Giants Leaning Toward Sabean For '09

He has done a good job at changing philosophy the last year and committing to a youth movement which is odd because his job is on the line. Even if he gets the ax he deserves some credit for committing to turning the organization around after he realized they were no longer World Series contenders.

Better drafts! You have to be joking right? The problem wasn't their drafts which have provided substantial talent, but rather the giant's infatuation with signing type A free agents who have cost them their first round draft choices.

In the last two drafts the Giants have produced at least 3 top 100 prospects in Bumgarner (07), Alderson (07), and Posey (08). I doubt Gillaspie (08) will be considered a top 100, but don't be mistaken about the Giant's drafts; they have certainly been top 10 drafts the last two years.

Furthermore, their activity on the Latin front has produced more top talent. Angel Villalona ($2.3 million in 07) and Rafael Rodriguez ($2.5 million in 08) have been regarded as consensus top international talents the last two years. Furthermore, another potential top 100 prospect, Henry Sosa, has also joined those ranks. They also signed a very intriguing Latin SS in Ehire Adrianza who at the age of 18 is the best fielding SS the Giants have in their minor leagues. I'd say the Giants have done quite well the last two years, and in about two more the talent will begin to surface in the Majors.

This organization has done a complete 180 in terms of talent on the farm, and Sabean and his staff deserve some credit.

Sabean? You mean that guy who gave a pitcher who's career clearly peaked in 2002 $17M a year for 7 years? A guy whos entire sucess rode on the back of 1 singular player?

There's been 100's of GMs fired for less that the muck Sabean has been rubbing in Giants fans faces over the years....

He's not the best GM in the game.He also doesn't get nearly as much credit as he should.He has been the GM since 97.From 2000-2004 they were the winningest team in baseball.He has made his mistakes just like all GM's.Zito is just on a much higher level.

The man doesn't deserve to lose his job for one VERY bad signing,one very bad trade(liriano/nathan)and few bad years in which he had to try and build around a declining Bonds.Sabean and his assistants/scouts clearly are headed in the correct direction.

I don't think you drop him now when he's in the middle of rebuilding.If this team makes no progress by the of next year.Then maybe he should be gone if he combines that with a bad draft.

The future is bright for the Giants!

Bottom line, and I think most would agree, is that if a change should be made, it should have been last year. Sabean was given a 2-year deal with a set goal, get younger and get back to respectability on a 2 year plan. To think he hasn't made progress from last year is foolish and a move right now would impede that progress.

"If the team continues its struggles next year, I am all for making a change, but one right now does not make sense."

When a team is rebuilding, it WILL struggle. That doesn't mean Sabean isn't doing his job. If Sabean brings in more FAs though as a bandaid or builds the team around veterans, then he is in trouble.

"The man doesn't deserve to lose his job for one VERY bad signing..." Actually, I think he does. The Zito contract just isn't bad, it's bad in Biblical proportions. That's like saying that Lee Harvey Oswald didn't deserve to die because he made "one bad mistake".

"Take out Lee Harvey Oswald and put in Timothy McVeigh. That will more accurately depict the Zito signing as opposed to most other bad signings."

melonis, that has to be the greatest comparison ever.

"So here's the real question since hindsight is always 20/20 on Zito."

In this case, that's not the case for Zito. Zito's peripheral numbers had been getting worse for several years before being signed. Sabean thought he signed the 2002 Zito and paid him like that. He's an albatross until 2013. There's a reason only a few teams got into the bidding and another reason why everyone was laughing after the Giants signed him. The Giants signed a guy who even at the time was a low #2 decent #3 for a record deal. Anyone really that shocked they got a #5/#6 pitcher instead.

I think the Giants should try and trade Cain to the Cards for Rasmus, Joe Mather, and a pitching prospect.

Then the Giants need to either move Rowand or Winn to make room for Rasmus. Rowand is the better choice to move, but he's also harder to move because of the long contract. Winn is vastly underrated and I don't think the Giants can get full value for him because no one really appreciates his overall value (good D, solid OBP, good speed, acceptable power).

I would also look to move Molina. They should get a solid player or 2 with such a weak free agent catcher market. The team isn't winning in 2009, so it doesn't kill them to give Sandoval a chance behind the plate. Maybe try and swap Molina for McPherson or Cantu. Or maybe try and interest the Cubs in either Rowand or Winn and get back Cedeno as part of the package to take over SS.

C - Sandoval

1B - Ishikawa/Mather/Bowker/Schierholz

2B - Frandsen/etc.

SS - Burriss/etc.

3B - Sandoval

LF - Lewis

CF - Rasmus

RF - Winn

giants2010- No FAs. Winn should be traded, hands down. The Giants will not be contending in '09 unless it is by some sort of fluke miracle.

"So here's the real question since hindsight is always 20/20 on Zito"

Umm, no it isn't. Not when peripherals from 2002-06 were sitting right in front of Sabean's face when making the decision. Declining ones. Had he done his research properly, things would probably have been different.

"I feel pretty confident in saying that the Cubs wouldn't want Rowand or Winn. Rowand's contract exceeds his worth, and he's a righty."

So what? He should fit right in on the cubs then. ;).... But seriously, I could see the Cubs being interested in Rowand. I could see rumors in a similar fashion to the Brian Roberts moves of this year. Cubbie fans like the big name, like most big markets, and Rowand, while not a supertstar, is a big name. And the fans would LOVE him in Wrigleyville. He could fit right into their lineup almost anywhere, and he would play a good CF. Another 25 HR season would not be out of the question in Wrigley either. Could definitely see Rowand in Wrigley in 09.

Rowand, disappointing second half, sure. But I'm not committed to saying it's a bad signing. When you have young guys coming up, you need someone teaching them the right attitude. Manny Burriss and all them all talk about asking Rowand's advice, even about whether or not they're allowed to do interviews with the opposing team's play-by-play guys. He's molding the guys who'll be here for a while, and like the Pudge signing a few years back, sometimes you gotta pay to get a guy to come into a losing situation, especially when it's not a hitter's park.

I can't believe I'm going to defend the Zito signing. When they signed him I was shocked and against it. But, They just lost there #1 guy in Jason Schmidt and if you look at all the pitchers availible at the end o6 and 07 none were was good as Zito. He was coming off a rebound year and a big Playoff win on the road verse Santana (at Minn) All the top line 1's and 2's were locked up and the FA's avialible for 09 could have locked up with there current teams. (still might)and I believe this was the owners call. They wanted to make a splash. Unfornately this looks like the worse contract in history and I thought that at the time.

Were stuck with Rowand and Winn and that's not going to change. keep Molina around for the young pitchers put Sandoval at 1st or 3rd and sign or trade for a real slugger. That's the only way Cain's going anywhere.

Sabean did trade for Kent, Nen, Jt Snow, and Jason Schmidt and he did have 8 straight winning seasons 97 -04. Best Gaints streak since the 60's. He tried to win with Bonds in his prime and in 02 we came up 5 outs short!!!! ouch!!!

I like the promise of what I've seen this year and the direction the team currently is going. Younger!!