I keep hearing from a lot of San Francisco Giants fans saying the Giants are fine. They don’t need to add a bat, or bringing in Jose Guillen is a bad idea. I recently read an article by Bob Nightengale (USA Today Sports Weekly Aug. 4-10 edition), and he listed the winners and losers at the trading deadline.
The Giants were no where to be found on the list. They weren’t winners or losers, so I guess that’s a good thing right? They brought in Javier Lopez and Ramon Ramirez right before the trading deadline. It was no secret that the Giants needed some bullpen help which they went out and got. They however still didn’t add a bat that they have been saying they needed.
They scored 7 runs in the 4 game series in Atlanta. That’s less than 2 runs a game. Which tells me the offense can still use a little help. Even the New York Yankees who are already an All Star team added two bats (Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns).
Let me tell you 3 teams that made the winners list. That’s the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. This is what Bob Nightengale had to say about the Padres.
“The Padres rewarded their players and fans by giving them every possible chance of winning the National West. They acquired outfielder Ryan Ludwick and shortstop Miguel Tejada, took on $3 million and didn’t give up any prized prospects. Great work by rookie GM Jed Hoyer”.
Now this is exactly what I have been saying about making some moves without sacrificing the farm system. It doesn’t only take a huge splash to get us over the hump. Just get us some pop or some good players that can give other guys a rest and be a threat to come off the bench!
UPDATE
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle said (via twitter) Jose Guillen to the Giants not completely dead, but it’s not on the front burner either.
The San Francisco Giants are looking into maybe acquiring Jose Guillen. I have heard from Giants fans that don’t want to see this happen. I say it’s a no lose situation for the Giants. He can platoon with Pat Burrell in the outfield. Then Bruce Bochy can go with the hot bat and have one of them available in a pinch hit situation where you need some pop.
Yes, we have all heard about Guillen in the clubhouse and being a cancer. He’s not going to be around this team long enough to even get to that point of being unhappy. He’s going to be happy to leave a losing Royals team to a Giants team that’s fighting to win the NL West.
Yes, Guillen is in a big slump right now( 3-for-41 in last 11 games), but that doesn’t mean he won’t get out of it. Just the thought of having a guy on your bench that can bring some late inning pop to an AB when needed. That’s a huge thing for any team to have. I’m not here saying this guy is the difference maker for the Giants. I’m just saying he can help Bochy mix and match lineups and add some pop to our roster.
Is Guillen wanted in San Francisco?
Side Notes
Dontrelle Willis had his outing last night cut short because of a torn fingernail. The Giants still see Willis as a late season addition to the bullpen.
Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star says give it a week and Jose Guillen will be off the team or on the bench. The Royals want to get younger guys more playing time. Sam also says the Royals will play Guillen this week and hope it’s enough to make a deal. The Giants and Rays are still looking to add offense, and the Royals shouldn’t be asking for much in return.
The San Francisco Giants beat writer Chris Haft told me (via email) that he thinks the Giants will continue to try to obtain players who go through waivers during the next several weeks.
ESPN’s Buster Olney drops a couple tweets today saying Adam Dunn hit the waiver wire today, and a follow up tweet saying multiple NL teams will put a claim on him (Rockies & Giants).
ESPN’s Rob Neyer said on ESPN Radio that he thinks the Padres made a good trade adding a bat (Ryan Ludwick), but doesn’t think they will finish ahead of the Giants. Neyer’s BOLD prediction is the Giants will catch the Padres and win the NL West, but the Padres will win the Wild Card.
It’s been reported by Jon Heyman of SI.com (via twitter) that if the San Francisco Giants can’t swing a deal for Milwaukee Brewers Corey Hart or Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista the Giants may want to consider renting a player such as Jose Guillen.
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star said (via twitter) that the Giants are showing interest in Kansas City Royals Scott Podsednik. Podsednik isn’t the power bat that the Giants are looking for, so I really don’t see this deal happening. Bob has told me (via email) that the Giants have been linked to both Podsednik and Guillen and he knows the Royals are willing to move both players. He also says it won’t take much for the Giants to land Guillen.
It’s also been reported that the Giants are still in on Jorge Cantu. Cantu is a free agent after this year, so he does fall into the rental player category. Sabean says that’s what he doesn’t want to do, but if he gets desperate I’m sure he will take a rental player. He knows his job is still on the line.
I have been receiving a lot of emails/comments from fans that want the Giants to pull the trigger on the Hart/Sanchez deal with the Brewers. I look forward to receiving more emails/comments from fans as to which move they would like to see done before the trading deadline.
The San Francisco Giants signed the D-Train Dontrelle Willis to a minor league contract. Willis will be reporting to the Fresno Grizzlies on Monday. This is a low risk high reward signing for the Giants. Just like the Pat Burrell signing.
This tells me that Giants GM Brian Sabean is getting serious about trading LHP Jonathan Sanchez for a bat. The Milwaukee Brewers want Sanchez or Madison Bumgarner for Corey Hart. I’m not saying this will be the trade, but this is the rumor that isn’t dying.
When I asked the San Francisco Giants beat writer Chris Haft (via email) if the thinks the Giants are getting serious about trying to trade for Corey Hart, Prince Fielder or Ryan Braun. He told me it will take a lot to get one of those guys. The Brewers would want Matt Cain and somebody else decent, though the Giants might be able to sell them on Jonathan Sanchez.
Anthony Witrado of the Journal Sentinel said rumors have been flying regarding Hart for the last couple of weeks, and with the pitching-heavy but offense-starved Giants in town, the mill really got going with Hart-to-Giants talk.
I asked Witrado (via email) if he thinks the Giants will be able to land Hart, Fielder or Braun, and if so what does he think it would take to land one of them?
Witrado said Fielder and Braun are out of the question, most likely. Fielder would mean the Giants giving up Cain for sure. Hart is possibly, probably for Madison Bumgarner, but I don’t think that’ll happen over the next week. It will likely come after the break if it happens.
The San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers rumors always seem to be swirling in the Bay Area wind. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says Giants GM Brian Sabean and Lee Elder (Giants scout), were watching the game from the press box. Schulman believes they were scouting potential trade targets Corey Hart, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.
Hart: AVG .288, HR 19, and 61 RBI’s
Fielder: AVG .264, HR 18 and 36 RBI’s
Braun: AVG .291, HR 11, and 51 RBI’s
Anyone of these guys will be a great addition to the Giants lineup. The question is what are the Giants willing to give up to land one of these bats. Travis Ishikawa has been getting a few starts recently, and I believe it’s to showcase him. He can be part of a package deal to land one of these guys from the Brew Crew.
The Giants may also be willing to part with a couple players in Triple-A Fresno. Players like John Bowker and Eugenio Velezwho seem to tear it up in Fresno, but can’t secure a spot on the Giants roster. Yes, it will take more than these players to land a big bat, but they may end up part of a package deal.
Bowker: AVG .321, HR 9 and 25 RBI’s
Velez: AVG .303, HR 3, 14 RBI’s and 22 SB
If you have any doubts that the Giants will not make a move… DON’T! Sabean will make a move, because he knows another extension depends on it. He’s not going to be okay with throwing up the white flag and calling it a year. If they don’t go out and get a bat to make a run at the playoffs, he’s going to be going, going, gone! The Sabean era will probably be ending in San Francisco with no trades to get the Giants train rolling.
When it rains it pours, and it’s definitely pouring in Giantsland. The San Francisco Giants have lost six straight games, and are looking for a heartbeat to show they are still alive in this NL West.
Tom Verducci of SI.com lists his “All-Overlooked All-Star Team”. The only Giants player to make this list is Shortstop Juan Uribe. Verducci says no other shortstop has more than Uribe’s 12 homers and 45 RBI’s.
Damon Bruce of KNBR 1050 told me (via email) it’s going to be hard to deal for a significant player without moving a pitcher (Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Madison Bumgarner or Brian Wilson). Bruce doesn’t believe the Giants would ever move one of them. He also says it’s hard to think of a big name coming in to save the season.
Giants beat writer Chris Haft also mention to me that the outfield definitely is an area where they could obtain somebody.
It was a bitter-sweet moment for most Giants fans as the news dropped that the San Francisco Giants traded Big Money Bengie Molinato the Texas Rangers for RHP Chris Ray and a player to be named later.
Molina really was a clutch performer for the most part of his Giants tenure and a great backstop as well. He’s a career .275 hitter with 142 homers and 692 RBI’s. Molina just wasn’t putting up the numbers this year for the Giants at the plate. The leash for Molina wasn’t long with the future backstop already on the team (Buster Posey).
One of the SF Giants Rumors swirling prior to this trade was the Giants needed to solidify the bullpen and get a relief pitcher. Well that’s exactly what they did in this trade. Ray is currently 2-0 with a 3.41 ERA, 31.2 IP and 16 K’s. He’s going to be a guy that helps get the ball to closer Brian Wilson.
This isn’t a sexy trade, but it’s one that had to be done. The Giants couldn’t continue to trot Molina out behind the plate, when it’s clear that he’s not the best catcher on the team anymore. I wish you well Big Money because you were a great Giant!
The San Francisco Giants GM Brian Sabean has said the team is not interested in free agents/rent-a-player. Sabean says they are looking for someone that they can control (meaning next year as well). This makes sense so they don’t give up players or prospects for someone that’s going to be gone next year.
“Anybody that fits that mold, “Sabean said, “we are going to be heavy in the scouting side of it and see if it makes sense to explore.”
Jeff Fletcher Senior MLB Writer for Fanhouse says given those parameters, the best fits for the Giants are probably outfielders like Corey Hart, David DeJesus and Josh Willingham. Fletcher also says Prince Fielder would fit as well, but the Giants would have to do some shuffling to fit him since he is a first baseman.
Below is each of the players stats. DeJesus to me is doubtful, because the Giants are still searching for that middle of the lineup bat to drive in runs. DeJesus would be a nice bat at the top of the lineup though.
Prince Fielder is currently hitting .260 with 17 homers, 35 RBI’s and will not be a free agent until 2012.
Corey Hart is currently hitting .278 with 18 homers, 60 RBI’s and will not be a free agent until 2012.
David DeJesus is currently hitting .331 with 5 homers, 35 RBI’s and will not be a free agent until 2012.
Josh Willingham is currently hitting .276 14 homers, 44 RBI’s and will not be a free agent until 2012.
Would you like to see any of these players in Orange & Black?
