Thursday, March 19, 2020
Hot Stove League Review: Giants
By request, we'll try to review offseasons for as many teams as we can. We'll start with the Giants then NL West then rest of NL. We'll do AL if we have time and don't burn out. With the very real possibility of losing the entire season looming, reviewing with offseason seems a bit futile, but hey, maybe we can just declare winners based on offseason performance. Aaanyway.....here is a summary of Giants key offseason moves(way too many for a comprehensive list):
Free Agents Lost: Madison Bumgarner(LHP), Will Smith(LHP), Steven Vogt(C.)
Non-tendered(lost): Kevin Pillar(OF).
MLB Free Agents Signed: Kevin Gausman(RHP). Drew Smyly(LHP), Wilmer Flores IF(2 yrs), Hunter Pence(OF.)
Trades: Zack Cozart(IF) and Will Wilson(IF) from the Angels for cash or PTBNL(Giants take on full $12 M of Cozart's remaining contract and release him, essentially paying $12 M for the last year's #15 draft pick, Wilson).
Non-tendered(Re-signed): Joey Rickard(OF), Tyler Anderson(LHP), Rico Garcia(RHP),
Avoided Arbitration: Donovan Solano(IF), Alex Dickerson(OF), Wandy Peralta(LHP).
Rule 5 Draft: Dany Jimenez(RHP).
Minor League Contracts: Yolmer Sanchez(IF), Billy Hamilton(OF), Trevor Cahill(RHP), Tyson Ross(RHP), Darin Ruf(1B/OF), Rob Brantly(C), Tyler Heineman(C), Drew Robinson(IF).
Waiver Claim: Jarlin Garcia(LHP).
Summary: Nice collection of potentially undervalued, breakout and bounceback players. That's not the stuff you generally build championship teams with, but you might find a piece or two for the longterm puzzle and you might create some nice trade opportunities at the trade deadline. Late in the offseason FZ went into churn mode and brought in a huge number of spring training invitations which created several roster dilemmas without clearly making the team better.
Loss of Madison Bumgarner hurts, but after more of the story came out it was probably never in the cards and probably for the best to move on. Failure to get a more established RH bat for the OF, frontline SP and Closer meant offseason did not generate much enthusiasm to overcome the pain of losing Bummy. Best move was for the future with the Will Wilson trade.
Grade: C+.
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Perhaps the best thing they did this year was not to commit bundles of money past the commitments to the Giant-3. The 2022 & 23 commitments are $23M & $5M for Longoria.
ReplyDeleteThey can compete for Mookie Betts and won't lose because they don't have the money. They may chose not to spend that much or he may chose not to come, but they can be a player.
Based on accounts I have read, this year's June draft was notably strong in terms of both quantity and quality. Many of the folks on here follow these things more closely than I do, so I would love to hear the thoughts of others. While we don't know now if the draft will be held in June or delayed, it sure seems like a good year to have 5 of the first 85 selections.
ReplyDeleteAssuming the MLB season gets going sometime in late spring or early summer, some of the players mentioned above could play well enough to have real value at the trade deadline. Further, the Giants could be open to taking on a bad contract or two at the deadline to give a team on a tight budget the flexibility to acquire talent. It would not be a bad thing to have several early selections in the 2021 draft.
Whatever happens, I look forward to following it right here.
Everyone stay safe.
Tyler Beede will have Tommy John surgery tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteAlthough TJ surgery is bad news for Beede, as a Giants fan I'm some what glad he's having the surgery now. 2020 figures to be a shortened season at best, so he won't miss much playing time anyway, and it gives him time to come back at some point in 2021 fully healthy. I think this will benefit his career long term.
DeleteTwitterverse is grumbling about Sale and Beede having TJ surgery at a medical critical time.
ReplyDeleteBaggardly told them:
"To those who'd criticize players like Tyler Beede for having Tommy John surgery at this time...understand that they undergo these procedures in orthopedic surgery centers/clinics, many of which are private. (Orthopedists also could help you identify your asshole from your elbow.)"
Don't always agree with self-appointed boy-wonder but he's right this time.
There's a lot of self-righteousness going on these days!
Still don't have a problem with it. Having TJ now could be the difference missing 1 instead of 2 seasons, which is a big deal considering a ballplayers career doesn't last forever.
DeleteJarlin Garcia(LHP) may well be a very bright spot. He's under control until 2024 & good against RHB, too.
ReplyDelete