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

07.30.2007
R.I.P. Bill Walsh

I usually don’t go off-topic into other sports, but this is sad news for anyone who grew up in San Francisco, whether or not a Niners fan.

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P.M. UPDATE: Two relatively minor trades today underscore the Giants’ weakness as sellers. First, the Phils nabbed Cincy RHP Kyle Lohse for a double-A pitcher. Lohse is a step down from Matt Morris, but he’ll be a free agent after this year. Thanks to Morris’s month-long slide, his contract that extends through 2008 is going to be hard to move.

In the second deal, the Mets traded two minor leaguers for Twins’ second baseman Luis Castillo. Ray Durham seemed a potential fit once we learned the Mets’ Jose Valentin was out for the year, but Ray’s skills, like Morris’s, have degraded so quickly that opposing GMs have to wonder if this is the beginning of the end. If their contracts were up after this year, perhaps they’d be worth a flier, but unless they show a couple weeks’ worth of improvement soon, they’ll likely be Giants in September.

As for the blockbuster Mark Teixiera trade, the Braves are giving up a trunkful of talent. It’ll be interesting to see if Teixiera’s power numbers hold up in the pitcher-friendly Turner Field.   







[July 30, 2007 3:47 PM]  |  link  |  reply
obsessivegiantscompulsive said

That's terrible news but not unexpected, he's been in pretty bad shape the past year or so.

RIP Bill, thanks for all the great memories, all the great performances, all the great everything. We will never forget you and all you did for the 49ers franchise and were blessed to have you for the time that we did.

[July 30, 2007 4:53 PM]  |  link  |  reply
trilljester said

Yes, thanks for the memories Bill. The 80's were a magical time for us Niners fans. I still remember them fondly.

[July 30, 2007 5:32 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Josh from Hollywood said

It's been my contention for some time that no sports fan have ever been luckier than the 49ers fans of the 80's were. Watching the best owner, coach and marquee players in the sport take title after title was Camelot for me as a sports fan. I owe all that to Bill Walsh. In addition, because I grew up on the Stanford campus rooting for Walsh's Cardinal teams of the late 70's, and attending elemetary school with his daughter Elizabeth, I always had -- and will always have -- a special place in my heart for Coach Walsh. RIP, Bill.

[July 30, 2007 6:30 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Elbo said

Regarding your update: I'd say the Ty Wigginton trade also makes it harder to deal Feliz. The Giants would try to sell Feliz as a versatile fielder (3B, 1B, OF, even SS and emergency C!) and pinch-hitting threat, but Wigginton has proven himself to be a better hitter, both this year and over his entire career, and he fetched only Dan Wheeler in trade.

[July 30, 2007 7:16 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Frank said

The Mets were on the record as wanting improved D at 2b, thus no interest in Durham