Yesterday, Giants GM Brian Sabean talked to the press about the possibility of signing Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum to contract extensions. Here's more on San Fran..
- Not a huge surprise here, but Sabean said that the Giants won't go after Yoenis Cespedes, tweets Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. "The price tag is probably beyond what his talent is," the GM said. The outfielder still has a number of suitors including the Marlins, Cubs, White Sox, Orioles, and Tigers.
- Sabean said that Ramon Ramirez was included in the Andres Torres–Angel Pagan trade in December to even out the money, Schulman tweets. Back in December, the GM admitted that if the Giants hadn't traded Ramirez, they would have tendered the right-hander a contract.
- Speaking of Torres, a competing baseball exec told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter) that he sees the former Giant as a fifth outfielder, even though he is slated to start in center field for the Mets. Heyman agrees with that assertion.
Yeah and Dave Cameron correctly pointed out that Torres as a fifth outfielder is a completely idiotic characterisation. He’s been fine with the bat, not even considering his excellent glove.
Agreed. I hope the Cubs do not sign him. Let the Marlins waste the money. Big risk
I like your avatar.
Quite the picture.
Heyman is a good reporter, but a lousy talent evaluator. Torres is either a top-of-the-line 4th OF or an average starting OF at worst.
Depends if you think you will see the 2010 (6.8 fWAR) or 2011 (2.1 fWAR) version of Torres this season. I’ll settle for something in the middle.
What is average for a starting outfielder?
2.1 is generally considered league average. So even in a down year, in which his BABIP was below his career norms I might add, he was still an average starting CF even with a 85 WRC+.
“Torres is either a top-of-the-line 4th OF or an average starting OF at worst.”
That’s true physically, he’s a good starter, 2010 proved that. But his mental condition lags behind his talent.
“Torres is either a top-of-the-line 4th OF or an average starting OF at worst.”
That’s true physically, he’s a good starter, 2010 proved that. But his mental condition lags behind his talent.
No way Torres is a 4th or 5th outfielder…no way. He’s one of the best defenders in baseball. Outside of a poor offensive season last year (in which he hit in terrible lineup), he’s been more than able to hold his own as a hitter. Torres is one of the better CFs in MLB, not every year, but I think he still he has few great years left in him
still have a nagging suspicion he will be wearing the Old English D by this time next week.
Torres has a 19.9 career UZR/150, and had one good and one great (6.8 WAR in 2010) season before a down year where he was injured. As someone whose dealt successfully with my own ADHD in the past, Andres didn’t arrive late because of lack of talent.
Don’t get me wrong- the 2010 Andres Torres was quite possibly the most admirable player on the field in Texas, game 5 of the WS. But as much as we fans did admire THAT guy, he wasn’t that same player in 2011. His medical situation is very complex and may have wholly to do with his decline. But those familiar with his situation see the same problems continuing with the high level of pressure in a starting role. The Mets will likely find him more untenable than Pagan for entirely different reasons. I just sincerely hope Torres finds a role that doesn’t overstress him.
It is good to hear that there is a good chance that the Giants can resign Lincecum and Cain. They are 2 of the core players. The core players are Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Sandavol, Posey. We need position player pospects to pan out. Crawford, Belt, Pill.
Gary Brown is looking like the real deal. If he does extremely well in AA he’ll be a call up midseason if Pagan is terrible or we’ll see him in September for sure. Just worried about his walk rate. If he increases that he’ll have 50+ steals a season.
“If he does extremely well in AA he’ll be a call up midseason”
Directly from Bobby Evans VP Player Development: “Ideally Brown will stay in the minors the whole year including Sept.” From the last hot stove show on KNBR.
Brown would need to scorch the ball all the way from aa to aaa and then get called up in Sept based on Sabean’s judgement, the only one beyond Bochy and Evans who is slightly more inclined to see players sooner. IMO Brown has to have the goal in mind to make it in Sept, Evans doesn’t think so, Sabean likely does (he said last year it’s not impossible to see Brown as a Sept callup this year). But barring major injuries to Pagan and Cabrera we won’t see Brown in CF this year. They seem to ideally want him on the Posey track in 2013.
It is good to hear that there is a good chance that the Giants can resign Lincecum and Cain. They are 2 of the core players. The core players are Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Sandavol, Posey. We need position player pospects to pan out. Crawford, Belt, Pill.
i seriously cant wait for the season to start! i need something to get my head off the niners, and the whiskey isnt cuttin it.
The fact that Sabean viewed Ramirez as a toss-in tells me everything I need to know about him. As far as I’m concerned, Ramirez is the big pay-off in this deal and is the reason that rather than being a wash, this trade is a win for the Mets.
True dat. Saw him at fanfest today and wanted to say some things that you can’t post here without having a comment removed.
Totally agree that Ramirez IS the deal here. But, according to Sabean he’s a throw-in because the Giants didn’t want to pay him $2.5 million?
Little tired of seeing the penny-pinching while Sabean insists that the Zito and Rowand contracts are not influencing roster decisions.
I really like Torres, but more as a person than a baseball player. He is seriously one of the nicest most genuine people if you get a chance to talk to him. Glad he got a ring!!
Because the price tag being above a player’s talent level has totally stopped Sabean before, right?
If he was 32 years old with the same talent potential, Sabean would have thrown the money at him faster than a Brian Wilson fastball.
A guy who put up 6.8 WAR a year ago is a 5th outfielder? Heyman clearly forgot to switch his filter from brain to mouth back on.
Even at 2 WAR, you’re still considered to be an average player at worst.
I guess he really does need Boras telling him what to say..
You can have Marlon Byrd.
Here’s another Giants note: They won the Super Bowl…