Chris Haft of MLB.com answers questions from Giants fans. One question asked was if Buster Posey would become as good and talented as Mauer. Haft said Posey might not be as much of a “can’t-miss” prospect as Mauer was, but he’s close. The catcher I’ve heard most frequently linked to Posey is Atlanta’s Brian McCann, who’s not as stellar as Mauer but is still very good.
King of Cali thoughts: I myself personally think Posey is going to be better than McCann. Only time will tell if he can raise his game to Mauer status.
When asked about the catcher position. Haft doesn’t think the Giants should sign Ivan Rodriguez. He doesn’t think the Giants need a 38-year-old who hit .249 with 10 home runs. He does think Henry Blanco would provide an excellent complement to Posey if the Giants wanted to ease the rookie into a regular role. Blanco’s agent, Steve Schneider, said that the Giants hadn’t contacted him.
King of Cali thoughts: This would be a good move, because it would save some money. Pudge is going to demand more money and I can’t see him wanting to platoon with Posey. Blanco would come cheap and would be willing to share time with Posey. I would give that signing a thumbs up. =)
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Buster Posey, Free Agents, Giants, Henry Blanco, Ivan Rodriguez, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Rumors, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Blogs, SF Giants Rumors
Nick Cafardo of Boston Globe links Dan Uggla to the Red Sox and Giants. Cafardo says the 30 homer, 90 RBI threat could probably first base or left field, but not sure he could go to third base. He could give someone some nice right-handed power, though.
Cafardo also says Mariners, Braves and Giants have interest in Josh Willingham. Willingham hit .260 with 24 homers and 61 RBI’s last season in 427 at-bats.
King of Cali thoughts: The Giants have been linked to Uggla since last season. Uggla doesn’t have a great average, but does have the pop that the Giants need and he could play first base. Willingham would be a nice outfielders to add to the mix for the Giants since it’s not likely they will be able to afford Bay or Holliday. The question is what will teams want from the Giants in a trade?
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Dan Uggla, Free Agents, Giants, Giants Rumors, Josh Willingham, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Trade Rumors, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors, Trades
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com say several teams are calling the Rangers for Nelson Cruz. One of the Major League source said the club is “not motivated” to move the slugging outfielder because of his productivity and reasonable salary.
Cruz could intrigue clubs such as the Braves, Cardinals and Giants if their other efforts to add an outfield bat fall short. (It’s not know if any of them have inquired about his availability.)
King of Cali thoughts: Cruz would be a great addition to the Giants lineup. He plays Right Field and he hit 33 homers, .260 AVG and 76 RBIs. Just not sure how much the Giants would have to give up to get that trade done. Cruz salary in 2009 was $408,070 per Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Giants, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Trade Rumors, Nelson Cruz, NL West, Rangers, San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors
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Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe says there should be no shortage of teams that need a right-handed power bat. Gary Sheffield will be looking for a team this off-season and Nick Cafardo has listed the Mets, Mariners, Braves, Cardinals, Rays, Twins, Orioles, A’s, Rangers and Giants as the teams that could find some role for him. Sheffield wants to reach 3,000 hits and right now he’s currently at 2,689.
King of Cali thoughts: Sheffield was always a guy I wanted the Giants to get. He’s now 41 years old, and he’s by far not the force he once was. Let’s hope the Giants don’t fall back on Sheffield. I would rather Keep Velez, Rowand and Schierholtz in the outfield. Sheffield would need to stick to the American League if he wants to have a chance to reach 3,000 hits.
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Free Agents, Gary Sheffield, Giants, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Rumors, NL West, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants, SF Giants Rumors
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Troy Renck of the Denver Post says Yorvit Torrealba, who turned down a two-year, $4.5 million deal from the Rockies. Is expected to receive an offer soon from the clubs that have called about him, including one from the NL West. Troy says he hasn’t pinpointed the NL West team, but the Giants make a lot of sense since they are expected to lose Bengie Molina and need someone they can trust in prospect Buster Posey needs more Triple-A seasoning.
King of Cali thoughts: I have always liked Torrealba, and think he would be a good fit with the Giants. Yorvit did hit .291 in 64 games, so sharing time between him and Posey would also work for Posey’s first full year in the show.
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Bengie Molina, Buster Posey, Free Agents, Giants, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Rumors, NL West, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors, Yorvit Torrealba
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Matt Holliday has absorbed two blows when management people with the Angels and Giants said they wouldn’t be pursuing him.
Johnny Damon is looking for a four-year deal. The Yankees are believed willing to give him two years, but it will be interesting to see if they meet at three years. Damon is believed to badly want to stay with the Yankees, but will have outside interest at least from the San Francisco Giants.
Miguel Tejada had a nice year in Houston (.313, 86 RBIs) should draw interest. Philly, Texas and possibly the Giants all make some sense.
King of Cali thoughts: It’s a bummer to hear Sabean say the Giants will not likely pursue Bay or Holliday. I guess that’s just the reality of it since we have some bad contracts on our team. Damon doesn’t seem like a good fit for the Giants. He’s going to start his decline and his homers were up this year because of playing at the new launching pad in New York. Tejada on the other hand would make perfect sense. This guy has a very nice bat that can help spark our offense.
Technorati Tags: Astros, Baseball, Cardinals, Free Agents, Giants, Giants Baseball, Johnny Damon, King of Cali, Matt Holliday, Miguel Tejada, MLB Hot Stove, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors, Yankees
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Jayson Stark of ESPN.com say he heard that the Marlins Dan Uggla trade talk with the Giants and Rangers got “pretty hot and heavy” at the GM meetings, according to one baseball man. Florida has told other clubs that if it doesn’t get what it wants, it will keep Uggla and deal someone else from it’s pool of arbitration-eligible players.
King of Cali thoughts: Uggla wouldn’t be a bad pick up for the Giants. He’s got some pop that they can use in their lineup. This would just have to be an addition to whatever big bat they go out and get. This can’t be the big bat that they get and that’s it. Marlins may want more than the Giants will be willing to give for Uggla.
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins, Giants, GM Meetings, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Trade Rumors, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors
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Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says a few of them (media) caught up with Brian Sabean after the Tim Lincecum press conference. With the Free Agent period beginning tonight at 9 p.m. Pacific Time. Doesn’t sound like Sabean’s going to race to throw out a multi-year, mega-offers to Jason Bay or Matt Holliday. He sounds much more interested in “second-tier” guys.
When asked if Buster Posey could be ready April 1 next year. Sabean said he doesn’t know yet. Fall League is just finishing and they will have some meetings today, tomorrow, and the week before the winter meetings to see if they think he will be ready or if they think he needs more time.
Sabean does not want to deal from their strength. He’s hate to give up pitching, unless it’s for a sure-thing offensively. Sabean says they also are involved with some talks with Brad Penny.
The Giants have already contacted pretty much who they think is going to have mutual interest. They don’t want to be involved with people that are going to use them on the way to somewhere else. If it’s legitimate mutual interest, we’ll have meaningful talks Sabean says.
Sabean doesn’t think Bay or Holliday would have much interest in the Giants.
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Brad Penny, Brian Sabean, Buster Posey, Free Agents, Giants, Jason Bay, King of Cali, Matt Holliday, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Trade Rumors, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors, Tim Lincecum
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Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of Foxsports.com say Marco Scutaro is not just a shortstop, and would consider changing positions for the right team. Rosenthal and Morosi say the Mariners, Phillies, Angels, Orioles, Twins, Cardinals and Giants are among the teams that could look for help at third.
King of Cali thoughts: I personally wouldn’t want to see the Giants go out and get Scutaro. Leave him in the AL. Lets focus on guys who can spark the offense!
Technorati Tags: AT&T Park, Baseball, Free Agents, Giants, King of Cali, Marco Scutaro, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Rumors, San Francisco, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors
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Posted on November 16th, 2009 by admin in
Q&A Hey Giants fans here is a Q&A that Dan Dibley was willing to do for us. As most of you reading this know Dibley works for KNBR. The Giants Flagship Station. Dibley is the Sports/Traffic Anchor. He has been a part of the KNBR Morning Show and Gary Radnich Experience since 2005.
King: What’s your thoughts on Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean coming back in 2010?
Dibley: I think Bruce Bochy did a nice job by enlarge of making that collection of players successful in 2009. I don’t think many skippers would have gotten 90 wins out of the group of hitters. I’m glad to see him back. As for Sabean, while some of his free agent signings are questionable, I applaud him for “trying” to upgrade the offense with Sanchez/Garko. That said, this is his last contract, unless they make a big run in the next 2 years.
King: Who is your favorite player, current and all time?
Dibley: My current favorite player is probably Brian Wilson. He has really nasty stuff and just an odd-enough personality to succeed as a closer. I’d put Affeldt and Velez as my two runners-up, though I have a big soft spot for Freddie Lewis and Randy Winn. My all-time favorite would have to be Willie McCovey. He was in his heyday while I was growing up.
King: What is your best Giants memory?
Dibley: I’d have to say my best memory, and I cannot recall the exact date, was the night of the double-header with the Dodgers back at the Stick when anarchy ruled. I was in the outfield seats when fans began jumping over the wall, clamoring for home run balls, even on short pop ups. It was the last night they allowed fans to leave the seats and chase down HR balls. The crowd was unruly a bit but it was an awesome night.
King: What free agent player out there would you like to see the Giants go after?
Dibley: I would like them to go after Jason Bay, a power hitter who will not totally kill the Giants defense.
King: There has been rumors about a Cain, Fielder trade. If you were the GM would you make this trade?
Dibley: Initially, I would have made that trade but something about the deal does not feel right for me. Maybe it’s the fit of Fielder with the Giants but my gut says don’t do it.
King: There are some 09 Giants players that are now free agents. Which players would you like to see brought back?
Dibley: I would love for them to bring Bengie Molina back, but for only one year, a pipe dream I realize. Aside from that, it’s good that Freddy Sanchez is coming back but aside from that, they can all pretty much go away.
King: There is a lot of people that want to see Posey as the starting catcher next season. Do you think Posey is ready for that role?
Dibley: I don’t think he is ready to be the everyday catcher. The inside word is that he needs to get more musculature. Once he gets bigger he will tear it up.
King: What’s your thoughts on the NL having a DH?
Dibley: Hate the DH. Always have, always will. Baseball is a game of 9 on 9. We teach kids the ethos of playing the field and getting rewarded with an AB. The DH ruins that.
King: For the record… Who do you enjoy working with more.. Murph and Mac or Gary?
Dibley: Murph and Mac are the main course and Gary is the dessert. I get a well balanced meal from 5-9 then I get a terrific, varied “treat” from 9-10:30ish. I’m the the luckiest broadcaster in the market to be able to span two great, yet different shows.
King: Is there anything you want to let Giants fans know about you that they might not know?
Dibley: I love my job at KNBR and it is a partial culmination of my dreams. The fact that a mediocre student who never played professional sports can be such an integral part of a 50,000 watt sports station is testimony to the fact that dreams come true. I want people to know that dreams do in fact come true so keep believing and don’t give up, don’t ever give up.
I just want to say thank you very much to Dan Dibley for taking the time to do this Q&A for us. You can check out Dibley’s blog at dandibley.com and you can also follow him on twitter (twitter.com/dandibley).
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Baseball, Bengie Molina, Brian Sabean, Brian Wilson, Bruce Bochy, Buster Posey, Dan Dibley, Giants, Jason Bay, KNBR, Matt Cain, MLB, Prince Fielder, Q&A, Randy Winn, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Rumors
