Placing Big Betts
Just from a pure baseball perspective, last night was pretty cool. Trades and wild player movement like we saw between LA, Minnesota and the Red Sox is what the the hot stove season is all about.
I still don’t understand why Boston wanted to trade Betts. Because they couldn’t re-sign him? Why couldn’t they do that? They didn’t get back nearly enough but for only a year of his services I guess that’s to be expected. If I’m a Red Sox fan I’m waking up this morning pissed off. There was no reason for this.
As I said last night, LA is in a pretty desperate situation having not won anything in 31 years. All those seasons of failing must be getting pretty staid.
So we’ll see if it works, it probably won’t. But I respect them for trying something bold.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
As much as I hate the bums, it looks like they made out like bandits (on paper, anyway). They get Betts as a rental for a year. We’ll see if they try/can sign him long-term. He is going to command huge money. They also get a serviceable starter in Price, and all without giving up their top prospects.
But, the bums have made similar moves in the past where they were “loaded for bear.” The results, as to which you allude Flav, is that they haven’t won the big one in 31 years. Here’s to another bum bust.
apparently Betts turned down 10/$300 already from Sox. Said he was definitely going to test market, though again I’ve never heard why he soured on Boston.
But the return, a less than healthy OF a pen guy and saving some $$ they can’t really use because FAs are all gone at this point, sure sucks for Boston fans.
Don’t be surprised LA gets decent starts from Price. He knows what he’s doing, has good defense and lineup behind him and he’s away from hitters yards in AL East. Plus Dodgers move guys on/off IL all the time so he’s not gonna go 200 innings either.
Agreed. They are better. Is it enough? It’s never enough.
I hear you but yikes who in NL has anywhere near their talent? Only Achilles heel would be Jansen and pen. would have loved to have Treinen in SF though.
Wilmer Flores is a good get. He can back up 1b too I think and bring RH pop sorely needed to IF. Z says he is still in on adding OF help. IF now seems crowded with Sanchez and Solano there plus Dubon Longo Belt Craw so maybe someone gets stashed in Sac for awhile.
so far the OF adds aren’t much and Dubon is in mix too I guess. I was hoping Shaw had a chance, to either play OF or fill in for Belt but each extra player signed makes it harder to see him on roster.
Kapler who so far is saying all the right things, thinks their new coaches can help some of older guys with their swing and add more pop. Apparently this is already going on, with Y Sanchez and some others.
Also good read in yesterday Chron of him sitting down and talking to Mays.
From what I read, the Sox wanted to start restocking their farm system and also reset their cap penalty to zero. They didn’t think they could resign Betts so now they are probably getting back better players than the pick they would have received when Betts became a FA.
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Price pitching in the spacious NL West parks will be a godsend for him. I don’t know though. He’s ripe for arm problems. Verdugo could be a stud that they’ll regret losing. But the dogs grow fucking 25 homer guys like we grow banjo hitters. Fuck, I don’t care. As long as they fuck up in the playoffs again. Did I day fuck? FUCK. September is a loooong way off.
Here’s Kapler: “We are a player development focused coaching staff, so one way for us to get power in our lineup is to improve swings, improve swing decisions and continue to make adjustments to get the most out of our very talented athletes.”
“I think there’s another level and another gear in some of our veteran players.”
Yes. Reverse.
Killer!
Boston getting rid of Price and his contract actually makes it possible for them to go and try to sign Betts as a free agent in a year. They had a lot of committed dollars past 2020 so now they will have some more flexibility and may be able to get a big haul in prospects trying to move Chris Sale…
I want the Giants to start 8 second basemen…
Tongue firmly in cheeck:
1) Dubon – CF
2) Solano – SS
3) Flores – 1b
4) Longoria – 3b (will take liberties with this and Panda who both could play 2b)
5) Avelino – RF
6) Wong – LF
7) Panda – C
8) Will Wilson – 2b (ok couple of years away but Farhan has plenty of time to add another second baseman)
“I think there’s another level and another gear for some of our veteran players”
Who’s he kidding? The level is no longer square and accurate, and the gear is grinding and only stuck in reverse with these over the hill vets..
These vets are past their prime to all of a sudden develop a power surge and productivity! Kapler,Stop selling the magic beans to grow your beanstalk..
More like: Farhan – “Gabe, go jump on this land mine!!!”
Come on. What can he say? “We are pumping the old vets full of steroids to hopefully get bounce back years from the Bore Core.”
Ahhh, meant to say I sent Stix a letter last week. He had told me earlier that he wanted to see the kids coming up in the minors so I sent him the top 50 prospects. He already replied.
Good news all around. He said his health has improved to the point where he doesn’t need insulin shots anymore through a somewhat healthy diet. And some time between March and May, he’ll be going to a half-way house in the twin cities for 6 months, then 6 months of home confinement at his sister in law’s. He says he’s hoping to attend the Giants/Twin game in mid May, if he can get permission from his parole officer!!!
I’ll try to scan the letter.
Per the letter his property remains his. He had friends taking care of it. Meaning they didn’t take care of it. So he has some work to do around the joint. Click Stix below to see a PDF of his letter. Love the ‘Monday’!
Stix
Charlie – is he at the Federal Correction Institute Elkton (Lisbon, OH)?
That is awesome. Thanks for posting the letter, Unca.
yes
Thanks, brother.
Carstie Clausen
REG # 20796-041
FCI Elkton
P.O. Box 10
Lisbon, OH 44432
Yep, that is the last address I had for Stix, too. Just popped a letter off to him.
After the Kobe helicopter 🚁 episode,
I’m not keen anymore on Stix’s helicopter escape!
Can’t remember the movie with Charles Bronson and they were successful flying one inside the prison walls.I do believe quite a few bullets were flying around as well..
Telefon mayhaps???
. . . I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep . . .
Great movie. It was on TV when I was living in Colorado, and ran into him at the restaurant I worked at the next day in Snowmass. Jill Ireland was looking good, but their daughter was stone cold fox. I had to tell him I had just seen it and loved it. He nodded and smiled and said “Yeah that was a pretty good one.”
Stix-a-looza in May?
Good job, Chuck.
Stix is amazing.
Maybe a bunch of us can kick in and get him that printer he mentioned?
Always willing to help our brother, Stix. I have sent him money on a number of occasions in the past. How much is the printer? You have the model number and other details?
He talks about printing on fabric so I have no idea what that entails. But if he could start printing t-shirts and stuff that would be cool.
the support some of you have shown for Stix is, in many ways, one of the coolest outputs in the history of this blog, IMO
Truly is, Flavor.
Personally, I have failed Stix, but glad it’s not too late…
I;’m with Loo. Let’s meet in Minnesota and greet Stix at the game. That would be insane.
Dubs fired a cool as a cucumber 5 for 39 from 3 point land tonight. That is….something else.
I think the support for Stix is great. I’m not flying out to Minnesota to see him though.I think meeting him in person might ruin some of his mystique. I’ll welcome him back with open arms here at the blog.
I had a great uncle that worked at the Hamm’s brewery. As the story goes, part of his pension included a 6 pack of beer a week.
I was in a couple of bands that used to rehearse at the Vats and beer was still heavily involved.
Kirk Douglas died.
He was only 103…
looks like I hexed D’Angelo Russell. Neither Glen Robinson nor Alec Burks played, as both could soon be dealt away to save $$/acquire draft picks from contenders. Those 3 names represent my fav 3 healthy current Warriors…
Kings acquire Jabari Parker, whose dad Sonny played 6 years for Warriors from 1976-7 season.
RE Giants…lets have hope. As Ron Shandler says. “Once a player has a skill he owns that sill forever. Maybe. Just maybe the SF coaches with Bochy and the rest sucked shit. Cool guys but can’t coach for skill.
Dodgers coaches can. As someone mentioned earlier they pump out 25 homer guys all the time. Maybe teaching a guy how to square up a ball or change his launch angle a tad is something Kapler et actually know how to do????
Nothing wrong with a little preseason optimism, but I don’t see a single name on the opening day roster that inspires any real excitement or clearly has a big upside…
I remember the Hamm’s can but not the stadium. Cool pic.