think it is a worthy cause, and am hoping people recommend it so it will be around for awhile. There are numerous times I have wanted to ask questions of a minor nature; silly questions about what someone's trade value is, or where everyone thinks a player will be playing in two years, etc. Of course, I always write these questions off as too stupid to warrant starting a new post. I often ask these questions when the opportunity presents itself, but of course most people don't read every post.

So, I am starting an official "Stupid questions" post, and will lead things off in response style. Hopefully many of you have experienced this too, and this idea will catch on.

A couple simple rules to keep things efficient:

1 - If you ask a question, answer someone else's question, in the spirit of making sure most if not all folks get some feedback.

2 - Try to take questions in the spirit they are intended. If it is a serious question, don't throw someone a screwball on the fists. Unless of course it's my question. Then bring it.

3 - Joke and non-baseball questions are welcome as far as I'm concerned, but please feel encouraged to first ask serious baseball questions you want answered.

4 - *Please denote fantasy questions with an asterisk at the beginning of the post title. Many people get frustrated when a question or topic piques their interest, only to discover it is about fantasy sports.

5 - If someone asks a question that seems completely redundant, make sure there is nothing additional that the poster is asking that was not covered in the question's previous incarnation.  If it is utterly redundant, simply reply  "see above" or something useful of the like.

Thanks and hope this is helpful.

With the free-agent season officially starting today, and all the rumors of C.C. Sabathia and Rafael Furcal garnering so much attention, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some less likely heroes. MLB.com today published the list of Minor League Baseball free agents. The link is posted below. I have compiled a quick list of the 10 players I think could be potential impact adds to the Giants system. I hope you all can fish out some unusual suspects of your liking from the MiLB pool.

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/free_agents.jsp

Royce Ring ~ LHP - A one time top-level prospect, Ring still has some upside. He reestablished himself in August after missing most of the year. Control is his only impending hurdle.

Marcus McBeth ~ RHP - The one-time A’s prospect had a disappointing season in the Reds system after being swapped for Chris Denorfia. The Red Sox then scooped him on a waiver claim and McBeth finished ’08 in a dynamic stint with AAA Pawtucket.

Jason Lane ~ OF - A Santa Rosa native, Lane has stagnated in AAAA limbo since a standout ’05 season in which he hit 26 homeruns with the Astros. Two things the Giants lack: power and right-handed hitting outfielders. Lane is both, and can handle southpaw pitching at any level.

Matt Whitney ~ 1B - Once a power prospect with the Indians, Whitney slowed in repeating AA last season. He is just 24 however, and despite hitting .268 last year saw a 50-point spike in both his second-half batting average and slugging percentage.

Blaine Neal ~ RHP - Perhaps one of the most sensational AAA stories last year, Neal saved 26 games for Toledo in the Tigers system. Probably the only thing that prevented a big-league call-up was that the 30-year old was selected as the closer for the Olympic team.

Jarod Plummer ~ RHP - Very similar makeup as Neal, Plummer has been hovering as a fringe prospect in the Royals system for several years. Still just 25, he repeated AA with moderate results, but improved in the second half of the season.

Jordan Czarniecki ~ OF - Another guy who can fulfill the organizational need for a right-handed hitting outfielder, Czarniecki was scooped by the Angels last season after some decent years in the Marlins organization. He can hit lefties, and still boasts athleticism and speed as a 29-year old journeyman.

Justin Pope ~ RHP - After an exceptional season as a situational right-hander in AA Reading for the Phillies organization, Pope is struggling with control in the Venezuelan Winter League. He will turn 30 next year, and is an odds-on improbability to be an impact big leaguer. Still, he’s had a good minor-league career, having now played in the Cardinals, Yankees, and World Champion Phillies systems.

John Van Benschoten ~ OF - Just hear me out on this one. When the Pirates drafted Van Benschoten in 2001, most in the scouting world agreed he was a legit five-tool prospect as an outfielder. The Pirates wanted him as a pitcher. He is currently surviving in the Mexican winter league and could still flourish as a decent big-league pitcher. However, in 2001, I filled out 20 or so write-in all-star ballots for Ryan Vogelsong as a right fielder. So, now that Rick Ankiel has set precedent, you can see why I believe it isn’t all too crazy to consider converting Van Benschoten.

Lou Lucca ~ 3B - He’s a hometown product out of South San Francisco and has a storied minor-league career. He will be 38 next season and has never played in the big leagues. All Scott McClain references aside, Lucca has the skills and grit to affect the organization with or without a big-league promotion. And considering the need for corner infield depth, why not take a chance on a hometown guy and allow him to finish a prolific career in style.

This is a fantasy thread of sorts. In our own minds, we’re all great G.M.’s. Like many of you, as a Giants fan, I spend thankless hours tooling and retooling the Giants. It’s an imperfect science. I make roster tweaks. In reality they go unrequited. So a couple weeks later I take the roster at face value and start the rebuild all over again. Well, in my infinite boredom with no team for which to root at the outset of this year’s postseason, I got to thinking. What if all the best case scenarios of my wishful G.M. thinking of years passed had panned out? What would the 2008 Giants have to consist of to be a playoff-caliber team?

So I invite everyone to play along. The parameters for my team are as follows: 1) everyone on the team is someone that could have been acquired. 2) Over past years I had a real-time scenario to acquire each player. 3) There are no overly ridiculous chemistries in the financial or personality departments (no cost-prohibitive combos like Soriano, Beltran, and Guerrero … no impossible clubhouse mixes like Mesa and Omar). 4) Taking the draft curve into consideration, I have taken liberties to add or subtract actual draft picks to adjust for where a better Giants team would have selected over previous drafts.

Those are simply my personal parameters, because if I don’t keep this thing real, I lose sleep at night. I’m sure some of you understand. Please employ your own parameters, rules, gravity, etc. in making your World Series-bound 2008 Giants team. And, please feel free to bag on my team all you want.

So without further pomp and happenstance, I give you MY … ahem … I mean YOUR 2008 World Series Champion Giants:

Lineup:

RF – Randy Winn (would have traded for him with Tampa before ’03)

2B – Craig Counsell (signed before ’07 to platoon with Kevin Frandsen)

CF – Carlos Beltran (one of two big free agent signing before ’05)

1B – Derrek Lee (acquired from Florida before ’04)

LF – Raul Ibanez (acquired for Nate Schieholtz before ’08 trade deadline)

SS – Orlando Cabrera (second big free agent signing before ’05)

3B – Pablo Sandoval (called up during ’08 for injury-plagued Bard)

C – Jason Kendall (signed before ’08 season after retirement of Doug Mirabelli)

Bench:

IF – Rich Aurilia (signed before ’08 to platoon at 3B with Counsell)

IF – Emmanuel Burriss (eventually called up and excelled after Frandsen injury)

OF – Fred Lewis (good starter for first half of ’08, made way for Ibanez acquisition)

OF – Jose Cruz Jr. (resigned before ’08 for defensive purposes)

C – Josh Bard (acquired before ’07 season)

Rotation:

RH – Tim Lincecum

LH – Barry Zito

RH – Matt Cain

LH – Randy Wolf (acquired at ’08 deadline to strengthen rotation)

LH – Jonathan Sanchez

Bullpen:

CL – Brian Wilson (started ‘08 as setup man, but took over closer with Aardsma injury)

RH – Ryan Madson (acquired before ’07)

LH – Jeremy Affeldt (signed before ’08)

RH – Doug Brocail (signed before ’08)

RH – Josh Fields (drafted in ’08, and was fast-tracked to solve Oscar Villareal debacle)

LH – Alex Hinshaw (called up in ’08 and thrived)

RH – Kevin Correia (started ’08 in rotation, valuable bullpen add after returning from DL)

In honor of the phenomenal rise of Pablo Sandoval through the Giants system, I am researching every team’s farm system for the player that most raised his stock within his respective organization. All of these players were exempt from Baseball America’s 2008 team Top 10s, and most were not ranked in John’s Top 20s. To qualify, a player must have over a year’s pro service as of the end of the 2008 season, so no one drafted or signed in 2008 will be considered.

This will be a six-part series, with one installment for each division. I’m going from the gut on these, so I’m sure there will be some discrepancies in opinion. Feel free to note any players that are more deserving. However, please crosscheck to be sure your choices are not on the above mentioned prospect lists. (Or, if a player is listed deep in the Sickles Top 20, make sure your choice is lower on the list.)

So, the first installment of the Pablo Sandoval Award will feature the National League West. Enjoy….

Arizona – Kyler Newby, RHP ~ With a farm system that has quickly diminished in depth due to acquisitions for big leaguers, the D-Backs will be depending on a lot median talent to fill out the system. Josh Whitesell is sure to be one of the several names to rise on the prospect chart. The Pablo Award however goes to right-hander Kyler Newby, who has emerged as one of the best pitching prospects in the system. Newby was sidelined for most of 2007 by an elbow injury, but was fairly dominant in the hitter-friendly California League this year. Featuring a devastating changeup to compliment a fastball/splitter combo, he totaled 16 saves in 67 innings of work for Visalia, striking out 86 while walking 30, and was more effective against lefties, holding them to a .165 batting average.

Colorado – Darin Holcomb, 3B ~ Recently being named the Sally League MVP, Holcomb has emerged as a legit late-blooming prospect, much like fellow Gonzaga alum Jason Bay. Holcomb has drawn comps to Garrett Atkins for his strike zone discipline. He struck out just 60 times against 65 walks this year in 509 at bats, and impressed with a .318 batting average. Based on his 5-foot-11 frame, he could be a candidate for a conversion to second base. However he may have enough power to remain at third or move to a corner outfield. He had 46 doubles this year at Ashville, so may have more of a power ceiling than his 14 homeruns would indicate.

Los Angeles – Matthew Wallach, C ~ Carlos Santana would have given even Pablo Sandoval some competition for the Pablo Award in the NL West until he was traded to Cleveland for Casey Blake. Otherwise, there isn’t a lot of surging talent in the Dodgers system. There is a lot of opportunity in the system at the catcher position though. While nepotism is certainly not the end-all for prospect scouting, Wallach is looking more and more like a chip off the block of his old man, Tim. Although he was repeating the rookie-class Pioneer League this season, he improved his slugging percentage by over .100 points, boosting it to .571 in 184 at bats. As a left-handed hitter, he hit went 21 for 60 against southpaws. Meanwhile he has demonstrated solid tools behind the plate and proved he can catch on a daily basis.

San Diego – Jackson Quezada, RHP ~ The Padres had a lot of notable contenders – including OF Luis Durango and 2B Eric Sogard – for the Pablo Award. Quezada rose to the top of chart though with 27 saves in the Midwest League. Coming off a decent 2007, the right-hander held opponents to a mere .180 batting average in 2008, while striking out 79 against 19 walks in 63.2 innings. He features a low-90s fastball, and has advanced sinking movement. It is possible the 22-year old, 170-pound Dominican will add velocity as he continues to grow into his 6-foot-4 frame.

San Francisco – Pablo Sandoval, C ~ The award is named after him because he has defied every scouting bureau in the world. He plays the toughest position in baseball. He is a switch hitter. He was in A-ball at the all-star break. Yet, Pablo Sandoval has came out of nowhere and has emerged as one of the premier hitting prospects in all of baseball. He combined to hit .350 between two levels of minor-league ball in the Cali and Eastern Leagues, and has kept on keeping on, hitting over .330 since being promoted to the big leagues. He best comps to Max Ramirez both sides of the ball, though he has more versatility on defense as he can play first and third in addition to catcher, which will be very useful in getting him at bats to keep his valuable bat fresh.

I was watching HBO last night and caught the commercial for the upcoming Bob Costas special with guests Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Looks like a must see. The commercial features Costas saying to Mays and Aaron that if there was a baseball Mt. Rushmore, the two of them would surely be on it.

The comment got me to thinking, and I thought it would be fun to see everyone's idea of what four baseball legends would belong on such a monument. So, what four players would you choose? It's near impossible for me to narrow it to just four, but my choices are:

Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, and Roberto Clemente.

Yours?