How do they feel now?

[Rog]

The three big fish the Giants tried land (Sandoval, Lester and Shields) were hooked elsewhere even though the Giants offered the same bait (money).  How does that trio likely feel now?

Pablo Sandoval -- His season has approached disaster.  His management has been far less tolerant of his weight fluctuations than the Giants were.  Hard to believe he's happy with where he signed.

Jon Lester -- Disappointing personal season for Jon too, but just tough -- not disastrous.  3.43 ERA and a slightly losing record (10-12).  Jon will be in the playoffs, and his team appears to be sharply on the rise.  Jon might look for a moment and wonder what his ERA would have been at AT&T Park and if it would have produced a winning record, but I'll bet he's one happy clam.

James Shields -- Can't be happy with his 3.91 ERA, but must be thrilled with his 13-7 record.  The Padres haven't improved as many expected, and they were said to be looking to trade him at the deadline, apparently with no takers.  James is likely disappointed he didn't take $5 million more from the Giants and had a better shot at the playoffs.



As for the Giants, they're likely glad they didn't sign any of the three.  Lester might be the exception, but he's still got five years on his contract, and his 2015 season didn't indicate he would be better in the future.  Overall, the Giants are no doubt very disappointed that they didn't make the playoffs, but happy they didn't sign most of these guys.

[sfgdood]

Those numbers don't look worse to me than the Giants starting pitching rotation or Casey McGehee's numbers...or, most importantly, the NL West and Wild Card standings. With the revenue this team brings in, with its much heralded and ballyhooed front office and with its championship pedigree...missing the playoffs is not just unacceptable...it's humiliating.

[klaiggeb]

Randy, I couldn't have agreed more.

Well said; humiliating

boly

[Rog]

Those numbers don't look worse to me than the Giants starting pitching rotation or Casey McGehee's numbers...or, most importantly, the NL West and Wild Card standings. With the revenue this team brings in, with its much heralded and ballyhooed front office and with its championship pedigree...missing the playoffs is not just unacceptable...it's humiliating.


Rog -- Doesn't this point of view ignore how much fluctuation there is in the fates of baseball teams, particularly with regard to injuries?

With the exception of the Cardinals, a team I view as being clearly better than the Giants over the past six years, even though they have won only one title, which team has done better over that time? I believe the Cards are the only team to have made the playoffs more often than the Giants during that period.

Our expectations are way out of sync with reality. Especially when we consider the injury bug, which was horrendous in 2011 and this season. In 2013 it was more a case of old guys and injured guys wearing out. Four-fifths of that rotation was made up of Lincecum, Cain, Vogelsong and Zito.

Given the huge amount of injuries the Giants have suffered, we have a right to be disappointed, but certainly not humiliated.

Read more: sfgiantsmessageboard.proboards.com/thread/3062/feel#ixzz3nFzsId3r

[Rog]

Let's get this right back where it started.

We're all disappointed the Giants didn't make the postseason this year -- especially with the success they've had the past five years when they DID make them.

But what would we have done differently that would have gotten the Giants into the playoffs?