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

11.24.2007
Forties
She doesn't know it yet, but La Malita Monkeypants has a very talented adopted brother. Come to mention it, my wife doesn't know about him yet either.

Thumbnail image for Pichardo,_Kelvin.jpgAs part of a whimsical bit of fun over at the McChronic, I adopted Kelvin Pichardo earlier this year as my Giant farmhand. (Handsome lad, no?) If you don't know him, Pichardo came to the organization as a 19-year-old afterthought, traded by the Phillies to S.F. for the late-season services of Michael Tucker in 2005. Lo and behold, Pichardo has moved quickly up the ladder, ending this year at double-A Connecticut. His work there wasn't dominating, but it was enough to persuade the Giants to protect him on the 40-man roster. They announced four additions just before Thanksgiving: Pichardo, Travis Denker, John Bowker, and Clay Timpner.

Being on the 40-man is no guarantee of major-league success or even a major-league appearance, but it's certainly one step closer. If Pichardo even cracks the bigs (or is used as trade bait for a player who contributes at the big-league level), the trade would be quite a coup. Same goes for Denker, who came to S.F. as a token of appreciation for Mark Sweeney, who went to the Dodgers at the trade deadline this summer. Denker is farther down the chain than Pichardo, who has an outside shot at seeing the bigs next year.

The roster additions bring the 40-man list to 39. One oddity is the continued presence of Mike Matheny on the 40-man even though he hasn't played in a year and a half. Sources tell me he should be off the books soon, but until his name's no longer on the Web site I'll worry that he's taking up crucial space that could block the addition of other players.

That worry aside, I'll say as of now I'm ever so slightly effervescent about both the moves and non-moves Brian Sabean has made the past few months. The Matt Morris deal was excellent, no matter how far Raj Davis's career goes. Now that we're among free-agency madness, Sabean has held off (as far as we know) from chasing the canards of Torii Hunter, Scott Linebrink and Francisco Cordero. Now let's hope he can refrain from throwing cash at Aaron Rowand, Andruw Jones and Geoff Jenkins.




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[November 24, 2007 10:38 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Frank said

I find it kind of hard to believe some team would take either Denker or Timpner with the idea of keeping them on their 25 man for an entire year.

I do completely agree, the fewer FAs Sabean signs (unless they play 1b or 3b) the better. Guys like Jones, who are going to get $45 - $75 mil are huge risks. How is the risk of a Jones better than taking a risk on the (combined) $900,000 for Lewis/Davis? Lewis Davis both a) cover far more ground in CF, b) hit for higher average and (likely) more 2bs and 3bs, c) steal bases, and d) can score from 1b on a ball hit in the gap. Jones merely gives 20-24 more HRs. That's like a million per.

[November 24, 2007 11:44 PM]  |  link  |  reply
obsessivegiantscompulsive said

I think Matheny is a formality. If I recall right, the team has an option for the 2009 season, so once they pay him the $2M buyout ($4M option), he will officially not be on the Giants 40-man roster. I guess they are trying to delay that to the last minute.

Frank, Baseball Musing's PMR stat shows that Jones, based on this stat, gets to more balls than any of the Giants CF.

I never thought we would get anything in return for Jason Ellison either, then Seattle barely uses him all season and then, if I remember right, the Reds CLAIMED him off waivers near the end of the season.

Timpner is suppose to be good defensively (MLB quality if I remember right), which is something I don't think Ellison was ever known for, hits like Ellison, good BA but no walks and no power, and while he steals a lot of bases, he is not a very good basestealer. So for all we know, Seattle might take him to take Ellison's place.

Denker, probably not as likely to be taken, but I've seen Advanced-A level players taken in the Rule 5 before, and he was pretty good for us in San Jose, might interest somebody since he plays 2B and hit so well.

I think the main question should be more: who is then left unprotected and vulnerable to a Rule 5 pick up? It doesn't matter if Denker is on the 40 if that doesn't block someone from joining the 40-man, but I'm not sure who they left off, plus there's another two spots available, so the Giants clearly thinks that anyone unprotected is not worth protecting. I don't think I've seen that discussed anywhere yet.

[November 24, 2007 11:46 PM]  |  link  |  reply
obsessivegiantscompulsive said

Also, Pichardo shows that signing a free agent like Tucker is not the end of the line for evaluation, if he can be productive, then we got Tucker plus Pichardo for that draft pick given up.

People always seem to think, "It's only $1.5M," but sometimes the budget is stretched so thin that there's no more there to spend.

[November 25, 2007 2:42 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Frank said

Martin, I would have to see several references (re: Jones range) before I accepted it as fact. I have read too much about his losing both interest and range.
As far as the 40 man, it is kind of hard to put all the lists together and crosss check them, but it looks like we leave off: Acosta, Begg, Blackley, Giese, Hinshaw, Hedrick (pitchers) and Ochoa, Leone, Horwitz (position players)

[November 25, 2007 2:53 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Tom Clifton said

Lefty, congrats on your adoptive son. Does that mean I can ask you for the $25 that he owes me?

On of the joys of minor league life is that kids get moved. I gave Kelvin some 8x10s of him, and he was sent to Connecticut before he could pay me.

BTW, Feel free to use SJGiantsFans.org for photos of San Jose players (attribution requested). The team photos are awful.

[November 25, 2007 5:29 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

Tom -- that's certainly not the way we've raised Kelvinito to behave. He's grounded until he makes amends.

Also, it looks like Matheny's name is now off the Web site. Is someone at sfgiants.com reading my blog???

[November 25, 2007 8:11 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Boof said

Frank, just because someone wrote that they think Jones has lost range/interest, etc. doesn't make it true. He still is, by most measures, one of the best defensive CFs in the game. Comparing Lewis/Davis to him is ludicrous.

Having said all that doesn't make your underlying point incorrect, however. At this stage, I don't think that he is worth the money for the Giants. For another team, maybe. Clearly, the Giants have many more issues to address than to add a 31 year old CF.

[November 26, 2007 12:33 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Lars said

According to Yahoo's MLB Transactions page, Matheny declared free agency on November 2nd.

Nov 16 Tyler Walker RP Signed as free agent

Nov 16 Tyler Walker RP Declared free agency (team option declined)

Nov 8 Omar Vizquel SS Signed

Nov 2 Mike Matheny C Declared free agency

Nov 1 Ryan Klesko 1B Declared free agency

[November 26, 2007 4:15 PM]  |  link  |  reply
trilljester said

Until Andruw signs somewhere besides the Giants, I'm extremely nervous. Seriously though, why would Sabean sign him?

[November 27, 2007 5:45 PM]  |  link  |  reply
jim e said

trilljester: maybe private polling indicates to Larry Baer that a billboard off the bay bridge featuring Omar and a .500 lefty with cool hair doesn't sell enough Cha-Cha bowls to pay his kids' orthodontist.