When the Giants Come to Town, It's Bye-Bye Baby

05.10.2007
A Developing Situation

So, is Dave Roberts' elbow with its bone spurs a surgical candidate or not? This story says yes, definitely. His two-run homer yesterday suggests otherwise, though that may have been the powerful anti-inflammatories talking (his, not mine). As noted earlier, I'm on the road with limited access to highlights, no access to our local radio, and limited ability to surf for information, so perhaps the answer to my previous question is obvious to everyone else. Enlighten me, please.

If Roberts goes down for many weeks, it presents the Giants with their first big problem of the year. Roberts' replacement is Todd Linden, and Linden's game, despite increased playing time this year, is falling apart. He's 1 for 15 this month with no extra base hits. He has struck out 23 times in 55 ABs, often looking. His defense has suffered, too. According to today's papers, Linden should have taken charge on the popup that fell in the 9th and led to two runs.

It all comes down to what the Giants want to do this year. If it's contend at all costs, now's the time to make a trade for a big outfield bat. Do it now before Linden spends two miserable weeks showing the world that he's 4-A and shifting Sabean's trade position into one of desperation. But if the brass is content to risk contention for player development, then in Roberts' absence the team should dance with who brung 'em.

My two cents: I'll grant him two weeks' slack; let's see what he can do in the starting lineup every day, with one of the Fresnovians (Lewis? Ortmeier?) as the new backup. But I've shifted my position from this winter. The starting pitching is good enough to keep this team in contention, and when there's a chance to contend, a team is obligated to go for it. The Todd Linden Acid Test should not devolve into a lengthy bad trip, and Sabean should do his level best to bring in a big bat well before the trade deadline. My guess: If Roberts goes on the DL, the evaluation of Linden will come to a decision point right around the time Russ Ortiz comes back from the DL. If Russ comes back healthy and pitching well, it will be easier for the Giants to trade a starting pitcher for a hitter.

Also of note: Lance Niekro cleared waivers. No one wanted him for free.

This weekend at Colorado: with Lowry and Lincecum pitching the first two, the Giants bullpen could be forced to work a lot of overtime. Lowry gets pummeled at Coors, and Lincecum will get pummeled if he can't throw more quality strikes. Zito and Cain are on the back end of the series; let's hope Cain has figured out what's been ailing him the past couple starts. A split of this series would be commendable, taking three of four a minor miracle.

PM UPDATE: The Blue Jays need a closer. The Tigers need a set-up man. Do the Giants dare trade Armando Benitez with no obvious replacement behind him?
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21 Comments

| Leave a comment
bigO | May 10, 2007 11:59 AM | Reply

Lefty, you haven't missed much of anything good. Feliz with a fullcount (and the tying run) strikes out "on a slilder in the dirt." It didn't really matter as Linden was on deck (he's really bad right now). The pop up should have been caught, quite an easy play actually but alas he didn't make it. Cain was night and day. He started terrible and then settled down BUT MOST OF ALL,We need an outfielder RIGHT NOW.

aMOOSE | May 10, 2007 12:35 PM | Reply

I think Roberts has conceded that he needs the surgery.
"My worst fear is to be in this situation late in the year," Roberts said. "I'm trying to step away from all that and realize what's in mine and the team's best interest to get through the season in the most productive way." The 34-year-old Roberts homered Wednesday, but noted afterward he did so under the influence of strong anti-inflammatories and was fresh after not having played in the three previous games.
From CBS Sportsline

pantalones | May 10, 2007 1:04 PM | Reply

I agree with your two weeks' slack theory, Lefty. The "good" news? Roberts hasn't been getting on base or changing games with his speed or getting good reads on the ball in center, so the bar is set pretty low for Linden. Centerfielders have hit .221/.282/.336 for us so far. If Linden goes on a tear and hits .230/.290/.350, that would be an improvement for the team.

If the next two weeks look anything like the last two, though, it may be time to pull the plug and DFA him. I'm not sure that there's any value in having a punchless strikeout machine with poor navigation skills in the outfield on your roster.

ELM | May 10, 2007 1:15 PM | Reply

Seeing how Niekro went unclaimed, it's remarkable that Sabean got Travis Blackley, a former top prospect turned rehab case with potential, for Jason Ellison. Ah, the magic of Bill Bavasi.

Roger | May 10, 2007 2:21 PM | Reply

It's hard to tell but today's Chronicle gave me the opinion that there's an internal war of wills taking place over Roberts elbow. The impression I get is that the team doesn't want him to have the surgery and doesn't believe it's necessary (with the point being made that it's very similar to what Bonds played with all last year), but Roberts does want the surgery now. Is this yet another case of getting off on the wrong foot of a 3-year contract.

Also, when considering Todd's two weeks of slack consider the other news from yesterday's game: Randy Winn has a sore back. I just don't know where the OF help is going to come from at this point.

Josh from Hollywood | May 10, 2007 2:40 PM | Reply

ELM: "Ah, the magic of Bill Bavasi."

Exactly, Lefty. And guess where Linden is from? You got it, the beautiful state of Washington, where he grew up a Mariner's fan -- just like one Jason Ellison. Could lightning strike twice? No, actually, I very much doubt it can. Sabean may think he has something of value in Linden, but he felt the same way about Niekro and we just found out he was alone in that belief.

I agree with you about giving him 2 weeks -- enough rope to hang himself -- and also with the Pants Man that it's DFA time he doesn't come around. Watching him yesterday, something occured to me -- he's got every imaginable skill you would want a young player to have (speed, arm, power, patience, ability to switch-hit), yet none of them translate to the field (with the possible exception of his arm). His patience hurts him at the plate because he's too passive, his power never appears because he can't make contact, and his speed is neutralized in the OF due to the terrible reads he gets. If Linden was a cowboy, they'd say he was "all hat and no cattle".

bigO | May 10, 2007 3:54 PM | Reply

Let's go back to brother Bill and get Raul Ibanez.

ELM | May 10, 2007 4:53 PM | Reply

a couple more games like yesterday, and any team with pitching woes will be clamoring for Matty Mo.

bigO | May 10, 2007 5:12 PM | Reply

"a couple more games like yesterday, and any team with pitching woes will be clamoring for Matty Mo." Yeah but that includes us needing starting pitching too.

BawLa | May 10, 2007 5:27 PM | Reply

I'm with you Lefty. We have already invested so much time in 'The Pedro Feliz Project' that we should just cut our losses with Todd. I would very much like to see Lewis or Schierholtz.

I would like to see Lewis because of his speed. He walks a lot so he can use that speed. But he strikes out a little more than Nate. God I wish Freddy would turn into our very own Jose Reyes clone.

Nate was one of those guys that seemed to be in the background during spring, but I still had a good feeling about him. And he has continued to produce in AAA. His averages are much more attractive than Fred's, but he doesn't walk very much.

Nate is very similar to Todd Linden. Except for one thing: when you look in his eyes it looks like someone is behind the wheel. http://bp2.blogger.com/_T_VoI0xcmXc/RfNUx0oKKYI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/7hT2eTvLuMI/s1600-h/Schierholtz+Giants19+096.jpg

ELM | May 10, 2007 5:29 PM | Reply

Of course. But you have to give to get.

ELM | May 10, 2007 5:30 PM | Reply

>Of course. But you have to give to get.

Oops -- that was a response to BigO, not BawLa.

ogc | May 10, 2007 5:43 PM | Reply

Sounds like they are leaving it in the hands of renown surgeon Dr. Yokum to decide what's wrong and the best treatment for this elbow thing. I think clearly Roberts isn't doing well with this problem, witness his horrible stats thus far. Just do the surgery and be done with it now.

Trading to cover a month's worth or two week's worth of time seems excessive to me. THe A's had to do it because everybody was hurt. Bring up Lewis or Ortmeier now, and if Linden doesn't shape up in two weeks, bring up Schierholtz once he's healthy and got some games in down there. He then gets a two week trial, though that would mean Winn plays CF. I prefer Ortmeier because Lewis clearly still have things he needs to work on in AAA and he has more long term potential. But with Roberts on the DL and Winn's back balky, they might want to bring up Timpner to man CF because of his great defense, rather than subject the defense to Linden/Ortmeier starting in CF/RF together, in whatever order. Lewis too.

I don't think it's time to DFA Linden, he's still young and he still had that great AAA season, we need to play him out. It's only a month plus of poor hitting, better players are similarly frozen this season, Wright, Howard, even Pujols has been mortal. Not that Linden is that good, but he had a nice season last year, I think some consistent starts now will help get him back to last year's results.

Haven't I told you Lefty the pitching will be our strong point this season, that we could win and go far with it? I've been preaching this all off-season. Get on the bandwagon!

Yeah, still cannot believe we got anything good for Ellison but no one took Niekro. Maybe if it was right after spring training it would have been different? Ellison and he were smoking at that time.

bigO | May 10, 2007 6:23 PM | Reply

yeah, give to get. would you give Morris or Lowry for Ibanez? If so which would you rather give up, Morris?

Roger | May 10, 2007 6:25 PM | Reply

Just as a point of comparison, jose Reyes is 2.5 years younger than Fred Lewis (not when he was in AAA, but today). And OGC, I can't imagine Ortmeier being able to hold his own at a major league level. Bring up Timpner and give up the offense has some validity, but I don't think this team can afford it. Might as well be Lewis. He's really at a point where he needs to be in the majors if he's ever going to be.

Roger | May 10, 2007 6:39 PM | Reply

WOW! And the answer is Linden's DFA'd, Roberts is under the knife and both Lewis and Ortmeier are up.

Josh from Hollywood | May 10, 2007 6:48 PM | Reply

I guess Todd didn't need anymore rope to hang himself -- turns out he was already well-hung.

BawLa | May 10, 2007 6:48 PM | Reply

Wow is right! Do you have a link Roger?

Roger | May 10, 2007 6:53 PM | Reply

If everyone hasn't found it already for themselves:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/10/SPG36POUV82.DTL

ELM | May 10, 2007 11:01 PM | Reply

Right. Ahem. As I was saying. Wait, did I say give him two weeks? I meant two hours.

Frank | May 11, 2007 2:00 AM | Reply

I think the 'give him 2 weeks' was imminently reasonable. I am hoping the coaching staff just evaluated the total package and concluded that, while he is not anywhere near this bad, his upside was not nearly as high as had been previously thought. I know he did not get the traditional 500 ABs or 700, but ya have to hope the coaching staff reached a consensus that the he wasn't going to make it. Of course, the other option is, since Niekro passed thru waivers, they concluded he really needs to work on things in AAA and he won't get picked up and we won't lose him anyway.

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