Dear Mr. Sabean:   

I’m sorry. I truly am. For several years now, I have cursed you, taken-the-Lord’s-name-in-vein-quickly-followed-by-your-named you and in general spoken ill about you, your health, your intelligence, your sexually related habits and certain members of your immediate family. I am sorry.

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We're all familiar with players who excel only in contract years. But Zito's contract doesn't expire until 2054, right? So how could his performance this year be a contract year performance? He's really just eating better, losing fear of throwing inside, canyon throwing, meditating, not getting hickeys the day before a start, etc., right?

Actually, Zito's contract starts to be affected next year. Zito has an $18 million team option for 2014. But that option vests and becomes a player option under certain conditions.  As I understand it, those conditions are: (A) 200IP in 2013 (w/at least 180IP in 2011 and 2012), or (B) 400IP combined 2012-13 or (C) 600IP 2011-13. The team buyout (if it doesn't vest) in 2014 is $7mm, so we're talking about an $11 million difference. Players are probably willing to do a lot for $11mm. If 2010 Zito = 2008 Zito, you better believe he would be headed for the bullpen or worse this year, and the Giants probably wouldn't have given him a chance to hit those numbers next year and beyond.  Now that he's pitching like someone who almost deserves that kind of money, he will probably be given every chance to hit those milestones.

Too conspiratorial? Perhaps, but baseball players tanking after big contracts and/or performing only in contract years is so common now that I have to think there's something behind his "resurgence." And remember this is a guy who justified his poor performance in the beginning years by saying that he earned his current contract -- a common theme among baseball players who see no problem in making future employers pay for past performance. Personally, I don't care that much. I'd much rather have 4 years of very good Zito than 3 years of bad Zito + $11 million, but as someone who was looking forward to seeing bad Zito rotting in the bullpen, I find his current resurgence "curious."

Bottom of the 9th vs the Fodgers on Wednesday, runners on first and second and one out. Grate Schierholtz coming to bat. The Fodgers bring in a lefty. Grate is hitting .452/.455/.742 against lefties this year (granted, only 31 ABs).

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Did anybody else notice that Kevin Frandsen played First Base both games of yesterday's double header?

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The guy's job is on the line and rightfully so. He can't judge a free agent better than Pedro Feliz can judge an outside curve ball and the only thing he's done well (draft) has been the primary responsibility of someone else in the organization

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How do you reward your young starter for his best outing of the season?

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Let's just say the Giants infield is less than settled. We have another Sabean Suckerpunch Signing playing short, we have a catcher/first baseman playing third, a shortstop playing second and a Fresno Grizzly playing first.

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It's one thing to have an unimaginative GM that is unwilling to place any reliance on younger players until it's really too late (see, e.g., the Dave Roberts signing). It's another thing to combine that unimaginative GM with a boring and conservative manager. The result is that you get neither progress nor development.

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I remember it well, the Warriors were on the board, and, amazingly, the two picks I coveted for the Dubs were still there, Danny Granger and Gerald Green (ok, so he hasn't turn out so hot).

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As frustrated as I have been with the Warriors' off season moves these past two years, I do have to give credit to Nellie, Mullin or whoever is calling the shots these days, for being able to identify young players that can contribute to the team and play in the NBA.

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The Zero Threat Position Perovic has been waived by the Warriors as reported here.

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Let's see, we signed a center fielder to a long term (overpriced) contract who was injured earlier in the season and has the second most ABs on the team. Here's a thought: Rowand is obviously going to be on the team next year and you know what you're going to get from him, why not give him some more days off so he doesn't get... uh-oh! Too late. He left today's game with a sore back.

Why anyone on this team who is not a rookie tearing the cover off the ball should get 500+ ABs this year is beyond me. Molina? Rowen? Rest them. Frequently. Winn? If you plan to keep him, rest him. I'm not saying don't play these guys. I'm saying give them a game off per series, at least. We have plenty of guys on the team who we are either evaluating or trying to trade, so let's see what they can do.

Oh, for the good old days of Golden State of Mind when Option Zero would cram his opinions down everybody's throat. I must have missed the straw that broke the camel's back and sent him scrambling off the island, but...

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Kosta Perovic has been reassigned to the Bakersfield Jam.

As with most things Mulson, this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Biedrins is out, Weber might be hurt, O'Bryant can't get off his stylish threads and into a uni. So, what could make more sense then to reassign our other true center?

I think it must be the force. They make decisions which appear to make no sense (at least to me) and yet we're 14 games above .500. That's some serious Jedi stuff right there.

I was surprised and a little bummed to see this article about Harrington and what this may mean for BWright's PT. It also points out the obvious about the Webber experiment.

What gives with big Al? There were certainly some big expectations for him when he came over. He seems to have all the tools. His heart's in the right place. I guess it's just not clicking b/w he and Nellie. Is it just me or does Nellie have much more patience with some players than with others?

I was wondering what our man Kosta Perovic was up to, so I checked out his stats on the NBA's DLeague website. It don't look good. The Jam are tied for last place in the West at 0-3. And the zero-threat positioned Kosta has put up some lukewarm numbers so far. He's putting up 7/3.7 in 19mpg. It looks like he's had one good game, one decent game and one bad one. Let's hope he develops.

The Vikings have signed right guard Anthony Herrera to a 5-year contract extension.   You can read about it here
The Vikes sure are tying up a lot of money on a team that is not putting up W's. Hopefully, this pays off down the line. But when bad teams sign long-term contracts, it usually has terrible consequences because there's no financial room to sign people who can actually put up the wins.

With the Vikings in need of help at the QB position (Jackson and Holcomb out with injuries), it's the perfect time for Childress to do what he failed to do in the offseason: lure Bledsoe out of retirement.

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Dear Nellie:

I realize that you are considered something of a genius tactician and it's really not my place to question you, but I'm going to do it anyway. The W's went on an incredible 16-5 run + playoffs with a starting lineup of BD, JRich, Jax, Harrington and Biedrins. Barnes was the sixth man and Pietrus was usually your #7. Now, I realize that JRich is, ahem, gone and Jax is suspended, but, other than that, why #$*@ with a good thing?

When the Dubs are getting pounded on the boards, why do you continue to go small? When Harrington was your most improved player of the offseason, why does he get the sixth most minutes on the team?

I've always admired the whole -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it -- line of thinking. And I realize you might be trying to take the Dubs to the next level, but it seems like that you've actually taken them to the previous level.

So, please, give big Al a chance. Start the man.

Yours truly,

Chacabuco

The Warriors waived Carlos Powell today.

You can read a brief article about it here.

I don't know much about the man or what they were looking for in him, but it seemed highly unlikely he ever had much of a shot. Off to the D-League!

Ok, if all else fails, Foyle for Brian Cardinal!

The Grizzlies would have to add another $1.25mm to that trade somehow, but both teams get rid of a player that they signed to huge money and who have fallen out of favor. Both teams acquire a player they might use a little more (BC looks ridiculous in a suit.) BC might not fit into the Nellie mold exactly, but assuming we won't be able to re-sign Barnes, the Custodian gives us that scrappy rebounding energy off the bench. Plus, he's an 86% free throw shooter, baby!

I'm not saying this is a priority, but if Foyle is still around in September and Keith Smart is our coach...

Man, Dub fans and the media are a volatile group. In one game the Dubs go from champs to chumps. Last night's game shouldn't have surprised anyone who has been paying attention. The Dubs get killed on the boards and stink at the line. Sometimes they grip, last night they didn't. Can they come back? Yes. Will they? We'll see.

I just hope Mullin doesn't break up the nucleus of this team in order to get some bigs. We tried that already last time Nellie was here (short memory, anyone?). This team has only been together for TWO MONTHS!! If they can keep Biedrins (who's only 21 and will get bigger and better), they are a 50+ win team and a legit 4/5 seed next year. THEN if we're not still where we want to be, you consider moving some pieces. Not now, in my opinion.

When I think that this unbelievable run almost never happened because the Clip joint got hot at the end of the season, too...I get chills. I want to throw out some MAD PROPS to our NorCal basketball bros in Sacramento for taking it to the Clip Joint IN LOS ANGELES!! Unstoppable, baby!!

Also sending out some love to the UCLA Bruins for turning out Boom Dizzle and Barnes, baby. Keep up the good work.