Stuck With the Best Record in the NL
Never have I been less confident about a Giants team with the best record in the league. Our best paid pitcher is likely gone for the year. Our center fielder is barely able to hit off a tee these days. Our 2nd baseman is going to break off into 47 pieces at any moment. And our most promising young hitter is getting worse from the concussion he suffered, not better. It’s shaping up like a lost year for Belt.
We continue to beat up on bad teams. If you’re Sabean, what do you do? Seriously, what do you do? Personally, I would start with trying to acquire Zobrist or Bonifacio–a guy you could plug into multiple different spots. Because that’s what this team is going to need for the rest of the year. And the plugs we have now aren’t plugging up anything.
I suppose you could take a shot at a starting pitcher but they are always in such high demand, I can’t see Sabean having the bullets to fire at a target like that.
Or do you just ride it out with the crew you have?
In terms of finding trade partners, it just feels like, to me, that Sabean would be bringing piss to a shit fight…..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I’d give Tampa Crick,Susac,Blackburn,and Gary Brown!
But now they throw in Desmond Jennings as well,
No chance of getting Price. I’d be very happy with Denorfia and Kennedy. I don’t think the Padres care that much about trading within the division.
agreed.
By Henry Shulmans article in the Chron/SFgate, I would not hold out high hopes for Scutaro.
If ever there was a time for Scutaro to start, it would be today. Day game after a night game with a left-hander, Cole Hamels, pitching for the home team. But Ehire Adrianza will be at second base.
Manager Bruce Bochy did not come out and say Scutaro’s back is hurting, but read between the lines.
“He’s playable,” Bochy said. “Could he go out there? Yes. Especially with a day game, we’re better off with a younger guy who doesn’t have any issues.”
Really, is anybody with both feet on the ground still holding out hope for Scutaro? Management keeps talking like he’s just a couple days away from resuming having an important role. They’ve been doing that for months. We hashed this out here before, back in March, April…. I suggested they just long-term DL him, let him earn his money this year, and then just release him. I also said he should just retire already. Others opined that he, like most athletes, has too much pride and would never just “retire”. Whatever. He’s done. 2B was considered by most about a month ago to be the biggest need for “fixing”, until it became clear that CF and a starting pitcher were more important with Pagan and Cain being out for who knows how long. If that’s still likely true in Sabean’s eyes, then no move for a new 2B will be made. So the question for 2B becomes, who among Uggly, Panik, Adrianza, Arias (gulp).. am I leaving anyone out?…. will step up? Or is 2B by committee among those players good enough to get the job done? No way Sabes can fortify all 3 positions. Someone on the team now has to step up to do the job. But 2 out of 3 of those positions, that would be very helpful, if the injured are not coming back anytime soon.
Paul, it’s doubtful Scutaro would retire and walk away from the $6 million the Giants owe him next season.
So, we’re all going to see more of this Giants/Scutaro dinner theatre charade again next season.
And pity Baggs having to spend all season again next year giving Scutaro updates on Comcast.
I beg to differ. If Scutaro can start a couple of times a week, and outside of that be available to PH, then I am down with this (as long as this is his desire, and management feels he can still contribute). I would not make any predictions on next year at this point.
Cool photos from the Candlestick event, Chuck. Thanks for sharing! I was, however, baffled by the Rice “goat” reference. What’s the story on that? 🙂
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The A’s won big today, with Samarchakakhan getting the win. That was a nice pick-up for the A’s.
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I’ve been reading “Double Down,” a real entertaining and interesting book about the 2012 presidential election, written by the same authors of “Game Change,” a book about the 2008 presidential election, which was made into a pretty good movie.
As the trade deadline approaches, we’ll see which teams “double down.”
WilcoJoe asked where the Giants minor league system ranks . . . This is a Bleacher Report column, but it was done well in my opinion. Anywho, we rank 27th. Ugh . . . Here’s an excerpt from this article, “The Giants are so pitch-heavy that you wonder where the offense is going to come from in the future. On top of that, the arms they do have are either back-end-starter types or don’t throw enough strikes to reach their ceiling.” Read it and weep . . .
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2085265-ranking-all-30-mlb-farm-systems-post-2014-mlb-draft
It’s grim lately on the farm, but I remember reading articles a few years ago that said the Royals would be world-beaters by now because of all the high draft picks they had due to their team sucking for so many years.
The Astros have had the #1 pick, three years in a row; yikes, you have to feel some sympathy for Astro fans.
The two lowest ranked teams, the Angels and Tigers, are doing pretty well for themselves this year at the big-league level.
I was surprised to see the Red Sox ranked #1, after having won the World Series last year. But they’re not doing so well this season. Drawing a straight line from the farm to the bigs is not necessarily easy to do. The top talent isn’t always ready to go to the bigs.
Good read, thanks Blade! I didn’t realize the Dodgers had so much talent in their system. That is pretty scary when you think about the talent at the big league level…This might be the last year the Giants can make a run for it. I suspect rebuild mode will begin next year. I don’t see any other way around it
Yeah, I agree WJ. That’s why I believe striking while the iron is hot. We have a chance this season and I hope we do everything (trade(s)) to maximize our chance this season. I have to keep reminding myself that it is very, very rare for a team not named the Yankees, to win 2 WS in the short span we did it in.
Sammyg, your 6:08pm post, “Your source is a moron then. Price is a much bigger fish.”
First, it’s not my “source.” Second, if you feel that way, go tell him . . .
http://www.bayareasportsguy.com/giants-have-interest-in-price-and-zobrist-rays-asking-for-a-lot-in-return/
Yeah, I had some choice words for Sammyg, too. Tool…
Sounds like Uggla may be here for the Dodger series.
joy
Zumie, goat = greatest of all time.
Giants taking 3 of 4 certainly took the sting out of today’s loss. It’s a shame, though, to see a gutty Huddy showing go to waste on a Morse miscue. Two losses on the road, one on a wild pitch, the other on an error. As others already mentioned, Hamels was tough today. I can’t recall him throwing even one first-pitch ball. Check that, he threw first-, second- and third-pitch balls to Pence in three different ABs. I know I shouldn’t bitch about Pence, and I can tolerate one of his head-scratching ABs per game, but not three. Ah well, it was a nice sunny day at the ballpark with my daughter; I love the funny little observations she makes on everything going on at the game. And as we left to go get a cheesesteak at Pat’s, the Giants were in the same position as when we entered: First place.
Can’t wait for that Uggla. Finally in Orange and Black!
Before the day is done, I want to get a couple of quick birthday shout-outs to a couple of my favorite people on the planet. My son Mattie turned 23 today and Barry Bonds turned the big 5-0.
Can anyone tell me the difference between a Bad Penny year and a Brad Penny year?
The letter “R”
That was fucking funny.
The Baseball Project playing SF in September:
http://www.thechapelsf.com/event/640721-baseball-project-san-francisco/?utm_source=MEL&utm_medium=77263
Looks fun. Thanks, James.
Very cool…thanks for the share, James.
Allow me to be (hopefully) the last individual to wish a happy birthday to Barry Bonds. .33 minutes too late. Medeteraniuminish time
“Sabean would be bringing piss to a shit fight”
Isn’t that a Sean Connery paraphrase? “Just like a wop…_
And on that ‘Untouchables’ meets baseball note:
A man becomes preeminent, he’s expected to have enthusiasms. Enthusiasms, enthusiasms… What are mine? What draws my admiration? What is that which gives me joy? Baseball! A man stands alone at the plate. This is the time for what? For individual achievement. There he stands alone. But in the field, what? Part of a team. Teamwork… Looks, throws, catches, hustles. Part of one big team. Bats himself the live-long day, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and so on. If his team don’t field… what is he? You follow me? No one. Sunny day, the stands are full of fans. What does he have to say? I’m goin’ out there for myself. But… I get nowhere unless the team wins.
Hoods: Team!
[Capone beats one of the men to death with a baseball bat]
uhm…ouch?
That’s Uggla!
Help is on the way: http://tinyurl.com/yddc76j
Utley rumors out there apparently courtesy of J. Kruk on his radio show. Wow, that would solve a couple problems immediately. Since Phils likely to jettison some high priced pitching, maybe couple prospects could swing this.
Looking all over trade talks, don’t see Giants names involved anywhere…hmmmn.
WillieD – would be a tough one, only because Utley is a 5/10 guy (5 years with current club and 10 years in the majors), and he can nix any proposed trades. On top of that, last I heard, he said he is very happy playing in Philly. Surprise me is all I can say…
Shit, I’m once again amazed at how fast time flies. I was looking at MLB trade rumors, and Marlon Byrd’s name came up. I’m thinking yeah, why not? 30ish guy, some speed and power.
He’s fricking 37? WTF?
I feel like Rip van Winkle. Timmy’s 30, Byrd’s 37. I must be 70 by now . . .
LMAO, Charlie. I know the feeling, bro. But seriously, I would take a flyer on Byrd (although Baseball Reference lists his age as 36.329). Of 5,200+ plate appearances, 662 have been leading off. He can bat all up and down the line-up (has the pop to be a middle of the line-up guy, too). He is making 8 mil this year, inked at 8 mil next year, and there is a club option in 2016 for…wait…you got it…8 mil. Maybe the Phillies would pick-up part of the coin.