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

04.10.2008
Making Room

Dave Roberts is probably out for months with A.G.E. in his knee. It’s probably the best news the Giants have had all year. I never wish injuries upon anyone, but if this is the way Fred Lewis gets his full season’s worth of at-bats, with some Rajai Davis and Ort-Ort sprinkled in — if this is the way the golf pencil is ripped out of Bruce Bochy’s hands before he can write “Roberts LF” on the lineup card — so be it.

Clay Timpner is Roberts’ replacement for now because Nate Schierholtz has hurt his leg. But when Schierholtz is healthy, what to do? Bring up Nate to compete with Lewis and Winn for at-bats? If he’s not going to play every day in the majors, I prefer to see him stay in AAA.

There might be roster room sooner than we think, given how awful Aaron Rowand has looked with his bruised ribs: a dropped fly ball last night, four Ks the night before. The Giants still haven’t found worse damage, but you have to wonder if a DL trip is in Rowand’s near future.

If that happens, Winn should become the everyday CF, Lewis and Davis platoon in LF, and — ta da! — Schierholtz comes up to take RF. Against tough lefties Ort could platoon, but it would be more or less Nate’s lineup spot while Rowand is out. Again, I don’t wish the DL upon anyone, but…

Next roster conundrum: With the Padres getting dirty-sanchez’d last night, we can start thinking seriously about the consequences of Noah Lowry’s return. No word on his progress, but the talk back in camp was May, I think. No one will trade for Lowry until they see him pitch and pitch well. If Sanchez keeps throwing like last night, anything but a big-league rotation slot for him is foolish. Will Kevin Correia be odd man out? Moved back to the bullpen even though he’s proven far more worthy as a starter? 

My suggestion: Send Barry Zito to the minors to spend a month on his new mechanics. He knows he’s lost his stuff; everyone knows he’s lost his stuff. Until he regains a few miles on his fastball or learns to pitch like Kirk Rueter — that’s Dave Righetti’s suggestion, not mine — he’s going to get pounded. He might as well figure it out in a lower pressure environment. When you are nearly the highest-paid pitcher in the world, and your coach’s best hope is that you can learn to pitch like Kirk Rueter, it’s time for drastic measures.

I doubt the brass would resort to such a plan, and I doubt Zito would agree to it. (I’m pretty sure a demotion would require his approval.) But with current trends — Zito downward, Correia and Sanchez upward —  Zito could soon be the team’s 6th best starter. And 6th best starters either bide their time in triple-A or keep the back end of the bullpen warm. Yabu and Zito, the last resorts: alphabetically it makes sense.







[April 10, 2008 4:46 PM]  |  link  |  reply
FelipeForever said

Lefty,

As logical as it may seem to demote Zito, we all know that ain't gonna happen.

I am opposed to folks who suggest that Correia is shuffled off to the pen. As you say, he's demonstrated that he has greater value as a starter, so leave him there.

If we were a contending team, and actually needed to extract the greatest value from our pitchers, the best move might actually be to have Lincecum do the Mike Marshall multi-inning relief thing every couple of nights (I didn't come up with this, but I can't remember who did over at BP). But we're not, and this is another idea with no legs.

The pitcher with the most value through the trade market is probably Sanchez, though that will depend on the next couple of weeks. By this time tomorrow, it could be Correia (he wrote hopefully). I think that if they can find a deal that makes sense (pre-arb corner slugger) for one of these guys, then do it.

If not, well, is there precedent for a 6-man rotation? Biggest weakness is that we'd burn our pen out too quickly, but wasn't the original plan to carry only 6 relievers anyway. Maybe the starter whose "side day" it is can come in for an inning, regardless of who it is. Kind of fun. Kind of dumb?

[April 10, 2008 5:20 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM replied to FelipeForever

Six-man rotation: I love this idea, with the side-session guys doing their work in a game, if need be. That would help ease the burden on the slightly smaller bullpen.

[April 10, 2008 7:33 PM]  |  link  |  reply
FelipeForever replied to ELM

Seems to me that the sabermetric "experts" these days are actually pushing the other way, towards the 4-man rotation. I could be wrong, though.
For those who are really interested (there are a ton of comments), here is a link to a guy who tries to apply the idea to current Mets rotation.
Link

[April 10, 2008 5:09 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Jefferson said

I suspect Noah will be gone longer than we think. If he does come back, look for Zito to have developed a nagging soreness in someplace...

[April 10, 2008 5:32 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Bayside Baller said

While I agree that moving Zito to the minors to "reinvent" himself would be best for him and the team, there is absolutely no way that it happens. There is now way the organization sends the "face of the franchise" to the minors.

[April 10, 2008 5:44 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM replied to Bayside Baller

If the face of the franchise has an ERA close to 6 in a couple months, I'll bet they try something. Jefferson's "nagging soreness" scenario -- which happens to require several rehab starts in the minors -- could be the outcome.

[April 10, 2008 5:41 PM]  |  link  |  reply
#99 said

Lefty,

The A's have to deal Dan Johnson, has Ort found the secret to staying in the majors or do the Giants try and get him? What should they give up for him, assuming they can't pick him up after he clears waivers? Who would you deal to get him? It's going to have to be a relatively young arm as the A's are in rebuilding mode.

[April 10, 2008 5:50 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM replied to #99

Re. Johnson: Now that he's been DFA'd, I can't imagine the Giants give up anyone of significance. Of course, they gave up Accardo for Hillenbrand after he was DFA'd. Ugh.

I say they should save their trading chips and wait for a deal for someone with true upside.

If Johnson clears waivers, sign him to a minor league contract and play him in Fresno.

[April 10, 2008 5:57 PM]  |  link  |  reply
bigO said

what would you take to dump Zito? Would you dump him if you someone absorbed 1/2 his salary from here on out OR ???? (Obvously it won't happen BUT it's interesting to think about).

[April 11, 2008 9:33 AM]  |  link  |  reply
natteringnabob replied to bigO

I know this isn't how the people writing the checks think of it... but to me paying someone to stink up another team's park is a good investment. At least, better than writing the checks and getting the bad performance.

The real key is whether he'll ever be what he was (which is kind of looking like a one or two year flash followed by a life of mediocrity). If he's done, pay him to take up a roster spot elsewhere.

It's not like they will sign someone else for $20M per year while Zito is in a Ginats uniform, so paying him to wear a Tampa uniform would seem to be no difference.

Again, the rich guys don't think like that, especially those that own the Ginats.

[April 11, 2008 11:04 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Evan said

I'm surprised by the general assumption that you have to bump someone from the rotation when Lowry comes back. Noah's the one I'd be sending to the pen.