Okay, so don't throw up just yet. You might want to. But.....just wait -- or at least try to wait.

Josh Bard. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. He can't hit and he's playing AAA ball for the Mariners. If he can't make the Mariners as a backup catcher -- a team that has Chris Gimenez as its backup -- then why would we want him? Well, to be fair to Bard, I'm not quite sure why they like Gimenez over Bard. One, he's a proven backup and his bat has actually played for periods in the past. Plus, Gimenez is just....bleh.

Obviously there are some better options in my head at catcher. Number one would be Ryan Doumit. I seriously hate his fundamentals, or lack thereof, behind the dish. But, his bat would certainly be welcomed right into this dreadful lineup. But, if we can't get Doumit, Bard may not be all that bad. He could start against righties and Eli could start against lefties (I know, there have been sexier catching duo's in the past). He's hitting .308 with 24 RBI in 37 games with Tacoma in the PCL. He should know most, or at least some, of the Giants staff fairly well from his time with the Pads. He's actually never been a terrible hitter at the Major League Level and he has always seemed to RAKE at AT&T. Obviously he would come cheap. So, if he didn't work out in the first couple of weeks, we could move on to plan #2 -- a plan I like to call "Ryan Doumit."

I know, it's crazy right. Why would the Marlins even think about trading Ramirez, especially with his production at an all-time low. BUT, do you think they would go for a package like this:

Ehire Adrianza, Emmanuel Burriss, Zack Wheeler, Thomas Neal, and Tommy Joseph

I'm thinking we may need to add more -- maybe another pitcher, say, Dan Runzler. The bottom line is that package is a pretty nice one. The question is whether it's "nice" enough to get Hanley.

Just thinking out loud here guys.....

That Schierholtz is on the move? I don't necessarily want to see him traded, as I think he has more value to the Giants than he does in negotiations with other teams. Also, I'm not quite sure what Sabean would ask for in return. I'm sure we can all agree that the obvious need is a SS, but we all know the "commitment" Bochy (and probably Sabean, too) have to playing the vet that "Miggy" is. He might be appealing to the Mets because he could help patrol their vast RF at Citi Field and his bat seems to be coming around. Still, New York's outfield is relatvely crowded with Beltran, Bay, Pagan, etc. But he may be a nice option out there for them in the years to come. Who knows, maybe a package of Schierholtz, Runzler, Neal, Crawford, and Culberson for Reyes could get it done? I don't know.

Thoughts?

I know....this idea, or something very similar to it, has been posted across Giants message boards for years on end. I'll go ahead and bring it up again. Barry Zito for Alfonso Soriano. Could it work? What else would need to go into a trade between the Giants and Cubs to make this swap possible?

It certainly makes some sense for both teams. The vast majority of people in Chicago look at Soriano as somewhat of a nuisance. He plays below average defense and often struggles to post a OBP above the .315 range. Still, he hits for power, runs the bases well, and has a strong arm. He could certainly be classified as the "right-handed power bat that we have admired from afar." Soriano isn't the problem in Chicago -- the Cubs are the problem. I think that he could help us more than he could hurt us. Of course, he comes with a hefty price tag -- this is where Barry Zito enters the picture.

64.5 million. That is the amount of money the Giants owe to Barry Zito over the next three years. For the first few months of 2010, that number didn't seem like the end of the universe (maybe just the end of the world). Lately, that number resembles a giant nuclear cloud looming over our heads. Zito did show some semblance of being a MLB capable #3 starter for much of the year though. Thus, he could have some value to a team like the Cubs. Compared to the 72 million that the Cubs owe Soriano, 64.5 million may look like a relative bargain (gasp!) for Zito.

I personally think that the Giants might have to sweeten the pot just a bit. Maybe Brett Pill and Dan Runzler get it done? I don't know. What do you think?

Hey guys. Long time reader but this is my first time posting. I’m transferring to USF from Orange County this upcoming semester. I’m looking to move into the city in the next couple of weeks and I still don’t have a place to live. Seeing as I will be a junior, I wasn’t really feeling the whole living in the dorms situation. I’ve been scouring craigslist looking for a room to rent but I still don’t have anything lined up. Does anyone have any advice on what I could be looking into aside from craigslist? Any rental agencies near campus? I’d like to live as close to campus as possible.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks guys.