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MLB Trade Deadline: Moves Would Be Luxury for Streaking Giants

July 28th, 2010

It's tempting for the more seasoned (really old) followers of the San Francisco Giants to sit back and enjoy what has been a fabulous start to the second half of the season.

The club's record is third-best in the National League and seventh in the big leagues three games into the Florida Marlins series in San Francisco. The Giants are 2 1/2 games out of the NL West lead and are atop the NL wild-card race.

Fans and media-types have to work, or ignore reality, to be critical of what were considered shortcomings with the Giants on a 11-3 streak since the All-Star break.

The team's starting pitching has been superb. The bullpen has done a surprisingly good job getting games to closer Brian Wilson.

Manager Bruce Bochy has, apparently, become a great deal smarter in the second half. Unless he, alone, blew the three games the club lost in the last couple of weeks.

Every club can use another hitter, but the Giants are scoring plenty of runs. And, knocking situational hitting when a team is 11-3 seems silly.

Fans and the media should be relaxing and enjoying the fact that the Giants jumped from 10th to seventh on ESPN.com's MLB power rankings this week.

Why bother worrying about the trade deadline when the Giants have one of the best records in baseball? Well, the cyclical nature of baseball indicates that the club's flaws will become apparent again soon. So...

The Giants desperately need relief pitching (specifically left-handed relievers). The only way to get help for the bullpen is in trade. No help coming from the minor leagues and even the happiest of Giants fan likely quivers at the thought of relying too heavily on Denny Bautista, Joe Martinez, and Santiago Casilla.

While they're poking around for a reliever or two, the Giants might as well see if any hitters are available for a decent asking price. Pablo Sandoval might return to first-half form. And Buster Posey just might not bat .368, with a .975 OPS and .571 slugging percentage for the final three months of the season. Although, nothing the kid does should surprise anybody.

There just isn't a great deal of bullpen talent on the market, so trade rumors have focused on the organization's reported interest in finding another proven hitter.


Oh, the Giants are going to get relief help. Before giving up anything in trade, the Giants might want to consider calling lefty Alex Hinshaw up to see if he can get outs or about giving Dontrelle Willis a shot as a lefty-vs.-lefty reliever.

The Giants have the luxury of giving a young farmhand and a fallen star a chance to stabilize the pen.


The club is a lot more likely to land an outfielder like Washington's Josh Willingham or Kansas City veteran Jose Guillen than they are to trade for Adam Dunn. (Although, Dunn is on record now as denying that he ever said he would refuse to play in San Francisco. That, apparently, was an urban legend based on the assumption that AT&T Park is death to all lefty swingers who aren't Barry Bonds.)

Dunn's going to be a free agent at the end of the year, so the Giants aren't interested unless they can sign him to a long-term deal before any trade is consumated. Teams typically allow for negotiations between a trade partner and a player in such a situation.


The Giants just aren't willing to offer the type of package necessary to lure Dunn to San Francisco. The Nationals apparently turned down a Chicago White Sox offer featuring starting second baseman Gordon Beckham and insisted on a package featuring three top prospects headed by pitcher Daniel Hudson. Translation: Madison Bumgarner and two top prospects would, maybe, bring Dunn west.

Tampa Bay asked the Nats about Dunn and the Rays were told that any package for the slugger would have to include starting pitcher Matt Garza, who is having an outstanding season and pitched a no-hitter on Monday night. Translation: If Bumgarner's untouchable, toss Matt Cain into the deal.

The Giants discussed Guillen with the Royals, the New York Post reported. The 34-year-old would, reportedly, go to San Francisco with cash to cover some of the $4.55 million left on his contract. ESPN's Jayson Stark, however, reported that the Royals "have no real options" to trade Guillen—even while asking for little in return.

There's word that the Giants are, again, interested in free agent-to-be Prince Fielder. Any package would start with trading left-hander Madison Bumgarner. Fielder's out of the question.

Willingham can play right field, where he wouldn't take any more at-bats from Pat Burrell.

The Giants had interest in Royals base-stealing outfielder Scott Podsednik, but the Los Angeles Dodgers wound up acquiring the left-hand hitter in exchange for two minor leaguers.

If first baseman Travis Ishikawa keeps producing, Aubrey Huff will split time between the outfield and first and the Giants wouldn't necessarily have to add a hitter, because it appears that Aaron Rowand might be inching back to reasonable productivity after his single started Thursday's game-winning rally against the Marlins.

It could be that this is the time for Giants fans to step back and acknowledge that the call for homegrown talent has gone on for years and, well, it could be that Nate Schierholtz, Ishikawa and, perhaps, a minor leaguer like infielders Emmanuel Burris or Ryan Rohlinger team to produce the runs the Giants need.

Why deal for a .260 hitter in Guillen if Schierholtz can hit .250 and contribute in every other area of the game, too?

The Giants are inching toward the trade deadline in position, remarkably, to just keep doing what they've been doing. That's been plenty good enough over the last 14 games.

Ted Sillanpaa is a Northern California sports writer and columnist. Reach Ted at tsillanpaa1956@gmail.com

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Posted in Aaron Rowand, Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff, Best Slideshows - Team, MLB, Opinion, SFGate, San Francisco Giants, Travis Ishikawa

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What Constant Shifting of the Lineup Is Doing To the San Francisco Giants

June 29th, 2010

If you are a Giants fan, or are even slightly aware of the situation out in the NL West, you are quite conscience of the downward spiral the Giants are currently in.

Once only a half game out of the number one spot at the start of the Toronto series, they have found themselves 4.5 games back and sitting in fourth place. So the question arises, whats changed?

Well, the answer to that question is everything, and its in a constant state of change. With the return of Edgar Renteria, the addition of Pat Burrell, and the rise of Buster Posey, the Giants have found themselves with  a lot of quality players, a problem most teams would love to have.

However, this problem is coming back to haunt the Giants as of late, due to the perplexing managing decisions of Bruce Bochy who is receiving all sorts of complaints from Giants fans, and rightly so.

As it lines up right now, the Giants have the potential to put out a starting lineup that can and has included the following players (last names only): Molina, Whiteside, Posey, Sandoval, Uribe, Renteria, Sanchez, Huff, Rowand, Torres, Burrell, Schierholtz. Not only does this list include twelve names for 8 positions, but also Posey, Huff, Uribe and Sandoval can all occupy a different position depending on the set up.

This disarray causes for big time repercussions in the overall performance of the team. To further enunciate on these drawbacks, I have listed the three which I have felt been more crucial during this team slump.

1. Hitting

Imagine yourself standing in the batters box about to hit. The pitch that you are about to see can range from 75-98 MPH, can move in about four general ways, and can be thrown from three generalized arm angles.

Now imagine yourself taking batting practice. The pitch that you are about to see will be about 75 MPH, will have no spin or movement, and will be put in a location of your desire. Definitely, not the same thing.

In order to be best prepared for the in game situations, it is best for the professional hitter to see those pitches everyday and not get lulled into the batting practice thinking too much. Therefore, if the hitter is not seeing the quality of pitches as will be seen in games every day, he will suffer for it.

Similarly, the place in the lineup determines how the at bat will go. It determines how many men are on base, the attention you will draw from the pitcher, whether you are trying to hit for power or average, and even how selective you can be at the plate.

To illustrate my point, the 3-5 hitters will see better quality pitches, will have men on base and the pitcher in the stretch, and will be hitting for more power, whereas the 7-8 hitters will be trying to extend the inning, will not get the attention as much from the pitcher, will be trying to get on base instead of drive men in, and will be pitched to differently with the pitcher waiting in the 9th spot.

Very different, yes? The problem here is that here is a list of those who have hit in both the 3-4-5 and the 7-8 holes: Molina, Renteria, Rowand, Posey, Sandoval, and Schierholtz.

And what are the reprocussion of all this hitting confusion?

Since the beginning of the Toronto series, here are before and afters on player averages. Sandoval .279-.274 Uribe .285-.270 Posey .310-.297 Sanchez .340-.299 Huff .309-.293 Schierholz .275-.269 Torres .292-.272 Renteria .326-.331 Rowand .220-.229 Molina .254-.257.

Take what you wish from these statitics, but there seems to be a downwards trend in the heart of the Giants order.

2. Fielding

When the lineup is a incoherent and day to day as it is now comes the inconsistency of the defense put out behind the unlucky pitcher. With the influx of players and the randomization of Bruce Bochy, the Giant's defense is left with 4 players that play a position consistently, which remains Molina, Whiteside, Renteria, and Sanchez.

However, on a given day, the defensive setup can be and has been completely different the day before. The extent of the mixing and matching has Huff playing both corner outfield positions and first, Uribe playing all infield positions minus first, Posey playing first and catcher, Sandoval playing first and third, and Torres playing whatever outfield position suits Bochy's fancy on that given day.

The result of this commotion is six errors in the last 11 game, which was previously an excellent mark of 24 errors in 65 games. However, it goes beyond simply statistical errors, and translates into less exact matters. Huff, while a solid fist baseman, does not have the arm to play corner outfield positions. Sandoval, while a similarly solid third baseman, does not have the height or the digging ability to play a great first, and both his arm and Posey's arm are wasted at first.

Renteria, while a competent fielder, does not have 50% the arm that Uribe possesses, which is wasted at second. Similarly, Uribe does not have the reactive skills to play the third that Sandoval does, as he is much more inclined to charge the ball, a habit he got into playing short.

The constant shifting of the defense at any one time makes the team vulnerable in one aspect, weakening it from its maximum potential, which we know is quite good.

3. Lack of Midseason Form

You might now be wondering why this third and final category isn't something concrete, say baserunning or pitching. Well, the short answer is that although baserunning has been abysmal (Pabloooooooo!) and pitching has been maybe a tiny but shaky, neither of those can be blamed on the shifting of the lineup.

However, what all this change means ultimately for the Giants and where is ultimately hurts is no one on that bench, save maybe Whiteside and Ishikawa has reached midseason form.

When an athlete tries to describe how they are feeling physically by saying either offseason form, midseason form, or post/presseason form. Offseason meaning maybe they put on a few pounds, pre/post season meaning they are a bit tired and/or beaten up, and midseason form meaning they are in a zone.

Let me try and explain it this way to help you get a better understanding of what I am getting at. When the average baseball player shows up to the park, they know pretty much whats going on. They know what time the game is, what team they are facing, and what pitcher they have throwing along with the pitcher they will be facing.

However, the most important constant most baseball players know as they step into the locker room is what position they will be playing and where they will be hitting in the lineup. This adds a sense of security, calm, and focus to the athlete, allowing them to get into a mindset that will best allow them to approach the game ahead.

However, right now the average Giant player shows up to the park not knowing what position they are playing or where they are hitting, and heck, they might not even know if they are playing at all! Without this consistency, this flow, the ballplayer cannot lock down that mindset that allows them to reach a physical level of ability which they best describe as "midseason form".

Losing 7 out of 11 games from rather mediocre teams on the road and at home usually signals that something isn't right. At that point the managers job is to fix it or instill positive change. Here the situation is exactly the opposite. In order to turn this ballclub around, Bruce Bochy needs to install positive consistency , which in this case is its own weird form of positive change.

Let the players find their midseason form, and this club has lots of potential, you just wait and see.

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Posted in MLB, Opinion, SFGate, San Francisco Giants

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Scrapheap Saviors: Brian Sabean’s Moves Keep Giants in Title Contention

June 13th, 2010
If you talk to any Giants fan this year, they'll probably talk to you about Aaron Rowand's dismal slump, the equally underwhelming season by Bengie Molina, and the slight concern about franchise players Tim Lincecum and Pablo Sandoval and their sub-par seasons. You'll hear stories about the lack of opportunity for young guys like Nate Schierholtz and John Bowker and the clamoring for youngsters like Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner. And, as always, you'll hear plenty of criticism for San Francisco general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy. Admittedly, there are things that I will never understand, like why Rowand and Molina are still playing so much even though they're slumping so hard, or why Nate Schierholtz doesn't play against left-handed batters even those he's smoking them for a .375 average. But there is one thing that Giants faithful can't argue with, and that's the fact that Sabean has made some more bargain moves this year that have really paid off.

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Posted in Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff, Brian Sabean, Guillermo Mota, MLB, Rankings/List, SFGate, San Francisco Giants

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San Francisco Giants Spit on Tradition

April 12th, 2010

The San Francisco Giants president Larry Baer just announced recently retired Rich Aurilia will be honored by retiring his No. 35 jersey and giving him a spot on the Giants' Wall of Fame outside the ballpark.

Every Giants fan must have said, "Huh"?

Aurilia was a good player, but hardly a legendary institution in San Francisco. He was with the team for 12 of his 15 seasons as a player. His best season was in 2001, while with the Giants. He earned his only All-Star selection and won his only Silver Slugger after setting career best marks of 206 hits, 37 home runs, scored 114 runs, five triples, and batter .324.

He got to see Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs that year on drugs, so who is to say Rich didn't pop a few of BALCO Barry's special vitamins in his mouth that year? With extra outfielder Marvin Bernard, a teammate on that team, recently admitting he was on steroids that year, it is more than fair to look at Aurilia's one big season of his career with scrutiny.

That is the legacy Barry Bonds left baseball with.

Though he never came close to those numbers again, Aurilia did set a record by hitting five home runs in the Giants 2002 postseason. It helped them get to the World Series, where they lost.

He ended his career with a batting average of .275 with 186 home runs and 756 runs batted in. He had 143 home runs and 574 runs batted with 1,226 hits in 12 years for the Giants.

Solid numbers, but is it a career worthy to have his number immortalized next to Hall of Famers like Christy Mathewson, John McGraw, Bill Terry, Mel Ott, Carl Hubbell, Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, Gaylord Perry, Willie McCovey, and even Jackie Robinson?

No.

If Aurilia is worthy by the Giants newly lowered standards, it makes one think who else should get this honor since they are perhaps more deserving.


Alvin Dark

You want to see how the Giants treat their greats? Look no further to Alvin Dark. In 1969, he was voted the greatest shortstop in franchise history.

Initially drafted by the football Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL in the third round of the 1945 draft, he elected to serve his country in World War Two, then decided to play baseball upon his return.

The Giants grabbed the 1948 Rookie of the Year from the Boston Braves at the end of the 1949 season, a year after leading them to an improbable World Series appearance. He stayed with the Giants as a player until 1956.

He was a key component of their 1954 Word Series-winning team, finishing fifth in the leagues MVP voting that year, and was a three time All-Star in 1951, '52, and '54. He also won the first Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 1955, given to the player who best exemplified Gehrig's character and integrity both on and off the field.

He returned to the Giants in 1961 as a manager, piloting them to the 1962 World Series. After losing in seven games to the New York Yankees, he was misquoted by a reporter with a disparaging comment against black and Latino players. Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson quickly came to Dark's rescue, refuting the reporters story. He was still fired after that season.

Dark resurfaced across the San Francisco Bay in 1974 as the skipper of the Oakland Athletics. The A's would go on to win the World Series that year.

In seven years as a Giants player, he hit 98 home runs and drove in 429 runs on 1,101 hits. Very comparable numbers to Aurilia, minus the fact he played five less seasons and got a World Series title. After all of this, the Giants haven't even put Dark on their Wall of Fame, let alone retired his jersey.

When you see the Giants current Wall of Fame, which is full of mediocre players like Aurilia, it is bewildering that Dark is missing from it. Disgraceful, really.


Jo-Jo Moore

Yet another Giants great not even on the teams Wall of Fame, despite being ninth on the franchise hit list with 1,615.

He spent his entire 12 years as a player with the Giants, finishing with a .298 career batting average. He also helped them win the 1933 World Series, as well as appear in two others. He hit over .300 five times, and never struck out more than 37 times in a season. He was an All-Star six times.

If Rich Aurilia had a career worthy of having the Giants retire his number, then what about the vastly superior career of Jo-Jo Moore?


Larry Doyle

The greatest second baseman in Giants history is also not on the teams Wall of Fame. In 13 years with the club, he smacked 1,751 hits. It is the eighth-most in team history.

He helped the Giants win three pennants, and was named the MVP of the 1912 season. He is also the first man to ever hit a ball out of the Polo Grounds.

Doyle led the majors in hits twice, doubles, triples and batting average once. His 25 triples in 1911 is the seventh most for a season in MLB history.


Travis Jackson

Another Giants legend not on the Wall of Fame. Fifteen seasons and 1,768 hits. "Stonewall" is in Cooperstown as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, but this apparently is not good enough to be recognized by the team.


Jack Clark

"Jack the Ripper" spent 10 years in the Giants uniform, getting 1,034 hits, 163 homers, 595 RBI, and two All-Star games with them. Good enough to get the first ever recipient of the Willie Mac Award on the team's Wall of Fame, yet apparently his career with them apparently doesn't equal Aurilia's as far as getting his jersey retired.


Will Clark
  
The "Thrill" spent eight years with the Giants, collecting 1,278 hits, 176 dingers, and 709 ribbies. He also was a five time All Star, won a Gold Glove, two Silver Sluggers, a Golden Spikes, and was the 1989 NLCS MVP for them. Good enough for the Giants Wall of Fame, but apparently he falls short of getting his number retired by them.


Robby Thompson
  
Robby spent 11 years in a Giants jersey. He got 1,187 hits, 119 homers, and 458 RBI. He also won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger once, and went to the All-Star game twice. He also won the teams Willie Mac Award in 1991, honoring spirit and leadership. Good enough for the Giants Wall of Fame, yet deemed not as good a career as Aurilia to get his number retired.


Johnny LeMaster
How about Johnny LeMaster? He was with the Giants from 1975 to 1985. He retired after the 1987 season with a .222 batting average, 22 home runs, and 229 runs batted in. One of his homers came off an inside the park job in his first career at bat, which is a MLB record. He was often booed by Giants fans, so he once wore a jersey replacing his last name on the back of the jersey with "BOO."
 
Some say Aurilia's organizational ties are the real reason he is getting this honor from the Giants. He has become a broadcaster. Well, if this is all it takes to get this honor, then the Giants may as well as retire the numbers of two other former players who now broadcast games for them.

Duane Kuiper batted .255 over four years for the Giants. He is the only MLB player to hit two bases-loaded triples in a game, and he once went 3,379 at bats before he hit the only home run of his career.

He broadcasts games with ex-Giants pitcher Mike Krukow. Krukow went 20-9 in 1986, finishing third in the Cy Young Award. In the 1987 NLCS, he went nine innings, giving up just two runs in the win. It was his only post season experience. He also hit three of his five career home runs for the Giants.

He won 66 games over seven years for the Giants, and is on the team's Wall of Fame.

Certainly the Giants should consider retiring his jersey if they are going to retire the jersey of Rich Aurilia.
 
There can be a longer list of former Giants who had careers comparable, yet will not get any honor or recognition by the franchise. The ownership group led by Sue Burns and Bill Neukom need to step in and stop Baer. They cannot allow this farce to take place.

The Giants need to better embrace their entire history, one that is full of much better baseball players than Rich Aurilia.

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Posted in Baseball, MLB, MLB History, NL West, Opinion, San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco Giants

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Prospect Peek: Ranking the San Francisco Giants’ Top Five Farm Hands

April 9th, 2010

It is never too early in a season to open up the cupboards and take a gander at just how much talent is waiting in the wings. 

For the casual fan, the vast rosters of the minor leagues can be a little overwhelming.  Keeping track of the up-and-coming stars that were acquired in past drafts is often difficult to follow all the way from draft-day selection to final call-up.

However, these are the players that your team is banking on to hold down the fort in the future and many of these names will be making an MLB debut or reappearance before you know it. 

Here is a list of my top prospects hanging around the San Francisco Giants organization.  This list will be updated periodically throughout the year on The McCovey Cove Splash so please stay tuned for future editions. 

 

1. Buster Posey, C–Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A)

Any Giants fan with an internet connection knows the name Buster Posey by now.  In fact, most MLB fans from coast-to-coast have heard at least a blurb about the hitting prowess of this talented catcher.  Posey ranked 19th in MLB.com’s Top 50 prospects and has grabbed his fair share of attention the past couple of years.

Posey starts off his second season within the Giants organization in Fresno, largely due to a rather tame spring training performance.  Buster posted a respectable batting average (.315) but his other offensive numbers failed to impress.

It hasn’t exactly been all sparkles with Posey during his few appearances on an MLB roster, so this sluggish start should not be a complete surprise.  Returning Posey to the minors was the right move and he should benefit immensely from it. 

It is not all gloom with Posey though, actually far from it.  He is definitely on the right track and if he keeps improving at his current rate, fans in San Francisco should be seeing him again very soon.

 

2. Madison Bumgarner, LHP–Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A)

If Buster Posey’s spring ball disappointed you, then the junk that Madison Bumgarner slung in Scottsdale probably made you question the entire Giants farm system.

Bumgarner looked unimpressive in his three spring training appearances, posting a 6.43 ERA and striking out zero.  In one outing, he failed to break the 90 MPH mark in four innings pitched. 

Nonetheless, Bruce Bochy and company are not overly concerned about his current showing but he still needs to prove that he can pitch higher up in the Giants minor league system before people get too excited.

Concerns may grow if Bumgarner can not start strong out of the gate.  An early season struggle with the Fresno Grizzles could not only do a number on his psyche but also retard the growth of this talented pitching prospect. 

 

3. Zach Wheeler, RHP– Augusta Green Jackets (Single-A)

Zach Wheeler, the Giants’ first-overall pick in the 2009 draft, will start off his first season within the Giants organization in Augusta.  The buzz surrounding this pitching prodigy adds to the excitement already surrounding the long list of spectacular pitchers lined up in San Francisco’s system. 

Wheeler has been heralded for his tremendous arm strength.  His fastball tops out at 95 mph but he tends to hover around 90-93mph. While the heater is currently his best asset, it is hardly his only pitch.

He also possesses a plus curveball but currently has trouble keeping it within the strike zone.  Wheeler isn’t afraid to use the curve in tough situations though, and it should be interesting to see how the more advanced hitters in Single-A ball adapt to it. 

 

4. Ehire Adrianza, SS– Augusta Green Jackets (Single-A)

Ehire Adrianza signed with the Giants as a undrafted free agent several years ago when he was just a teen in Latin America, and now, at the ripe age of 20, he will desperately strive to live up to the lingering hype.

Adrianza played at various levels within the San Francisco minor league system in 2008, but was held strictly to time in Single-A Augusta last season.  While his numbers with the Green Jackets were not exactly mind-blowing (.258 AVG, 46 RBI, 7SB), his speed and defensive abilities help enrich this shortstop’s potential.

If he can start to show the slightest signs of consistency at the plate, don’t be surprised to see Adrianza graduating up to greener pastures fairly soon.   

 

5. Rafael Rodriguez, RF–Richmond Flying Squirrels (Double-A)

Another undrafted free agent, Rafael Rodriguez spent his entire 2009 season in rookie ball for the Giants.

Best known for his enormous signing bonus (Rodriguez inked a $2.55 million bonus two years ago, the largest by a Latin America hitter), the talented outfielder appeared to experience growing pains with the AZL Giants last season.

Rodriguez has been touted for having excellent raw power but he still needs to fill out his 6'5'' frame. However, he will have to show vast improvement from his 2009 numbers to get anyone really excited about his presence in the Giants organization. 

While time is certainly on this youngster’s side, that enormous signing bonus definitely adds more pressure for this hitter to start showing signs of life.

Five more prospects on the bubble.

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