SB Nation User Blog: silentearth36

ESPN Projections of 2009 Season

silentearth36 — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:31:59 -0000

ESPN Projections of 2009 Season

21 ESPN-ers predict: division winners, wild card teams, World Series champion, MVPs, Cy Young winners, breakout and underrated players, and a dark horse team for the AL and NL.

Check out all the Giant references...wow

Subject to Failure

silentearth36 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:47:15 -0000

With the All-Star Break only two days away and deals already beginning to be swung, the Giants have to make some moves. Being 15 games under the .500 mark and now fading out of the divisional race (like we all thought we would), the Giants are not contenders. So, with that being said what moves can and should the Giants make after the All-Star Break and before the Trade Deadline?

Canidates to be moved: ( AVG, SLG, OBP)

OF Randy Winn (.286 .407 .356)
2B Ray Durham (.287 .413 .381)
UTIL Rich Aurilia (.278 .436 .333)
C Bengie Molina (.286 .408 .315)
RP Keichi Yabu (3-4, 3.38ERA, 31K, 19BB)

These are the only guys that are worth trading and have value to fetch anything worth a return. Any kind of proposed deals? What teams do we happen to fit their needs?

With the recent trend, should we do it too?

silentearth36 — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:09:55 -0000

Manny Corpas, Ian Kinsler, Brandon Phillips, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Troy Tulowitzki, James Shields, Yadier Molina, Carlos Pena, and ...

With Evan Longoria signing a 7yr $17.5 million deal with the Rays after only his 6th game, one question has surfaced in the discussion of this topic: Should the Giants ink Tim Lincecum to a long term deal now?

Well, Lincecum is in his second season with the Giants with the statistical line of:

	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	SVO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO

Career	9	5	3.83	27	26	0	0	0	0	162.1	139	74	69	12	71	172

Not too bad, ehh? Yeah, Lincecum has been pretty impressive since first debuting last year. But is it really the best move to lock up Tim Lincecum right now?

Now look at how the Giants handled Matt Cain and Noah Lowry: Cain * Debuted Aug. 29, 2005 * Signed his contract in March 2007 * Contract- 4yrs/$9M, plus $6.25M 2011 club option Lowry * Debuted Sept. 5, 2003 * Signed his contract in April 2006 * 4 years/$9.25M, plus $6.25M 2010 club option Lowry signed his contract a little over two years after his debut, while Cain inked his after his first full season. Both sides of the argument debating signing Timmy to a long term deal have there focus points; i.e. some people believe that Lincecum's mechanics are a cause for health concerns in his career or, on the otherside, he is (along with Cain) the face of the franchise.

What do you think? Should the Giants lock up Lincecum long term this season? Why? What should the length and salary be?

Moving Around

silentearth36 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:02:15 -0000

The Giants need to make some moves to show that they are committed to doing anything to turn around the club in the not so far off future. The current Giants roster is for 2008 is $76,594,500. The payroll is at its lowest since the 2001 Giants season. The aimed targets of this post are more than just the usual suspects(although they will be included), but guys like Keiichi Yabu and Randy Winn, yes Randy Winn.

Rich Aurilia: (before today stats: 7/31 .226, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K)

Aurilia is a starter because management lost faith in Ortmeier before the regular season even started. Aurilia's seven hits are all singles, the only other Giant w/ at least 10 at-bats not to have an extra base hit: Bocock. With the recent decision to make Ort a right handed hitter instead of a switch hitter, hopefully will lead to his offensive increase of his skills. Just give Ortmeier the job at first for now, see if he works out his kinks with his hitting, and allow him to prove otherwise that he cannot put up the same numbers Aurilia would over the course of the season.

Replacement: Starting-Ortmeier; 1B Brett Harper on roster

Cost: DFA $4.5M

Keiichi Yabu: (5.1 IN, 5.06 ERA, 1.31 WHIP)

Yabu some how made the roster, Sabean must have wanted somebody close to as old as Bonds was on the team. Another (younger) arm should occupy this spot in the bullpen. The goal of 2008 should be to give the younger guys chances to develop and prove themselves for 2009.

Replacement: Vinnie Chulk (should be Billy Sadler or Brian Anderson)

Cost: Would possibly pass through waivers and stay year in Fresno

Randy Winn: (9/31 .290, 3RBI, 3BB, 6K)

This one seems like an odd one to put because he is actually contributing to the team, but that is exactly why. For the next two and a half months, the Giants need to make sure Winn stays healthy and keeps his stats up. Then come trade deadline, spin him to another team for one or two decent young guys. There is no reason to keep Winn past 2008 since rebuilding is occuring and Roberts won't be going anywhere until his contract is up after 2009.

Replacement: Nate Schierholtz

Cost: Productivity

Kevin Correia (1-1 2.63ERA, 8K, 5BB) or Jonathan Sanchez (0-1 6.30ERA, 18K, 4BB)

While Lowry is out, let these two continue to battle it out for a roster spot as the 5th starter. If both continue to pitch well when Lowry is set to return, the guy negated to pen work should be traded. Yes, another injury could happen to any of the 5 starters, but there is still Pat Misch and Nick Pereira in Fresno, and Justin Hedrick, Osiris Matos, and Kelvin Pichardo in Connecticut.

Replacement: Any named above or acquired

Cost: Major league ready pitching depth

Ray Durham: (5/25 .200, 1HR, 2RBI, 2BB, 6K)

This one is so bad that no one needs to explain. The only thing to mention here about Durham...he is a double agent that likes to trick Sabean & Co into believing he can actually play (Spring Training 2008, every contract year). Only problem, Frandsen is out for the ye...wait there is that speedy guy Eugenio Velez that could cover for him.

Replacement: Starting-Velez, Travis Denker on the roster

Cost: DFA $7.5M

What the hell!?!

silentearth36 — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:32:46 -0000

I know the Giants have started poorly in 2008, but there is no reason to act as somebody did on the last out of the game today. On the flyball to left, Hairston was about to catch the ball when just behind him and in front of Edmonds, another ball drops to the ground. What the hell is the matter with that fan? This was a class-less act by who ever threw the ball.

Three

silentearth36 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:37:45 -0000

The Giants, Bruce Bochy, and Brian "the fabulous one" Sabean have the impending 25 man roster crunch on their hands and things are complicated with the guys out of options and veterans holding spots that should be open for the younger talent. While most of the talk is geared towards the bullpen (and with very good reasons), there is a troubling development that has some how slipped through the cracks of Giants nation: the carrying of three catchers on the active roster.

Why would a club carry three catchers? From indications on the radio and through news reports, Molina, Alfonzo, and Rodriguez are all projected to be on the opening day 25 man active roster. But why all three? Honestly, it is a waste of a space and either Rodriguez or Alfonzo should be at Triple-A Fresno. Bengie Molina has the starting job locked up, so the question of who should be the back up lingers on...and Bochy and Sabean don't seem to want to answer it.

Experience: Molina started 125 games last year, the most ever in his career thus easy to assume he probably won't have that many this year. So for sake of argument, lets say he starts 112 games, leaving 70 for the back-up(s). Spliting it evenly, thats 35 games a piece with the average of 3 at-bats a game hitting in the 8th spot, equaling 105 at-bats per back-up. Alfonzo is the only of the two to have over 100 at-bats in the majors (Alfonzo-350 in 113 games, Rodriguez-87 in 39 games). Advantage: Alfonzo
Skills: Guillermo Rodriguez is the stronger of the two defensively, while Alfonzo has the upper hand offensively (upon comparing 2007 in the majors and minors). Advantage: Push
Intangibles: The Giants are in a youthful movement...sort of. Alfonzo is a year younger. Advantage: Alfonzo. Rodriquez is physically in better shape than Alfonzo. Advantage: Rodriguez.

Unless anyone can come up with anything else, as my brain is fried as it is 1:00AM on the West Coast, Alfonzo should be the back up and Rodriquez should be embarking on his 12th minor league season. This one spot determines whether the Giants carry 11 pitchers or 12 pitchers. If the Giants carry 12 pitchers, 5 of those are starters (excluding Lowry for now since he will start the season on the DL) leaving 7 spots for the bullpen. Wilson, Hennessey, Walker and Taschner are guarrenteed for spots. Steve Kline, Merkin Valdez, Erick Threets, Vinnie Chulk, and Pat Misch are fighting for the final three spots. Misch will start off at Fresno, and Chulk will most likely take a spot. Merkin Valdez has definitely earned a spot, thus leaving the question of Kline or Threets...but if there are three catchers, which two get the axe?

Wait....What?....

silentearth36 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:15:26 -0000

The Giants transaction page on March 12th had two new messages: 1)Jose Capellan was claimed off waivers by the Reds 2)Randy Messenger was released. A week earlier, the page said that Messenger was optioned to Triple-A Fresno....And then today I come to find that the Giants have agreed to terms with Randy Messenger on a minor league contract. So what was the deal with all this movement?

Now, the news hasn't been posted on the transaction page yet, but with comfirmation of Chris Haft, the Giants insider and MLB writer, it is official. He did not say what the cause of this entire situation was, but speculating about this leads to the belief that: it had to be done this way in order to remove Messenger from the 40 man roster. That appears to be one major reason... but who knows, it could just be a plethora of moves with Messenger.

Released?

silentearth36 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:28:01 -0000

Link: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/team/transactions.jsp?c_id=sf

Apparently Randy Messenger was released unconditionally on Wednesday, a week after he was optioned to Triple-A Fresno. Does anybody know exactly why he was released?

He did struggle once he returned from the DL last September, and then gave up 4 runs in 2 spring training innings. But before going on the DL, Messenger had a 2.62 ERA. Guess why released: Randy Messenger requested it upon demotion. Some kind of move had to be done though, because both Erick Threets and Merkin Valdez are both out of options.