SB Nation User Blog: rxmeister

Signing with a "contender"

rxmeister — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:53:21 -0000

I always cringe when I see on this board some comment that says, "Player A won't sign with us because he wants to sign with a contender." To me, that is the biggest crock of crap in the world. I'll bet there's not a dozen players in all of baseball who would actually make this an important criteria when they sign a contract. They say it's important, but it isn't. If all things are equal it may be a factor, but almost all players are going to where the most money is, or to a city that they feel comfortable in, like a hometown or a place they have played before. When CC and AJ hold their press conferences in NY, they're going to say they signed with the Yankees because they're always a contender, but every fan knows that they signed with the Yankees because they offered them the most money, and most fans know that if the dollars were even close, CC would have spurned those NY contenders for those SF losers just to be near his home.

That brings us to the Giants. No free agent is going to spurn the Giants because they're not a "contender." Beautiful city, beautiful ballpark, owners that are willing to spend money, and now a top tier farm system. They know that even if the team is not that good, that's just going to be a temporary situation. Randy Johnson's agent referred to the Giants as a contender, even though they're not one, because he know they could be one, and he wants their money, and this is true of all free agents.

This post was really put in my mind when i read the Ty Wigginton fanshot where people said he would prefer the Twins over the Giants because they're a contender. Are you kidding?? Minnesota?? Yeah, they may be a better team next year than the Giants, but that climate, that cheapskate owner, that dreary stadium with the hefty bags on the outfield wall, and that unenthusiastic fanbase?? What player wants to play there because they're a contender?? Yeah, they're a contender until Mauer and Morneau reach their FA years and run the hell out of there. Where are they going?? To whoever offers them the most money.

In short, the Giants will NEVER lose out on a player because they're not a contender. FA's are always going to mark it down as a preferred destination, just short of NY and LA.

Encarnacion??

rxmeister — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:20:30 -0000

Sabean kind of debunked the Sanchez for Cantu rumor yesterday but John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting today that a "reliable source" has informed him that the Giants are interested in Edwin Encarnacion. I like Encarnacion more than Cantu, but I'm kind of scared of players going from bandboxes to ATT. Ask Aaron Rowand what happens when you do that. On the other hand, Edwin is just 25 and the best should be yet to come. So would you do this one?? Sanchez for Encarnacion??

Mike Jacobs and CC Sabathia to the Giants' rumors

rxmeister — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:38:21 -0000

The Miami Herald reported today that after a deal for Mike Jacobs fell through with the Royals last week, they are now talking with Toronto and San Francisco. No word on what they want in return, but they were getting a minor league pitcher from the Royals, so that's probably what the Giants would have to give up. As for CC, Bill Madden, who's usually a decent source said that the Giants "are prepared to be players for Sabathia despite the Zito contract." He also quoted an unnamed NL GM as saying the Giants are the wildcard here, although he thinks the Dodgers are the favorites,

Fire Bruce Bochy and do it now!!

rxmeister — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:08:35 -0000

I am so sick and tired of telling the Giants to do this and they don't listen. Is Brian Sabean deaf or what?? Can he read?? Why doesn't he take my phone calls and answer my letters?? The latest comments from this big headed sack of shit that we have for a manager that have angered me concern Pablo Sandoval and Nate Schierholtz. His plans for Pablo next year?? Backup catcher and fill in at first and third. Great. The best young stud we have seen up here in years, and Brucie is going to make him a utility guy. The only options for Sandoval should be everyday catcher if Bengie is traded or everyday third baseman if he shows he can play there. He has to be in the lineup all the time!! The second comment was about Nate Schierholtz. When asked if he'll join the team on Sept 1, Bochy said yes but said he wouldn't play much. Why?? "Because we already have a great rightfielder!!" WTF?? First of all, Randy Winn isn't great. Second of all, you're not a contender, and September is about playing your kids and finding out about them. This idiot has no concept of the word "rebuilding," and simply should not be the manager of a team that is attempting to do so. All he is going to do is delay the maturation of the kids, or even ruin it outright. So far this year, although I was tough on Sabean early, I now think he gets it, and it's obvious that our new leader Neukom gets it too. Only one moron doesn't, and he needs to go. If Sabean and Neukom like him so much as a person they don't have the balls to do it, give me the phone and I'll do it for them. "You're fired, you idiot!!" Oh, I forgot. The big empty was born in France and has proven he doesn't understand English. "vous etes renvoyes, vous l'idiot!!"

Brian Giles-Loser

rxmeister — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:40:04 -0000

They are reporting that Brian Giles has vetoed a trade to the Red Sox. Why?? He's 37 years old, and this could be his last chance to win a World's Championship. He'd rather play out the season for a dreadful team than win a World Series? What a loser. I know he's from San Diego, but he could easily re-sign with them after the season if they still want him, yet he chooses to play out the string with a bad team. God forbid he do the Padres a favor and give them a chance to look at some kid over the last six weeks of the season after he signed a big contract with them and "mysteriously" lost all his power. Why not help the Padres get better by getting a talented kid or two from the Red Sox system?? Then again, there's accountability in Boston and they expect you to produce for them over there rather than laid back San Diego, where they only boo Barry Bonds. I just watched the series with the Mets, and everytime he came up in a clutch situation he failed. His career post season batting average?? .208. No wonder he vetoed the trade. Play in obscurity rather than expose yourself in the bright lights of the post season, you piece of crap who only hits the Giants!!

Home Field advantage, my ass!!

rxmeister — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:35:09 -0000

Looking around the league, you can see that home field advantage has increased greatly this year. I don't why that is, but how could I, because after all I'm the fan of the one team that doesn't seem to have any. Why do we stink at home?? Probably because of a massive miscalculation by our GM. He somehow came to the conclusion that you win in a pitcher's park with pitching, speed and defense and offense is not necessary. We can argue all day about how good the pitching, speed and defense of this team is, but that's a post for a different day, and right now I'm going to rip them for their offense. Why would you come to this conclusion anyway?? Previous Giants' teams that have been successful at ATT have been good hitting teams with so so pitching. Our best home teams were teams with Bonds, Kent, a young Aurilia, and guest stars who had good offensive years like Ellis Burks, Reggie Sanders and even David Bell, and those pitching staffs had ordinary guys like Russ Ortiz, Kirk Rueter and Livan Hernandez leading them. Is Brian Sabean this stupid that he could think that he could win with no offense whatsoever?? The obvious answer is yes. It's almost unfair to force Giant fans to watch a team whose heart of the order is the powerless Randy Winn, the ponderous Bengie Slo-lina, and the inconsistent Aaron Rowand. If the other team hits a 3 run homer, the game is over. Right handed hitters CAN hit homeruns at ATT. Lefthanded hitters CAN hit homeruns at ATT, although it's harder. Who can't hit homeruns at ATT?? The stiffs that Brian Sabean has provided for us fans to watch. Brian, you screwed up yet again this year. Fix it!!!

Good Luck Moises

rxmeister — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:01:59 -0000

In case you missed it, Moises Alou's career ended last night when he tore a hamstring DIVING for a ball in a A league rehab game. This guy is one of my favorite players of all time and I'm glad he put on the Giants' uniform for a couple of years. What a great hitter he was and still is, even at the age of 41, but he can't stay healthy. And why can't he stay healthy?? Because he continues to dive all over the place, risking life and limb in unimportant things like minor league rehab games. Some might call him reckless and stupid, but he is an Alou and that's how they play the game. He could have jogged around the outfield like a certain Mr. Bonds used to do, and he probably would be hitting .300 until he's 50, but that was not the way he played the game. I hate the Mets, but I couldn't even root against him when I saw him coming up to the plate. What a hitter he was. You could throw him 20 straight offspeed pitches, but if you then threw him a fastball, he would still be all over it. I hope the Giants give him a job, because this is the club that the Alou family is associated with, not those pigs from New York and their ungrateful fans who boo a .350 hitter when he has one bad game. Good luck, Moises!!

No, You Can't Trade Brian Wilson!!!!

rxmeister — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:10:21 -0000

Reading back on a few gameday threads, much to my dismay I have read more than a few comments about trading Brian Wilson and seeing what we could get for him, mostly on the grounds that a bad team doesn't need a closer. All I can say about that is that the idea is absurd. This kid has electric stuff, already leads the league in saves (on a team that theoretically presents very few save opportunites) and just turned 26, so he WILL be a part of the next good Giants' team. How many times do you have to see Joe Nathan pitching in an all star game to know that it hurts to see a great closer get away?? And Nathan didn't show many signs of what he was to become when Sabean traded him, why would we ever want to trade a kid with an arm like this?? Yes, we do have many kids in the minors or already here with great arms, but closing is more than having a great arm, it's the great arm and the cojones to go out there and get a big out with men all over the bases. It's also the ability to block out a blown save or two and go out there the next night with a clean slate. Brian Wilson has all these qualities, the others probably don't. And who even wants to find out?? Did you hear him say after he almost blew the three run lead against the Rockies that he doesn't want a three run lead, he wants a one run lead?? THAT's a freaking closer mentality!! And by the way, although these others do have great stuff, nobody throws as hard as Wilson does, consistently hitting 98mph, sometimes more. Wait until the weather gets hot!! In my mind, Brian Wilson is the most untradeable guy on the team after Lincecum and Cain, and he would probably even move ahead of Cain in my mind if the Giants are stupid enough to pick a pitcher this year with the fifth pick of the draft. So in conclusion fellow posters, when Brian Wilson comes into the game to save our arses these next few nights, do not mention the possibility of dealing him at the deadline for some young unknowns who walk a lot in the minors. I WILL be watching. Did I make 75 words?? Never a problem with someone like me who posts huge piles of dung!!

My Second Sabean Rant

rxmeister — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:42:12 -0000

It was reported today that Brian Sabean is looking for a lefthanded hitting baseman and they have had "internal discussions about Nick Johnson." I hate to sound like a Saturday Night Live sketch, but really, Brian, really?? You want Nick Johnson NOW?? You didn't want him this offseason when everyone on McCovey wanted him, and he was actually available because he was out all last year and Dmitri Young had a big season?? You want him now after he's won the Nats' regular first base job, and Dmitri Young has a back injury?? Even if he was still available, the price would now be twice as high. Are you an idiot?? And why do you hate Dan Ortmeier so much?? I am one of many who doesn't think that Dan Ortmeier is any good, but even the biggest Ort hater in the world would concede that he has not been given a fair chance at the first base job. You anointed him this offseason as your first baseman, refused to upgrade and then gave up on him after he had a slow start in SPRING TRAINING?? He didn't hit .050 this spring, he just hit in the low .200's, hardly anything to panic over. He's fast and can draw a walk. Can you play him two weeks in a row before you decide he is a bum?? Especially when you're sitting him to play another bum!! Sabean you are an incompetent fool, and only the fact that Magowan is a bigger incompetent fool allows you to keep your job.

Sabean Rant Number 5 Billion

rxmeister — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:31:44 -0000

According to today's SF Chronicle, Sabean is looking for a "backup catcher, a first baseman, and a late inning reliever who throws strikes." Let's take them one topic at a time in reverse to show his incompetence. First of all, what team ISN'T looking for a late inning reliever who throws strikes?? There weren't many available this offseason and there are none available now. The few that were available this offseason were quickly judged by Sabean to be too expensive. What makes him think they are out there now, and if they are, some team has one to give that isn't "too expensive"?? Let me be the one to break the news to you, Brian. You will not be able to accomplish this goal. Now let's get to first baseman. How many fans told this idiot that Dan Ortmeier at first was not the answer, and he continually said that the FA first baseman out there were not an upgrade over what he had?? Now that they have all signed elsewhere, he has decided with two weeks to go that Ort isn't very good offensively or defensively. Better first basemen than Ort were signing minor league deals and minimum contracts and although he CAN probably get someone decent at this late date, it will cost him much more because he's going to have to trade a decent prospect to get the help at first that they need. Finally, backup catcher. Is this really important?? Which one of us has sat there this offseason and then watched or listened to a few games and said to themselves, "if only this team had a backup catcher??" Incidentally, the Giants actually do have two backup catchers in GRod and Eliezer Alfonzo. They're not great, but they are passable backup catchers, and this is not a need for the team. Just how good does your backup catcher have to be?? How many games will the Giants lose this season because of this dire need of a backup catcher better than the two they already have?? The Giants do not need a backup catcher, a first baseman or a late inning strike thrower. They need a GM with a brain and a plan!! Where is he??