2009 San Francisco Giants News

[McCovey]

I thought I'd start this thread so we could all post articles in one place so they are easier to find. This article is from the Giants official website. My comments are in blue. :)


Giants beginning to find their way

Moves upcoming, but Ishikawa expected to stay at first

By Chris Haft / MLB.com
05/18/09 6:30 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants are evolving, and they'll likely continue to do so on their two-city, six-game trip that begins Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park.

The club that returns to AT&T Park next week might not have the same personnel as the one that left after Sunday's stirring 2-0 victory over the New York Mets.

At least one move is obvious. Unless Edgar Renteria's strained right hamstring forces him onto the disabled list, which isn't anticipated at this point, infielder Kevin Frandsen will likely return to Triple-A Fresno once Juan Uribe returns from bereavement leave. That's expected as early as Wednesday.

Right-hander Sergio Romo will leave the 15-day disabled list once he demonstrates that his arm is sound. Five to six appearances on his current injury-rehabilitation assignment should suffice. Romo, who injured his throwing elbow in Spring Training, should significantly enhance San Francisco's bullpen depth. Romo proved to be an asset as a rookie last year, when he finished 3-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 29 games with 33 strikeouts and eight walks over 34 innings.

"Our hope is that it's going to help a lot, to have another pitcher who we can use late in the ballgame," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It allows you to rest guys when they need some rest. He's a guy who's comfortable pitching out there in a tight game."

The Giants are still searching for ways to upgrade their offense. The most glaring area of potential improvement remains first base, which has been manned mostly by Travis Ishikawa, with Rich Aurilia filling in against the majority of left-handed pitchers.

San Francisco is the only team in the Majors without a home run from its first basemen. (This is completely unacceptable. No HRs from Giant first basemen? :banghead: ) The National League average is six. The Giants also rank last at that position among NL teams in runs (12) and OPS (.549). The respective league averages, entering Monday, were 21 and .823.

But with the July 31 Trade Deadline more than two months away, it's premature to gauge both the Giants' interest in dealing for a first baseman and those of potential trading partners.

Fans have clamored for the Giants to turn to Jesus Guzman, who hit .354 in his first 37 games for Triple-A Fresno. But Guzman's defensive shortcomings, regardless of what position he has tried, have been well-documented. Guzman has been charged with only one error, but reports indicate that he still struggles with footwork, which was an apparent flaw in Spring Training. (What reports? What people are saying this?)

For now, the Giants are content to let Guzman steep in the Minors and stick with Ishikawa, who provides solid defense. Giants coaches have said that as a natural first baseman, Ishikawa is a welcome change from the likes of Lance Niekro and Dan Ortmeier, who in previous seasons were handed the job after converting from other positions but never jelled.
The difference is evident when Ishikawa unhesitatingly starts a force play or a double play -- as he did Sunday, when he initiated a 3-2-3 twin killing that helped rescue the Giants from a bases-loaded, none-out jam.
"He was the key on that play," Bochy said. (Really Boche? I never would have known that without you telling me. :rolleyes:)

Though defensive proficiency is difficult to quantify, Ishikawa ranked second in the league in zone rating (percentage of balls fielded by a player in his typical defensive zone) entering Monday.

The Giants embrace the evolution they have undergone since their previous visit to San Diego from April 10-12, when the Padres swept them in three games. That launched a six-game losing streak that left the Giants reeling with a 2-7 record. Since then, they have righted themselves by relying primarily on pitching and defense. The Giants' 15-0 record when they score first reflects this.

"The team's holding its own," closer Brian Wilson said. "When we get the lead, we are putting up a fight."

Despite the extra week of Spring Training prompted by the World Baseball Classic, center fielder Aaron Rowand said that the Giants hadn't jelled when the regular season began. "There was some feeling-out going on, what our identity's going to be and all that kind of stuff," Rowand said. "Now we know what we are and what we're capable of. With that brings confidence as a group. Everybody on this team knows that we can win games."

[McCovey]

Poor Noah Lowry. The kid just can't catch a break. :(



Lowry's surgery likely to end season

Claim of misdiagnosis surfaces against Giants

By Tom Singer / MLB.com
05/19/09 5:05 PM ET

Giants left-hander Noah Lowry was scheduled to undergo surgery to remove the first rib on his left side Tuesday, according to the team. The recovery time for the procedure is estimated at three months, and there is little hope that Lowry, 28, will pitch this season, according to a report in the San Jose Mercury News.

Meanwhile, according to another report, Lowry's agent, Damon Lapa, accused the Giants of misdiagnosing a forearm injury that began the pitcher's injury spiral 22 months ago.

Lowry, who was unable to grip a baseball because of numbness in his hand, was diagnosed with exertional compartment syndrome in August 2007 and underwent an operation for it on March 7, 2008. He has not pitched since Aug. 29, 2007.

In separate consultations last week, Drs. James Andrews and Greg Pearl determined that Lowry is suffering from thoracic outlet syndrome, a circulatory issue. The latest operation, to be performed by Pearl, a vascular surgeon at the Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, is intended to cure that.

"The two doctors have confirmed the condition and let us know that it's existed since 2007 and essentially been misdiagnosed," Lapa told ESPN.com.

Unless the Giants pick up their $6.25 million option for Lowry in 2010, the left-hander's time in San Francisco may be over.

Lowry's latest comeback bid was stalled because of chronic pain in his left shoulder and neck. That led to the original diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition where nerves and/or blood vessels are compressed as they pass between the neck and shoulder. Major League pitchers Jeremy Bonderman and Kenny Rogers were diagnosed with the arterial form of the syndrome and were able to resume their careers after the removal of their first rib to alleviate compression.

In Lowry's case, the syndrome more directly affects an arrangement of nerves that are known as the brachial plexus, which originate from the spinal cord and control muscle movements and sensation in the shoulder, arm and hand. Additionally, Lowry had arthroscopic elbow surgery in September to shave down bone spurs.

[TkleMstr52]

I am so sick of hearing about dudes D, how long did they keep Bococks (cant hit at any level) ass on this squad for that reason. I hate seeing talent wasted in the minors. I wish they wouldnt have signed this guy, and teased us with his hitting ability in ST. FUCK the GIANTS!!

[SF Kid]

Great idea Mc.

Your comments (in blue) are right on.

As for Lowery I think we can finally turn the page on this guy. He's done.

[TkleMstr52]

As bad as I feel for this guy, I believe you are right Kid!! Sad story as he had some promise!!

[McCovey]

I am so sick of hearing about dudes D, how long did they keep Bococks (cant hit at any level) ass on this squad for that reason. I hate seeing talent wasted in the minors. I wish they wouldnt have signed this guy, and teased us with his hitting ability in ST. FUCK the GIANTS!!
Guzman's defense can't be that bad. If his defense sucks so much why has he played so many games at second and third base in his minor league career? Hopefully, we'll see Guzman this weekend in Seattle.

[Bear]

Guzman's defense can't be that bad. If his defense sucks so much why has he played so many games at second and third base in his minor league career? Hopefully, we'll see Guzman this weekend in Seattle.

But as what? A DH? this guy needs a shot at a position unless they want to trade him to an AL team as a DH.

[McCovey]

But as what? A DH? this guy needs a shot at a position unless they want to trade him to an AL team as a DH.
I have no idea. I keep reading vague comments about "bad footwork". Is that all that is keeping him from the majors? The vast majority of his time in the minors he's played third base and second base. If he has 'bad footwork" why has he played so many games at those two positions? :shrug:

[Bear]

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com

As San Francisco Giants pitcher Noah Lowry prepared to undergo surgery for a circulatory problem Tuesday, his agent charged the team's medical staff with misdiagnosing a forearm injury 14 months ago, subjecting Lowry to an unnecessary arm operation and turning a potential short-term recovery into a lengthy medical ordeal.

Lowry was scheduled to undergo surgery at Baylor University in Texas for thoracic outlet syndrome, the same circulatory problem that befell pitchers Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman and Texas Rangers infielder Hank Blalock.

The surgery, which facilitates circulation with the removal of a rib, typically entails a three-month recovery period.

"We want Noah back on the mound," manager Bruce Bochy said before Tuesday night's series opening against the Padres. "This guy is a good pitcher, a good starter. That's why our goal is, always will be, to get Noah back on the mound. That's never going to change."

Damon Lapa, Lowry's agent, said Tuesday that Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Greg Pearl confirmed the diagnosis in separate consultations with Lowry last week. Lapa said the circulatory issue was the source of Lowry's forearm tightness in August 2007 and a mysterious control meltdown in spring training of 2008, but that the Giants' medical staff failed to identify the problem.

On March 7 of last year, Giants hand specialist Dr. Gordon Brody performed surgery on Lowry's forearm for exertional compartment syndrome -- a neuromuscular condition that can cause pain in the arms or legs. Lowry was unable to pitch last season, and underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery in September after suffering a setback in his rehab.

"Quite honestly, there's a sense of relief. Dr. Andrews and Dr. Pearl have been able to provide answers that the Giants have not been able to provide since Noah got hurt in the fall of 2007," Lapa told ESPN.com. "The two doctors have confirmed the condition and let us know that it's existed since 2007 and essentially been misdiagnosed."

The Giants disputed Lapa's version of events.

"The Giants organization and its medical staff have always treated Noah Lowry's condition appropriately and with the utmost care," the team said in a statement. "We have never performed any medically inappropriate procedures on Mr. Lowry. Per Major League Baseball's labor agreement and federal laws regarding medical privacy, the Giants are prohibited from discussing specific medical information publicly. However, we can state that Mr. Lapa's accusations against our organization are factually inaccurate, intentionally misleading and irresponsible."

Lowry's surgery was first reported by the San Jose Mercury News.
Lapa said that Lowry, under the Giants' supervision, began his rehab from the 2008 forearm surgery within two weeks of the procedure. He said that subsequent doctors told him that course of action was a major mistake.
Lapa said that Lowry also received an epidural injection and cortisone shots in his elbow and shoulder in the team's effort to get him back on the field as quickly as possible without identifying the underlying cause of discomfort in his arm.

"Not only did they perform the wrong surgery, but Noah did the wrong rehab along with it, and he's basically been spinning his wheels for the last six to eight months," Lapa said.

Lowry, 28, has a career 40-31 record with a 4.03 ERA. He led the Giants with 13 victories in 2005 and again with 14 in 2007.

The Giants have a $6.25 million contract option on Lowry for 2010. If they decline to exercise it, as expected, Lowry will be eligible for salary arbitration next season.

Lowry expects to resume full baseball activities later this summer and be ready to pitch well in advance of spring training, Lapa said.

"His prognosis moving forward is going to be a clean bill of health," Lapa said. "Both of these doctors are confident that when they do this surgery, Noah is going to be able to pitch for another 10 years."

How will the Giants respond to Lowry's agents claims? Will he pitch again for the Giants?:confused:

[McCovey]

I doubt Lowry will ever pitch again for the Giants. By the time he recovers from this latest injury, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson will be pitching for the Giants.

[SF Kid]

Like I said before I think Lowery is done. He's clearly done with the Giants. He'll catch on (maybe) with somebody and get started in the minors and then he'll wash out. Next.

[wedge]

Lowery's done with the Giants..bank on that. I'm put off by his agent getting into the Press on this and making accusations. That's chickensh@#t and Noah is leting him mess the waters. As far as Guzman....bring him up NOW!! I'll take some awkward footwork for the sound of a ball making solid contact with a bat!! I'll take loud outs over the meek two bouncers to short or second that we are seeing too often now. A weak offense is one thing, but this is really embarrassing. They are no threat to score even with runners in 'scoring position'...which is an oxymoron when you talk about the Giants. The only runner in scoring position for the Giants is a guy who has just hit a home run and is running the bases! And even at that, it's a VERY rare occassion......

[TkleMstr52]

He needs at bats to help this team. Hopefully he plays all weekend and stays in the lineup after that!!

[McCovey]

I hope Guzman can help the team.




Giants add Guzman's sizzling bat
Slugger promoted from Triple-A, will DH in Seattle

By Chris Haft / MLB.com
05/21/09

SAN DIEGO -- Bent on bolstering their sagging offense, the Giants purchased the contract of first baseman Jesus Guzman from Triple-A Fresno before Thursday night's series finale against the San Diego Padres. Guzman might not become an instant regular, but the Giants clearly are extending him a chance to claim a considerable share of playing time if he can approach the statistics he compiled at Fresno. Entering Thursday, San Francisco ranked next-to-last in scoring in the National League.

"It's fair to say we're having problems getting consistent runs and we're looking for some help offensively," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
Guzman intends to seize this opportunity.

"I want to stay here all year," he said shortly after arriving at PETCO Park. Guzman ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League with a .363 batting average, complemented by six home runs and 32 RBIs. The right-handed batter also compiled a .391 on-base percentage and a .592 slugging percentage.

By comparison, entering Thursday, Giants first basemen Travis Ishikawa and Rich Aurilia had combined to rank 13th in the NL in batting average (.225) and last in runs (12) and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage, .605). The Giants also were the Majors' only team without a home run from their first basemen.

Bochy said that Guzman and the left-handed-batting Ishikawa will not platoon.
"We'll pick our spots," said Bochy, who often seeks what he believes to be the best hitter-against-pitcher matchups, regardless of lefty-righty percentages. "And, like always ... we'll go with the hot hand."

Bochy acknowledged that Guzman "probably will take some starts away" from Aurilia, who has started 11 games at first.

Guzman's arrival coincided with the Giants' weekend Interleague visit to Seattle, where they'll need a designated hitter. Bochy said that Guzman will fill that role Friday and Saturday and likely will bat sixth.

While hopes for Guzman are high, Bochy tried to temper expectations by pointing out that the Venezuelan has played just 54 games in Triple-A and has no big league experience.

"He can hit," Bochy said. "He always has hit. But it's going to be an adjustment for him."

Though Guzman's defense has been questioned everywhere he has played -- second base and third base are other spots he has tried -- he was charged with just two errors at Fresno. Guzman said that he has been "working hard" on his defense, concentrating particularly on his footwork. Bochy said that Guzman also will be tried in the outfield, and the Giants' news release announcing the 24-year-old's promotion listed him as an infielder-outfielder.

To accommodate Guzman's arrival, the Giants optioned catcher Steve Holm to Fresno. This again trims the Giants' catching ranks to Bengie Molina, the regular, and Pablo Sandoval, the everyday third baseman, a situation the team had hoped to avoid. But with three scheduled off-days in the next four weeks, the Giants reasoned that they'll find sufficient rest for Molina.

Right-hander Joe Martinez was moved from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL to clear 40-man roster room for Guzman, who wowed the Giants by hitting .412 in Spring Training.

[Bear]

05/25/09
By Chris Haft / MLB.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants received good news Monday as an MRI revealed that third baseman Pablo Sandoval has a strained muscle in his right elbow, which was not serious enough for him to go on the 15-day disabled list.

Manager Bruce Bochy said that Sandoval remained on day-to-day playing status. Sandoval was expected to sit out Monday's series opener against the Atlanta Braves, but might be available to pinch-hit Tuesday. Bochy hoped that by the weekend, Sandoval would be ready to return to the lineup.

"It looks like we got the good news we were looking for," Bochy said.

Bochy did not rule out the possibility of using Sandoval at first base in the early days of his return. There, he'd likely be required to make fewer and less stressful throws, thus sparing his elbow from wear and tear. Juan Uribe will be the primary third baseman in Sandoval's absence.

However briefly Sandoval is sidelined, the offensively struggling Giants will miss him and his team-high .304 batting average. Bochy noted that recent hitting surges by Aaron Rowand, Fred Lewis and Randy Winn, who will assume Sandoval's No. 3 spot in the batting order, could partly compensate for the switch-hitter's absence.

"It gives us some balance to the order without Sandoval," Bochy said.

In other injury-related developments, Bochy indicated that a decision could be imminent regarding the reinstatement of outfielder Andres Torres, who has recovered from his strained left hamstring and is batting .333 on his injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Fresno.

Another Giant likely to return this week is right-hander Sergio Romo, who has legitimized his recovery from a sprained right elbow by pitching 7 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run on his rehab assignment. Romo passed his final test Sunday by pitching for the second day in a row.

"We pretty much have checked off all the boxes with him," Bochy said, adding that Romo will be summoned after resting for a couple of days.

Thank God Sandoval is not injured enough to have to spend time on the DL.
Getting Torres and Romo back will not hurt either. It's nice to get good news.:beerbang:

[TkleMstr52]

Who will Torres replace? Damn, do they ever need Romo back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[McCovey]

Heck yes! Sergio Romo is sorely needed right now! :beerbang:

[Bear]

Heck yes! Sergio Romo is sorely needed right now! :beerbang:

The sooner the better!!:beerbang:

[TkleMstr52]

He looked good the first inning or so I saw!! Struggled a bit after that. This guy is gonna be a really good reliever tho.

[McCovey]

Emmanuel Burriss was sent to AAA Fresno.


UPDATE: Burriss optioned, Downs promoted, Holm designated

The Giants have made a seismic shift in their personnel today. They optioned struggling second baseman Emmanuel Burriss to Triple-A Fresno and purchased the contract of 25-year-old infielder Matt Downs, who just took a terrific round of batting practice.

Burriss has been exceptional defensively but has not had a hit since June 4. Downs was hitting .288/.333/.453 with six homers and 38 RBIs with the Grizzlies. I presume he will be in the lineup tonight.

Catcher Steve Holm was designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster for Downs.

Downs is in the lineup batting eighth. Otherwise, the lineup is the same as yesterday's.

UPDATE: Manager Bruce Bochy discussed the move, and the reasons hardly were surprising. Burriss has done a great job defensively, but he was hitless in his last 27 at-bats and the Giants' offense is not good enough to afford an automatic out in the eighth spot.

"We feel now's the time Manny needs to go down and work on some things," Bochy said. "It's fair to say he's had his struggles." Bochy called this a "little hiccup" in Burriss' career and said, "He'll be back."

Specifically, the Giants want Burriss to work on leadoff-type at-bats: bunting, using the whole field, etc...

For now, Downs is the everyday second baseman. Bochy called him a "hard-nosed player." We talked to Downs and asked if he knew anything about Angels pitcher Sean O'Sullivan, who is making his big-league debut tonight. Problem is, when Fresno played Salt Lake City in a four-game series this season, O'Sullivan was the one starter the Grizzlies missed.

"I could have given everybody a scouting report," Downs said, "but we didn't see him. I hate that."

[SF Kid]

Now the Bear will be mad.

[McCovey]

Tim Kawakami's take on the Giants' youth movement.


Kawakami: Giants' youth movement paying off

By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News Columnist
Updated: 07/02/2009 07:17:45 AM PDT

Pablo Sandoval and Nate Schierholtz, instead of Ryan Klesko and Steve Finley. Matt Downs, instead of Ray Durham.

Brian Wilson, Jeremy Affeldt and Sergio Romo, instead of Armando Benitez, Steve Kline and Vinnie Chulk.

Younger and getting better, instead of worse and getting worse.

How have the 2009 Giants emerged from a four-season funk and turned themselves, at least for now, into one of baseball's freshest contenders?
At almost every position, they've gradually changed young for old, and they've received a jolt of energy almost every time.

Let's not dwell on the superstars, who have their own rules and gravitational powers. The Giants built around Barry Bonds until the bitter end in 2007; now they're Tim Lincecum's team until further notice.

I'm talking about the full breadth and depth of the '09 roster turnover and the momentum generated by a group of younger players who have obviously so much more room to improve.

And might keep themselves in contention for a wild-card playoff spot while they're doing it.

I'm talking about a Giants roster that finally fulfills the goal of then-owner Peter Magowan, who in August 2006 said he wanted the team to get "younger and healthier."

Oops. The following off-season the Giants signed Barry Zito, Dave Roberts, Rich Aurilia and Klesko and re-signed Durham.

Oh, and Magowan re-signed Bonds for more than $16 million.

They let Jason Schmidt, Moises Alou and Finley go (and dismissed Felipe Alou). But that was basically treading water at a time when the Giants had to change everything.

We saw the results. 2007 under Manager Bruce Bochy: Old and bad as Bonds chased and broke the home-run record.

2008: Minus Bonds, not as old, but still bad, and still giving 263 at-bats to Durham and a stunning 420 to Jose Castillo.

This year, the first of Bill Neukom's ownership tenure, Bochy and General Manager Brian Sabean have been far more willing to plug in youth.

Even the expensive signing of Edgar Renteria helped — at 33, he's almost nine years younger than Omar Vizquel, and Renteria actually hits.

Of course, none of this would've worked if the Giants didn't have young players worthy of playing time. That's the point: You have to get them "... and play them.

So the Giants remain healthy, while older contenders like the Mets (massive wave of injuries), Cubs (injuries and general insanity) and Phillies (pitching problems) wheeze near the .500 mark.

No question, the Giants' lineup is questionable, so they might not be able to keep up with St. Louis, Philadelphia or Milwaukee if those teams go on a summer tear.

But the Giants probably aren't going to endure a slew of bad injuries or, with their pitching, wallow in a two-week skid.

Most important, they have Sandoval, 22, who doesn't have to get any better to be a centerpiece player, but he almost certainly will get better.
They've gotten around to playing Schierholtz, who is becoming a dependable hitter and a plus outfield defender, and he's 25.

They have, of course, Lincecum (25 and likely to start the All-Star Game) and Matt Cain (still 24), two aces atop the rotation.

They have Romo stifling batters in a set-up role at 26 and Wilson relatively set as a 27-year-old closer.

And they've got a batch of younger, talented prospects waiting in the minors.

Almost as significantly, Sabean and Bochy have kept the patience with several young-ish players who aren't producing at a high level.

It's never worthless to give a few hundred extra ABs to Travis Ishikawa (25), Downs (25) and to some extent Andres Torres (31, but playing young) and Fred Lewis (28).

That's better than giving too many at-bats to Moises Alou, Jose Vizcaino, Aurilia, Finley or Castillo, and too many innings to Matt Morris, Russ Ortiz and Benitez.

The Giants' youth movement is already paying off. Just think of it this way: When's the last time the Giants had three likely All-Stars (Lincecum, Cain and Sandoval), all 25 or under?

I can't remember, and I'll bet nobody in Giants management can remember, either.

[McCovey]

A Tim Kawakami interview with Brian Sabean. I'll give Sabes his due credit. He has turned this franchise around and has it in the right direction. Plus the minor league system is stocked with top talent. The future looks bright.


Kawakami: Giants G.M. breathing fresh air

By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News Columnist
Posted: 07/07/2009

It's there, if you look closely and keep asking Brian Sabean questions.

Hang in long enough, and he'll allow a grudging smile when he's talking about the first half of this season, the enthusiasm in the clubhouse and the re-invention of the Giants.

He's the same wary general manager he was in 2007, at the lowest ebb of franchise-wide Barry Bonds (http://topics.mercurynews.com/Barry_Bonds.html?source=sphere_topics_inline) befuddlement.

But, just two years later, Sabean has a more versatile, younger team, which is playing far superior baseball. And Sabean, if you stick with it, will let you know how much more fun this is.

"Some of it is that we've been able to turn the page on what was our past," Sabean said before Monday's game. "We were trying to build a team around a player that was the biggest part of the organization. "... I think now there's probably more freedom in how you look at things.

"But the game's going that way. Younger players are worth more and more."
This is Sabean's 13th season with the Giants, and he has been the shepherd of much winning and also a lot of recent losing.

So you can see why it feels like a new start. Or as an echo to 1997, his first hungry season as G.M., when the Giants emerged from three losing seasons to win the N.L. West.

"You have to seize the opportunity," Sabean said. "In a lot of ways, this year reminds me of '97. We did the same thing in '97, the difference being we actually had more control of that situation, because we were chasing (only) the Dodgers."

With the '09 Dodgers cruising, Sabean acknowledges that the Giants are looking mainly at the wild-card race, which they lead.

Does "seize the opportunity" translate to possibly giving up a top prospect if that's what it takes to land an impact hitter?

Sabean spent a few minutes saying that, at this point, there were no impact bats available for a reasonable price and that there is no overt need to sacrifice the future for the short term. Then he went back to the seize-the-moment idea.

"You could think we're going to be more levelheaded because of what we have in the system coming and what we've seen come to the forefront, whether it's the young kids, somebody like (Pablo) Sandoval, right in front of our eyes on this team," Sabean said.

"The flip side of that is we haven't been to the playoffs since 2003, we've had four losing seasons, and do you want to, I don't want to say 'waste,' but do you want to forgo an opportunity?

"Because of our pitching staff, anything could happen possibly if we get in."

But Sabean repeated that top pitching prospect Madison Bumgarner (http://topics.mercurynews.com/Madison_Bumgarner.html?source=sphere_topics_inline ) is all but untouchable (and probably won't be rushed to the majors this year).

He added that he's not interested in renting a pending free agent and is talking only about true middle-order bats, which possibly rules out Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez (http://topics.mercurynews.com/Freddy_Sanchez.html?source=sphere_topics_inline).

Sabean didn't say this specifically, but it sure sounded like he also wants to maintain the chemistry of the clubhouse, which was booming with noise Monday afternoon as "Vote Pablo" stickers were handed out to support Sandoval's All-Star vote-in candidacy.

A clubhouse that, Sabean agrees, is filled with personable players highly identifiable with fans.

"They can see the difference, because the team has a different energy," Sabean said. "It goes to what I said earlier about the personalities.

"It's almost more refreshing. These guys are in some ways more real to the fans and maybe even more approachable."

Meanwhile, both Sabean and Manager Bruce Bochy (http://topics.mercurynews.com/Bruce_Bochy.html?source=sphere_topics_inline) are unsigned after this season. Sabean praised Bochy's development of the young players but said future decisions rest with new owner Bill Neukom (http://topics.mercurynews.com/Bill_Neukom.html?source=sphere_topics_inline).

And Sabean said he hasn't had a conversation with Neukom about his own future.

"I love where I'm at," Sabean said. "I love the organization. And right now, we're all trying to do the right thing by the organization and the team we have.
"It'll play out. I don't know what the timing will be. Having been through this before, I'm not worried about it. Put it that way."

That's when the half-semi-smile emerged again. For Sabean, in the middle of his 13th year, that's practically a bellow of pride and a roar of satisfaction.
http://cdn1.eyewonder.com/200125/757815/1094408/ewtrack.gif?ewadid=69199 http://cdn1.eyewonder.com/200125/757815/1094408/ewtrack_f.gif?ewadid=69199 http://beacon.scorecardresearch.com/scripts/beacon.dll?C1=8&C2=2102&C3=27&C4=513462&C5=3318&C6=&C7=http%3A//www.mercurynews.com/giantsheadlines/ci_12766182&C8=Kawakami%3A%20Giants%20G.M.%20breathing%20fresh %20air%20-%20San%20Jose%20Mercury%20News&C9=http%3A//www.mercurynews.com/giants&C10=1600x1200&C15=&C16=AFRI1&rn=97863080

[McCovey]

Will the Giants be active traders in 2009?


The Splash

The money might be there for a bat, but maybe Sabean will stand pat (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/giants/detail?blogid=22&entry_id=43153)

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Sometime this week or next, managing general partner Bill Neukom is expected to sit down with his Giants partners and discuss the issue of taking on payroll for a potential midseason acquisition. Neukom has the authority to spend what he needs to spend, within limits, but he wants to hear all opinions and keep everyone in the loop.

This could be an important meeting if, say, a Jermaine Dye becomes available. With an $11.5 million salary this year plus a $1 million buyout for his option, even two months of Dye would cost more than $4 million. That's a big chunk of change in a recession.

This is what I've been led to believe from various conversations: The money might be there to make a deal, but the cost in prospects to acquire an impact bat might be prohibitive.

Just look at a couple of deals already done. To get Mark DeRosa from Cleveland, the Cardinals had to part with a major-league, power bullpen arm (Chris Perez) and a player to be named who I understand will be a top-level prospect -- all for three months of DeRosa. Scott Hairston is a nice outfielder, too, but Billy Beane gave up three prospects to get him.

Imagine, then, what it will take for GM Brian Sabean to extract a legitimate middle-order hitter.

There's a lot of posturing this time of year, so it's tough to delineate truth and fiction, but Indians GM Mark Shapiro has said Victor Martinez is going nowhere. The Pirates, after trading away so many popular players over the years, might see their stadium torched if they moved Freddy Sanchez for anything less than a Pablo Sandoval type. (Forget the fact that Sanchez is not a middle-order hitter.)

In spring training, GM Brian Sabean acknowledged that he was cobbling a list of players on franchises that might feel the financial need to unload salary because of the economy. He didn't say which teams those were, but I imagine the Pirates are one. Others could have been the Astros and Marlins, but both are now contending. In the NL, almost everyone is contending.

In short, this trade season is shaping up to be another sellers' market, and Sabean has said time and time again he will not mortgage the future for instant gratification. Yesterday, he also told Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News that he is no longer interested in rent-a-players either, as he said he was during the desperation of mid-May.

In the clubhouse, there seems to be no Ryan Brauns demanding Sabean do something. One veteran told me yesterday, "I wouldn't do one thing." That might be a little shortsighted. As the Giants showed Sunday against Roy Oswalt, their lineup can be vulnerable against the type of starting pitcher they might face in the playoffs.

On the other hand, consider this: With six games to go before the break, the Giants have 45 wins. Let's say for the sake of argument they split the six games and go into the break with 48. Now, look at the first-half win totals from 1997-2004, the Sabean Salad Days: 51. 52, 50, 46, 46, 49 (the World Series year), 57, 49.

I'm not suggesting Sabean needs to stand pat or be complacent because of a good first half, but I am saying the Giants seem to be on the brink of something; and while he might be tempted to overpay for a bat out of a need to "go for it" this year, I think he understands that a Tim Alderson-for-Jermaine Dye deal would hurt the franchise in the long haul far more than it would help in the short term.

In summary, this could be a quiet trading season for the Giants unless one or two teams fall by the wayside quickly, either competitively or financially. If so, it could be fascinating to see how far this team, as is, could go.

Posted By: Henry Schulman (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/giants/author?blogid=22&auth=259) (Email (hschulman@sfchronicle.com)) | Jul 07 at 10:39 AM

[/quote]

[Bear]

8/5/09 3:35 PM
ContraCostaTimes.com

Matt Cain was scouted, signed and developed on
Brian Sabean's watch, as were, in order, Pablo
Sandoval and Tim Lincecum.

All three Giants provide a measure of evidence for
Sabean's personnel qualifications, as do the
National League standings, where the 2009 team sits
higher than the most optimistic preseason
projections.

Yet they do not represent the most compelling
reasons why the GM is due for an immediate
contract extension.

For that, we point to 2010 and beyond.

That's where you visualize the possibilities
generated by a replenished farm system, with such
homegrown talent as Madison Bumgarner, Buster
Posey and Thomas Neal, all of whom are rapidly
outgrowing the minor leagues. That's where you
find Kevin Pucetas and Brandon Crawford and Nick
Noonan and the man-child Angel Villalona, perhaps
the most intriguing hitting prospect in the
organization.

After spending his first decade trying to surround
Barry Bonds with sufficient veteran talent to contend,
often overpaying for it, Sabean has responded to
Bonds' retirement by putting down his remodeling
tools and picking up his rebuilding equipment.

Nothing so far suggests he won't be better at this
new gig.

Sabean is in the final year of the extension he
signed at midseason in 2007, with the Giants
holding a team option for 2010. That deal was
consummated with Peter Magowan, then the team's
managing general partner. It was, Magowan said at
the time, a commitment to the future.

That future is coming into focus, and from a
distance it sparkles. That should be far more
germane than the fact that William H. Neukom has
moved into the office once reserved for Magowan.
Neukom seems content to wait out the season, even
though any judgment of Sabean based on '09 is as
pointless as it is premature.

Reasonable evaluation by Neukom, now or in
November, would result in exercising Sabean's
option for '10, then adding another couple years on
top of that.

Sabean has earned the right to see youngsters such
as Bumgarner and Posey in San Francisco, whenever
those days come. They represent Sabean's
handiwork, they're highly touted and eagerly
anticipated. Wouldn't it be a shame to brush him
aside now and deliver this to a new GM?

The Giants, after all, are not the Warriors. And
Neukom most assuredly does not aspire to be Chris
Cohan.

What happens this month or next month — or in
October, should the Giants overachieve to such a
degree they reach the postseason — is immaterial.
This is the growth season, the year in which the
team goes from a substandard 72 wins to a more
respectable 83 or 84. Any more — or a postseason
appearance — simply puts them ahead of schedule.

If Neukom is on a due-diligence kick, so be it.
Sabean's 12-season transcript reveals he has
flunked on a half-dozen free-agent signings and
trades. The Barry Zito signing was not on him, but a
half-dozen others, including Armando Benitez and
Edgardo Alfonzo, are. To be sure, Sabean has
exhibited a knack for paying free agents more than
he should.

But this team's future is much less about free agents
and trades than about scouting, signing and
development.

Lincecum and Cain already are the most dominating
co-aces in the NL since Randy Johnson and Curt
Schilling demoralized lineups nearly a decade ago,
leading Arizona to a World Series title. Sandoval
already has become one of the most dangerous
hitters in the league.

Bumgarner, the heralded left-hander, is said to have
ace-quality stuff. Posey is expected to arrive in San
Francisco for good next season; maybe as a catcher,
maybe elsewhere. Left fielder Neal is crushing the
ball in the minors, while Crawford or Noonan likely
will be part of the middle infield. Villalona has the
look of a future cleanup batter.

Lincecum, 25, is the oldest in the group. Bumgarner
turned 20 last week. Villalona turns 19 next week.

The Giants have not been seen in the playoffs since
their cameo appearance in 2003. They are coming
off four consecutive losing seasons. This explains
why Sabean's seat was so uncomfortable in March
and April.

But the signs of encouragement since shouldn't be
ignored, can't be ignored, nor should the reasons
for optimism in the next few years. Sabean
engineered this progress, and he ought to be
allowed to see where it leads.


If the Giants make the playoffs I agree!:beerbang:

[SF Kid]

I want that Kim lady! Time for a change.

[McCovey]

I want that Kim lady! Time for a change.
I agree 100%. But if the Giants make the playoffs or win 90 games Sabean is most assuredly staying as Giants GM for many more years. :(

[Bear]

I agree 100%. But if the Giants make the playoffs or win 90 games Sabean is most assuredly staying as Giants GM for many more years. :(

He will have earned it!:beerbang:

[SF Kid]

If they win 90 game...well yeah I guess so.

[Bear]

If they win 90 game...well yeah I guess so.

Well the Kid has finally seen the light from the porch at the Home.:pound:

[SF Kid]

STFU dumb Bear. :D

[WillTheThrill]

Here's an article that will apparently be in next issue's "Sports Illustrated" (since the article is dated Aug 10, 2009). Nice to see the Giants -- and Pablo -- getting some national attention! :beerbang:


In Praise Of Men Who Swing From The Heels (and Transform Franchises While They're At It)

Lincecum and Cain and pray for rain? Not anymore. The Giants, the game's most surprising contender, have finally found an everyday star who can light up a clubhouse—as well as opposing pitchers—in Pablo Sandoval

Auguest 10, 2009
LEE JENKINS

Before Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval sees a pitch, he pounds the on-deck circle four times with the knob of his bat, taps it four times against his toes, four times against his shins, once against his helmet, then draws a cross in the dirt to the side of home plate. He digs into the batter's box, but only for a moment before suddenly rushing out in front of it as if he might charge the mound. Face-to-face with the opposing pitcher, he smacks the barrel twice against each cleat, gives the bat a full-length rubdown, points it skyward and bangs it once more against his helmet. Only then, after a few more thwacks upside his head, is he ready to go to work.

A lot of hitters have elaborate rituals at home plate. Sandoval's is more like a piece of performance art. It makes the compulsive glove fiddling of A's infielder Nomar Garciaparra look positively understated. As Pirates pitcher Paul Maholm watched Sandoval complete his tap dance early last week at AT&T Park in San Francisco, he was more amused than annoyed. "Maybe he spends so much time outside the batter's box," Maholm said, "because he spends so little time in it."

In an age when hitters are exhorted to work counts, coax walks and swing only at the one pitch they want in the one square inch they want it, Sandoval has a problem: "I like every pitch," he says happily, "no matter where it is." Last season against the Padres he jumped in the air to hit a Jake Peavy pitch that was over his head and tomahawked it into leftfield for a single. In spring training against the Mariners he swung at a pitch in the dirt from Denny Stark and hit it on the short hop, cricket-style, for another single. In mid-June against the Angels he hit a Kevin Jepsen curveball at his ankles for an opposite-field home run. Teams have tried to pitch around Sandoval, but that is impossible, unless they throw the ball behind him. He dreams of reaching across the plate and hitting an intentional ball. "If it's close, I'll do it," he vows. "I did it in Little League once, and I got a double."

Sandoval approaches every at bat as if he's afraid that he will get only one pitch before the other team takes the ball and goes home. He swings at the first pitch a major-league-high 47% of the time—by contrast, Minnesota's Joe Mauer offers at the first pitch 7% of the time—and if he misses, it's a good bet he'll go after the next one, offering at 62% of second pitches that he sees. Nobody swings at a higher percentage of pitches except for his mentor, Giants catcher Bengie Molina. But then Molina is batting .258, a figure you might more reasonably expect from a free swinger who expands strikes zones and is constantly behind in counts. Sandoval, contrary to the conventional wisdom of the modern game, was batting .324 with 16 home runs through Sunday, thanks to (or in spite of) a hitting philosophy he describes as "see the little white thing and swing." To illustrate his strike zone, Sandoval helpfully stretches out both arms as far as they will go.

With Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero in the twilight of his brilliant career, Sandoval, who will turn 23 next week, has emerged as baseball's preeminent bad-ball hitter, doing his part to save a species in danger of extinction. In 1988 the average major league on-base percentage was .318. By 1999 it had risen to .345, a spike that could be attributed, no doubt, to expansion, diluted pitching staffs and performance-enhancing drugs, but also to an increased emphasis on plate discipline. Longer at bats have led to longer games, and though purists can appreciate the 12-pitch confrontations, the casual fan just wants to see someone like Sandoval take his hacks. As Giants infield coach Shawon Dunston, a notorious free swinger in his playing days, puts it, "You want to see a walk? Then go watch the mailman."

Across the Bay Bridge from Oakland, the Giants have countered Moneyball with Sandoball. They rank last in the majors in walks and on-base percentage but were tied with the Rockies for the National League wild-card race, thanks largely, of course, to a pitching staff anchored by Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. "We don't have a lot of what I call 'professional hitters,'" says Giants hitting coach Carney Lansford. "They make me bang myself over the head with this clipboard sometimes." Before the trading deadline last week, the Giants acquired first baseman Ryan Garko from Cleveland and second baseman Freddy Sanchez from Pittsburgh, who should fit right in. Sanchez, for instance, is a .300 hitter for his career, but his on-base percentage is only 36 points higher, a sign that he does not discriminate much more than Sandoval.

Guerrero is an excellent bad-ball hitter because he has, in the words of his former manager Felipe Alou, "arms as long as telephone poles," which allow him to reach pitches a foot off the plate. Sandoval's bad-ball skills are a function of his sublime hand-eye coordination, developed in the garage of his boyhood home in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, where his older brother Michael would pitch him bottle caps, corn kernels and rolls of tape. Since Sandoval could hit everything, he saw no reason to let anything go by. After signing with the Giants as a 16-year-old in 2003, he officially started following in Guerrero's footsteps. One of Guerrero's cousins, Adalberto Paulino, was a teammate at Class A Augusta, and when Guerrero sent him some extra cleats, Paulino let Sandoval have a pair. This season, when the Giants played the Angels, Sandoval thanked Guerrero for the shoes. "He'll be fine," Guerrero says with an ironic smile, "as long as he swings at good pitches."

If Sandoval can ever lay off some pitches, any pitches, he might be a batting champion. He hears Lansford telling him before every at bat, "Swing at a strike." He hears Michael, who plays for the independent league Newark Bears and always takes the first pitch of his first two at bats, telling him on the phone, "Be disciplined." But Sandoval has been hearing these refrains forever. When he was at High A San Jose, where his host family was Ed and Donna Musgrave, Ed would tell him, "Patience, Pablo, patience." Sandoval would respond, "Yes, Papi, yes." Then he would step into the box and be overcome by the urge to swing. "You won't get somebody to change until they fail," said Gary Davenport, the hitting coach at San Jose.

Failure, though, is a foreign concept to Sandoval. He blazed a Pujolsian trail through the minors last season, batting .359 at San Jose, .337 at Double A Connecticut and .345 in a 41-game stint with the Giants. When he met Barry Bonds for the first time last week, Sandoval asked, "How did you get so patient?" Bonds replied, "Just wait for the pitch you like to hit." It was sound advice, except the next day Sandoval was reminded that there is no pitch he doesn't like to hit. "You see my problem?" he said.

When Bonds was the face of the Giants, the clubhouse he presided over was as quiet as a church. Now that Sandoval has replaced him as the Giants' big stick, the place feels more like a 1980s dance club. That was the mood on a recent weekday, as Come On Eileen blared from the speakers and Sandoval gyrated in the middle of the room in a spandex belly shirt, doing what appeared to be a slow-motion jog. He is 5'11", 246 pounds, with black curls creeping out from the sides of his cap and a scar under his left eye where his pet Doberman bit him when he was one. A prodigious gut spills proudly over Sandoval's waistline, as if mocking the steroid era that held this city hostage. Here is a player who is out of shape, can't tell a strike from a ball and yet has energized the Giants in a way that Bonds never could. When Sandoval was selected as one of the five candidates for the Final Vote in this year's All-Star Game, teammates wore VOTE FOR PABLO stickers on their warmup jackets and affixed signs to the backs of their jerseys, which is more than Bonds's teammates ever did for him when he was closing in on 755 home runs. Molina will not be drawn into any lengthy comparisons, though he says, "It's been a different clubhouse since Pablo got here. It's a happier place, a more enjoyable place."

Sandoval comes across as Sammy Sosa at his chest-thumping best, running onto the field for batting practice shouting, "¡Hola! ¡¡Hola!! ¡¡¡Hola!!!" In one game this season, when second baseman Juan Uribe hit his first homer of the season, Sandoval persuaded everyone to ignore Uribe when he got back to the dugout. Uribe was confused, but after a few seconds Sandoval cracked up and they all leaped up with high fives. "When you first get to the majors, it's so much fun," Giants lefty Barry Zito says. "Then time goes by, and you get jaded. The idea is always to be who you were when you first got here. I think we look at Pablo and he reminds us of that."

When Sandoval was in San Jose, and fans were already starting to chant his name and sing along to his Spanish entrance music, he once asked his host mother, Donna Musgrave, "Mami, why do they like me so?" She tried to explain that his exuberance engendered affection, and Sandoval concluded that he should never let the smile fade from his face. A player's popularity can often be measured by the quantity and caliber of nicknames bestowed upon him. Sandoval, in his second season, has gone through Zorro, Little Money, Round Mound of Pound and, most notably, Kung Fu Panda. Zito saw the movie Kung Fu Panda last summer, and as he watched the lovable bear morph into an unlikely superhero, he was reminded of his playful but potent new teammate, who's also full of surprises. Sandoval is an exotic breed himself, an ambidextrous, switch-hitting third baseman who can play catcher and first, who lives with his mother, in addition to his wife, Yoletzade, and one-year-old daughter, Yoleadny. He prefers to do interviews in English even though he is more comfortable speaking Spanish. He is naturally lefthanded, but he grew up wanting to play shortstop like fellow Venezuelan Omar Vizquel, so he taught himself to throw righthanded, which is how he still plays. "That's the Pablo that I am," he has said.

The Giants have taken Zito's pet name for Sandoval and turned it into a marketing bonanza. Fans wear panda T-shirts and panda masks, and have even showed up at AT&T Park outfitted in full panda costume with black and white fur. On Aug. 12 there will be a sleepover for kids on the field after the game, and Kung Fu Panda will be shown on the scoreboard. The Giants have waited a long time for this kind of player, a slugger they can promote without backlash, an ambassador they can book for community events.

"This is not about Barry," says Giants president Larry Baer. "It's about the fact that we have a star player who is so innocent and pure in his approach to the game, whose personality is the perfect antidote to everything that has gone on. Guys play different ways to give themselves an edge. Barry liked to play a little bit angry, with kind of a chip. Pablo is more like Willie Mays in that Say Hey, stickball-in-the-streets mode. But there are multiple ways to greatness."

There is a seriousness to Sandoval's approach too. The jitterbug he does before every at bat, for instance, is intended not to irritate pitchers but to honor the dead. He taps his barrel four times: once for his grandmother, Josefa; once for his grandfather, Luis; and once for his baby sister, Diana, who died in a car accident when she was six months old. (The fourth tap, he says, is to honor God.) Sometimes, when Sandoval looks at Yoleadny, he sees Diana's tough and rambunctious personality pouring through. After a game last week he stayed up with Yoleadny in their San Francisco apartment watching Kung Fu Panda for the first time. "It's true," Sandoval says. "The panda is a lot like me."

Both are animated, with karate-chop swings and elementary school appeal. "Pablo's a Little Leaguer who's playing in the majors," says his brother Michael. In the Giants' clubhouse, meanwhile, the debate rages over walks versus hits, on-base percentage versus batting average. Lansford wants his hitters to be selective, to wear out pitchers. Dunston wants them aggressive. The argument has a cultural bent. In the U.S. players are taught from Little League on to wait for their pitch. In Latin America they hit whatever pitch is thrown to them. "Down there you don't hear the word selective," says Alou. "Selective service reminds you of the army."

Sandoval is no sociologist, but for at least one reason he believes his sport could use a few more bad-ball hitters swinging from the heels, letting the bat head fly. "The games," he says, "would be a lot quicker."

.

[WillTheThrill]

And here's an article from the New York Times that mainly focuses on the more carefree attitude in the Giants' dugout now that Bonds is gone. :beerbang:



San Francisco Giants Take On a New Personality, and the N.L.


New York Times
By BILLY WITZ
Published: August 2, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO — To get an idea of how the atmosphere has changed in the Giants’ clubhouse over the last two years, consider the scenery. Long gone is the black leather recliner that monopolized Barry Bonds’s corner of the room, the area that came with its own climate — chilly.

Into that vacuum Pablo Sandoval zoomed Thursday, hijacking his injured teammate Emmanuel Burriss’s bright blue electric scooter and racing around the expansive room. A dervish with a devilish grin, Sandoval weaved around pillars, laundry carts and some objects that were less inanimate (teammates) than others (reporters).

Sandoval’s joy ride was another sign that after the joyless exercise that was the final years of the Bonds era, the Giants are having fun on and off the field.

San Francisco, which has not had a winning record since 2004 and has not reached the postseason since 2003, sits in an unlikely position — tied with Colorado at the head of the National League wild-card chase.

The Giants have been carried there by a pitching staff, anchored by the All-Stars Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, that has been baseball’s best and a mix of journeymen and homegrown kids who have provided just enough defense, energy and quality at-bats to make a difference.

“They love to play the game, and it shows up,” Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel said. “They’ve got some personalities.”

That was rarely said of the Giants during the 15 years that Bonds was the face of the franchise. The veterans who surrounded Bonds over the years often ranged from quietly professional to prickly, like Jeff Kent and Moises Alou.

So, although the Giants floundered last season after deciding not to bring back Bonds, his absence might have been a benefit to the legion of young players who were finding their way. A record 16 players made their big-league debut for the Giants in 2008.

“When Bonds was here, just being the presence that he is, it was Barry Bonds’s team — everyone else comes second,” said Barry Zito, a pitcher who arrived before 2007, Bonds’s final season. “That was just his aura. After he left, we tried to find an identity for ourselves. It took a little bit of time, but we have some personalities that are showing.”

Across the room, Randy Winn, in his fifth season in San Francisco, put the change in culture another way.

“Tim Lincecum could walk around the corner and do a handspring, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all,” Winn said. “But I wouldn’t expect Moises Alou to do a handspring.”

Still, the shift the Giants have undergone runs deeper than character traits. It is about how they will play ball. After years of constructing a team around Bonds, the Giants have turned to building around another asset, one whose hard edges and quirks are viewed as charming — their ballpark.

A 421-foot power alley in right field, the distinguishing characteristic of AT&T Park, and the blanket of heavy salt air at night make it difficult on home run hitters. And yet because they had Bonds, baseball’s pre-eminent slugger, who was entering the twilight of his career, the Giants felt obliged to sacrifice pitching and prospects for power and polish.

“When you have a huge asset, you have to put resources against the asset to mitigate the risk,” said Larry Baer, the Giants’ president. “So, having Barry sort of required you to get Ellis Burks or Jeff Kent or Andres Galarraga or Ray Durham to make sure the asset isn’t 50 percent of what it should be because he gets walked all the time. That meant putting less money into pitching.”

The Giants had begun to change course before Bonds’s final season. They lavished a seven-year, $126 million contract on Zito, promoted Cain and Jonathan Sanchez — who threw a no-hitter earlier this season — and were preparing to do the same with Lincecum. In the meantime, Brian Wilson developed into a frontline closer, the left-hander Jeremy Affeldt was brought in as a setup man, and Randy Johnson was signed to bolster the rotation. Top-10 picks in the draft were used on pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Zachary Wheeler.

Other moves have been made to play to that strength — the signing of the Gold Glove center fielder Aaron Rowand before last season, and the recent acquisitions of the gap hitters Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko to bolster the offense.

When Manny Ramirez, frustrated that the Los Angeles Dodgers would not raise their offer, looked for a suitor over the winter, the Giants listened, but passed.

Their cleanup hitter remains Bengie Molina, who has a major-league-low .269 on-base percentage.

“We’re not saying we don’t want a conventional No. 4 hitter,” Baer said. “The Manny piece was, if we did that deal, how would it inhibit us from doing other things?”

The surprise this season is that, with the exception of Sandoval, who in his first full season is third in the N.L. with a .324 average, there have not been many surprises.

Predictably, the Giants have struggled to score runs — they have been held to two runs or less 39 times. But their pitching leads the league in earned run average, shutouts, strikeouts and complete games. A club built to take advantage of its home field is 37-16 at AT&T Park, the best home record in baseball.

“Our whole approach is we’re not going to hit a lot of home runs, so we need to do the small things the right way,” Lincecum said. “We’re getting bunts down, we’re moving guys over, our hitting is more timely, and I think it’s made our pitchers buckle down a little more.”

As he sat in a booth up behind home plate recently, Willie McCovey could not help but be a little nostalgic as he watched another strong pitching performance. Sunday’s 7-3 victory was the Giants’ sixth win in seven games, a stretch in which they have allowed a total of 14 runs.

For a franchise known for its sluggers — Ott, Mays, Cepeda and himself — McCovey observed that these Giants more closely resemble his old nemesis, the Dodgers of Koufax and Drysdale.

“I can tell you we never had pitching like this,” said McCovey, a Hall of Fame first baseman. “I would have loved to have had some of these guys.”

He surely would also not have minded having Sandoval, the pudgy, free-swinging third baseman whom Zito labeled Kung Fu Panda after the charming, clumsy animated character. Sandoval proudly showed off a modest collection of small panda signs that have begun to pop up in the crowd at AT&T Park.

Sandoval did nothing to diminish his popularity on Thursday, belting his first home run into McCovey Cove. He drove in four runs, which served as a reminder to Manuel, who picked one of his own players, Jayson Werth, for the All-Star team over Sandoval as an injury replacement.

There are two long months yet to play, but there is a sense that this city has a team it can wrap its arms around and players it can not just appreciate, but adore. If that happens, handsprings may not be confined to the clubhouse.

.

[Bear]

Here's an article that will apparently be in next issue's "Sports Illustrated" (since the article is dated Aug 10, 2009). Nice to see the Giants -- and Pablo -- getting some national attention! :beerbang:




.

I like this guy, and what he brings to the Giants. He appears to be playing the game for the pure joy of the experience. I know money is part of it, but I don't think it is the main reason Pablo plays this game.:beerbang:

[WillTheThrill]

I like this guy, and what he brings to the Giants. He appears to be playing the game for the pure joy of the experience. I know money is part of it, but I don't think it is the main reason Pablo plays this game.:beerbang:

Yeah, the more I hear about him the more I love what he is bringing to the Giants. Hope I can meet him some day, like I did my hero Will Clark.

.

[Swede]

Pablo is getting kids more involved in the game. His pre at bat ritual is getting around. Little Leaguers are copying his ways. What a great personality to have on the Giants. I just hope he stays out of trouble. Too bad he has such a large dip in his mouth. Chew sucks!

[Bear]

09/15/09

San Francisco (78-66) vs. Colorado (82-63), 7:15 p.m.

By Chris Haft
MLB.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- When last seen performing against the Colorado Rockies, Edgar Renteria was hitting a grand slam. That occurred on Aug. 30, during the Giants' euphoric 9-5 victory that completed a three-game series sweep and thrust them into a tie for the National League Wild Card lead with Colorado.

So it was mildly surprising not to see Renteria in Monday night's lineup, especially since he rested Sunday and owns a .310 career average against Colorado.

Renteria, batting .252 with five home runs and 48 RBIs, is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday. Manager Bruce Bochy explained that Renteria, who needs periodic rests due to the bone chips in his right elbow that will require postseason surgery, was enduring a little "general soreness" and needed a longer break.

Also, Bochy didn't want to break up the infield that went 10-for-17 with three runs scored and five RBIs on Sunday.

Renteria will be striving to end a hitless streak that has lasted 13 at-bats. Interestingly, he might have an easier time of accomplishing that if he hits lower in the order. He's batting .354 from the seventh and eighth spots, compared with .230 from the second through sixth positions.

Pitching matchup
SF: LHP Barry Zito (9-12, 3.99 ERA)
After recording a 1.92 ERA in his first nine starts following the All-Star break, Zito has yielded five runs in nine innings over his last two outings. He still has a winning record (4-3) in the second half. He owns a microscopic 0.42 ERA in three starts against the Rockies this year, having permitted them one earned run and 13 hits in 21 1/3 innings. Zito is 5-5 with a 3.80 ERA in 14 starts at home this season.

COL: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (13-10, 3.32 ERA)
Jimenez pitched through a left hamstring strain for the final half of his six innings in his last start, a no-decision in the Rockies' 4-3 victory over the Reds. Jimenez threw a bullpen session Thursday and reported feeling good enough to pitch on his regular turn, Saturday against the Padres. However, manager Jim Tracy moved him so that he'll have more rest and face the Giants. Down the road, the move puts Jimenez in position to start the first game of the final series of the year, on the road against the Dodgers.

Tidbits
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, right-hander Brad Penny is the second Giants pitcher in the last 47 years to win his first three games with the club. The only other pitcher to accomplish this feat over that span is Bill Swift, who won in his first four appearances in 1992 after being obtained from Seattle. ... Despite playing only 77 games in right field, Nate Schierholtz entered Monday tied for seventh in the National League with 10 assists. ... The Giants' Double-A Connecticut affiliate advanced to the Eastern League championship series Sunday by blanking New Britain, its Minnesota Twins counterpart, 2-0. Brett Pill went 2-for-4 and drove in a run while left-hander Joe Paterson pitched the final three innings for the save.



The Headline says it all! In other words our batting order is so weak we are looking forward to the return of a .252 hitter. This is just sad!:lame:

[McCovey]

And yet Buster Posey continues to sit! :mad:

[Bear]

And yet Buster Posey continues to sit! :mad:

You need to let this go. It is not going to change this year.:nono:

[McCovey]

You need to let this go. It is not going to change this year.:nono:
Let go of what, that the Giants are not playing a player who could be the 2nd best hitter on the team? I'm not saying Posey should play in front of Bengie. But having Eli Whiteside play instead Posey is pure idiocy and just further shows the incompetence of Bochy and Sabean. I hope they both get shown the door in the offseason. But they'll get new contracts for sure now. :rolleyes:

[SF Kid]

It's ridiculous that we brought up Posey and he isn't playing. WTF? It makes zero sense especially as pathetic as the Giants are with their bats.

The Bear must shut up. He knows nutin'. :smack:

[Bear]

who could be the 2nd best hitter on the team? :

Could be is the operative word here. He may be but he will not get a chance to prove it this season. I believe you might be right but we will have to wait till 2010.

[McCovey]

Could be is the operative word here. He may be but he will not get a chance to prove it this season. I believe you might be right but we will have to wait till 2010.
I know. I wouldn't mind if Posey started 2010 back Fresno and pounded the ball for two months.

[WillTheThrill]

Could be is the operative word here. He may be but he will not get a chance to prove it this season. I believe you might be right but we will have to wait till 2010.

The Giants are obviously hoping to placate Molina, and reassure him that he will get most/all of the playing time at least during the first half of next season. They probably figure, "Be nice to the veteran now, keep him happy, and we can resign him next year."

However, not playing Posey when Molina isn't playing (this season) is absolutely idiotic and moronic. For one thing, Whiteside is barely batting over the mason-dixon line. His hitting is PATHETIC. He is clearly NOT the future. So why not let Posey get some at-bats in the late innings or when Molina has the day off??? :confused:

But more importantly, the Giants need to find out NOW if Posey can hit at the major league level and can handle their pitchers. If they don't have at least SOME idea what he can do, Molina will be able to back the Giants up against the wall and demand whatever he wants during offseason negotiations.

Molina has got to know that it's him and Posey, then crickets chirping. He's got to know that Whiteside is not a legitimate option for the Giants if Posey doesn't pan out.

There is no way that the Giants can afford NOT to sign Molina if Posey is an unknown quantity. But since they are not letting him have any real playing time (one pinch-hit at bat where he struck out does NOT count) then they will HAVE to sign Molina.

Idiots. :gripe:

.

[SF Kid]

Idiots. :gripe:Totally agree.

[McCovey]

The Giants are obviously hoping to placate Molina, and reassure him that he will get most/all of the playing time at least during the first half of next season. They probably figure, "Be nice to the veteran now, keep him happy, and we can resign him next year."

However, not playing Posey when Molina isn't playing (this season) is absolutely idiotic and moronic. For one thing, Whiteside is barely batting over the mason-dixon line. His hitting is PATHETIC. He is clearly NOT the future. So why not let Posey get some at-bats in the late innings or when Molina has the day off??? :confused:

But more importantly, the Giants need to find out NOW if Posey can hit at the major league level and can handle their pitchers. If they don't have at least SOME idea what he can do, Molina will be able to back the Giants up against the wall and demand whatever he wants during offseason negotiations.

Molina has got to know that it's him and Posey, then crickets chirping. He's got to know that Whiteside is not a legitimate option for the Giants if Posey doesn't pan out.

There is no way that the Giants can afford NOT to sign Molina if Posey is an unknown quantity. But since they are not letting him have any real playing time (one pinch-hit at bat where he struck out does NOT count) then they will HAVE to sign Molina.

Idiots. :gripe:

.
Pretty much my take as well, Will. There is no reason Whiteside should be playing ahead of Posey right now.

[McCovey]

Scott Osler pretty much sums up why bringing back Sabean was a huge mistake. :o Posey ticketed for another year in the minors? :rolleyes:


Getting a big jump on new season

Scott Ostler (sostler@sfchronicle.com)
Monday, October 19, 2009

With spring training just around the corner, it's time to start fixing the Giants.

By getting busy now with helpful criticism and suggestions, we avoid being accused of second-guessing. We are first-guessing, and any response by the Giants will be second-guessing.

First, a warning: This year's win total of 88, rather than being a springboard, might be a ceiling. The 2009 Giants overachieved, which is to their credit. But if there is to be improvement, thinking must change.

And that is happening. Firing Carney Lansford last week was a great move. With this team and its guiding offensive philosophy, there is no point in having a hitting coach. All a hitting coach can do is clutter up the hitters' minds with unnecessary thoughts, like, well, thoughts.

Lansford should have been fired two years ago when it became clear he was going to be a big buttinsky.

The fellow who collected all those free-swinging, non-thinking hitters in one clubhouse, and the fellow who gave those free-swingers license to swing freely - both those fellows were given two-year contract extensions.

Boss Bill Neukom has said he and his staff will produce a definitive guidebook on the Giants' way to play baseball. Apparently, the batting section of the Giants' bible will be short, and not required reading.

Manager Bruce Bochy recently defended his distaste for bunting (the at-bat type of bunting, not the decorative World Series bunting) by citing stat-freaks' proof that you're better off playing for a big inning, especially early or in the middle of the game.

If you're going to bolster your argument with stats, you also should acknowledge that the stat freaks are not in favor of creating big innings out of thin air. You need a plan. Big hitters can be part of the plan, but the Giants don't have those.

So the Giants need an alternative plan, like manufacturing runs by having hitters get on base with walks, and insisting your hitters use proven strategies in order to make life more difficult for opposing pitchers.

Bochy has made it clear that Pablo Sandoval is such a fine hitter that it is important not to mess with him with over-coaching. OK. Sandoval hit .330, a stupendous first full season.

But doesn't Sandoval have an upside? It's not as if he is so dense he can't or won't take instruction. Sandoval is one of the brightest, most eager-to-learn young men you'll ever meet.

Tiger Woods is a pretty good hitter, but he fine tunes his swing and his mental approach to the game about 50 times a day, sometimes drastically. Did Ted Williams shut down his learning process after his rookie year?

Fans and critics got on the Giants' hitters this season for their walk-hating, wild-swinging ways. Maybe the blame belongs higher. Discipline comes from the manager.

Can you imagine Tony La Russa shrugging as his hitters consistently ignore the preaching and teaching of his hitting coach, who is an extension of the manager?

One step higher is the general manager who brought in all those undisciplined hackers and blew precious salary money by overpaying, most recently for Edgar Renteria, $18.5 million for two years.

Brian Sabean recently defended the signing of Renteria by noting that he helps the team in subtle ways, like mentoring Sandoval and being a great guy in the clubhouse. Giants fans probably would respect Sabean more if his explanation for the Renteria deal was something like: Oops.

But onward. What about next season?

The Giants will need a catcher. Sabean says Buster Posey is likely ticketed to another season in the minors.

I went all stat-geek for five minutes to find this: Joe Mauer was drafted out of high school, spent two years in the minors, and became a full-time starter for the Twins at age 21 (almost 22).

Posey played three years of college ball and spent last season in the minors. He will be 23 when the 2010 season begins.

The Giants' M.O. has been to bring kids along slowly while their big-league spots are kept warm by overpaid players. But as Tim Lincecum and Sandoval showed, sometimes you're ready when you're ready.

It might be a good idea for the Giants to push the envelope and replace their most undisciplined hitter (Bengie Molina) a year too early rather than a year too late (thank you, Bill Walsh).

More advice later. Gotta go iron my aloha shirts.

[SF Kid]

I don't see what choice the Giants had. Sabean somehow put together a collection of misfits that won 88 games. Gotta give him props for that I suppose.