tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post7267377207923613575..comments2024-03-27T21:44:24.119-07:00Comments on When the Giants Come to Town...: Hot Stove Update: Grading the OffseasonDrBGiantsfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05574563470247927739noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-18196266766755745272015-02-22T02:20:18.635-08:002015-02-22T02:20:18.635-08:00I don't think I ever said the team was not dif...I don't think I ever said the team was not different and I believe I did say that McGehee would not replace Pablo on Pablo's best days.<br /><br />The problem is there was a good Pablo and a bad Pablo. His performance on the field inversely correlated with his relative weight. The good Pablo was never coming back once he had a longterm contract in his hand. The proof of that is in the pictures we are seeing out of Boston.DrBGiantsfanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10699322384438591979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-43599487952344400822015-02-21T22:58:02.188-08:002015-02-21T22:58:02.188-08:00Thank you for your blog & the work you put int...Thank you for your blog & the work you put into it.<br />Couple observations: if Aoki succeeds at leadoff, it might reduce Pagan's injuries, given his all out brand of baseball. <br />Just nitpicking but the team is different. Pablo willed out. He's big time [pun intended], with years of good chemistry and keeping the line mving. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-45545161873838934942015-02-21T20:34:47.398-08:002015-02-21T20:34:47.398-08:002015 was a "Hold em" year. Sabes didn...2015 was a "Hold em" year. Sabes didn't blow it. Kept #18. Got some solid pieces. <br /><br />2016 is the "All in" year. 2016 is when the Giants need 3 starters to replace Timmy/Timmy/Voggie. They got $30+M coming off the books, so the cash is there. <br /><br />1. Gives the farm arms another year to prove out and step up. Hopefully two or three of Beede/Crick/Blackburn/Blatch/Mella, etc. grab the brass rings. This plays to Sabes real strategy, develop and sign your own. It also keeps the Giants budget under control with three young n cheap starters. <br /><br />2. If there is a year you want all in to the FA market for starters, 2016 is it. Fully loaded, flush with prime arms. Fister coming home to CA anyone? The Giants have the cash and can dive in, if necessary. <br /><br />So yeah looking at 2015 was a solid B for Sabes. He "held em" and didn't blow it. Monterey Sharkhttp://www.eollinger.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-7998437186271387122015-02-21T16:02:05.388-08:002015-02-21T16:02:05.388-08:00If one looks at the Giants' pitchers' care...If one looks at the Giants' pitchers' careers, what has happened to Lincecum and Peavy, once the best in the NL, and to Cain and (to some extent) Hudson, then the risk of projecting any 30-plus pitcher as an innings eater becomes sharply visible, and of course more so as an over-30 pitcher ages. I don't think the best strategy in this regard is in doubt, even if one doesn't foresee the movement in MLB away from the starter, then reliever(s) model toward increasing stress on specialized short-innings pitchers.<br /><br />I would have been glad to see the Giants snag Lester, nonetheless, though I was happy to see Sandoval vamoose and Shields sign elsewhere, if indeed we did make him an offer. Tomas? No one knows how useful he'll turn out to be, and no one here knows how hard the Giants tried to get him. This all makes me agree with DrB that we ended up with bad PR but pretty sound results for the 2015 season.campanarinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-46927692382611053492015-02-21T15:31:23.246-08:002015-02-21T15:31:23.246-08:00I liked how their off season turned out. They did...I liked how their off season turned out. They didn't lose that #1 pick which is good since it ties in to their winning formula of building their roster thru the farm system. The McGehee trade and the Peavy, Aoki signings are solid baseball moves. The front office has proven that they are good at making mid season roster additions if need be which might prove to be the better way to go.<br /><br />LGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-24569533116052320182015-02-21T15:09:03.701-08:002015-02-21T15:09:03.701-08:00I pretty much have to agree with the Moses take. ...I pretty much have to agree with the Moses take. I will add that there is some video of Cain and Lincecum throwing in the bull pen and both look good especially Cain. I am expecting big things from Matt this year and a return to his 2012 level. I see the Cain injury as really being a blessing as I think he actually got some rest in that right arm and got to spend some time strengthening his rotator cuff during his rehab process of the elbow. He looks like he is in great shape over all as well. As far as Timmy is concerned, he states the ball is coming out of his hand really well and pitched 4-5 times a week with his dad during the off season. He thinks his mechanics are fixed. With sound mechanics he could get an increase in velocity and that means his off speed stuff would then be lethal. This year is shaping up to be pretty interesting indeed. I am pretty happy with the way things look right now and I really hope a couple of pitchers in the minors really make a huge step forward and Mac comes back and rakes.RBJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-82088138196159717822015-02-21T14:52:02.989-08:002015-02-21T14:52:02.989-08:00Man...which run was the best?? Can't Decide!! ...Man...which run was the best?? Can't Decide!! Can't Decide, Brain Aneurism!! <br /><br />(Tenacious D reference...ftw)RainBallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00725941337502884436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-780257276472520862015-02-21T11:08:43.596-08:002015-02-21T11:08:43.596-08:00King Henry waiting in the snow to see the pope...n...King Henry waiting in the snow to see the pope...nice touch. Reminds me of a famous quote.<br /><br />Flags fly forever...and even sweeter when people thought Sabean should have made more splashy trades, with big name prospects perhaps, at the deadline. Instead, we got Peavy without much fanfare at the time, who then contributed down the stretch.<br /><br />If there is one lesson to be learned - don't overlook those quiet transactions, Scutaro, Peavy, et al.BuyLowSellLowernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-80148954471204639782015-02-21T11:06:55.526-08:002015-02-21T11:06:55.526-08:00I had the 14 version fired up today Rainball.I had the 14 version fired up today Rainball.Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-32679120320912558812015-02-21T10:39:51.041-08:002015-02-21T10:39:51.041-08:00What WS film was that, Shankbone?What WS film was that, Shankbone?Rainballnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-26543341021371502742015-02-21T10:14:32.928-08:002015-02-21T10:14:32.928-08:00It will be interesting to see if Sabean's Plan...It will be interesting to see if Sabean's Plan B of loading up on starting pitchers that are good for 5 to 6 innings vs the workhorse types like<br />Lester and Shields works and even catches on as the top tier guys get more expensive and want longer terms. It continues the theme of specialization in the pitching aspect of the game that has been evolving the last few years.<br /><br />It is important to remember too that guys like McGhee, Aoki, and even Romo do have some risk on them so from a pure baseball view it was rather lackluster offseason so I'd give it a C. However, from a business side of baseball it was an A for the reasons you stated, no big contracts, kept our minor leagues in tact and picked up better draft picks. <br /><br />Billy BaseballAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-66011874684838231482015-02-21T09:13:59.142-08:002015-02-21T09:13:59.142-08:00Things I liked:
1. Making the effort but losing ...Things I liked:<br /><br />1. Making the effort but losing out on Sandoval. His career Defensive Runs scored is 0. He had ONE good year, the one year he was in shape, as a defender so I think his DRS issue is simply weight & conditioning. Also, while Sandoval had a great WS, he's declined as a hitter 3 years straight and if you're not winning by hitting in the regular season, you don't go to the playoffs to hit. <br /><br />I think it's a shame, btw. I really believe that Sandoval has the ability to play 3B at a gold-glove, possibly HOF, level if he kept himself in good shape. And I will miss him as a Giant. But as a 'Fan-GM,' there was just too much downside (big contract with crap production) for me to be upset that he signed somewhere else.<br /><br /><br />2. Aoki is a better OF than Morse and I think he may actually increase the Runs Scored/Runs Surrendered differential if he plays to his 'average.' He's did not have good year last year, with a -8 DRS for the year, but he's more 'positive' in his career than 'constant negative' like Morse and I wouldn't be surprised to see a +5 to +10 DRS out of Aoki for the year. Morse, who is pretty much 'Mr. -DRS' only played about 1/3 the season in the OF and had a -9 DRS for his work in LF, which really cut down the benefit of his 'power boost' to the offense (10HR (if I remember right) as the LF) <br /><br /><br />3. I view McGehee as stop-gap. He's a marginal defender, averaging -2.5 DRS the past three MLB seasons and it's hard know if he's going to hit based on his past. But the price was right, two decent, but not ++, prospects that have some chance, but are anything but guaranteed to succeed. <br /><br /><br />4. Not mortgaging the future. I really don't like 'win now, regardless of cost' GMs after years of being a frustrated 49er, Warrior and Giants fan and seeing it blow-up in my face decade-after-decade. Though I have to say Sabean is better than his predecessors by a long shot.<br /><br /><br />5. Resigning Vogelsong. I think the Giants could use a 6th man insurance contract. Peavy and Hudson are old enough that skipping a start and giving them some rest could be a very good thing. Plus he's insurance if Lincecum's early 'fixed mechanics' are just an illusion or if Hudson's recovery drags out. <br /><br /><br />As for grade, I'll give him a B+. I think not signing Headley was a mistake. Other than that, I think staying pat was a good strategy. Over-all I think the Giants are a better team today than the one that won the WS last year: <br /><br />A) I think the OF/3B player swap is pretty close to a net 0 WAR plus Aoki could easily be a lead-off man if Pagan goes down again. <br /><br />B) Starting pitching is a net plus because they've got Cain back. <br /><br />C) The bull-pen has it's core intact and Vogelsong has been resigned as a long-relief/spot-starter as insurance.<br /><br />D) The farm is pretty much intact and we didn't trade Susac, or any of the top prospects, for some marginal help that may not pan out.MosesZDnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7389427040394111033.post-15179081231161291422015-02-21T08:20:04.823-08:002015-02-21T08:20:04.823-08:00Just posted up about the offer for Shields, they o...Just posted up about the offer for Shields, they offered 4/80MM in December, Shields wanted to shop the offer basically. <br /><br />That seems like a good place to hold the line, 4 years. I wouldn't have been psyched about that deal, but you need innings eaters. Tough call. Sabes doesn't like having his offers shopped, so he moved onto Peavy. That was a better call than Shields I think, they're the same age, same profile. One of them costs 2/24MM and no loss of the draft pick to boot.<br /><br />Most of Sabean's success has been among the margins. The best big trade is definitely Pence. His trades from the 97-02 era were awesome, but most were last editions for runs at the postseason. As he's done with each championship year. The big name FAs or trades have some tarnish: Zito, Rowand, Beltran. <br /><br />The thing people miss is the Giants core is strong. Belt, Pence and of course Posey is a great trio. They have the best postseason pitcher on the planet, I've been watching a WS film that proves it this morning. <br /><br />But it is frustrating to see the Giants be left at the alter again and again. Especially because there is a ton of money being made. But you go look at the role players and its a lot of under cover: Casilla, Uribe, Huff, Blanco, Vogelsong, etc. Posey and Pence are two superstars. Keep the flow going, we'll see if Aoki/McG are the next great names or a Keppinger/Cabrera/Tejada bump in the road. They are easily replaced if that is the case. And that's the underrated part of Sabean's style.Shankbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803824507120403397noreply@blogger.com