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

08.15.2007
Young Blood

The Giants have officially signed their remaining first-round picks. No official dollar figures yet, though yesterday Baseball America said Fairley would get $1 million, and today BA reported Bumgarner inked for $2 million, which is slightly less than Tim Lincecum’s bonus in the same draft slot last year. 

Young Messrs. Fairley and Bumgarner: a Giant welcome from the Lunatic Fringe. Now go out and solve all the team’s pitching and hitting problems and negotiate a lasting Middle East peace while you’re at it. Got it? Good.

Speaking of fresh blood, Baseball Prospectus’s John Perotto, the weak link in that site’s chain of mainly good-to-excellent writers, has a clip-job story today about the Giants need to rebuild. Nothing new or insightful, unless you count the tongue-in-cheek speculation that the Matt Morris trade was outgoing Pirate owner (and NorCal native) Kevin McClatchy’s parting gift to the favorite team of his childhood.

While Perotto identifies this team’s glaring problems, he takes no time to discuss the most intriguing — and to many fans, the most anguishing — strategic thrust this winter: trading young pitching to rebuild. It must happen. This team cannot field a decent offense in the next three years unless it a) goes buck-wild in the free agent market or b) trades young pitching for good young hitting.

Only one pitcher is untouchable: Tim Lincecum. Matt Cain is close, but for the right offer, I’d move him. Straight up for Ryan Braun? Hanley Ramirez and Mike Jacobs? Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera?

Noah Lowry is in the sweet spot: Not so dominating that you hate to lose him, but young and good enough to bring back quality. Jonathan Sanchez is the wild card. We as close observers see his tremendous potential, but do other teams look at his walks and his inconsistency and see just another unpredictable live-armed kid? I can’t get my mind around his value right now, either as a keeper or a trade chip.

Everyone other pitcher on the 40–man roster is fair game.  
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[August 15, 2007 4:54 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Boof said

They definitely ought to move Lowry for position prospects that are almost ML ready. They ought to be able to turn him into two such players, given his age & contract status. I would have no problem moving Sanchez for a position player either as I am not convinced that he will develop the necessary assortment of pitches to succeed at the ML level.

[August 15, 2007 7:03 PM]  |  link  |  reply
trilljester said

I agree with your assesment of Sanchez's tremendous upside and potential. He's 24, there is still time with him. When he has command (when being the huge operative), he has electric stuff. We all know it, scouts know it. Could he he be the third wheel in a multi-player trade that brings back some serious position player talent? I would hope so.

[August 15, 2007 10:40 PM]  |  link  |  reply
someguynamedg said

As much as I would love to trade Sanchez and Lowry for a stud position player at 3B, SS or 1B but I would hate to see the bullpen after that. Right now the only hope for a good pen is for the young fire ballers to progress next year. Sanchez is a big part of that hope for the future. Lowry needs to go but only for at least 2 nearly ready position players. Basically something just needs to be done to upgrade the offense and balance out this team. I love seeing a team that can pitch but right now its just a huge waste.

[August 16, 2007 1:58 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Mulder said

Remember, Sabean is the GM, so unless he lucks into it or changes his ways, he'll be dealing for a guy with a relatively low OBP and no power. DBatters acquired by trade since '03: Rajai Davis, Shea Hillenbrand, Steve Finley, Randy Winn, Double Play AJ, Eric Young, Andres Galarraga.

Galarraga was the only one that really worked out since Winn's 1/2 year immitation of a power corner OF led to his terrible re-signing. Jury's still out on Davis though.

[August 16, 2007 12:15 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Lars said

If they do any type of deal for Cano and Cabrera I will personally scale the bricks of AT&T into Brian's office and lash him to a treadmill set on high.

OK, maybe not. It's just that Cano doesn't really walk enough for me (his OBP is only .046 higher than his BA. 28 walks in 455 at bats) and I think the NY media machine has hyped his defense. Melky isn't exactly known for his glove either. He has looked downright ridiculous at times (and one particularly memorable time in our own park!).

Probably my own bias is showing. I just think moving a 22 year old pitcher with 2+ years of major league experience should bring back something better.

[August 16, 2007 12:44 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Brian said

Lars,

No offense, but you're out of your mind if you think the Giants would be getting the short end of the stick in a trade of Cano and Cabrera for Cain.

Cano and Cabrera both have a higher OPS than anyone on the Giants not named Bonds. Cabrera has 12 outfield assists, and will probably get some consideration for a Gold Glove (if not this year, then sometime in the near future).

Cain's numbers are good, but he plays in a great pitcher's park, in the worst hitting division in baseball, so I think they're inflated.

[August 16, 2007 8:33 PM]  |  link  |  reply
obsessivegiantscompulsive said

When Cain is going, he shuts down the other team totally, with a lot of K's. So yeah, I think the Giants get the short end of the stick getting Cabrera and Cano.

Just because they rank above all but Barry is not a glowing endorsement, our team is pretty flat this year.

Cano is nice, but his meager HR power comes more from Yankee stadium. I don't see anything special about him, and for Cain, I want special. And he has no speed either. His main plus is his high BA; that makes him worse than Juan Pierre, at least Pierre can steal a lot.

Cabrera looks to be a good hitter, but as Ted Williams said, if you can't hit for power, what good are you? Especially since he has no speed either. At least Cano has a modicum of power.

Plus, look at all the names that has been associated with Sabean being very interested, Gathright, Davis, he's looking for plus speed guys, not guys with no speed AND no power to speak of.

So yeah, we would be getting the short end of the stick. We should be getting two premium-quality hitters if we trade Cain, one proven premium-hitter would do too.