I’ve heard Brian Sabean compared to a lot of people ranging from Lex Luther to “The Grinch”, but no comparison seems nearly as fitting of that of one Michael Scott, Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
When either Sabean or Michael Scott open their mouth, stupid usually comes out. Both make ridiculously idiotic decisions, yet somehow still keep their respective jobs. Since the Giants just dropped two of three to the Padres, I thought it would be a nice time to re-live some of Michael Scott’s greatest quotes and how they correspond to Sabean.
Burly is on vacation for a few weeks. When he goes on vacation, he tends to go all out. He’s likely in some jungle somewhere, hacking his way through very tall, razorblade-leafed undergrowth. So, until he gets back, I’ll be sitting in for a few posts.
I’ve been a friend of Burly’s for going on 20 years now and have always turned to him for his take on all things baseball related. I am a big Twins fan, and so I suppose I’m one of the reasons that there is so much Twins content on this site. I am actually in Minnesota right now for the sole purpose of attending a game at the new stadium this coming Sunday, which I plan to write about.
I know about one-tenth as much about baseball as Burly does, but hopefully if I stick with what I know, I might present a few things that will be of interest. And blah blah blah, I’ll get on with it.
In a move that Burly dreaded, the Giants did indeed acquire Jose Guillen today for cash considerations and a player to be named later. Guillen had been designated for assignment by the Royals after they could find no takers by the trade deadline.
After a hot June, he’d been on an 0-for-21 skid, hitting just .207 in July. The 34-year-old is in the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract, and the Royals are on the hook for three million of the remaining $3.75 million owed to him this year. So, the good news is that Guillen isn’t coming at too high of a price. I know that isn’t exactly great news, but it beats a repeat of the Shea Hillenbrand deal a few years ago.
There is always a chance that Guillen could go on a Randy Winn-like tear for a few months and make Sabean seem like a genius, but until that happens, I’m not thrilled with the deal. Bochy has already said that he plans on starting him in right field.
That means that Huff will be the primary first baseman and Ishikawa will have to go back to proving himself again as a pinch-hitter. Of course, it is likely that everyone in the outfield will see fewer at-bats. The Giants have been playing pretty well lately, and Burrell has been doing really well.
It’d be easier to damn Sabean for messing with the chemistry of a team that is beginning to gel if it weren’t for the fact that the Giants lost tonight to the first-place Padres (so, what, does Sanchez have to eat his hat? What happens with that guarantee stuff? I guess I’m not taking any stock tips from him). Guillen wasn’t in uniform yet, but he will be starting tomorrow.
I don’t like it. I don’t like Guillen. In the article posted by the Giants San Francisco Chronicle writers, Guillen is quoted as saying that he didn’t even want to come to San Francisco: “I talked to Sabean for an hour. (San Francisco) was not my favorite choice, but he convinced me. In the AL, I knew I’d be able to DH more, but now I’m totally healthy.”
Great, Mr. 0-for-21 has decided to grace us with his presence. The Giants are the 11th team to take a chance on him (Colorado signed him but he never played a game for them…smart).
I don’t get Sabean. Guillen is 34, he’s been linked to the Mitchell report, he’s got a reputation for hustling only when he feels like it, and when he was offered the job, he didn’t want it! Sabean had to talk him into it! I feel like Charlie Brown when he missed the football—“AUGH!”
I hope it works out, but I ain’t holdin’ my breath.
Eugenio Velez came off the DL—he had taken a foul ball to the face off the bat of Burrell. As a warm welcome back, they optioned him to Fresno.
The are people who refuse to acknowledge reality and continue to insist that the San Francisco Giants needed to make a blockbuster deal before the trade deadline passed.
The Giants did exactly what they should've done. They gave up a minor leaguer for a veteran right-handed relief pitcher. Then, they traded two players with big league experience, but not much success, for a left-hander for the bullpen.
How anyone who has been paying attention to the club and its competitors since the All-Star break ended can think the Giants did anything but the right thing is baffling.
The Giants are scorching hot and just one and a half games behind the San Diego Padres in the NL West. They've managed stirring back-to-back wins that push the Los Angeles Dodgers further off the pace and put more room between San Francisco and the Colorado Rockies in the division.
The Giants are building a nice, little lead in a wild-card race where only the Philadelphia Phillies seem particularly imposing. The Cincinnati Reds are two games back and the Phillies three and a half. After that, there's a log-jam that includes the Dodgers and Colorado Rockies between five and a half and six and a half games behind the wild-card race leaders.
The Giants didn't need a journeyman hitter. Fans and media types who insist they should've landed someone like Washington slugger Adam Dunn ignore that the Nationals were asking for pitcher Madison Bumgarner.
So. lefty Javier Lopez comes from Pittsburgh for two popular Giants who just didn't perform in fairly extended opportunities to do so at the big league level. Pitcher Joe Martinez and outfielder-first baseman John Bowker are Pirates now.
Bowker is a fringe big leaguer and a Triple-A all-star. Martinez is a right-handed starting pitcher who didn't pitch well in the big leagues for a team that doesn't need starting pitching to begin with. Love those guys? Well, they'll get a chance to prove in Pittsburgh that they didn't really get a chance in San Francisco.
Right-hander Ramon Ramirez comes from the Boston Red Sox for a kid pitcher named Daniel Turpen.
There are going to be spouting the numbers that Lopez and Ramirez have put up in 2010. They'll say that the two won't help the Giants bullpen at all. They'll be ignoring that the Giants have gone on a 15-4 streak that includes an 8-2 run without a lefty in the bullpen and without Brian Wilson to close in their last two victories.
At some point soon, somebody's going to complain that Ramirez isn't any better than the reliever the Giants send to Triple-A to make room for him. Before that somebody shouts the praises of, say, Santiago Casilla, consider that Ramirez has 31-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 42 innings pitched this season.
So, yes, many of the same people who've complained that Giants relievers don't throw enough strikes will complain that they traded a minor leaguer for a strike-thrower and sent a notoriously inconsistent pitcher to the minors.
Incredible, isn't it?
People are still lining up to moan that general manager Brian Sabean just can't build a winner.
The Giants are winning with free agent acquisitions Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell and Juan Uribe playing very well.
If Sabean gets the blame for Aaron Rowand's contract, he deserves all the credit in the world for Huff, Burrell and Uribe.
And, boy, are Sabean's detractors hoping that no one mentions that Andres Torres was a 31-year-old career minor leaguer when Sabean invited him to spring training in 2009 and is paying the mercurial lead-off hitter $426,000 to play all three outfield positions, hit .286 and lead the league in doubles.
Yep. The boys in the Giants front office are responsible for Torres being in San Francisco.
Fans are going to whine that Sabean and the Giants didn't add a big-time run-producer as they completely ignore the fact that catcher Buster Posey was added to the big league roster in May. Posey has had more impact on San Francisco's lineup than any hitter who was traded in the last two weeks will have on his new team's lineup.
Fans who've noticed that the Giants are playing the best baseball in the National League are pleased to know that the Giants didn't try to fix what isn't broken.
Ted Sillanpaa is a Northern California sports writer and columnist. Reach Ted at tsillanpaa1956@gmail.com
With the minutes ticking away toward the 2010 Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, fans saw the typically violent flurry of activity as general mangers hustled to smooth out the rough edges. Some of the moves look brilliant while others seem to stink of acquisition for acquisition's sake.
Take a gander at the maneuvering that started way back at the beginning of July and decide for yourself:
July 9th —Texas Rangers acquire RHP Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners for 1B Justin Smoak, RHP Blake Beavan, RHP Josh Leuke, and INF Matt Lawson.
July 14th —Atlanta Braves acquire SS Alex Gonzalez, LHP Tim Collins, and INF Tyler Pastronicky from the Toronto Blue Jays for SS Yunel Escobar and LHP Jo-Jo Reyes.
July 25th —Anaheim Angels (they can't even see Los Angeles, let alone play there) acquire RHP Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks for LHP Joe Saunders, RHP Rafael Rodriguez, LHP Patrick Corbin, and a player to be named later.
July 28th —Detroit Tigers acquire INF Jhonny Peralta from the Cleveland Indians for LHP Giovanni Soto.
July 29th —Minnesota Twins acquire RHP Matt Capps and cash from the Washington Nationals for C Wilson Ramos and LHP Joe Testa.
July 29th —San Diego Padres acquire SS/3B Miguel Tejada and cash from the Baltimore Orioles for RHP Wynn Pelzer.
July 29th —Philadelphia Phillies acquire RHP Roy Oswalt and cash from the Houston Astros for LHP J.A. Happ, OF Anthony Gose, and SS Jonathan Villar
July 29th —Los Angeles Dodgers acquire Scott Podsednik from the Kansas City Royals for RHP Elisaul Pimentel and C Luke May.
July 30th —Chicago White Sox acquire RHP Edwin Jackson from the Diamondbacks for RHP Daniel Hudson and LHP David Holmberg.
July 30th —Rangers acquire INF Jorge Cantu from the Florida Marlins for RHP Evan Reed and RHP Omar Poveda.
July 30th —Rangers acquire INF Cristian Guzman from the Nationals for RHP Ryan Tatusko and RHP Tanner Roark.
July 31st —Tampa Bay Rays acquire RHP Chad Qualls from the Diamondbacks for a player to be named later.
July 31st —New York Yankees acquire 1B Lance Berkman and cash from the Astros for RHP Mark Melancon and INF Jimmy Paredes.
July 31st —Yankees acquire OF Austin Kearns from the Indians for a player to be named later or cash.
July 31st —three team trade in which the Padres acquire OF Ryan Ludwick from the St. Louis Cardinals and cash from the Indians, the Cardinals acquire RHP Jake Westbrook and cash from the Indians plus LHP Nick Greenwood from the Padres, and the Indians acquire RHP Corey Kluber, also from the Padres.
July 31st —Pittsburgh Pirates acquire C Chris Snyder, SS Pedro Ciriaco, and cash from the Diamondbacks for SS Bobby Crosby, OF Ryan Church, and RHP D.J. Carrasco.
July 31st —Los Angeles Dodgers acquire LHP Ted Lilly and INF Ryan Theriot from the Chicago Cubs for INF Blake DeWitt, RHP Brett Wallach, and RHP Kyle Smit.
July 31st—Dodgers acquire RHP Octavio Dotel from the Pirates for RHP James McDonald and OF Andrew Lambo.
July 31st—Yankees acquire RHP Kerry Wood from the Indians for a player to be named later or cash.
July 31st—San Francisco Giants acquire LHP Javier Lopez from the Pirates for RHP Joe Martinez and OF John Bowker.
July 31st—Braves acquire OF Rick Ankiel, RHP Kyle Farnsworth, and cash from the Royals for LHP Tim Collins, RHP Jesse Chavez, and OF Gregor Blanco.
Phew, that's a lot of movement.
Yet noticeably absent from the list of substantial movers and shakers are our San Francisco Giants.
Despite an increasingly glaring need for help in the shaky bullpen—especially a capable southpaw—and another plus-piece of lumber, general manager Brian Sabean didn't pull any major triggers.
He did grab a reliever who throws from the southside in the Bucs' Lopez, but that's not exactly the magical elixer for which some die-hards had hoped. Luckily, the Giant GM only cut bait on a couple of "prospects" who'd worn out their welcome in the City.
Nevertheless, there were constant rumors about the club sniffing around various primetime targets, but the prices were either too high or the players were ultimately deemed an unsavory fit.
Regardless of the specific reason, I commend Sabes on his willingness to let the deadline come and go while resisting the pressure—created by the activity of other squads—to make an ill-advised, big splash maneuver.
The man at the helm was clearly running (probably jogging) down leads, but his posture made it clear that any such decision would be made on Orange and Black terms.
And fans should applaud that.
Everyone loves for his or her contender to make a deal and bring in new blood as the calendar turns to August, but that doesn't necessarily justify the decision.
There is something to be said for continuity and internal improvement; with Pablo Sandoval drastically under-performing and several injured pieces making their way back to the club, SF's cupboard of assistance isn't totally bare.
More importantly, as Giant fans will remember, the franchise was in a similar position last year and brought in the likes of Ryan Garko and Freddy Sanchez for a little extra playoff push.
Garko was incompetent and Sanchez was an injury disaster from the get-go; neither trade helped in 2009 and only the grace of the Baseball Gods has prevented the deals from going south badly.
Now, look back at that list of swaps.
The Lee, Haren, Oswalt, and Berkman developments are the only ones that appear to carry with them a significant power shift. The Ludwick trade gets honorable mention.
The rest are Garko deals—shots in the dark that could help, but seem more likely to be exercises in public relations while sacrificing potentially gifted prospects.
Guys like Jorge Cantu, Scott Podsednik, Miguel Tejada, etc. could rediscover their glory days (or keep them going in Pod's case), but I'd say the chances of such renaissances are less appealing than the odds that the dearly departed blossom.
Furthermore, the most reliable pieces available were front-line starting pitchers.
That is the one place los Gigantes are set—they need a contingency plan for the eventual shutdown of No. 5 starter Madison Bumgarner, but that doesn't merit leveraging the farm system for a guy like Haren/Lee/Oswalt.
Finally, dissect the action with an eye to San Francisco's biggest vulnerabilities—the 'pen and the big bat.
The thumper is easier to dispatch with because there simply weren't any to be had unless a GM was willing to be a voluntary participant in highway robbery.
Don't buy it?
Well, the only evidence anyone should need is the most neon name changing hands. Sir Lance-elot is still a threat, but check the splits .
Only a money-bloated franchise like the Bronx Bombers could part with two upper echelon prospects for what is essentially half of a platoon. No way San Francisco could do the same; not for a guy hitting below the Mendoza line against left-handers.
As for the relievers, only three major players changed hands.
Qualls had basically pitched himself out of any important innings for the Snakes, so forget him.
Dotel had been quite effective, but he cost the Bums two highly touted prospects. Neither McDonald nor Lambo have shown much at the Big League level (Lambo hasn't gotten a shot yet), but you don't have to search too hard to find glowing reviews of each.
Meanwhile, to grab Matt Capps—who can't be considered one of the Show's superstar closers—the Twinkies had to part with one of the most prized blue-chippers in all of baseball.
Granted, Joe Mauer made Ramos a redundant asset, but that doesn't change the fact that Minnesota just shipped out a dangerously offensive catcher (perhaps the rarest of all baseball assets) to get a relatively unproven stopper. As the last man standing for the Pirates and then the Nats, Capps has never locked down a meaningful game yet he demanded a premium price on the market.
So, yes, it would've been ideal to soundly plug the gaps in the bullpen and the batting order.
But, as the saying goes, you've got to give to get.
In 2010, it would appear the giving was better than the getting.
Which means the San Francisco Giants' relative inactivity could be very good news.
The Fourth of July was not a happy holiday for the San Francisco Giants.
The club dropped its game on the Nation's birthday (the actual day of creation was July 2, but who's counting), which quickly washed away the smiles inspired by breaking a seven-game losing streak the previous day.
No small feat since, to add insult to injury, that reverse jag had featured a three-game sweep at the hands of the hated Los Angeles Dodgers in the City.
Even worse, the loss to the Colorado Rockies on the celebratory Sunday made it three defeats in four games to another National League West rival as well as 10 L's in 12 games.
It was a brutal stretch that ended June, started July, and dragged San Fran all the way down to fourth in the division.
The Giants were fighting desperately to keep their collective head above water at 41-40, 7.5 games behind the first-place San Diego Padres, and 4.5 games out of the Wild Card cat-bird's seat.
It got so ugly that many of the Jell-O-backboned "faithful" were bailing off the bandwagon left and right. Internet chat boards lit up with ominous predictions about the Gents' future, including such panic-stricken madness as pleas for the team to be a seller as the trade deadline loomed.
Thankfully, general manager Brian Sabean has a stronger constitution.
24 days have elapsed since the Fourth and the San Francisco Giants have been on FIRE for every single one of them.
Check that.
"On fire" is putting it too mildly—they're covered head-to-toe in white-hot lava. You can't get within 10 feet of them without vaporizing on the spot; look at them too long and you risk permanent blindness.
Aside from the three-day break for the All-Star Game, the Orange and Black has been on the clock non-stop since that loss in Denver. Consequently, they've played 21 games in 24 days.
They've lost four—four —times in those 21 contests.
What's more, take a look at the four defeats:
July 9 at the Washington Nationals, 8-1 —Stephen Strasburg threw six scintillating frames, suffering four baserunners (three hits and a walk) and an earned run while whiffing eight en route to the win.
July 18 against the New York Mets in 10 innings, 4-3 —Travis Ishikawa actually slid home safely with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, but home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi butchered a pretty easy call.
July 21 at the Dodgers, 2-0 —Chad Billingsley sparkled on his way to the shutout, allowing only seven baserunners (five hits and two walks) while fanning three.
July 26 against the Florida Marlins, 4-3 —another gem twirled by Ricky Nolasco as the right-hander went 6 1/3 innings, ceding only five baserunners (four hits and a walk) and an earnie while striking out seven.
In other words, it's taken either an umpire's blunder or a special outing by a special pitcher to take the lads down since they righted the ship.
As for the righting, it's no stretch at all to isolate Buster Posey as the triggering catalyst for this particular pleasure cruise.
True, outfielders Andres Torres and Aubrey Huff have been revelations in 2010.
Torres is now the third most valuable outfielder in all of Major League Baseball behind only Josh Hamilton and Carl Crawford (as measure by wins above replacement). If you eliminate position from the equation and consider all offensive players, he's tied for sixth.
Huff, for his part, is sixth on the list for outfielders and just outside the top 10 for all offensive players.
Without either stud, San Francisco is dead in the water.
But they've been raking pretty consistently all year so, while they both deserve immeasurable credit for the club's success to date, they can't take this bit.
Nope, it belongs to Posey (with a nod to southpaw starter Madison Bumgarner).
When Sabes and los Gigantes sent veteran catcher Bengie Molina to the Texas Rangers for Chris Ray and Michael Main on July 1st, they officially broke the seal on the backstop of the future. Simultaneously, they removed a block that was keeping a host of players from their optimal positions and cleared up playing time for more effective assets.
With Gerald Demp the Third behind the dish, it put first base back in the rotation for manager Bruce Bochy's game of musical lineup cards.
Boch was free to manipulate human Swiss Army knife Juan Uribe, Pablo Sandoval, and Aubrey Huff at will to find at-bats and rest for his mix of proven vets and up-and-coming rookies.
It took a few games for the new pieces to get comfortable and start running smoothly, but it's been quite a sight to behold ever since things clicked. A sight that wouldn't have been possible without the 23-year-old phenom.
Posey's been excellent in all facets—his throwing cannon has greatly eased the strain of the opposition's running game on the pitching staff, his handling of said staff has drawn no criticism, and then there's his bat.
Oooooh, his bat.
During his 21-game hit streak, the kid has scalded the ball—he's 37-for-84 (.440 BA) with six bombs and 23 runs batted in.
Overall, the picture's just as pretty.
Posey's slashing along at .363/.401/.558 with 29 runs, 34 ribbies, eight big flies (several of the opposite field variety), nine doubles, and two triples. Perhaps most impressively for someone so green, he's only K'd 23 times and drawn 12 free passes in 207 plate appearances.
That's wonderful plate discipline at any age, but it's obscene from a rookie who still can't rent a car.
Hopefully, Buster Posey can weather the pressure and grind of a playoff run because he's always been the key to San Francisco's future.
After the Giant's reemergence, the future appears to be now.
