2010 and Beyond: A Giant Leap

TLforCY · 08-26-2009, 01:29 PM

Finally!

After yet another season marred by trades of talented youngsters (Tim Alderson, Scott Barnes) for questionable talent (Freddy Sanchez, Ryan Garko) and bad free agent signings (Edgar Renteria, Bobby Howry), Brian Sabean has finally been sacked as the general manager of the San Francisco Giants.

Replacing him will be the young Ray Black, a rising young star, not in the Theo Epstein or Paul DePodesta mode, but rather following in the foot steps of Billy Beane, going from being a talented High School player to the front office, with a few rough patches along the way.

He inherits a team with plenty of young pitching, as Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain have established themselves as a great one-two punch, Jonathan Sanchez has shown potential to be dominant, and Madison Bumgarner is still one of the best prospects in the game. Sabean also left him with a young fireballer in the bullpen, Jonathan Meloan, but at the cost of young third baseman Conor Guillespe. The Giants do lack hitting though, outside of Pablo 'Kung Fu Panda' Sandoval, their loveable star.

Will he upgrade the Giants atrocious hitting? How will he deal with the dead weight of Barry Zito, Aaron Rowand, Edgar Renteria, and Freddy Sanchez's contracts? Will he be able to trade Bengie Molina after Sabean gave him a three year, 20 million dollar extension? Is the pitching enough to help San Francisco to the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons?

2009 Record: 78-84

2009 Free Agent Losses:
Joe Borchrad
Bobby Howry
Noah Lowry
Juan Uribe
Javier Valentin
Randy Winn

2009 Retired:
Randy Johnson

2009 Salary Arbitration Figures:
Ryan Garko:$600,000
Tim Lincecum:$6,451,500
Justin Miller:$600,000
Jonathan Sanchez:$940,100
Brian Wilson:$623,000

TLforCY · 08-26-2009, 01:48 PM

December 5th, 2009

In his first acts as general manager, Roy Black has added two competitors to the roster for the final spot in the starting rotation, signing the free agent pitcher, former Giant, Kevin Corriea, and plucking Randy Wells from the Cubs farm system in the rule five draft.

Wells and Corriea will compete with Steve Hammond, Joe Martinez, Pat Misch, and Henry Sosa for the final rotation spot and the long relief role, but it is expected that the two picked up today will stick on the roster. Black says that Madison Bumgarner will not play in 2010 for the Giants, and that Buster Posey will have to really impress the brass at Fresno if he is to get called up.

Black is rumored to be going after one more free agent, possibly Rich Harden, so he can trade Jonathan Sanchez for a hitter...

TLforCY · 08-27-2009, 10:11 AM

December 13th

The Giants announced their big free agent signing this morning, new left fielder Jason Bay. The former Red Sock signed a 4 year deal, worth 16 million dollars to become the Giants new 4 hitter, a much discounted price after his rough season in Boston, in which he had a stat line of .264/.353/.486 and only 12 home runs.

San Francisco has high hopes for the Canadian outfielder, that his production as well as his protection of Pablo Sandoval will vault the team into the playoffs, but there are several skeptics. If he returns to form, this signing could put the Giants in position to contend for years, while if he doesn't, it could be yet another crippling contract in the Brian Sabean mold.

TLforCY · 08-27-2009, 10:35 AM

Spring Training Breakdown:

Starting Pitchers:
Tim Lincecum
Matt Cain
Jonathan Sanchez
Barry Zito

Kevin Correia
Randy Wells

Steve Hammond
Joe Martinez
Pat Misch

The core of this staff is strong, or in Zito's case, expensive, but either way pretty much guaranteed to have their spots in the rotation. The fifth spot will likely go to Correia or Wells, with the other becoming the long reliever, but Hammond, Martinez, and Misch are all on the 40 man roster, and may be able to knock off one of the favorites

Bullpen:
Brian Wilson
Jonathan Meloan
Jeremy Affeldt
Justin Miller
Sergio Romo

Billy Sadler
Henry Sosa
Brandon Medders
Waldis Joaquin

The five key members of the bullpen are solid, but the last spot will be up for grabs. Meloan may move into the closer's role would a good spring, but it's more likely the former all star Wilson will hang onto it. Affeldt is the only lefty, giving Misch a slightly better chance of being the long reliever.

Catchers:
Bengie Molina

Steve Holm
Jackson Williams

Molina's back up will either be Holm, who's a career minor leaguer/back up catcher, or the young Williams, a great defensive catcher with a double A bat. With a strong showing, Buster Posey could be called up mid season.

Infielders:

Ryan Garko
Freddy Sanchez
Edgar Renteria
Pablo Sandoval

Travis Ishikawa

Emmanuel Burriss
Brandon Crawford
Nick Noonan
Sharlon Schoop

The starters are all but certain, with Travis Ishikawa possibly splitting time with Ryan Garko, but the back up middle infielder could be any of the other four, most likely Burris or Schoop. Schoop is the only one with experience at 3rd base, but Burris has more speed. Noonan and Crawford will probably be given more time to develop at Fresno, before they assume Sanchez and Renteria's spots in 2011.

Outfielders:
Jason Bay
Aaron Rowand
Nate Schierholtz

Freddy Lewis
Eugenio Velez
John Bowker
Jesus Guzman
Andres Torres
Brandon Jones

Again, the starters are certain, but they are the only ones. Freddy Lewis figures to be the 4th out fielder, as he is a fan favorite, and can play all three outfield spots, but Bowker and Guzman offer more power, and Torres impressed coaches last year with his grit.

The Giants have also chosen to invite the following minor leaguers to spring training:
Madison Bumgarner
Kevin Pucetas
Hector Correa
Clayton Tanner
Buster Posey
Angel Villalona
Matt Downs
Ryan Rohlinger
Ben Woodbury
Clay Timpner
Roger Kieschnick

08-26-2009, 01:29 PM	#1
TLforCY Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 5	2010 and Beyond: A Giant Leap Finally! After yet another season marred by trades of talented youngsters (Tim Alderson, Scott Barnes) for questionable talent (Freddy Sanchez, Ryan Garko) and bad free agent signings (Edgar Renteria, Bobby Howry), Brian Sabean has finally been sacked as the general manager of the San Francisco Giants. Replacing him will be the young Ray Black, a rising young star, not in the Theo Epstein or Paul DePodesta mode, but rather following in the foot steps of Billy Beane, going from being a talented High School player to the front office, with a few rough patches along the way. He inherits a team with plenty of young pitching, as Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain have established themselves as a great one-two punch, Jonathan Sanchez has shown potential to be dominant, and Madison Bumgarner is still one of the best prospects in the game. Sabean also left him with a young fireballer in the bullpen, Jonathan Meloan, but at the cost of young third baseman Conor Guillespe. The Giants do lack hitting though, outside of Pablo 'Kung Fu Panda' Sandoval, their loveable star. Will he upgrade the Giants atrocious hitting? How will he deal with the dead weight of Barry Zito, Aaron Rowand, Edgar Renteria, and Freddy Sanchez's contracts? Will he be able to trade Bengie Molina after Sabean gave him a three year, 20 million dollar extension? Is the pitching enough to help San Francisco to the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons? 2009 Record: 78-84 2009 Free Agent Losses: Joe Borchrad Bobby Howry Noah Lowry Juan Uribe Javier Valentin Randy Winn 2009 Retired: Randy Johnson 2009 Salary Arbitration Figures: Ryan Garko:$600,000 Tim Lincecum:$6,451,500 Justin Miller:$600,000 Jonathan Sanchez:$940,100 Brian Wilson:$623,000

08-26-2009, 01:48 PM	#2
TLforCY Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 5	December 5th, 2009 In his first acts as general manager, Roy Black has added two competitors to the roster for the final spot in the starting rotation, signing the free agent pitcher, former Giant, Kevin Corriea, and plucking Randy Wells from the Cubs farm system in the rule five draft. Wells and Corriea will compete with Steve Hammond, Joe Martinez, Pat Misch, and Henry Sosa for the final rotation spot and the long relief role, but it is expected that the two picked up today will stick on the roster. Black says that Madison Bumgarner will not play in 2010 for the Giants, and that Buster Posey will have to really impress the brass at Fresno if he is to get called up. Black is rumored to be going after one more free agent, possibly Rich Harden, so he can trade Jonathan Sanchez for a hitter...

08-27-2009, 10:11 AM	#3
TLforCY Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 5	December 13th The Giants announced their big free agent signing this morning, new left fielder Jason Bay. The former Red Sock signed a 4 year deal, worth 16 million dollars to become the Giants new 4 hitter, a much discounted price after his rough season in Boston, in which he had a stat line of .264/.353/.486 and only 12 home runs. San Francisco has high hopes for the Canadian outfielder, that his production as well as his protection of Pablo Sandoval will vault the team into the playoffs, but there are several skeptics. If he returns to form, this signing could put the Giants in position to contend for years, while if he doesn't, it could be yet another crippling contract in the Brian Sabean mold.

08-27-2009, 10:35 AM	#4
TLforCY Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 5	Spring Training Breakdown: Starting Pitchers: Tim Lincecum Matt Cain Jonathan Sanchez Barry Zito Kevin Correia Randy Wells Steve Hammond Joe Martinez Pat Misch The core of this staff is strong, or in Zito's case, expensive, but either way pretty much guaranteed to have their spots in the rotation. The fifth spot will likely go to Correia or Wells, with the other becoming the long reliever, but Hammond, Martinez, and Misch are all on the 40 man roster, and may be able to knock off one of the favorites Bullpen: Brian Wilson Jonathan Meloan Jeremy Affeldt Justin Miller Sergio Romo Billy Sadler Henry Sosa Brandon Medders Waldis Joaquin The five key members of the bullpen are solid, but the last spot will be up for grabs. Meloan may move into the closer's role would a good spring, but it's more likely the former all star Wilson will hang onto it. Affeldt is the only lefty, giving Misch a slightly better chance of being the long reliever. Catchers: Bengie Molina Steve Holm Jackson Williams Molina's back up will either be Holm, who's a career minor leaguer/back up catcher, or the young Williams, a great defensive catcher with a double A bat. With a strong showing, Buster Posey could be called up mid season. Infielders: Ryan Garko Freddy Sanchez Edgar Renteria Pablo Sandoval Travis Ishikawa Emmanuel Burriss Brandon Crawford Nick Noonan Sharlon Schoop The starters are all but certain, with Travis Ishikawa possibly splitting time with Ryan Garko, but the back up middle infielder could be any of the other four, most likely Burris or Schoop. Schoop is the only one with experience at 3rd base, but Burris has more speed. Noonan and Crawford will probably be given more time to develop at Fresno, before they assume Sanchez and Renteria's spots in 2011. Outfielders: Jason Bay Aaron Rowand Nate Schierholtz Freddy Lewis Eugenio Velez John Bowker Jesus Guzman Andres Torres Brandon Jones Again, the starters are certain, but they are the only ones. Freddy Lewis figures to be the 4th out fielder, as he is a fan favorite, and can play all three outfield spots, but Bowker and Guzman offer more power, and Torres impressed coaches last year with his grit. The Giants have also chosen to invite the following minor leaguers to spring training: Madison Bumgarner Kevin Pucetas Hector Correa Clayton Tanner Buster Posey Angel Villalona Matt Downs Ryan Rohlinger Ben Woodbury Clay Timpner Roger Kieschnick