San Francisco Giants Baseball (SF Giants Rumors)

The What Ifs that we know…. Part 1
by Darrin Reyes
 
During the 2009 season many What If style transactions were talked about on sports talk radio, forums and even on twitter. Many are still possible but what they could mean to the giants are still unclear.
　
Aaron Rowand for Milton Bradley Straight up.
Milton Bradley has been a cancer to the Cubs. He was suspended for the remainder of the season on 9/20/2009. Aaron Rowand has been a good locker room Giant but that’s the only good thing he has brought to the Giants since signing.

 
Both have similar contracts. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Rowand is signed until 2012 with making 12 million a year. Bradley has 2 years left with a performance based club option for 2012. 9 mil for 2010, 12 mil for 2011 with club option for 12 mil. The Cubs would be losing 3 mil by taking the deal but may be worth it to get rid of the problems that Bradley has brought to the organization.

 
Aaron Rowand and Milton both had similar numbers in the 2009 season. Rowand had a higher batting average by 4 points, 3 more home runs and 24 more RBIs. Rowand played 20 more games than Bradley due to his suspension which gave Rowand 106 more At-Bats and 30 more Strike Outs. Strike Outs have always been an issue for Rowand with having over 100 SOs for 4 of the last 5 years. Bradley has only had over 100 SOs in 1 of the last 5 years.

What Milton Bradley will bring to the Giants. One big downside for the Giants is that Bradley has baggage. He doesn’t have a Bonds style baggage but he may be a problem for a young locker room. Going to the Giants can give him a fresh start that he will not get from the Cubs. It also keeps a right handed bat in the line up to a team that already has a lot of left handed batters. He is a switch hitter which would keep in the everyday line up because we know how Bochy likes to go with “The Match-Ups.” This factor will help the Giants by maintaining stability in the line up due to his presence. Often in 2009 the Giants did not have the same line up on back to back days because of Bochy following the Lefty/Righty match ups. From looking at his number he has performed better while on a young team rather than a team with more veteran players. He had his best year in 2008 on a young Texas Ranger team which he helped get to be 2nd in the AL West after being last in AL West in 2007.

 
If he would come to the Giants I see him as being a Left Fielder, with having Velez and Schierholtz filling out the rest of the outfield. The Giants would still need to get a big bat to play in the infield because the outfield is still crowded.
　
Possible Line Up with Bradley (with Giants current roster)
Velez CF
Sanchez 2B
Sandoval 1B
Bradley LF
Uribe 3B (if he re-signs)
Schierholtz RF
Molina C (if he re-signs)
Renteria SS