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

01.02.2008
Holiday Leftovers

Feliz año nuevo a todos. Speaking of Feliz, let’s talk about the Giants’ options at team-building between now and the start of spring training.

The big scary elephant in the room is obviously our dearest Pedro. At the outset of free agency, Brian Sabean scoffed — Ha! Ho! Harrumph! — at Feliz’s demand for a three-year contract. But he has since hemmed and hawed, making us fear Sabean will sign Pedro to a two-and-three-quarter-year contract to save face. Question: would two years of Feliz be better than trading good prospects for, say, Scott Rolen? Put in those terms, yeah, maybe. But I maintain that barring a trade for a talented young third baseman, Kevin Frandsen should start the year at third. He can shift to second when Durham is traded/released/benched.

Elsewhere on the infield, Tony Clark was pre-holidaily rumored as a first-base platoon partner/big brother for Dan Ortmeier. One’s revulsion meter reading depends on how much one believes Dan Ortmeier should get 450+ at-bats. Sure, he could surprise us, but the forecast for Desi Wilson-like cloud formations is high. 

Ortmeier would become the 25th guy on the bench at best if the Giants had someone like Joey Votto waiting in the wings. But they don’t, and they won’t likely be able to trade for one. Next best thing: give Ortmeier another half a season to surprise us and back him up with someone cheap who has left-handed power…like, well, Tony Clark. Wasting good prospects for a year or two of very expensive Richie Sexson makes me say Feh.

The good thing about Ortmeier: he’s athletic and fast. With better contact rates, his speed might make up for some of the power he lacks from the left side. For example, the occasional line drive to right-center at Mays Field could turn into a double; a double into the gap could turn into a triple. I’d rather have a first baseman who hits 40 home runs and walks 100 times, but Ortmeier might show the Giants enough to focus their power search elsewhere.

Speaking of big scary elephants, Bartolo Colon is a free agent. Unlike other wild beasts he cannot jump a moat and 12–foot fence, but I bring him up not only to make a sidelong tasteless reference but also to point out that the Giants might well look for a starting pitcher on the market. Here’s why:

Noah Lowry’s trade value is much lower than we starry-eyed fanpeople believe. Thus, if Sabean wants to deal for young hitters this off-season, he might have to dangle Lowry-plus-plus, thus depleting his starting pitching depth. Say Lowry and Sanchez are traded. That leaves a rotation of Cain, Zito, Lincecum, Correia, and… Pat Misch? That’s all well and good, especially for those of us who never misch a chansche to make a shamelesch pun, but depth, people, depth! So why not take a cheap flyer on Bartolo Colon, or someone like him?

Outfield: Rowand, Winn, Roberts, Lewis, Davis. Trade Roberts and add Schierholtz. Nuff said.

Bullpen: Wilson to close. Walker and Hennessey to set up. No need to spend big bucks on middle relief right now. Or ever.

Discuss. Or if you prefer, tell us what you did for New Year’s. Being the new parent of a monkeypants, I watched half a movie and fell asleep at 10pm. Party time; excellent.

* Photo courtesy of John Carleton. Click here to see more!
Also on the Network:



[January 2, 2008 4:03 PM]  |  link  |  reply
#99 said

Happy New Year ELM,

How about signing Morgan Ensberg instead (2 years?)and putting him at third. Even coming off a bad year offensively, he still had a better OPS than Feliz. In addition, his OBP is significantly better than Pedro and according to the fielding bible (plus/minus) he is still an above average fielder.

While Sabean/McGowen have their check books out, lets look at Dallas McPherson. If his back seems O.K., lets bring him in to play first base. He has huge power potential and bats from the left side. This still gives the Giants a possible righty(Ortmeier's best side)lefty platoon while still staying relatively
young.

By the way, the 2008 Bill James book projects that Ortmeier will have a .708 OPS. This is not good for a starting first baseman.

How many games will senorita monkeypants be attending?

[January 2, 2008 4:08 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

Monkeypants will go to as many games as she wants!

As for Ensberg, I wouldn't want to sign him for more than a year -- one year plus a club option, perhaps? I like the idea of giving Macpherson a shot, too, but with his track record he'll probably join a team on a minor league deal.

[January 2, 2008 6:19 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Doug Purdie said

I entered a comment on another blog also suggesting that the Giants sign Colon on the cheap and got buried under an avalanche of "What have you been smoking?" replies.

I see you have fared better so far. My timing was perhaps five weeks too soon. I guess people had to see for themselves that the few decent free agent hitters would get overpaid in a low supply market and that the Giants did not have the resources to trade for one unless they wanted to give up good, young, cheap pitching, which is a strict No-No in my book.

[January 2, 2008 10:21 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

>...and got buried under an avalanche of "What have you been smoking?" replies.

I haven't gotten any of those comments because everyone already knows what I've been smoking.

[January 2, 2008 11:25 PM]  |  link  |  reply
obsessivegiantscompulsive said

Danny! Danny! Danny!

Should just play Ortmeier at 1B and Frandsen at 3B, with Aurilia as backup for both in case either falters.

McPherson apparently either wants a lot of money, a guaranteed starting position, or both, because the Giants made initial contact with Boras, his agent, and just as quickly both sides agreed that there's nothing there.

I don't see any fliers I would be willing to take a chance on right now, other than Enberg, who I can think will return to his past hitting prowess, his mind has been messed up in recent years because his manager didn't believe in him. But he's a high OBP and HR hitter, so I wouldn't mind seeing the Giants sign him.

In particular, I would rather they sign him than Feliz. As good as the Fielding Bible has Pedro, I think I would rather give Frandsen his ABs than to see another year added the Feliz era.

I would rather play with fire and start Correia and Misch. Hennessey can still start if we need him to, plus I expect to get Blackley back from the Phillies, I just don't see how he's going to pitch well enough to keep a spot on a contending team, as the Phils should be aiming for.

[January 3, 2008 12:03 AM]  |  link  |  reply
bigO said

I still think Beltre is in play.

[January 3, 2008 8:02 PM]  |  link  |  reply
peezy said

The Giants should trade a combination of either Lowry / Sanchez along with Fred Lewis to the White Sox for Joe Crede.

Perhaps it would take Lowry / Sanchez, Lewis, and Chulk / Messenger.

Either scenario works for me. Just give the open bullpen spot to Capellan (we need a lefty who can get fellow lefties out this year).

With the additions of Swisher and Quentin along with the emergence of Fields, one must conjecture that Crede has become expendable--especially if we can offer a couple of quality pitchers and another young outfielder in return (they just gave up Ryan Sweeney).

[January 7, 2008 9:28 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Lyle said

I certainly don't want Crede and his back problems. Ensberg seems like a reasonable gamble (and all we have is gambling available to us, thanks to the brilliant drafting through '06). Beltre would be interesting in SF, but I fear his cost in terms of tradeable talent would be too high for us. Assuming Martin is correct, we don't need/want McPherson.

I still wouldn't be opposed to bringing in Tony Clark cheaply. Or taking a moderately-priced flier on Freddy Garcia, particulary if we end up trading a SP for a hitter somewhere.

Great writing, as always, Lefty.