Suck It Lasorda!!!!!

Suck It Lasorda!!!!!: The Aftermath

2010-11-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

The Aftermath

2010-11-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

Torture. 30 years of torture. My wife asked why I was getting so emotional over "a stupid baseball game." She had never seen me sitting on the floor, tears streaming down my face, in my boxers, socks and rally thong (I prefer it on my head, don't ask). She hadn't seen it at least with the tears and yes, I admit, it may have looked like I had lost it. I imagine that had I been a Lohan or married to Courtney Love, this would be an everyday occurance but I'm not. I'm just Joe Shmoe. I explained that for the past 30 years I have waited for the Giants to win. All that time spent in front of the television believing they had the tools to win and always coming up short. Everyone talks about the 2002 World Series and the then seemingly imminent win the Giants would earn.......nope. To me the worst came in that 1993 season when they won 103 games and DIDN'T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!! That team I thought had it all. To make it worse I think the next year was when they put in the Wild Card. Yea, 02 sucked, as did 89, 87, pretty much the whole 90's. Those were all good squads put together by Sabean that just didn't seem to get over that hump. Those teams then would be reassembled for another run the next year, always coming up short. I think I was sobbing more for the fact that the Giants won and in all analytical, pragmatic honesty, WILL WIN AGAIN! Of course thats assuming Sabean 2010 doesn't revert to Sabean pre-2010 and start trading off pitching or prospects for retreads. I think he got that idea from Vida Blue who buys your old junky cars for cash and repackages them as Chevy's. Thats a Dodge owners speculation.

Anyhow, barring a Slurpee induced brain freeze, Sabeans most logical moves are to resign Aubrey Huff AND Juan Uribe. Given them multi-year deals because they earned the right to defend their titles. Whats out on the free agent market anyway? A slightly younger Uribe? Another Huff like player who had a bad 2010 but expected to bounce back? We saw what Huff and Uribe can do. As for the injuries, well, I have a plan. Playing ball almost everyday over the summer can wear down your legs, but the Giants have options. Brandon Belt is almost ready. Jesus Guzman is still around also. I watched him on several occasions at Fresno and the guy can hit. I'm a believer that Guzman will figure out MLB hitting. Then there's Panda.

While I don't think Panda is a .300 hitter, I do believe 2010 was an abberation. Panda is now past his personal problems and don't think sitting on that bench didn't hurt his pride. Sabean has pieces in place already. Now, repeating is gonna be tough, but I'm going on record right here:

2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants (just in time before THE 2012)

My point is this: the reason I was so emotional is because the Giants have turned the corner. Brian Sabean no longer has to look for the next Jim DeShais's, Garko's, Turner's, or other castoff's. Those players no longer will win championships. The Giants have players named Posey, Lincecum, Bumgarner, Cain, Sanchez, Panda, Schierholtz (yes I'm including him), Runzler, and Wilson. A core of young players to pushed the Giants over. Resign Huff and Uribe. Keep Lopez. Introduce Panda to Richard Simmons and grease up the Machine.......the pieces are there and are only going to get better!

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Musings on 2010

2010-01-11T18:25:00.000-08:00

Well lets see...Garko gone, Huff signed. DeRosa signs, Bocock waived. Panda gettin' fatter. Howry gone. Benjie gone. Big Unit done. LaRoche disses. One more year of U! Ree! Bay!

Thats the gist so far. Not very exciting. Sabean appears to be slipping back into old habits. Signing Huff makes no real sense to me other than the appearance of Sabes feelin' the heat. I'm on the Ishikawa sideline as he has more upside than Huff but no big deal, even though Travis had a better year. Not sure what to make of all the utility men on the roster. Last year it was center fielders. Still the offense looks pretty boring......

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Musings on Freddy Sanchez

2009-09-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

Well, Giant fans get a look at the guy they got for.....uh, who did we trade for him? Seriously, this guy is a mystery to me. To be honest, I forgot we had him! Long term I don't know where this will fit in the Sabean archives of trades. Another in a long line of trades that have come to be known in these parts? At least the recent ones??? As you can see from the photo, Freddy has been out of the lineup for some time. Watching him take swings will bring Giant fans bittersweet feelings I'm sure. I know I'll be glad to watch him take some cuts against some live pitching. Then again, I'm hoping he doesn't rip his speen taking a cut against live pitching! I'm still not in the "GREAT TRADE" column in the Sanchez for Alderson trade. Sabean momentarily slipped back into his rent-a-player mode on this one. I always said (in my mind) that there were NO bats out there that were game changers....that you could build your team of the future around. Teams were not going to trade the Uptons, Crawfords or Ramirez's away for any Rohlingers, Ishikawas or Molina's for that matter. Sabes eventually came to his senses, saw a shiny Penny and picked it up for luck. Pitching, pitching, and more pitching is the answer for this year. It will be interesting to see which way the Giants go. Try and sign Penny to give a kick ass rotation of Lincecum, Cain, Zito, Sanchez and Penny.....or revert back to trading away talent for any past their prime players on the downslope of their careers. Strong pitching is always a hot commodity and with even more kids like Runzler, Romo and Hinshaw's improving, the Giants are on the right road. Was I talking about Sanchez?

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Radar Love

2009-09-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

Funny Stuff:

Brad Penny said Bochy used to order stadium personnel to dial down the radar gun readings whenever he'd pitch. Presented with the charges, Bochy pleaded guilty.

"Yeah, I guess word got out," Bochy said with a sly grin. "The funny thing is, I said, 'Take 5 mph off to mess with his head.' And he was throwing 94. I said again, 'Take 5 off.' They said, 'We are.'"‰"

The Colorado Rockies were suspected of employing similar gamesmanship against Tim Lincecum last month at Coors Field.

— ANDREW BAGGARLY

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Giant Chatter

2009-07-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

From MLBTradeRumors:

"Henry Schulman at the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Giants brass, headed by managing general partner Bill Neukom, will meet to discuss the potential addition of payroll through a midseason deal. Schulman believes that though money might be there to acquire the big bat they covet, the cost in prospects might be the dealbreaker. Schulman writes:

"To get Mark DeRosa from Cleveland, the Cardinals had to part with a major-league, power bullpen arm (Chris Perez) and a player to be named who I understand will be a top-level prospect -- all for three months of DeRosa. Scott Hairston is a nice outfielder, too, but Billy Beane gave up three prospects to get him. Imagine, then, what it will take for GM Brian Sabean to extract a legitimate middle-order hitter."

Schulman reiterates GM Brian Sabean's stance against betting the farm on a three-month rental, and calls this a definite sellers' market. He goes on to note that there isn't a Ryan Braun in the clubhouse clamoring for a deal to improve the team, and concludes that this will likely be a quiet deadline for the Giants, "unless one or two teams fall by the wayside quickly, either competitively or financially."

Am I the only one who thinks the Giants can win the Wild Card with what they have? It makes no sense to trade! WHO IS OUT THERE that you can build your franchise around?! Dan Uggla and his .219 average? The Giants have young talent one or two years away, young strong SIGNED arms for the next couple years and a third baseman who can get more hits than CRAP!!! Ishikawa just chased a down and in BALL. In case you didn't know this is also a game thread. Ishikawa grounds out. When is Travis going to get it? Zito not looking bad. He almost looks coherent! When is someone going to come out with an answer to the ManRam hats with the dreds? A LinceCap. You know it's a matter of time. Waiting to see when Bowker comes up and if he knows what to do with a changeup. The Giants could use his pop. Thats my point. You have Bowker down in Fresno......Juan Uribe just jacked one out. What was I saying?

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Okay, I have it figured out!

2009-06-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

I've been looking around for about four months now and I could not find ONE player that I thought was worthy of trading a top Giant pitcher for. Now, having said that, I have to add that LinceCain is off the table. So that means Zito, Sanchez, Zito, Medders and Zito are the bait. The guy I can see in Orange and Black is a pretty handy little five tool player currently in the Black and Yellow.....yes....centerfielder Andrew McCutcheon. I say Zito ......okay. Nevermind. Realistically, I say Sanchez and Burriss for McCutcheon. I threw in Burris as a hope, not as a logical choice. I know the Pirates aren't that stu......wait.....maybe they, YES. This could be done. The Pirates have made some "questionable" moves in the past. Lets see, we gave them Armano Rios and that Vogelsomething guy for a pitcher named Schmidt. I recall that worked out well for us. OH, we signed that left fielder they let go....what was his name?? I'll remember in a minute. My point is, if there is a team to be had, a team that Ol' Steven HawkinSabean can out think, it might be the Pirates. There is that ol trade we made awhile back with the White Sox that has gone down in Giants lore that made us look smart. I think it's time. Giant fans are due. We are in the thick of a Wild Card race that was NOT expected by most of you glass half empty doubting Thomas'. Now, I'm not the guy who likes to say I told ya, so I won't. I don't have to. Look at my posts! Whaddya think?? I told ya! So we know Rowand will be here awhile. NateDogg is showing he might stick around for awhile and with Randy Winn a free agent and turning, what, 50? I don't think the Gigantes will sign him unless it's a short term deal. Don't get me wrong, I hope Winn comes back. If he does he can work with McCutheon who, if you haven't seen this guy, is a helluva player. He doesn't seem to have much power but he's still pretty young. Nothing a little visit to that East Bay special "herb" shop can't fix! A little flax seed y'know. Anyway, the Giants need a bat like this guys. Sandoval will only get better and stronger. Shierholtz will too. I'm holding all hope my man Ishikawa will eventually figure it out. And on the horizon theres Sosa, Guzman, Posey and more power oriented players coming up. I think it's safe to say the Giants are looking good!!! Hold your heads up high Gigante fans!!!!

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The Glass is Half Full....

2009-06-06T09:54:00.001-07:00

So here we are in June. Typically a time infamous for Giants fans. So infamous that there is a name for it, the June Swoon. It will be interesting to see what happens this month as most have already written the Giants off. Look around MLB sites and you'll see the jokes. The Giants batting order is usually the punchline. But at this date, June 6, the Giants, in the midst of a major rebuilding effort, are 8 games behind the Dodgers in 2nd place. They got there with arguably the best rotation in the game. Now, in the past, Junes have also gone down in Giant lore as June Booms and this might be one in the making. The bats currently are a little anemic, particularly Molina's but already some bats are showing some signs of life. Rich Aurilia and even Pablo Sandoval to some extent are looking better at the plate. Having gone last week and seeing the Grizzlies play I was impressed with Jesus Guzman. Of course theres also Buster Posey on the distant horizon....My point is, the Giants are currently doing it the right way so while some near sighted fans are clamoring for a trade, to do that puts the team back where they were two years ago. Renting players while giving away it's future. There are rumblings of Uggla rumours and of course at some point Sabean will revisit the Alex Rios situation (Rios struck out 5 times in the 9th btw), so it will be interesting to see how Los Gigantes handle this month......GO GIANTS!!!

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I'm in an Uggla mood.....

2009-06-05T18:57:00.001-07:00

I'm watching this game and I'm not seeing it. I've read other sites that say it'll take Sanchez or Cain WITH Burriss or prospects. I don't see it. I'm I wrong? Ugglas stats are okay I guess. That is if you think a .219 hitter is the guy you want to build your team around. Hell, if thats the case, leave Nate Shierholtz in there! The Giants seem hellbent on trading for a bat and in the process, weakening what seems to be their one strength. Now, if the guy was named Upton or Crawford, I say make that deal like your A-Rod at the local lip gloss factory! You get that baby did!!! But Uggla?! Tell me Sabean is not THAT BIG OF AN IDIOT!!!!!

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2009-06-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

From MLBTradeRumors:

According to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants designated pitcher Pat Misch for assignment to make room on the 40-man for Kelvin Pichardo. Misch, a 27 year-old southpaw, spent most of the season relieving in Triple A.

After today's game I'm wondering if Merkin Valdez isn't far behind....

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Game Thread....

2009-05-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

Uribe gives the Giants a lead. Now lets see if G Unit can hold it. He's been looking good so far. Ishikawa hit a SHOT. Too bad it was foul. It reminded me how much I miss Bonds' splash balls.

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Game Thread.....

2009-05-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

Lincecum is cruising along. Sixth inning and the Giants actually gave him a four run lead. This is my idea of baseball. I was sitting here thinking to myself, "who does this kid remind me of?" I hear the analogies to Doc Gooden but I don't see it. Sure his stuff is as nasty but....I don't see it. I can't think of any past or present ball players. Oswalt comes close I suppose. So I started thinking of big screen pitchers. "Nuke" LaLouche? Nope. Rick Vaughn? Mmmmmm, no. The one he reminds me of is, well, Kelly Leak. That kid had some gas too. Remember, the chick was the actual pitcher and Kelly played every other position, but he was toying with them. He was so much better than Lupus, Engleberg, Rudy Stein. Kelly was a man among boy. On the other hand, Lincecum looks like a boy among men but when it comes to playing ball, the kid is alllll man! Yea, I'm off on a tangent. I gotta admit, it's nice to go on a tangent from time to time. Usually I'm rubbing the ol' rosary while watching Fred Lewis rest his maple stick on his shoulder. Ok. Back to the game....

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OH CRAP.....

2009-05-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

This from MLBTradeRumors.com:

Juan C. Rodriguez at the Sun-Sentinel says the Giants have had preliminary discussions with the Marlins about second baseman Dan Uggla, "though they are not believed to have reached general manager level."

This jives with reports that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria wants "substantive changes" for his team. Rodriguez says the Giants would almost certainly have to part with Matt Cain or Jonathan Sanchez if such a deal were to go through.

Rodriguez also speculates that the Giants might be kicking the tires on Nick Johnson and Mark DeRosa in their quest for a bat.

ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?!

The scary thing is we've already heard Sabean has been given the green light to get a bat. Brian Sabean with the go-ahead signal..........you know whats coming. It's funny to see Marlin fan jumping all over this. They are posting such interesting scenarios such as: Cain, Burriss for Uggla, Cain plus prospects for Uggla. Cain, Burriss, stock in Exxon for Uggla's cousin. You gotta be kidding. Sanchez for Uggla won't even work! Please Sabean, tell me you are just kickin the tires!
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Barry Zito

2009-05-09T22:38:00.000-07:00

This from the San Jose Merc:

"With Mannywood shuttered and their team's home-victory streak already stopped, the glum fans at Dodger Stadium defaulted to a familiar catcall Friday night:

"Barry sucks!"

It was directed at Barry Zito, not Barry Bonds. And until recently, Giants fans probably would have joined in. But not anymore.

Zito's remarkable comeback story continued, and this time the pages were embossed with his first victory of the season. His eyes narrowed, Zito outpitched Dodgers ace Chad Billingsley as the Giants claimed a significant 3-1 victory over their archrivals.

The Giants are now two games above .500 for the first time in almost two years. They haven't reached these modest heights since they were 24-22 on May 23, 2007.

If they hope to build from here, this is the time. When the Dodgers woke up Thursday, they were 21-8, undefeated in 13 home games and held a 6? 1/2-game lead in the National League West. Then they learned that their star, Manny Ramirez, had tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and would be suspended for 50 games.

The Giants have 11 more games remaining against the Dodgers, but this three-game series is their only chance to face them while Ramirez serves his suspension. Ramirez is due to return July 3; after this series, the teams won't meet again until mid-August.

While taking their bats to the field, a few Giants mentioned casually that they liked their chances in this series — especially if they could find a way to topple Billingsley, whom they hadn't beaten in 12 games (eight starts). They'll get Eric Stults and Jeff Weaver — two patches in the Dodgers' rotation — in the final two games.

Zito, their erstwhile ace, was ready for the challenge. He pitched with unflinching focus to keep the Dodgers scoreless through five innings. The teams traded runs in the sixth, and Zito was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh, but the Giants put him in line for the victory when Edgar Renteria's sacrifice fly scored Juan Uribe with the tiebreaking run in the seventh.

Zito registered his fourth consecutive quality start — something he hadn't done since a seven-start run Aug. 12 to Sept. 14, 2007 — and he worked hard for every out. His 126 pitches were two fewer than his career high and tied his highest pitch count in three seasons as a Giant."

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Game Thread May 7th

2009-05-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

I just get done raving about Molina and the man hits TWO bombs to give Cain a five run lead. I love Molina!!!

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2009 Season thoughts

2009-05-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

First official real post of the season and just a couple random thoughts. Bengie Molina doesn't get the credit he deserves. Too often this guy is laughed at when it's mentioned he is the number four guy but this guy crushes those low and away pitches pretty consistently. Too bad he didn't have Barry Lamar behind him.

Man Ram is the latest superstar to get caught up into the steroid mess. Couldn't have happened to a better guy. Now, I am pretty sure his story is pretty close to the truth but why not throw in a 50 game suspension. It's the Dodgers for jiggity sakes.

Zito, as I now toot my own horn for predicting this, is pitching well in the number 4 spot and makes a good case for......well......no. It was still a bad deal. Sabean should be out of a job at the end of his contract. Now, who is out there that you would like to see in the Orange and Black.

Hang on Giants fans. Here comes June. Time to see if it's a swoon or a boom!

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2009-02-22T15:14:00.000-08:00

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes believes the Giants and Twins "are the two teams that would probably have interest in Andy Marte."

Marte, a 25 year-old third baseman, was designated for assignment on Thursday. The Indians now have nine days to either trade, release or outright him. As Hoynes notes, both the Giants and Twins are seeking a third baseman and Marte, "young and inexpensive, would fit nicely into their payrolls."

The Giants or Twins could claim him on waivers, take a look at him in camp, and release him at the end of spring training because he's out of options, adds Hoynes.

This makes too much sense for the Giants. A couple of options of course are sending a seasoned vet, a grizzled warrior, a gamer....whatever you want to call Dave Roberts these days. MLB Trade Rumors had a blogger throwing out a trade of Marte for "Bocock and Viagra" which would also work but I'm a Bocock guy so I say trade an outfielder. Anyone except of course Winn and Lewis. Logic says Rowand is off that list but hey, it's my fantasy right? Salaries aside it'd be nice to unload some of the pricier contracts for Marte but lets stick to this dimension and leave the alternate universe for now.

Waiting for Marte to clear waivers means bidding against the Twins who hopefully are waiting for the Giants to sign him in order to land Crede for themselves. I say take 'em. There are so many questions for this years edition of Giants baseball why not add one more to the mix. Makes the odds of having a feel good story SOMEWHERE all that more possible. Do Martes high strike outs scare me? Maybe a normal Giants fan my friend. Not me.

Here we stand at the end of the Steriod/Juiced Ball Era, what harkens ahead is an era of renewed domination by pitchers. ALL teams will struggle to score runs. The Giants moving toward "small ball" will actually put them ahead of schedule. The Magic 8 Ball says so. Do I know what I'm talking about? Hell no. Am I pulling all of this out of an orifice? Uh, yea. Isn't it obvious?

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Giants rumors and musings

2009-02-21T09:38:00.000-08:00

How bout some non-A Roid news for this fine saturday? Seriously, does ESPN even know there are other MLB teams other than the Red Sox and Yankees? It amazes me how easy the press are going on the Orange One while all but crucifying Barry Lamar, who by the way got a big break when the judge threw out some more evidence in his case. We all know he took steroids, hell, I HAVE proof in the picture above of his trainer rubbin on the clear! Okay, it might not be the clear but it is a chance to show a funny A-Roid pic and what better reason than that? Yea Barry took roids, but we also know he wasn't the only one. That prosecutor, Novitzky or whatever is taking it TOO personal. That is not going to end well. In other news:

This taken from Pro Sports Daily regarding Joe Crede:

"The Giants could learn today the fate of their bid to sign free-agent third baseman Joe Crede, and it does not look promising.

The Chicago Tribune reported late Friday night that Crede had agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins.

Giant sources said they were not engaged in last-minute negotiations with Crede's agent, Scott Boras. Instead, they have made a one-year offer that combines guaranteed money and incentives and have told Boras they will not go beyond that.

The Giants were pessimistic because Boras indicated Crede had a more substantial offer.

Crede, 30, is coming off two back surgeries but looked healthy in workouts attended by Giants special assistant Ron Schueler. Although health is a concern, Crede could help set the Giants' infield. Regardless of how he well he hits - he had 17 homers in 335 at-bats last season for the White Sox - he is solid defensively and his acquisition would shift Pablo Sandoval back to first base, a more familiar position.

If Crede indeed chose Minnesota, the Giants will continue to look at Sandoval at third while Travis Ishikawa and John Bowker compete at first base. At the same time, they will examine the trade market. General manager Brian Sabean surely will get a call from Cleveland about third baseman Andy Marte, whom the Indians designated for assignment Thursday.

Marte, 25, once was a top power-hitting prospect but has not hit in the majors.

A new four hitter? Manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged the staff has discussed flopping cleanup hitter Bengie Molina with projected No. 5 hitter Fred Lewis if Lewis proves he can hit with power and produce runs.

Molina has been the Giants' RBI leader in each of his two seasons. But if he hits fourth, he would hinder Lewis on the basepaths. If they switch spots, the problem is solved.

"We've talked about that," Bochy said. "Freddie's a guy who could hit anywhere from the one-to-five holes, including the four hole. I really think he's going to have a better year than last year.""

My gut tells me this was a good thing. I don't care what the reports say, a back injury is VERY hard to comeback from. Trust me. As one who has undergone back surgery, I think I'd rather have a colonoscopy performed by Hannibal Lecter, which, by the way is actually what the rehab feels like. So my analogy is not accurate. Anyhoo, anyone who was stupid enough to actually think Crede ever intended to sign with Los Gigantes is seriously underestimating the depth of evil in Boras' soul, or lack of. A case of what the Giants seemed to be doing to the Dodgers regarding Manny....drive up the price. Only the Giants may not realize they were helping Boras on that front also. By all that is holy in my mind, Boras needs to get Jerry McGuired and find it in his heart to stop screwing the Giants. On a side note, Bochy's idea of putting Molina after Lewis makes TOO much sense. Lewis will be able to hit and will surprise a few with his pop. Kevin Mitchell he's not but he's gonna be a clutch hitter....MARK MY WORDS. In fact, I'll even print that prediction and pin it to my pegboard next to my McCain 08. The Giants won't need Lewis to be the home run leader to be contending. After all, the sun for some reason is having a lack of sun spots but you don't see IT not giving out heat still right? Having Lincecum as the ace will keep our boys in games were they can win with just 2 runs or even one. Then with Cain, arguably an ace in his own right, going against number two's on other teams, the Giants will be able to add a little more to that 3.17 run production they gave him last year (he pitched 3.51 runs scored). Then theres the G Unit who is now that cagey vet who can still reach back when needed going against other number threes. RANDY JOHNSON AS A 3. And the Giants have stated they will let Jonathan Sanchez and Noah Lowry compete for number 5 and either way, they will be better than a majority of other teams number 5 starters. Brian Sabean is GENIUS for NOT doing anything! Of course I left off the number 4 starter......no need to suck the air out of my "Giants are Contenders" balloon just yet. The name Zito speaks for itself so I won't go down there. In any case, the Giants have a serious chance to win in 4 out of 5 of their games. From some reports by the way, Barry Zito has been actually working out with Brian Wilson this offseason so maybe he can start earning.....well, maybe he can make the Giants look NOT completely like the Minnesota Vikings after trading away the kitchen sink for Herschel Walker. So keep up the good work Sabes. Just sit there QUIETLY and watch the madness around you. Sit there calmly knowing that this offseason you've shored up the bully, picked up another quality starter and not traded away the Giants future for another retread. While the Giants may not look like Murderers Row on paper, after it's all said and done, they may be calling them Hit and Run Alley.

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Giants sign Aurilia

2009-02-09T19:04:00.000-08:00

The Giants appear to have re-signed Rich Aurilia and brought him back into the fold. Good move for the Giants. Aurilia was signed to a minor league contract with incentives and he apparently turned down offers from other teams like the Blue Jays, Cubs, Astros and the Phillies. Richie may have his eyes on finishing his career in the Orange and Black. Again, good for the Giants. Signing Aurilia adds depth to the bench along with Juan Uribe, Kevin Frandsen, Pablo Sandoval etc. Of course they all may not make the cut but at 37, Aurilia will need rest and the games he and Uribe fill in or start will mean less of a dropoff in production for Los Gigantes. The Giants pursuit of Joe Crede may have come to a halt with this signing but hey, the more the merrier!

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Giants offer to Crede...

2009-02-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

This from MLB.Com:

"Joe Crede, an All-Star with the Chicago White Sox last season, reportedly is mulling an offer from the San Francisco Giants.

The CBS television affiliate in San Francisco reported on Saturday that Crede had received the offer, but did not go into contract details. Club officials could not be reached for comment, but there was no mention of an offer when general manager Brian Sabean talked to reporters during the Giants' KNBR/Giants FanFest at AT&T Park.

The GM did say the organization has made veteran infielder Rich Aurilia an offer of a Minor League contract.

Crede, selected in the fifth round of the 1996 First-Year Player Draft by the White Sox, has spent his entire career with the South Siders. He helped the White Sox capture the 2005 World Series championship and has battled through back injuries while compiling a .257 career batting average with 125 home runs and 422 RBIs. "

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Bonds tested positive......

2009-02-07T19:04:00.001-08:00

......BIG FREAKIN' DEAL!!!! This is NOT news! According to Sports Illustrated, the Glossy Lipped one himself, A-Roid ALSO tested positive. The article goes on to say that 104 major leaguers tested positive. So why is the gub'ment so focused on Bonds? Because he was the surliest? Because of his obliterating of the most sacred of records? It has become personal to those prosecuting this case and when the smoke has cleared, will MLB be drug free? Will sending possibly the greatest player of this generation to the can be enough of a deterrent to stop the next generation's super star? All the while Bud Selig sits idly by giving the illusion that all is fine. All is not fine. This investigation puts the nail in the last legitimacy that MLB had to it's claim as America's Pastime. Instead, we endure story after story of athletes and their alleged abuse of steriods. Something EVERYONE already knew. Not even the folks at WWE get as much ink in the press regarding 'roids. All under Mr. Selig's watch. Putting Bonds in the clink and possibly the Rocket next will cement the NFL's place in America's living room as the new favorite pasttime. So while Selig does all he can to protect the owners and management, who undoubtedly knew that at least some players, the Canseco's of MLB, were on the Juice, a greater more destructive fate now dooms MLB as the also ran in fans hearts. A distant second to the NFL. The only thing keeping it from sliding down to third of course is the NBA and it's braintrust rolling out such innovations as the All Star dunk contest and the just added, All Star Horse Game. MLB will be the loser should Bonds go down. It already has to be honest. The only thing that this investigation does, is remind us of how Selig and the other owners enabled the players and sold their souls all for the quick buck, the Renaissance of sorts, following the damage done by the lockout of the 80's. Yes, those nights watching Sosa and McGuire and later Bonds set records thought to be untouchable were magical. They brought back memories of dog days of yore. "Legitimate" records such as Maris' 61, Ruth and Aarons mammoth home runs and Lou Gehrig's Iron Man career were brought back to the national stage. Now the curtain has been pulled back and there stands the man pulling the strings. Thats right. The highest paid man in MLB. Bud Selig.

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Giants sign Juan Uribe

2009-01-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

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

boston sucks

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

2009-01-21T20:52:00.000-08:00

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!!!!
boston sucks

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Spring roster invitees

2009-01-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

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."

boston sucks

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NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!

2009-01-08T22:01:00.001-08:00

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.

boston sucks

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