Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune says if the Giants don’t trade for Dan Uggla. They could sign non-tendered Rockie Garrett Atkins and leave Freddy Sanchez at second base.
King of Cali thoughts: Atkins I’m sure is someone that Sabean is kicking the tires on. He would be a fall back guy. If the Giants decide to spend a little more money on a free agent in the outfield. They can also add Atkins in the infield. I just see the Giants trying to get Nick Johnson at first or Mark DeRosa at third right now.
Chris Haft of MLB.com reported over the weekend that the Giants declined to tender first baseman Ryan Garko a 2010 contract, casting him into free agency. Garko being eligible for salary arbitration, which would have virtually guaranteed him a significant pay increase from his 2009 salary of $445,100.
King of Cali thoughts: We all know Garko pressed once he was traded to the Giants. I still think he could give the Giants more. He would be a good player to spot start at first and provide some pop off the bench. The Giants have said they are targeting a first baseman, so that’s what makes Garko expendable to them. I thought this was a good trade for Garko last season. Now that they are not bringing him back. It was a wasted move and they basically just gave Scott Barnes to the Indians for free.
~King of Cali
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Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com says trade talks between the Giants and Marlins for Dan Uggla are getting “warmer”. Dialogue continues between the clubs, but they have yet to agree on names.
King of Cali thoughts: Giants and Uggla rumors were going on since last year. There is no denying the Giants interest in him. The more and more I hear about this trade. The more I want it done. Uggla is not a guy that will hit for average, but he’s a guy that has solid pop. He’s a righty and right handers that pull don’t have a problem at AT&T park. It’s the lefties that hit it to no-mans-land. Let’s see if Sabean can get this deal done.
~King of Cali
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Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports that the Giants have offers on the table to more than one free agent. Sabean said “Nobody at this time is close to saying yes.” Baggarly believes the players are Mark DeRosa, Nick Johnson and Scott Podsednik, but he hasn’t been able to confirm that.
The Giants also spoke with the agents for catcher Rod Barajas. When asked about a trade for Dan Uggla. Sabean said “I’ll make a blanket statement: We’re not in any trade discussions that are close to happening as compared to the free agents.”
King of Cali thoughts: DeRosa, Johnson and Podsednik are not sexy names, and sure aren’t the big power bats that we need. Anyone of them would sure help though. Our offense needs help anyway we can get it. By Sabean going after 2nd tier guys. He would need to make a couple moves to boost our offense.
~King of Cali
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Andrew Baggarly of San Jose Mercury News says the Giants are downplaying their interest in
Florida Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla. Other sources have different understanding of the club’s level of engagement. The source suggested the Giants might be making a subtle misdirection play to get the Florida Marlins to take a lesser return.
Baggarly also says Uggla would welcome a deal to the Giants and we haven’t’ heard the last word on these Uggla to the Giants rumors yet.
Shea does say technically, Bonds hasn’t retired, and he won’t retire. In hopes some team will call.
King of Cali thoughts: I think all of us in the baseball world know these Uggla rumors are not going to die anytime soon. It’s obvious the Giants really want Uggla, but they don’t want to part with any top prospects. I believe they are trying to say they are out to get the Marlins to panic and take a lower deal. The Marlins want to move Uggla to take him off the payroll and get some prospects in return.
Now Bonds was the GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME! I’m sure I’m going to get some bad comments by saying that, but it’s true. At least in my eyes. It’s sad to see the way his career ended. For whatever reasons the Giants decided to move on from Bonds, but he was still good enough to help other teams out there. Bonds was pushed out of the game. Like a bully pushes a kid off a swing.
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Barry Bonds, Dan Uggla, Giants, Home Run King, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Trade Rumors, NL West, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Blog, SF Giants Rumors, Winter Meetings
Chris Haft of MLB.com reports that GM Brian Sabean offered strong indications Tuesday that the Giants won’t pursue free-agent outfielders Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye. Who apparently are too old for the club’s taste.
“The Pudge signing is not going to help in our situation, ” Sabean said. Pudge signed a 2 year contract with the Washington Nationals for $6 million. This pretty much has set the market for the remaining catchers. The Giants may have to end up giving the starting catcher position to Posey next season. Sabean flatly stated that the Giants won’t approach Molina, who remains unsigned after serving as their No. 1 catcher for the previous three seasons.
The much-discussed possibility of a trade for Florida second baseman Dan Uggla, who would bolster the offense, also seems remote, at best.
King of Cali thoughts: Finally Sabean and I are on the same page. I’m glad he’s going to pass on Damon and Dye. These guys are later in their career and will be on the decline. If our team was already set and were adding a piece like them. Then lets go for it. That’s not the case for us right now. We are trying to fill some big holes right now.
If we can’t get a cheap one year catcher. Then lets just give the job to Posey and use that money elsewhere. If Posey has some struggles. He can share time with Whiteside. I’m sure Posey will be fine though. I’m sure most of us have had some on the job training?
It’s obvious that the Giants are very interested in Uggla, but this deal is never going to happen. The Giants will not give up Bumgarner, and they can’t afford to give up Sanchez now. If Penny would have re-signed. Then the Giants would have traded Sanchez for Uggla already.
~King of Cali
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Joe Capozzi of Palm Beach Post says the San Francisco Giants are said to have shown the most interest in Dan Uggla, but they’re reluctant to give away their top prospects. The Marlins are asking for left-hander Madison Bumgarner, among other players, but the Giants consider him off-limits.
King of Cali thoughts: I would love to see a trade for Uggla, but there is no way the Giants will part with Bumgarner. If that’s a deal breaker. Then let the rumors end there and move on. We can find someone on the free agent market and keep our top prospects.
~King of Cali
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Nick Cafardo of Boston Globe reports that the Marlins could deal second baseman Dan Uggla or third baseman Jorge Cantu; both are in demand. The Giants are very interested in Uggla.
King of Cali thoughts: Nothing new on that Uggla rumor, but everyone around the Major League keeps reporting how interested the Giants are in trading for Uggla. The Giants do not want to part with any pitching, so the question is how they can get this deal to work.
Nick also says the Giants need bats. At least two big ones for the middle of the order. Anyone and anything is possible. With Molina likely to depart, the Giants want a veteran to nurture rookie Buster Posey (Pudge Rodriguez?), one back-end starter, and some bullpen help. He does think pitching prospect Jonathan Sanchez could be dangled for the right bat.
King of Cali thoughts: Pudge would be a smart move for the Giants. He had a down year with the bat, but if he’s willing to platoon. That’s someone you want to mentor Posey. He also will draw some fans into the seats to see him. He’s not the big name guy you want, but Pudge still has a fan base.
~King of Cali
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Ausmus batted .295 in 36 games for the Dodgers. He does live in San Diego and has strong preference to play on the West Coast.
King of Cali thoughts: This is the kind of guy I would like to see brought in to catch for the Giants. Ausmus will be able to platoon with Buster Posey and then turn into Posey’s back up when he’s ready to take over as the everyday backstop.
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi also chime in on the Giants having options for adding offense. They say the Giants should feel confident heading into next week’s winter meetings, because they can add offense without signing Jason Bay or Matt Holliday although that would certainly help.
Multiple major league sources indicated Wednesday that free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, free-agent first baseman Nick Johnson and Florida second baseman Dan Uggla are currently high on the Giants list.
King of Cali thoughts:
Uggla – The Uggla rumors never die. Which means they are really true. The Marlins want major league ready players in exchange for Uggla, so I’m thinking they must still want Jonathan Sanchez. I’m not sure which players the Giants are willing to part with. I know the players I wouldn’t mind see going wouldn’t be the players the Marlins would want.
Johnson – The knock on Johnson is that he can’t stay healthy. He’s a guy that’s going to get on base. He will show plate discipline and take a walk.
Beltre – He’s a great defender at third and by signing him Sandoval can play first. Beltre is a career .270 hitter with 250 homers. Last season he only hit 8 but he did 25, 26 and 25 in the three previous seasons. He would bring some right-handed pop to the Giants that they desperately need.
~King of Cali
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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
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.
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