Dan Uggla – The Giants have been linked to Uggla all offseason. The Marlins wanted Jonathan Sanchez in the deal. The Giants have lost Randy Johnson (retired) and Brad Penny (Cardinals). With that said I’m sure that’s why the Giants felt like they couldn’t part with J-Sanchez.
Nick Johnson – It was reported that the Giants had an offer on the table for Johnson, but he decided to take less money to sign with the Yankees ($5.5 million). The Giants had upped their offer to Johnson to $6 million, but that wasn’t tempting enough to land him.
Johnny Damon – The Giants have been linked to Damon. This is because it’s been known that the Giants needed a outfielder and leadoff hitter. When the Giants decided Mark DeRosa was going to be in left-field. That pretty much shut the door on any Damon signing in San Francisco. Damon is still a free agent, so let’s wait and see where he lands.
Adam LaRoche – The Giants had a two year contract offer on the table for LaRoche. He declined it, and the Giants ended up signing Aubrey Huff. LaRoche signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a one year contract for less money ($4.5 million). The Giants had offered him a 2-year contract worth $17 million.
Eric Byrnes – The Giants never came out and said they were interested in signing Byrnes. KNBR the Giants Flagship station had Byrnes on the air a couple times and he made it public he wouldn’t mind playing for the Giants. Byrnes has since signed with the Seattle Mariners for the league minimum ($400,000). The Arizona Diamondbacks are paying his remaining $11 million that they owe him before they released him.
~King of Cali
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Sabean said he is comfortable with catching corps of Buster Posey and Eli Whiteside. If Madison Bumgarner is the top option for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, you can bet Sabean will not trade No. 4 starter Jonathan Sanchez for a bat.
Sabean said We are still pursuing more help. Selfishly, we’d like it to be a left-handed hitter. Adam LaRoche did decline the Giants two year $17 million contract offer.
King of Cali thoughts: I have been receiving a lot of emails from fans with mixed feelings about Damon. Fans think he can help, but he has a big asking price. Plus he’s likely going to start his decline once he puts a Giants uniform on. His defense and arm isn’t great. Now Cust is another story. This guy does have the power that the Giants need, but he can’t play defense and he strikes out all the time. I would rather have a guy that puts the ball in play, so at least something can happen. You can’t help the team when you can’t make contact.
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Adam LaRoche, Buster Posey, Eli Whiteside, Free Agents, Giants Baseball Blog, Jack Cust, Johnny Damon, Jonathan Sanchez, King of Cali, Madison Bumgarner, MLB Hot Stove, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Blog, SF Giants Rumors
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com gives us his predictions on some of the top remaining free agents. He does mention that the Braves and Giants could see Johnny Damon as a strong fit. The Giants ranked 11th in the NL last season in on-base percentage out of the lead-off spot. Damon batted second for the Yankees, but his OBP the past six seasons is .366. He hasn’t forgotten how to hit first. With that said Rosenthal predicts Damon will end up with the Braves.
King of Cali thoughts: I really hope Damon does end up somewhere else. I just don’t see him as a good fit in San Francisco. I think his homers were up too because he was at the new Yankees stadium. I see this signing as a typical Sabean signing. A player who is a Big-Name-Player and is on the decline.
Rosenthal did mention other players, but did not link any of them to land in San Francisco. Adrian Beltre is still out there and it’s reported that he’s close to choosing his next team. It’s been reported that the Red Sox are not a front runner as once reported. Which means the A’s are probably the front runners. The Giants can be a mystery team that still has a chance to land Beltre.
Another player still available is Miguel Tejada. I would have to say this would be a good signing, but it would be a typical Sabean move as well. Tejada is going to turn 36 in May. He’s still a good hitter. I can see him helping the Giants. As long as they can sign him for a decent amount. He’s not a guy to get in a bidding war over, or over pay as well.
I have been taking a look at possible free agents out there, and have seen what a lot of writers are saying their possible homes for 2010 will be. It’s not looking good for Giants fans if we go by that, cause most of them don’t have the Giants signing anyone in the top of the free agent class that’s left. With that said there is no need to worry, because some of these people have been off about other free agents that have already signed as well.
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Adrian Beltre, Free Agents, Giants, Johnny Damon, King of Cali, Miguel Tejada, MLB Hot Stove, NL West, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Blog, SF Giants Rumors, SF Giants Rumors
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com says Johnny Damon’s time in New York may be over. Sources told Rosenthal that Damon lowered his price to the Yankees to two years, $20 million. By that time the Yankees were already close to a one year deal with Nick Johnson.
The Nationals, Braves and Giants are among the teams that could be interested in Damon says Rosenthal.
King of Cali thoughts: Everyone knows that Damon wanted to stay in New York. He’s even said the Yankees are the best organization he’s played for so far. Well I guess you will have to find someone else that needs your services. The Giants don’t need Damon. He’s not the player he use to be. Plus his homers went up this year, because he’s playing in the new launching pad they have their in New York. I’m glad the Giants are committed to a young team, so I’m hoping that will keep them from signing Damon.
King of Cali thoughts: Now this is another guy we can pass on. Yes he does provide some good pop. He has a career .239 AVG. Plus he bats from the left side. His power numbers would take a big dip at AT&T park. Lets go after Xavier Nady instead of Damon and Cust.
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Free Agents, Giants, Jack Cust, Johnny Damon, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, New York Yankees, Nick Johnson, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Blogs, SF Giants Rumors, SF Giants Rumors, Xavier Nady
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
Technorati Tags: Brian Sabean, Dan Uggla, Free Agents, Giants, Jermaine Dye, Johnny Damon, King of Cali, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Trade Rumors, NL West, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants Blog, SF Giants Rumors, Winter Meetings
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News lists some notable Type “A” free agents who were offered arbitration, and would cost the Giants their first-rounder: Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, Chone Figgins, John Lackey, Marco Scutaro, Rafael Betancourt.
Here’s a list of notable Type “A” free agents that weren’t offered arbitration and making them instantly more attractive to the Giants: Orlando Hudson, Miguel Tejada, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Octavio Dotel, Darren Oliver, Randy Wolf.
Baggarly says a few guys in the secondary list have been linked to the Giants already, most notably Dye, Damon and Tejada.
King of Cali thoughts:
Jermaine Dye is on the decline of his career. We can’t just pencil him in to be a big bat. He hit under .200 after the All Star Break. He is willing to move to first base which can spark more interest for the Giants. He’s also from the Bay Area, so I’m sure he wouldn’t mind coming back home to play for the Giants.
Johnny Damon to me doesn’t fit with the Giants. It’s already been said that Damon doesn’t want a pay cut. I’m sure his numbers will decline once he puts on a Giants uniform. His homers were up last year, because he was playing and the new launching pad in New York. Knowing that this is the one signing I don’t want. I’m sure this will be the one player we do get. That’s just how my luck goes…
Miguel Tejada is the one guy I really would love to see the Giants sign. He can still hit and he can play shortstop or even move to third. Which allows us to move Sandoval to first. Now we have first and third locked down with good hitters. If Renteria isn’t pulling his weight at short. He can grab a seat next to Fred Lewis on the bench and watch Tejada take over.
Orlando Hudson is another guy that was not offered arbitration and would be a nice fit for the Giants. I wanted the Giants to sign him last year. If we can sign O-Dog. He can play second base and Freddy Sanchez can move to third.
~King of Cali
Technorati Tags: Free Agents, Giants, Hot Stove, Jermaine Dye, Johnny Damon, King of Cali, Miguel Tejada, MLB, NL West, Orlando Hudson, San Francisco Giants Baseball, SF Giants, SF Giants Rumors
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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.
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Jon Heyman reports of SI.com reports that the Yankees have been thinking about a deal that might top out at about $10 million a year, but coming off a superb season. Johnny Damon doesn’t seem to feel he deserves a cut from $13 million he made last season. The Giants, who badly need a productive outfielder, appear to have emerged as one potential competitor.
Technorati Tags: Free Agents, Giants, Hot Stove, Johnny Damon, MLB Hot Stove, San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Giants Rumors, SF Giants Rumors, Yankees
