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

05.04.2007
Like Puzzle Pieces From the Clay

Now warming up in the bullpen…

It’s not just Tim Lincecum we’re expecting. (By the way, Jon Miller last night pronounced it “LIN-suh-cum,” not “lin-SAY-cum,” as I’ve been saying). The Giants roster could look quite different next week in several spots. Lincecum’s promotion for Sunday night’s game will require a serious decision: someone will be cut or traded to make room on the 40–man roster.

It probably won’t be Kevin Frandsen. He was called back up last night and, according to Bochy, will get more playing time than in his first ML stint this year (3 games, one at-bat). He could start for Durham tonight.  "I can't be 100 percent on that, but I expect Kevin to be here longer," Bochy told the press.

Complicating matters, the Giants apparently are about to call up another relief pitcher after four straight nights of heavy bullpen work. Assuming Frandsen doesn’t make a U-turn back to Fresno, the best person to send down is a tired reliever. Perhaps Jonathan Sanchez, who’s been wildly inconsistent. The Giants could call up lefty Pat Misch, a former starter who has taken well to the bullpen in Fresno, and leave Sanchez in Fresno to work as a starter. Other possible Fresno relievers: Scott Munter, Billy Sadler, and two veteran non-roster guys, Giese and Rincon, but promoting one of them adds more headache. 

If the Giants’ goal is adding a reliever, not swapping one for another, a position player will have to go. The most obvious candidate is Lance Niekro, with the danger that another team could claim him off waivers. Cutting Niekro for a reliever would also force the Giants to cut or trade someone else when Lincecum is called up Sunday. A simple demotion to Fresno won’t do, because Lincecum must be added to the 40–man roster. Another option is dropping a minor leaguer from the 40–man, someone like Kelyn Acosta or Eric Threets, and demoting a major-leaguer without removing him from the 40–man.

Whew. Complicated. Add to the puzzle pieces what to do when Russ Ortiz comes off the DL in two weeks.  Send Frandsen back down? Lincecum?

My predictions:

  1. Misch replaces Sanchez, who becomes a starter in AAA.
  2. Lincecum replaces Niekro, who is cut and claimed by Tampa Bay.
  3. If Lincecum does well, Ortiz returns as a long reliever. Trade talks ensue.
Also on the Network:



[May 4, 2007 2:21 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Jay said

I totally buy your predictions; in fact I think that's exactly what will happen. If Lincecum is not "all that", though, Ortiz returns to the 5-spot and Lincecum returns to AAA for more seasoning. Duh, right?

[May 4, 2007 3:11 PM]  |  link  |  reply
pantalones said

Misch seems like a good fit. He's pitched a lot lately, so he probably wouldn't be a "four innings of relief" savior in an emergency tonight... let's hope we don't have one. Sadler has pitched three days in a row. Munter is well-rested, but he's, well, Munter. He's getting ground balls, at least. Blackley is on the 40-man, but he pitched six innings on Wednesday.

Niekro's days seem to be numbered as well. I suppose we could put Merkin on the 60-day to open up a spot on the 40-man, but even then, Niekro is the most logical candidate to be removed from the big league roster.

[May 4, 2007 3:21 PM]  |  link  |  reply
BawLa said

Very nice analysis. I tend to agree with your assessment. It will be interesting none-the-less to see the fate of Niekro, Ortiz, and others over the next two weeks.


I know Giese didn't have the best spring, but I would like to see him come up instead of Misch. I like Pat too, he has more strikeout capability, but something about Giese tells me this kid will be special.

[May 4, 2007 3:23 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

>If Lincecum is not "all that", Ortiz returns to the 5-spot and Lincecum returns to AAA...right?

I would assume, yeah. Re, Niekro: if sent down he would still have to clear waivers. I can't imagine he'll clear: there must be some AL team that needs a right-handed bat off the bench.

[May 4, 2007 3:26 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

>something about Giese tells me this kid will be special.

he's no kid. He's 30 years old. But his numbers have been impressive. Apparently he has a killer curve ball.

[May 4, 2007 3:43 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Frank said

Kind of strange they brought Chris Begg up to Fresno. Does this mean Sanchez is not, assuming he is sent down, going into the rotation?
At this point, I would think take anything for either Niekro or Sweeney to clear the spot. Sweeney is ideal as a pinch hitter as he is 1) experienced and established as such, 2) not particularly effected by sitting (as a minor leaguer would be), so he is first choice to keep. But these very points make him more valuable/tradeable than Niekro. For good reason, I think Sabean doesn't want to just DFA Niekro and get nothing for him.
All this means Frandsen, who has options remaining, is a candidate to be sent down (play Friday and Saturday, resting Durham and Omar) until a trade can be worked. It just seems like a difficult time of year to move a guy like Niekro - we're sort of stuck with waiting until some team puts their 1bman on the DL.
Lastly, just fascinating who they might bring up for a couple of innings. Geise, Misch are the two most productive. But Rincon, Kim (despite his swollen ERA), Munter have MLB experience. I don't think Sadler (ERA 4.15, 7 BB, 13 IP. Nice WHIP of 1.15, though and 19Ks in 13 IP) gets the call over these guys.

[May 4, 2007 4:15 PM]  |  link  |  reply
bigO said

If we were able to trade Neikro, maybe for someone else who is out of options on another team (that is in a similar situation with a player they don't want to expose to waivers)does that mean he (or the guy we receive) would have to stay with the club all year? If another team got Neikro could they send him down to AAA? Also we can expose him to waivers and pull him back if he is claimed, if not then off to Fresno he goes. I kind of wish we'd have kept Ellison, got rid of Neikro and then we could send Linden down and have Ellison as our 4th OF.

[May 4, 2007 5:55 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

The A's just traded for Jack Cust, a notorious 4A player who can't play defense. He'll be the A's fill-in at DH while Piazza's hurt. Beane gave up cash and/or a PTBNL. That's probably as much as the Giants can expect to get for Niekro.

[May 4, 2007 6:01 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

Re. Sweeney: I wouldn't trade him until Klesko proves he can pinch-hit consistently. Sweeney has been awesome off the bench so far: 3 doubles and a HR in 7 ABs.

[May 4, 2007 9:47 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ogc said

I thought all the talk about Sweeney being on the bubble was crazy, he's a great PH, not everybody can do that, that's why guys like him and Hansen and Mota are the leaders in hits.

If we must dump a position player, it's going to be Niekro, he hasn't done anything this year or last to stay, whereas at least Linden hit last season.

Too soon to kiss off Linden, he hasn't gotten that many ABs. He was hitting well to start then got cold, you got to give him at least two months, if not half a season to play, before kissing him off. He has also shown more than Niekro has in the minors, so if it is a choice between the two, Niekro should go.

[May 5, 2007 12:08 AM]  |  link  |  reply
ogc said

Listening to the game, they just brought in Scott Munter and had designated Niekro for assignment.

Munter? Wonder why him and not someone else, like Misch in particular, I've been on the Misch bandwagon since he rocked in AFL and he hasn't done anything to disappoint this season. He has been totally dominating. Sadler has done pretty well too.

[May 5, 2007 12:13 AM]  |  link  |  reply
ogc said

Just read on sfgiants.com, they did consider Misch and Sadler but selected Munter because he "was the freshest of the choices to provide relief help..."

So becaues Misch and Sadler are good and used often, they aren't chosen?

But the article makes the good point that Munter's stay could be brief anyway, so it's not that big a deal, they just needed a fresh body.