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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King of Cali thoughts: The two free agents that keep getting brought up for the Giants to sign are Nick Johnson and Adrian Beltre. If it’s a choice of these two. Let’s go with Beltre. He’s a great defender and he does have right handed pop that the Giants need. Johnson doesn’t have the pop, but he will be on base a lot. The Giants need someone who can drive in runs with one swing of the bat. Last season we got guys on. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was driving them in. I’m on board with a Beltre signing. Who’s with me?
~King of Cali
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Two players that have been linked to SF Giants Rumors have signed elsewhere. It’s nice to see deals starting to happen. The Giants have made any moves yet, but I’m sure it won’t be long.
Ivan Rodriguez – Jon Heyman of SI.com reports Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez has agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with the Washington Nationals. The 38-year old Rodriguez hit .249 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs last season.
King of Cali thoughts: Pudge couldn’t pass that offer up. I’m glad the Giants didn’t sign him for 2 years, $6 million. There is no need to if Buster Posey is pretty much ready to start a platoon job and learn the ropes.
Brad Penny – Jon Heyman of SI.com says Penny has signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with St. Louis. The deal includes an additional $1.5 million in innings-based bonuses. Penny went 11-9 last season with the Red Sox and Giants.
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says the Giants gave it their best shot on signing Penny. They’re out and not looking back. The Giants made several offers to Brad Penny in November. It’s believed that the Cardinals didn’t outbid the Giants by much.
King of Cali thoughts: I was really hoping that Penny would re-sign with the Giants. He brought a lot of attitude and emotion out on the field every time he pitched. Now it’s time to let Bumgarner take that 5th spot in the rotation and start the Bumgarner era. Not a bad fallback is it?
~King of Cali
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Pablo Sandoval will be the cleanup hitter, leaving the Giants to find someone who can hit third or fifth.
A lead-off platoon of Andres Torres/Eugenio Velez is acceptable, unless other options present themselves.
Ryan Garko is “on the bubble” to be tendered a contract.
Brandon Medders will be tendered one, though.
A couple clubs called on the trade front. Some old, some new, but nothing that looked promising to lead anywhere. “We’re under no pressure,” Sabean said. “We’ll do business at our own pace.”
Side Notes:
John Bowker only played two games in Venezuela, because he had “quad issues,” according to Sabean. The GM was clear to express his disappointment. This is the sort of thing that could impact Bowker’s chances at an everyday role next season. The Giants historically don’t like player who aren’t “good soldiers,” and Bowker wasn’t happy about going to Venezuela.
Emmanuel Burriss had a setback with his surgically repaired foot. He’s been rehabbing and there isn’t another surgery on the horizon. A chronic foot issue would be a death knell to Burriss career advancement. His speed is such a huge part of his game.
King of Cali thoughts: It’s nice to hear Sabean say Sandoval is the cleanup hitter. If he can develop a little more power. He would be a nice cleanup hitter. I see him as a number three hitter thought, because he can flat out hit for average. The number three hitter is usually your best all around hitter. It would be nice to see a big bat right behind Sandoval.
I do like both Torres and Velez and they both are fast spark plugs at the top of the order. I would still like to see the Giants go out and get a solid power bat for the outfield though.
As for Garko being on the bubble. This is a hard decision for the Giants. I think they should bring him back. He pressed when he got traded. He has some power that they can use. If he doesn’t pan out the way they want him to off the bench and spot starts. Then they can deal him at the trading deadline.
~King of Cali
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