Since returning to AAA, Brandon Belt has been mainly playing left field and right field, and it appears that the Giants intend to play him in left field once he returns to the majors.   I was wondering how moving him to left field affects his value.  I remember when we were discussing Belt previously, one of the concerns with him was that he plays first base, and as a result, needs to put up fairly massive numbers at the plate to provide value comparable to other first basemen around the league.  For sure, Left Field is also home to some heavy hitters, but the list seems a bit less intimidating.  As long as he plays good defense, does Belt's move the outfield improve his value?  What's the difference in positional value between first basemen and left fielders?

Vote for teh MadBum Heeeeeeeerrrrreeeee!!!!

An interwebs expert enters a Giants Blog.

Expert: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.

(Grant does not respond.)

E: 'Ello, Miss?

Grant: What do you mean "miss"?

E: I'm sorry, I have sore knuckles. I wish to make a complaint!

G: We're closin' for lunch.

E: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this FanPost, which surely should have been a FanShot on this very site.

G: Oh yes, the, uh, the MadBum poll...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

E: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. It's not important enough, that's what's wrong with it!

G: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.

E: Look, matey, I know a FanShot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.

G: No no he's not a FanShot, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable post, the MadBum posts, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!

E: The plumage don't enter into it. It's a FanShot.

G: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!

E: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up!

G: (shouting at the MadBum thread)

'Ello, Mister Polly Post! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you get more interesting...(Grant hits shikantaza)

(75 words is easy)

Crossing the Bridge: A closer look at what happened to Barry Zito

The Linky Is Here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(read the article, dammit, not what is below)

75 words to my heart ba-by

don't say MAY-BE!

oooooooo woooo woooo

Where's my fastball late-ly?

Please don't say that you hate me

Dr. Octagon messed me up great-ly

Now I'll have to work at a bake-ry

To Mr. Magowan it might be haz-y

He didn't wanna, but the devil made me

Now I drink and my hands are shay-key

BAY BEE BAY BEE BAY BEE

take me to the bridge

hot pants with stirrup socks...

(I warned you)

I'm not going to get my hopes up, but this would be funny.  From the website:

"Do you want to help?

The New York Mets are allowing people to vote for what sing-a-long song they will play during the eighth inning of their final season at Shea Stadium.

They did not include Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" as an option, but they included an "Other:" field for people to suggest a different song."

http://www.rickrollthemets.com/

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3217470

Not that there isn't any truth to some of the things Stark says, but it's hilarious that he would devote an entire article on defining the distinction between Clemens and Bonds... it's a whole bunch of "Well, we know Coke is a cola, but what about this Pepsi stuff?  Can... we... really... be... sure?  I mean it tastes like cola, but I don't know!"

They've been concentrating on Barry for years.  Now, a report comes out confirming what we all knew: a huge proportion of the league has been on PEDs.  And the report gives us only a portion of the picture; more players were using than were named.  So, what does Stark want to talk about?  Barry!  See?  The situations are DIFFERENT!  SEE?  SEE????  BARRY BARRY BARRY!!!!

Fug em...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3156189

Seems like it would be a good match since we really need a 3B, and he still has a lot of potential.  He's a lefty hitter, so Mays Field may not be the best place for him to rediscover his power stroke, but he wouldn't cost much and I'd be willing to give him a shot. He'd probably like the Giants simply because we are so desperate for someone to play the corner spots in our infield.

"The Giants have spoken to agent Scott Boras about infielder Dallas McPherson, who became a free agent when the Los Angeles Angels did not tender him a contract. McPherson is coming off back surgery but he is a former top prospect with home run potential and could play first or third base."

http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_7730241?nclick_check=1
(main part of the story is about Sabean not leaving over the Mitchell Report)

Giants fans not keen on deal for Rios  TheStar.com - Sports - Giants fans not keen on deal for Rios
Don't want general manager Sabean to send hard-throwing starter Lincecum to Toronto
December 12, 2007
CATHAL KELLY
Sports reporter

In San Francisco, it's an idea that's catching as much traction as levelling Alcatraz to build condos - trading pitcher Tim Lincecum straight-up for Jays outfielder Alex Rios.

"(Fans) are pretty staunchly against it," San Jose Mercury News beat writer Andrew Baggarly said yesterday. "I don't think they'd arrive at the stadium with pitchforks or anything, but people would get upset."

It's unusual in the current baseball climate for a prospective one-for-one deal to sit on the table in full public view for nearly a week, as this one has. That's given Giants fans plenty of time to chew on the idea.

A poll on the Mercury News website was running more than 2-to-1 against the switch. Curiously, the feeling runs just as hot in Toronto. A similar vote on thestar.com also ran 2-to-1 against, with the majority urging Toronto to hold on their all-star right fielder.

San Francisco, the second-lowest scoring club in the National League last year - even with the recently indicted Barry Bonds, badly needs the offence Rios can supply. How much of a difference he alone can make is an open question.

"I like Rios as a player, but adding him to this team is like putting four spinning rims on a Yugo," said Grant Brisbee, the man behind the McCovey Chronicles, a popular Giants blog.

Giants GM Brian Sabean must ask himself if he can afford to exchange Lincecum's future for what Rios can provide at present.

"I think (Lincecum) represents hope, which this organization needs," said Chris Haft, who covers the Giants for mlb.com. "Fans have fallen in love with him and they just don't want to see him go."

Haft said his emails were running 80 or 90-to-1 against the deal.

"People were more divided over whether Barry Bonds should stay or go. There is way more unanimity about this," Haft said.

The Jays tabled the Rios-for-Lincecum offer last Wednesday at the winter meetings. That means Sabean has been mulling it over for six days.

After telling a Bay Area radio show that he'd resolve the issue by the beginning of this week, Sabean now seems no closer to closure. He did not return calls yesterday asking for comment.

"He's really a decisive person and you can tell he's torn," Baggarly said of Sabean. "I think the Giants would have done it by now if they were going to do it."

There are reasons that the Giants might choose to believe that Lincecum is not as sure-fire a prospect as their fans seem to think. He's small for a starter (5-foot-11, 170 pounds). His unorthodox delivery may or may not be a warning sign of future breakdowns. He's an easy-going kid from the northwest, rather than a fire-breather on the mound.

But the radar gun and his opponents do not lie.

Lincecum comes with a swirling two-seamer that flirts with 100 m.p.h., a wicked curveball he uses as a selective strikeout pitch and a serviceable changeup that keeps batters off-balance.

"He's got the best stuff that I've seen all year," Phillies shortstop Ryan Theriot said of Lincecum after facing him last August. "I hope I don't see anybody who's better than him or else we're really in trouble."

"People love Lincecum," Baggarly said. "He doesn't even know what he's doing yet and he struck out 150 batters (in his rookie season). He's an awesome talent."

"In their heart of hearts, the Giants don't want to do this deal. They're just so desperate," said Haft.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/284817

From a blue jay board... not a trusted source, but take it for what it is:
"Just heard on a FOX Sports Radio update during a talk about the NFL games today. Reports say that the Giants will accept the trade of Rios for Lincecum most likely by tomorrow. Apperantly the Giants GM has to run it by ownership one last time and do another check on their next move to require a pitcher. It also said that it is beleived that JP may have been asked to include another player."

forums.sportsnet.ca/thread.jspa?threadID=234722&tstart=0

I really hope this isn't true.

I'm curious what you guys think about him.  He seems like a pretty good player with decent power, and considering the lack of options on the table for the Giants at this point, he may be a good direction in which to go.

On the plus side, he seems like a good hitter and fielder.  I am concerned, however, about the fact that he hits left handed and isn't an elite power hitter.  I could see Mays Field killing his power numbers.  On the other hand, if this team really is built for station-to-station ball, he may be a good candidate to take advantage of triples alley.  I've heard that he hits well to the gaps and he has good, if not great, speed.

Another negative is the fact that he plays outfield.  If we signed him, I guess he would play center, although he is better suited for right.

An outfield of Winn, Schierholtz, and Fukudome definitely lacks power, but they might collectively hit somewhere around .290.

Lineup:
Velez 2B
Winn RF
Schierholtz LF
Fukudome CF
Molina C
Ortmeier 1B
Frandsen 3B
Vizquel SS
Pitcher

Rotation (Cain > Zito, but I put it this way to go Right/Left/Right):
The Enchanted One
Zito
Cainer
Lowry
Correia/Sanchez

Bullpen:
Wilson (Closer)
Hennessey (Set up)
Correia/Sanchez
Chulk
Misch
Messenger
(Walker? Capellan? Sadler? etc...)

I don't know... the lineup sucks, but I would probably watch that team.  I think that it would be fun to see what some of the young position players can do.  I don't really know where I'd put Molina: he's a decent hitter, but I'd be worried about him gumming up the basepaths.

Also, if the pitching does as well as I think they can do, we can win some games.  I might be a fool, but I still think that Zito can do much better than he did last year, even if he is never going to be an ace.

Plus, I think the team would have a lot of payroll leftover and could pump some funds into the minor leagues, maybe signing another Big V or one of the guys asking a lot of money who drops in the supplemental round (do we have a sup pick?).

We would obviously have a surplus of pitching and outfielders.  I would actively try to trade Lowry, Sanchez, Winn, and Roberts... I would give away Durham.

What do you guys think?  Is this look good enough to spend 3 years and 39-45 million on Fukudome?  Under other circumstances, I would probably say that that is too much, but considering that we don't have too much on the payroll, we may be alright overpaying him by a few million.  Hell, it's not my money.

Unless a miracle occurs, we're going to suck next year.  Keep Timmy.  Don't sacrifice the future.  Play the kids.  Suck as little as possible.  Draft well.

Sorry if this is repetitive.  I just wanted gauge interest in adding Fukudome to the mix and I didn't see much Fukuspecific discussion elsewhere.