It’s been a common, if not overused, refrain this offseason: the Giants overpaid for relief pitching. Early on, before the market really started to develop, the Giants picked up Jeremy Affeldt’s $5M option for 2012 without hesitation, and then turned around and signed a LOOGY, Javier Lopez, to a two-year, $8.5M deal. Both deals were, at the time, somewhat panned… Read more →
Well then. I must say, this isn’t surprising. CBSSports.com broke the story: Though Theriot better fits defensively as a second baseman, he has a great shot at significant playing time at shortstop for the Giants. The only person standing in his way is Brandon Crawford, who hit just .204/.288/.296 last season, which is dreadful. Crawford could then fit well as… Read more →
John Sickels, formerly of ESPN.com and now at SB Nation’s Minor League Ball, recently agreed to trade emails with me and answer some prospect questions. John has been writing about prospects since 1996 and is a seminal figure in the prospect watching community; he recently released his 2012 Giants ranking and his yearly edition of the John Sickels’ Prospect Book is… Read more →
On Tuesday, Tim Lincecum and the Giants came to an agreement on what he’ll be paid over the next two seasons before he has the opportunity to become a free agent. That agreement came in at a hefty $40.5 million: The Giants had sought to buy out at least a couple of Lincecum’s free-agent years, but the right-hander’s camp… Read more →
I have an unhealthy obsession with Sergio Romo and his slider. Our support group — Sliders Anonymous, co-chaired by Aaron Rowand — meets on Thursdays. The obsession might sound weird, but can you really blame me? It’s a pitch that defies logic. It’s a pitch that Romo throws with impunity, batters can’t touch it. It’s a pitch that makes hitters… Read more →
As you may have heard, Cody Ross has agreed to a one-year deal worth three million dollars to play for the Boston Red Sox. Ross ends his Giants career with a slash-line (.247/.330/.414, 108 OPS+) that’s more or less the equivalent of his career slash-line (.261/.323/.456, OPS+ 105). In other words, Cody Ross was always the guy we thought he… Read more →
Recently, in a blog post on the SweetSpot Blog, David Schoenfield ranked the five best rotations in baseball. The Giants did not make the cut, even though Dave did acknowledge that the rotation is talented. Dave had this to say on the rotation: Yes, the Giants had the second-best rotation ERA in the majors last season, but I’m not sure… Read more →
![I give you, Rich Melky [.gif]](http://www.baycityball.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RichMelky-150x150.gif)
The next in my patented line of the why-god-am-I-doing-this series of Melky .gifs, I present to you a celebratory .gif that honors Melky Cabrera’s recent one-year, six million dollar deal with the San Francisco Giants baseball club. I demand you give me satisfaction, forthright! (This is what happens when I stop sleeping and drink too much coffee. Complaints can be… Read more →
Happy Friday, have some links to go with your day. I recently noticed the Giants’ motherpage has a neat non-roster invitee section that lists all the NRIs for the coming camp. It’s your normal mix of prospects with journeymen-type players looking for another shot at the majors. The always interesting Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times has an article up… Read more →
![The man who couldn't play shortstop [.gif]](http://www.baycityball.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/lolcab-150x150.gif)
Tweet: Orlando Cabrera to retire from baseball, he said in Colombia radio station. Thanks for memories! @Enrique_Rojas1 I’ll never forget you, O-Cab.