Flexible Payroll For Giants?

I can honestly see them signing C.C. It sounds disasterous when you couple it with Zito's contract, and the fact that they are in desperate need of bats, but I can still see it. I don't however see any scenario whatsoever in which they go after Tex. They Have Sandoval penciled in at first currently with Bengie at C now. They have Villalona coming in a few years at 1st, and Posey maybe late next year at C. They have to have a spot for Sandoval, and I just can't see it being 3b.

I don't think you can rebuild a team after one year. The Giants shouldn't be focusing on 2009 as their contending year. But more 2010. There's too many questions left.

Is Burris the SS of the future? He didn't get to play a whole lot because we had Vizquel. I'd like to see him play a full season before I crown him with that title.

Sandoval is the next big hitter. Right? Well, he did only have 145 at bats. He swings at EVERYTHING and only had 4 walks. Again, I'd like to see how he does with 400+ at bats in a season and work on some plate discipline.

Who's going to play 2B? Frandsen? Velez?

Better question is who's going to play 3B?

Don't get me wrong. Guys like Burris and Sandoval definitely show promise. But I'd still like to see more of these guys before I feel the Giants can build a contending team around them.
After 2009, Roberts and Winn are off the books so that leaves the Giants with even MORE money to spend. I don't think any more money should be spent on SP. The giants had 51 games last year where they failed to score more than 2 runs. That's pathetic. They also lost 19 1 run games. What they SHOULD do is sign a relief pitcher like Joe Beimel this year and trade for a decent 3B to where they don't have to give up much. My perfect match would be Jorge Cantu. I'm pretty sure he's arbitration eligible and I think the Giants can get him without giving up guys like Alderson, Bumgarner or...Cain. Cantu can replace Aurilia. We can pencil him in as our 3B until we can find someone better and when we do find someone better he's capable of playing 3B, 1B, and 2B.

After 2009 guys like Holliday, Crawford, Roberts, Beltre, Bay, Guerrero, and Matsui become available and that is where we should spend our money. Improving where we see holes from the 2009 season. If the Giants HAVE to spend money on SP guys like Bedard, Duchscherer, Harden, Lackey, and Myers become available. But in 2010 a rotation of Lincecum, Cain, Zito, Sanchez and Bumgarner/Alderson is pretty damn good.

With the pitching the Giants have, I don't think they should trade any of it away. How about giving their positional prospects a shot if they are ML ready? And for the positions that aren't ML ready, sign guys who are cheap and looking for a chance to bounce back? Good expample of that would be Jorge Cantu of FLA. Marlins gave him a shot and he is playing up to his potential. Here is my suggestion:

First off, keep the core of starting pitching that you have. You don't want to look three years down the road kicking yourself in the butt because you let a pitcher go that becomes an absolute star (CAIN). Once these guys come close to being for free agency, then shop them. They are good pitchers and a lot of teams would love to have them.

Second, if you can get what you want for Molina, get it. If not, keep him. If you think Sandoval can become a good ML hitter, give him a shot. You have nothing to lose. Give the guy the at bats that he needs to see if he can really do it. No need to give up on prospects so quick, remember the team isn't going to win a WS so why rush? Trade Winn for whatever you can get, maybe a younger OF? or a 3B? Then sign one or two year stop gaps. How about guys like Emil Brown, Gabe Kepler, Kevin Mench for possible cheap outfielders? Or Tad Iguchi or Mark Gradzialanek for 2B for a year?

This is just an opinion. I think the Giants need to see what their other prospects can do first, identify the core players and go from there. Besides Lincecum, Cain and Sanchez, do the Giants even know who their other core players are? Rowand? Molina shouldn't be one. If you don't have an outline, how can you design something that you have no idea what you're designing?

The problem the Giants have is that they rely too much on "hope" instead of analyzing the facts. Who was the last superstar hitting FA to sign with the Giants? Don't worry I will wait...

Aaron Rowand is probably as good as the Giants can do because 1.) They overpaid, and 2.) They gave an extra year. I don't have anything against Rowand other than the fact that he plays mediocre defense and fails to get on base which is not a good combo for AT&T Park.

Understanding all of this brings us to the reality: if CC "wants" to play for the Giants, there is no reason not to sign him. It is perfectly logical to believe they can develop hitters internally or acquire them via trade. Acquiring them via trade would be because they have an excess of pitching.

Pitchers love AT&T, but hitters don't. The only type of hitters that would like it are of the speedy variety due to the large gaps. The Giants have one of the top Minor League systems, and have plenty of talent coming along. Signing CC would certainly push the payroll to about $100 million, but it would also provide 3 legitimate Aces for the next 3 years until Cain's contract expires.

Imagine this rotation:

Sabathia
Lincecum
Cain
Zito
Sanchez

I think they would immediately be considered the best rotation in baseball, and the hitting pieces can be filled by trading away the depth in the Minors, although I would prefer to see some of them come up. Both Bumgarner and Alderson could be near ready by late 2009 or 2010 if they continue to progress, but regardless that would be an amazing staff that would be competitive for years.

I think a lot of this flexible pay roll chatter is to keep the fan base interested. The other large part of it is to bluff The Dodgers or Rockies if they look at signing pitchers this off season. The franchise probably can’t stop a major Dodgers signing but they can sure do their part of make it more expensive for them.

DawgFight: I would not be surprised if the Giants try and sign a starter to a short term contract trying to reestablish himself or prospect that never quite made it yet. Then let him compete for one of the 1 bottom of the rotation slots. Worst case the team is out a couple MM. Middle ground gets better productivity out of the #4 or #5 slot and gains time for the young arms in farm to develop. Best case the team gains a trading chip for July.

DawgFight24: Good point regarding my post, except for the fact that Bonds was singed in 92 into Candlestick Park! AT&T was yet to exist. Oops...

Sorry?

Ryan Zimmerman had a down year for the nats, do you think he could come at a cheaper price than in previous years?

Hey Matty,

Franny is expected back next season. He actually played in his first AFL game last night and went 3-4 with a couple of double. I look forward to seeing what he can do at the ML level next year barring crazy injury again.

DawgFight24 and tmacntn: I agree with you guys the most. The Giants should give Pablo Sandoval and Emmanuel Burriss the shot to be everyday starters next season. Both are very young and very promising, but the only way to accurately evaluate their impact potential is to have them play a full season in the majors. If both of them prove to be productive regulars, then the Giants know that they are mainstays. The Giants are not expected to win the World Series in 2009, so why not use next season to continue building towards long-term success?

This off-season, the Giants need to address immediate concerns such as third base and the bullpen. For third base, I say go after Edwin Encarnacion or Jorge Cantu or Garrett Atkins. The Giants could keep any of those guys for as long as they like, which is an important factor if Conor Gillaspie is for real. All of them are young, not too expensive, and powerful hitters.

After third base is addressed, the Giants must seek veteran relievers, and I agree that at least two are necessary, especially a lefty. Brian Fuentes would be a great fit here.

After third base and the bullpen are solved, the Giants can look to other needs such as the possible necessities of a second baseman and a fifth starter. Dan Uggla would be a terrific fit at second base. I don't know about starters, but I think CC would be way too much. If the Giants acquired Sabathia, they would not only increase their payroll but also block a spot for fast-rising prospects Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson. CC is a terrific pitcher but why pay $150 million on one pitcher if your future rotation could be Lincecum, Cain, Zito, Alderson, and Bumgarner?

The Giants need to save their money for when they know that they are just one or two big players from contending, and 2009 is not that time. For now, they must focus on building, developing and improving the rest of their team, as well as the organization as a whole.