2pm UPDATE: Ah. Here’s why the Dodgers were able to sign Andruw Jones to such a favorable contract:
Around the bar later, Boras gave his first public indication -- after the fact -- that Jones would go short-term, saying he would if it was with a "competitive" team.
***
11.30am UPDATE: The Giants picked this guy in the Rule 5 draft. That means he has to stay on next year’s big league roster all season or be offered back to Boston at half the price. He’s now on their 40–man roster and on my list to the right. (The Giants lost Travis Blackley in the draft. It’ll be interesting to see if Philly can keep him in the bigs all year.)
Rumors link the Giants to Hideki “Godzilla” Matsui. A trade for Noah Lowry? As astute Yankee fans note here, Lowry is getting cuffed around in the NL West. Think what’ll happen in the AL East. If “TheGhostofAlvaroEspinoza” has it figured out, I think Brian Cashman may be wise to Lowry’s decline, too. Don’t hold your breath on this one.
As you might have guessed, I’m not optimistic about the Giants getting any value for Lowry right now. It looks more and more like he’ll have to prove himself healthy in the spring.
***
So a straight-up Lincecum-for-Alex Rios swap is on the table. No thanks. If Rios were, say, 23, not 26, and had another year before free agency, then we’d be close. But not this.
However, I can think of scenarios in which the two players are the keys to a larger deal. Here’s one:
The Giants get:
Rios
another young position player
Jeremy Accardo
Troy Glaus
The Jays get:
Lincecum
Fred Lewis
Ray Durham
First of all, get Jeremy Accardo back. Second, get another good young position player. A top prospect, perhaps, but I don’t know Toronto’s system enough to make an intelligent suggestion. Help the Jays by taking Glaus off their hands, but only if they take one of the Giants’ expensive vets. Ray Durham would be ideal, because Frandsen could slide to second. The Jays win on salary: Durham’s $7 million versus Glaus’s $24 million ($12.75 M in ‘08 and a $11.25 M player option in ‘09).
If they absolutely don’t want Durham, try Randy Winn. (I’d love to dump Roberts on them, but I can’t see it happening.) The Giants risk Glaus’s health and his link to that dubious Florida pharmacy, but it’s worth the risk: when he’s on the field, he hits a ton.
Other news: Andruw Jones is a Dodger. Colletti used his now-familiar modus operandi: more dollars for fewer years. This is exactly what I wanted the Giants to do, but I’ll bet they weren’t willing to go higher than L.A.’s winning bid of 2 years, $36 million. It’s also possible Jones wouldn’t have taken it — I saw rumblings somewhere yesterday that he wanted to play in a warm weather city. If Jones rebounds, good on Ned. If not, he’s stuck with the anemic Juan Pierre in left, the apathetic Jones in center, and the kinda nice Andre Ethier in right. (I’m assuming he’s going to use Matt Kemp as trade bait. Please do, Ned. And trade James Loney while you’re at it.)
So: does this mean Sabes makes a panic move for Aaron Rowand? Gah. Or weighs him more in favor of Lincecum-for-Rios? I hope not.
Question: If you had to include Lincecum in a trade for Rios, what other players would make it feasible for you?
