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Post by sharksrog on Sept 23, 2013 13:49:26 GMT -5
It's early to talk about what the Giants should do over the winter, but it is premature?
In one sense it is premature, since we don't know for sure which potential free agents will be in play, but as changes happen, we can always modify our plans.
Let's see what we can come up with. Remember, because of built-in raises for many of the existing players, there isn't a lot of money available.
If the Giants don't re-sign Tim Lincecum and/or Hunter Pence, quite a bit would come available. But a significant and/or huge hole would be created.
Barry Zito will be gone but not forgotten, since the Giants will pay him $7 million in 2014 NOT to play for them. Still, that's a lot better than exercising his $18 million option.
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Post by allenreed on Sept 23, 2013 14:49:48 GMT -5
They have to re-sign Pence. Have to. Given the subpar power seasons of both Posey and Pablo, he's the only thing we currently have that even resembles a power hitter. He led the team in HRs and RBI. You can't let that go.
Timmy? It all depends on the price. I would look at what this Tanaka guy will cost, and look at Gaudin and Petit as possible starters. I'm worried about Chad's ability to come back from carpal tunnel though. That has a habit of hanging around. If well, I think we can get more out of Petit and Gaudin than we got out of Timmy and Zito this year.
Now the important stuff. Crawford simply has to shave that beard. Ugliest beard ever. Is he covering acne scars with that thing?
Friday Orange jerseys. Gotta go. Go with black with orange numbers framed in white. Call it Black Friday. Sounds way better than Orange Friday.
Orange billed caps. Get rid of them. They look cheap. Like something you'd get in the bargain bin at Penneys. Go with the classic black.
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Post by sharksrog on Sept 23, 2013 14:53:03 GMT -5
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Post by sharksrog on Sept 23, 2013 14:55:25 GMT -5
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Post by allenreed on Sept 23, 2013 14:58:37 GMT -5
Somewhat. I'd like to see him more in the 25-30 range. I don't know if we're ever going to see him there at AT&T. In fact he seems to be becoming more of a line drive spray hitter than a power hitter.
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Post by sharksrog on Sept 23, 2013 15:05:34 GMT -5
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Post by allenreed on Sept 23, 2013 17:02:16 GMT -5
Another thing he shares with Bobby is a propensity for the whiff. Let's hope he can work on that.
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Post by sharksrog on Sept 24, 2013 10:22:30 GMT -5
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Post by allenreed on Sept 24, 2013 13:00:18 GMT -5
He's doing alot right. I sure didn't mean the line drive spray hitter comment as derogatory. Spraying line drives all over the field is a good thing.
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Post by rxmeister on Sept 25, 2013 6:56:05 GMT -5
Unless you're Barry Bonds, and Allen would be the first one to suggest that he might have had some artificial help , lefties tend to fare poorly power wise at AT&T. To become a 25 HR performer, I suggest Brandon hit about 20 on the road next year.
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Post by sharksrog on Sept 25, 2013 9:15:45 GMT -5
While home runs have the headline power, I think more attention should be paid to the other extra base hits. For instance, would you rather have a home run and two singles from a guy, or three doubles? Obviously it depends on the situations involved, but my point is that bases per hit (which would be a Hall of Fame level 2.00 in both examples) may be a better measure of a hitter's power than purely his number of home runs. Hunter Pence ranks first among the Giants on either scale, but I think Brandon Belt's 1.64 bases per hit compared to 1.69 by Hunter Pence gives a better perspective than Hunter's 25 homers compared to Brandon's 17. Belt does lead the Giants in OPS, and I was surprised to learn that his career OPS is up to .792. For a guy whose career has spanned another dead period in hitting at AT&T Park, that's not at all bad. Here is something surprising though. Over his career, Brandon's OPS on the road (.798) is only 12 points higher than his home OPS (.798). Barry Bonds? Artificial help? You're joking, right?  |
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Post by allenreed on Sept 26, 2013 0:06:25 GMT -5
Now the important stuff. Crawford simply has to shave that beard. Ugliest beard ever.
Allen- And he did! About time. Now he needs to cut the hair. You think Brandon reads this? If he shows up tomorrow with a haircut, we'll know.
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Post by rxmeister on Sept 26, 2013 8:13:05 GMT -5
I couldn't care less if he grew a Brian Wilson beard, if he hit all season like he hit earlier in the year.
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Post by sharksrog on Sept 26, 2013 9:43:29 GMT -5
Crawford's hitting problems may have stemmed from his finger injury. They may also have been a regression to the mean. Hitting more against lefties this season couldn't have helped (.549 OPS).
We should get a better idea next season.
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Post by allenreed on Sept 26, 2013 10:28:58 GMT -5
The Brian Wilson beard would look better then the one he had. I'm not unhappy with Brandon's offensive performance this season.
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Post by rxmeister on Sept 27, 2013 10:14:37 GMT -5
I'm not unhappy with Brandon Crawford at all, but if the Giants signed this Cuban kid Guerrero and he turned out to be the real deal, I wouldn't mind at all if Crawford were on the bench or on another team next season. Same thing further down the line if first round draft choice and rookie league MVP Christian Arroyo turns into a star. Crawford has improved at the plate, but will never be a good hitter. And although he's very sure handed, his range is nothing to rave about.
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Post by allenreed on Sept 27, 2013 12:41:15 GMT -5
If trading Brandon would improve the team, trade him. I think he's one of the top five defensive shortstops in the league and more than adequate offensively.
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Post by sharksrog on Sept 28, 2013 15:11:51 GMT -5
The Giants apparently feel that the free agent class is weak and that it's very hard to make trades these days. It appears they will be building around every present position player with the exception of second base (an older Marco Scutaro) and left field. If Pablo Sandoval is unable to keep his weight down, they could be looking to fill third base, as well. All the players are homegrown, with the exception of the just-signed Hunter Pence (at 5/$90, just as Mark predicted).
On the mound, they will be building around Matt Cain, Madison Burmgarner, Sergio Romo and probably Heath Hembree. If they can work out an affordable deal, Tim Lincecum as well.
Notice that six of the positions are covered with young players. They have Marco Scutaro at second base for the next two years, and with Pence being signed, their top priority is left field.
They will build around three or four pitchers. If affordable, Lincecum could increase the group by one. The Giants have few internal prospects to increase their core group of position players, but minor league pitching is their strength.
So expect to see Cain, Bumgarner, Romo, Posey, Belt, Crawford, Pagan, Pence and perhaps Lincecum, Hembree and Sandoval for some time to come. If one has an extended definition of the team's core, that's it.
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