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

08.15.2008
Nineteen Ninety Six

Me and my baby in ‘96. Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1996. It was late September back in ‘96, what a very special time for kids.

Not only are there a ton of great pop songs about that year, it happens to be the last time the Giants had an overwhelming youth infusion. Before you start drawing parallels to the team’s current situation — terrible team in ‘96, shocking turnaround in ‘97! — let’s take a toke off the wayback machine. How many of those fresh-faced rooks from ‘96 would actually ‘Stick around, heh, and make a difference in the team’s renaissance?

Here’s the roster.

Here are the 13 who made their major-league debuts in 1996:

Bill Mueller
Jacob Cruz
Jay Canizaro
Desi Wilson*
Dax Jones*
Wilson Delgado
Keith Williams*
Marcus Jensen
Doug Mirabelli
Steve Bourgeois*
Steve Soderstrom*
Dan Carlson
Osvaldo Fernandez (a Cuban defector)

Here are a few others who still qualified as rookies or nearly so:

Shawn Estes
Marvin Benard
Chris Hook*
Doug Creek

The ones with asterisks never played in the majors again after 1996. From this group came four useful players for the early-Sabean-era Giants: one starting pitcher (Estes), one starting outfielder (Benard), one starting infielder (Mueller), one backup catcher (Mirabelli).

Cruz, Jensen, Delgado and Creek eked out a few more years as second-stringers for other clubs. Jensen is notable because the Giants traded him for Brian Johnson, who hit one of the most famous home runs in team history. For argument’s sake, let’s predict that roughly 25% of the rookies who have made the roster this year will contribute to the big club in the next few years.

Today’s assignment: tell us which ones — no more than five, please — and feel free to explain your predictions.

I’ll start: Alex Hinshaw, John Bowker, Ivan Ochoa, and Merkin Valdez. Hinshaw’s stuff is legit; his control is not. But as a lefty, the team will cut him slack. Bowker’s swing is short and powerful. His main problem is pitch selection, which he knows he has to fix. I think he can. His 1B/OF flexibility also makes him more likely to stick. Ochoa’s been very impressive in the field and won’t need to hit much to justify a roster spot. Plus he gives the Giants breathing room to send Burriss back to the minors for seasoning. I pick Valdez more out of hope than reason. His injury history doesn’t bode well, but if, if, if he can stay healthy, he could be Felix Rodriguez-ish in the bullpen for a few years. (Felix circa ‘99–’01, that is.)

I almost included Pablo Sandoval, but when Posey signs, Sandoval will be blocked at catcher. He’ll have to hit like a first baseman to get significant time, and it’s too early to know if he can. I think he’s more likely to be trade bait in the next year or two.

(Photo courtesy of Salim Virji via a Creative Commons license.)
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[August 15, 2008 2:14 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Paul R. said

God, what an awful team that was. I remember being a naive middle schooler back then and ceaselessly cheering that team on, despite how miserable they were with guys like Jones and Wilson in the lineup.

On an interesting note, Rich Aurilia got the majority of the playing time at SS that year and hit .239/.295/.296, as a 24-year-old. Who would have ever guessed he'd turn into one hell of a player?

[August 15, 2008 3:36 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

Are you saying that Ivan Ochoa is going to hit 37 home runs five years from now? :-)

[August 15, 2008 3:44 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Chris replied to ELM

Maybe if he discovers better living through chemistry.

[August 15, 2008 3:42 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Randy said

If Bonds is in the lineup to protect him.

[August 15, 2008 4:07 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

OK, so who are your picks to stick? Opening Day, 2010: Who of the current rookies will be on the 25-man roster?

[August 15, 2008 6:18 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Truffington said

Sandoval (Posey may take 2-3 years to be major league ready)
Hinshaw (if he learns control)
Bowker (yes, sweet powerful swing)
Romo (throws strikes but needs a change-up/splitter)
Burriss (speed and defense)

[August 15, 2008 11:46 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Frank said

Well, I'm just a big cheater, but I do it a different way. I say we fill the OF from what we have now. Primarily is see Lewis and Rowand, but Schierholtz, Bowker or someone else from below could fill the other corner OF spot. It could also be filled from outside.
IF: I think we fill SS and 2b. We all know the names, it is just who develops the furthest. 1b and 3b we do not and will not fill from inside. We will have to go FA or trade.
C: I hope we stay inside, with a combination of Sandoval, Holm, and Posey.
I am encouraged tho, that we really only need to fill 3 positions. Amazing, though, how hard those positions are to fill. Makes me appreciate Randy Winn.

[August 16, 2008 3:28 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Anonymous said

Too bad that Velez keeps getting chances but they do not want to call up Denker and give him a decent run.

[August 16, 2008 12:14 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM replied to

No rush to call up Denker. First, Velez has proven himself at AAA. He's 26 and needs to show the Giants what he can do soon. Denker is just 23 and has more time.

[August 17, 2008 1:21 AM]  |  link  |  reply
giantsrainman said

Ok, I will play.

Long term I like three bullpen arms best (Sadler, Hinshaw, and Valdez). I just don't see enough stuff in Romo or Matos and the league has already figured out Espineli's funkiness and that is all he has. Yeah I know 2008 ain't Sadler's first year and he may not even be rookie eligable but I am putting him in because of the almost rookie catagory you identified.

Since I am only allowed 5 total picks that leaves me with 2 offensive picks. I am going with two upset picks. I do like Bowker's short sweet swing but somehow he seems to be lost mentally and I am not convinced he will ever find his way. I am also not sold on any of the middle infielders and therefore I am not choosing any of them. With regards to Rohlinger I see him as more mud on the wall that does not stick just as I see the assortment of middle infielders. My two picks are Ishikawa and Sandoval to form a solid 1B platoon with Sandoval also being a solid backup catcher.

Finally, if I was allowed a 6th pick I would choose a player on the 40 man roster but yet to play at the MLB level this year. I would choose Nate Schierholtz. I really believe Nate is not the AAAA player the Giants seem to be treating him as. Schierholtz will eventually force the Giants hand and they will free up RF for him by trading Randy Winn.