Giants sign Juan Uribe

From the Chron.:

"The question remains whether the Giants will pursue former Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, but on Thursday they signed a player who filled in admirably last season when Crede went down again with a back injury.

Juan Uribe, who as recently as 2007 hit 20 home runs for the White Sox as their starting shortstop, has signed a minor-league contract with the Giants and will compete for a job in spring training. He will earn about $1 million if he makes the team.

Should he stick, the 29-year-old will provide experienced depth at third base, second base and particularly shortstop. Although he is not viewed as a candidate for an everyday job - Pablo Sandoval is still penciled in as the starting third baseman - the team will allow Uribe to make his case in spring training. Even as a backup, he could start at third base against left-handed pitchers, with Sandoval moving to first.

"This is an opportunity for him and an opportunity for us," director of player personnel Bobby Evans said. "It's a good fit for both of us. He can play multiple positions and play them well, short and third in particular."

Team sources stressed that this signing will not preclude the Giants from considering other corner-infield options in their quest for a middle-order hitter - if the right deal comes.

"It's anybody's guess what will happen in the market," Evans said. "We'll be responsive. But we're not under any pressure to sign a third baseman. We're very comfortable with Pablo Sandoval being our everyday third baseman

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Another good move by the Giants. I still haven't figured out though why the Giants don't just leave Sandoval at first? Uribe is the better fielder so leave him at the hot plate and Pablo can handle first. Anyhoo, the Giants have had a decent off season and I'm ready to see what these boys can do this season!!

A side note is that Juan is a second cousin to one of my favorite Giants, the late Jose Uribe. Nice to see another Uribe in the Orange and Black.!!

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Giants sign Taschner

This from the Oakland Trib.:

"Left-hander Jack Taschner and the San Francisco Giants agreed Tuesday to an $835,000, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Taschner was the only Giants player eligible for arbitration before agreeing to the deal. He went 3-2 with a 4.88 ERA in a career-high 67 games last season and made $400,500. Despite being used frequently as a left-handed specialist during his four years in the majors, Taschner has struggled against left-handed hitters. Lefties have a .288 career average against him, compared to .247 for right-handers. Taschner posted a 2.04 ERA in 26 appearances against NL West opponents"

I've always had a soft spot for Taschner so I'm glad the Giants signed him. Plus, even though he struggled at times, this puts the bullpen in a stronger position. It's apparent the Gigantes strengths are going to be pitching and since there is no game breaking bat out there.......(yes I know HE'S still available)......pile on with MORE pitching! Things is looking up!!!!
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Spring roster invitees

Some surprises and some not so surprises. Scott McClain once again makes an appearance along with former Marlin Justin Miller. Heres the rundown taken off the Chron.:

"Catcher Buster Posey, last year's first-round draft pick, highlights a list of 16 nonroster players the Giants have invited to spring training, which begins in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Feb. 14.

Several players were signed to minor-league contracts and invited. The notables include right-handed reliever Justin Miller, who had a 3.90 ERA over the last two seasons with Florida; Josh Phelps, a first baseman who has 64 big-league homers since his 2000 debut; right-hander Brandon Medders, who has a 3.52 ERA in 135 appearance with Arizona; and infielder Jesus Guzman, the former A's prospect who won the Texas League batting title last year.

First baseman Scott McClain, who at 36 became the oldest player in big-league history to hit his first home run, returns."



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NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!

This blog has just learned that..........THE GIANTS HAVE NOT SIGNED MANNY!!!!

Okay. Thats not news. But it's true. The last desperate act of a G.M. with a history of making moves that only an "idiot" would has held himself in check. I don't know if there is a type of methadone for G.M.'s making bonehead trades but whatever Sabean is taking is working. HOWEVER....I have noticed that with all the ManRam talk it has boiled down to two remaining "contenders"......Brian Sabean and ......Ned Colleti. Nice. What better way to seal the Giants having a successful season than to have Manny sign with the Boys in Blue. From all appearances, nobody else is interested. NOBODY. Which means someone is going to sign Manny as a much lower price than Satan Boras is willing to accept, but if Manny wants to play....... This of course means Manny is NOT going to be happy. So Brian Sabean, let the Dodgers have him. A bad ManRam in blue sure looks alot better than a bad ManRam in orange. See, when all my teams seem to be in rebuild/reload mode, sports for me has resorted to watching the teams I hate the most......the Dodgers and Cowboys.....implode. It's the only reason I watch sports. The Lakers also. It's what I do. So while the Gigantes make a run at the NL West this year (and knowing they'll lose in the first round) what better hobby will there be than to watch ManRam pout in Smell.A? It will be priceless. Think of the moments. In fact, there may be a golden moment that I'll have to post on my Youtube as my most favorite moment in sports...eva. Currently that title belongs to Tommy Lasorda falling on his Dodger arse on national t.v. during the All Star game. Ahhh the good old days. I rerun that over and over and over. It never gets old.

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Latest on the Manny rumors from Pro Sports blog:


"As hard as Scott Boras may be trying to portray the San Francisco Giants as serious bidders for Manny Ramirez, it's even harder to find executives in baseball who believe that. According to one source familiar with the Giants' thinking, just about every recent rumor connecting the Giants with Manny is "unfounded" or "baloney." "If a million things came together over the next few weeks, would it be possible? Maybe," the source told ESPN.com. "But for where [Boras] is right now and where the team is right now, it doesn't make sense economically and it doesn't make sense for how the team fits together."

This is JUST what the Giants need. I can't for the life of me draw any analogies to compare this too other than to say, you know when you were in jr. high and you thought it would be cool to wear a fuzzy long scarf to set the new style for the middle of summer?! Remember how you felt walking down the hall, catching the eye of every lad, and more importantly, every lass and you strutted with so much pride even Barry Bonds would have said "man that guy is full of himself." Then, remember how it felt when you found out that everyone thought you were the biggest douchebag and the scarf made you look even douchier? Hell, if Bon Jovi couldn't pull it off, how the hell were you supposed to? Well thats what the Giants look like right about now. Now I'm NOT a G.M. but I like to play one in the blogosphere, but even I knew the Gigantes couldn't pull the scratch to bring in Manny. For one, there's that Zito thing. For two, theres that Rowand thing. I'm amazed that the Giants let this get this far. What was Sabean thinking? Did he think Boras would cut him a sweet deal to bury the hatchet? That signing Manny was the final piece to the puzzle? You fans need to think long and hard about this one. Having ManRam drop...errrrr, catch fly balls in left and hit balls off the Coke bottle would be nice, but don't you think there would be a downside??? I'll let you stew on that for awhile. Fringe is coming on for criminy sakes........brb......


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Whew.....Man Ram still NOT a Giant

Why do the rumors persist. What is that old saying.....where theres smoke, theres a San Francisco Giant G.M. trying to prove how big of an "idiot" he really is. You know it's inevitable. The Giants will sign an aging superstar with mediocre defense, a great bat and more baggage than Rosie's afternoon snack for a 7 year, incentive FREE contract and on top of that we trade Sanchez and Cain and the first round picks for the next four years. With all the positive transactions made so far, it just goes to show how ONE false step can erase all that positive press Sabean and the Giants have gotten. Just with the moves they've made they've got some in the press believing that the G-Men can actually contend. No other team in the NL West have made themselves that much better....except for the Giants. If however, the Giants are running the fake reverse in order to drive the price up for the Dodgers, then by all means, have at it. Just make sure you know when to bail out.

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