Following his 50-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug and word of an alleged cover-up attempt, the odds of the Giants re-signing Melky Cabrera this offseason seemed unlikely. However, there is now more openness within the Giants organization to retain the outfielder, according to Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com.
Many people within the club's front office view Cabrera as a talented two-way player coming into his prime, despite concerns that his strong 2012 campaign was the product of PEDs. It also helps that Cabrera should now be a relative bargain on the free agent market, a significant selling point for a team that will be looking to maximize its payroll room this winter. Baggarly also writes that the Giants were pleased with his decision to take action and have himself removed from contention for the batting title.
The Giants made the formal move of re-instating Cabrera on to the 40-man roster, though he will not be used at any point during the postseason. The Giants' only other option would have been to release the slugger as he was coming off of the disabled list, but that would have also meant forfeiting their exclusive negotiating period after the World Series.
Would love to see the yankees trade Granderson for prospects and ponce on the opportunity to acquire the Melkman. Despite an unfortunate decision people cannot deny he is a talented player that can improve any lineup he is inserted into.
Except that he can’t improve a lineup and is simply yet another product of PEDs.
PEDs don’t fix your swing and its not like this guy was hitting dingers.
When he hits .275 with 15 HRs, 89 RBI’s and a OBP of .310 you’ll think differently.
Nothing too shabby about those stats. I’d take that any day on my roster.
Then again, I AM a Jays fan… so we’re used to crap players.
.310 OBP with 15 HRs from a corner OF? Thats pretty awful.
better than rajai davis
Yes and no. Better than Davis’ 2012 stats, but rajai’s career averages are about as useful as that batting line. PLUS Davis draws the bulk of his value from his great CENTERFIELD defense. Melky is a poor centerfielder and an average to above average corner OF defensively giving him a ton less value on that side. I don’t think he’d hit that poorly but if he did he’d be less useful than Davis.
great centerfield defense from rajai davis?
nope, never. his defense in left isnt even average
@Slopeboy well I’m a Braves fan so I would have taken those numbers when he was in Atlanta.
Hence why people are all up in arms confuse me because 29 other teams would take that in a heartbeat.
PEDs can help you hit the ball harder. Harder hit balls go for hits more often. Cabrera’s batting average on balls in play spiked tremendously this year.
Melky Cabrera wasn’t exactly a player who did too well in his early years. The Giants really hold all of the cards…and I suspect that his next contract will be a 1- or 2-year deal.
Why do the Giants hold “all the cards”?
Because Melky Cabrera got suspended for PEDs in what would have been a career year for him, and before that, he was not exactly a spectacular outfielder at the plate.
There’s gotta be a good Barry Bonds joke in here somewhere…
But moving on, not really all the surprised. The simply fact is teams have a decisive advantage in negotiating with Cabrera. While at one point he was in line for a major salary bump he’ll have to accept a one-year deal for a couple of million with few or no incentive bonuses.
Giants open to signing PED user? 😐
What else is new?The Giants have no problem benefiting from PED users. Just look at the Bonds years and all they didn’t do when PEDs were flowing free in their clubhouse.
what team didnt benefit from a PED user’s performance?
Royals?
You think Melky was clean last year when he first broke out while on the Royals?
Yeah, otherwise he would’ve been suspended back then
haha, Seriously? You think there aren’t players who aren’t getting caught when they are using?
I think resigning him is a great idea. He’s certainly not the only major league player to use PEDs. He simply got caught. With the vast and ridiculous amounts of money involved in professional sports I can see why players would turn to PEDs to maximize performance. His decision to remove himself from the batting title indicates some degree of remorse. And, he didn’t commit violent crimes,domestic violence or DUI, which some players have.
It is kinda awful now that you mention it. Players who test positive for PEDs are vilified yet Miguel Cabrera and many other MLB players DUIs are forgotten relatively quickly. On the general scale of things one would think a guy using PEDs has committed less of an offense than the guy who is endangering other people’s lives.
Let’s not forget the rampant use of greenies, cocaine, and every other drug used by players during the 60’s and 70’s before and during games.
Poor example indeed…
greenies did **nothing** to build muscle mass and only have players the “feeling” they were superman, not a BODY to back it up.
Cocaine? Interesting you bring that up.. I know of a certain manager who was busted for that a couple years back and the team he managed didn’t even have the guts to fire him…
Regardless.. Coke didn’t build muscle mass and turn guys into mcQuire’s and Canseco’s either.. You didn’t see slap hitters, such as Brady Anderson (google him) go from 10-12 HR, all the way up to **50** in one season with taking junk, such as greenies… PED’s ruined it and anyone using it should be banned… Period…
Odd to focus on muscle mass. What is the measurable effect of greenies on performance? What is the effect of steroids?
Greenies (amphetamines) were used by MANY players as far back as at LEAST the early 60’s. Team Dr’s used to dispense them even. They (quote from Bill Lee’s book) would give you the “feeling” you could throw your FB by anyone, even if (like him) threw 85-86mph and you had to be careful. They gave you more energy, nothing else.
Who knows? Maybe it’s why Lee threw that “ephus” pitch to Tony Perez in game 7 of the ’75 ‘Series that perez blasted outta’ Fenway.. Lee figured he could get it by him? 🙂
You can get a good idea on how greenies affected players from their own accounts of guys who used them… Bill Lee, Jim Bouton.. Both admitted extensive users from the 60’s-70’s (Bouton) and Bill Lee (70’s) wrote extensively on others that used them and described (in detail) the enhancing effects of them and muscle mass was not one..
But the question is did Greenies give them an edge? Yes or no.
Because if you answer yes then that means the players are getting an advantage over other players by taking a performance enhancing drug.
Not all steroids are focused on muscle mass. Some or focused on recovery and giving a player sustained ‘energy’ during the game.
Thought that answer of mine explained it better than a simple “yes or no” with reasons… “no” as in mental only. The healing aspect of ANY steroids? you don’t think that effects building? A world of difference.
Great. How about the players that used steroids who were never great. Didn’t it give them a mental edge as well?
Amphetamine’s did give you energy and ‘concentration’ whether that is perceived or factual it’s still giving you an edge. No, it didn’t help build muscle mass but does building muscle mass make you a better player?
Ask Barry Bonds, Mark Mcquire…
I already referenced Brady Anderson on how a guy can go from average power to 50HR overnight.. Are you saying Greenies are even close to that, at BEST? The 2 are not even comparable and there is no way to make them so.
I’m not saying it did. What I’m saying is Amphetamines gave you an edge not in terms of muscle mass but endurance or ‘energy.’ Now with that being said isn’t that cheating the game? How about the player on the other side of the field not taking greenies? Won’t that put him at a disadvantage?
I’m glad you brought up Barry Bonds. Were the PEDs that you think Bonds were using illegal at the time? Why was Bonds just simply greater than all the other players during his time using? Why was he able to get only one pitch an at-bat to hit and still punish it? Did PEDs effect his BBs?
Is there conclusive evidence that PEDs make you a better baseball player? Why is Gaylord Perry still in the HOF after he admitted himself he cheated the game?
Funny thing about Perry.. Read his book “Me & The Spitter” the old buzzard never admitted he threw it! LOL
I remember watching games on TV back then where the umpires would go to the mound and do almost a STRIP search on the guy, but never found anything. Joe (his bro) got busted for think it was a nail file once and got suspended and maybe I am forgetting something here? But i don’t think Gaylord ever got caught for using vaseline on balls during a game, tho it was found on balls DURING games he pitched.
Not a believer that because 1 guy was busted years later for using something illegal that he should be given a pass, only because they more or less were not known about, or teams may have turned a blind eye in some cases and I mean all teams that may have engaged in that there. It was wrong. There is no way to make it right.
Chasing HR records. If it can come out that the league was engaged in this somehow? We deserve to know and people need to go to jail, other than ‘trainers”, but much, much higher up people in the league that were culpable in that *if* it happened.
As for Bonds Walks? That was obvious and I understand you are a Giants fan, but you have to realize he WAS the offense.. Teams didn’t want to pitch to him.. Didn’t he even receive an intentional BB once with the bases loaded? Think he was the ONLY other documented (other than Ted Williams) to have that happen and yes.. Williams was the recipient of MANY of his walks because he WAS the offense on many Sox teams during the 50’s. You give nothing to hit to the guy that can hurt you and the Giants were not exactly loaded with offense most of Bonds years.
Bonds was not the only offense. Maybe in 2005, 2006, 2007. Still he got exactly one pitch in the zone at times and is still able to punish that. His pitch recognition was unparalleled.
The PEDs the players were using were not illegal because MLB had no idea the types of drugs they were using. BALCO was always one step ahead of the game. Now that they are now we look at them differently. But at the same time Amphetamines were just recently banned in 2006. Do we look at the player of the greenies era differently now an era that spans for over 50 years?
The writers that don’t want to vote for the players to the HOF during the PED era are ridiculous. Why do we condemn players that used PEDs when others in the past have used other things to get into the HOF.
Players used things to gain an advantage spitballs, greenies, stealing signs etc. The HOF voting is a grey area that writers exploit because they want to sit on their moral high horse touting the ‘integrity of the game’ and that is complete BS.
Writers are gonna’ be writers. Even if MLB were to tell them it was OK to allow Pre ban, or even name Bonds as eligible for the HOF (and Rose for gambling) specifically, there would be many who have that “we are holier than thou” attitude and still wouldn’t. You know, I know it and every (or most) of the intelligent fans of the game knows it.
That is how come the Derek jeter’s of the world get GG, Ted Williams gets left off of MVP ballots altogether after he hit .406 (a fact) in ’41 and why have been saying for awhile that all balloting needs to be stripped away from writers.
In what bonds years were the giants NOT loaded offensively? As tainted as it is Bonds was still the most t offensive force relative to the era in which he played the league has ever seen. Add to that elite offensive players like Will Clark, Matt Williams, Jeff Kent, and Ellis Burks plus a handful of other guys like JT Snow, rich Aurilia, Ron Gant, Bill mueller and Jose Cruz jr who all had at least a couple highly productive seasons alongside Bonds and you’ve pretty much got an offensive juggernaut.
@Johnsilver: Gaylord’s brother’s name was Jim not Joe. It was not he but Phil Neikro’s brother Joe that got caught with a nail file in the mid eighties (I think it was 1987 with the Twins). He tried to reach into his pockets when the umpires asked and flung the file out of his pocket as he turned it inside out. The ump saw it and picked it up out of the grass. (google it). Amphetamines are mostcertainly performance enhancing drugs if used correctly. Too much would make you jittery and would hurt your performance. A smaller amount gives you just enough energy over the course 162 game schedule. It also helps you focus in on the pitcher and concentrate better. I say this from experience (Independant league). Their is a reason about 50 percent of MLB suffers from ADHD since the PED ban. They all get Adderall scripts and they help. The cocaine would be detrimental I imagine as the half life of the drug is much shorter and ups and downs would be too much during the game. Greenies would not make you run faster or get stronger or even enhance eye sight as HGH or steroids might but they DO HELP a hitter Particurally a lethargic one perform better. FACT!
Apologies on Perry and Niekro brothers confusion.. yeah.. I get ’em mixed up. Shouldn’t tho as Niekro’s were knuckleballer’s and neither perry threw one.. Guess it happens with the passage of time.. Both time itself and old age as well 🙁
PED – Performance Enchancing Drug.
‘Greenies’ – Drug that athletes took to enhance performance.
Anabolic Steroids – Drug that athletes took to enhance performance.
Cheating is cheating. We are not talking about caffeine here, we are talking about illegal drugs.
What exactly did players gain from taking greenies, other than a buzz and thinking they were superman?
They were 1st issued after long flights and a team had to play a day game, or to keep them awake and in playing shape. Just where is that going to do anything super to help them improve, other than keep them awake?
This entire scenario isn’t going to change. There is a huge difference between steroids/PED’s which will always be lumped into the same category regardless as they DO change aspects of the game in a huge way and yes.. Greenies are/were closer to caffeine than you think, tho on a larger scale.
one of those makes someone a bad person… eerrr or atleast a good person making a terrible decision..
the other, makes them a cheater.
no one condones drinking and driving, but it didn’t affect cabby’s stats, not that, that’s the only important thing, but we don’t really have a right to judge players on their personal lives.
I’m sorry, but I completely disagree with that last statement. I’ve hung out with drunks, casual drinkers, social drinkers, etc. The one thing they have in common when their drunk and holding their car keys: They know it’s wrong, they know it’s foolish, and they don’t care. I’ll get off my high horse now for various reasons but to put it simply, I feel it is perfectly acceptable to pass judgment on those who drink and drive.
we shouldnt even know if a player drinks or drives. that was more my point.. its an aspect of their personal life, like if they beat their wife or kids, those are all things that the common fan shouldn’t really know.
we live in a world now where players can’t hide their personal lives, especially when they do something horrible like a dui.
again, not ‘sticking up’ for cabby, i agree that on a moral level, a dui is far worse than ped use.
i brought up the exact same point when escobar was being hung out to dry, because somehow he was being grilled more than any player who committed far worse crimes.
Interesting point.
Agree somewhat as well. DUI? Yep.. They were considered misdemeanors for decades anyway, until a more “enlightened” political atmosphere came about. Agree that misdemeanor crimes by players probably should be sealed somehow.. Tagged by teams as some kind of “injury” so to speak, but felonies? Wife beaters? Don’t see how those can be, nor should be hidden and there goes that thin line altogether.. Where do you draw that line anyway?
PED? Drinking? Cocaine? Charged with? Convicted? Hard to tell and then you have those nasty racists who are coming out in the game.. We had 3 glaring examples in 2012. They all made local attention anyway, 1 fired up an entire population locally that will not name, 1 did a pretty decent job of doing likewise in another. How can that be hidden? is it proper, in this day and age to hide out and out racists in our midst?
What you are asking is very slippery there Lunchbox.
I don’t give out many up arrow, but here is one,.
Well, it’s not like DUI’s artificially improve a player’s performance. Otherwise, that’d be bad.
Am I the only one that is really surprised by their decision NOT to add him to the playoff roster? Think about all the uproar over the Nats not using Strasburg! He has an injury they are working through and people are screaming at the Nats for not using him. Melky can come in an contribute to a team that needs offense, there’s nothing wrong with him, and they choose NOT to?
I thought so too, then I spoke with a Giants fan who made a really good point. Sure he has been producing this season, but he is also had roughly a third of a season without performing against MLB talent. He very well could need a week or two to get back to game shape. That and given that the Giants have played well in his absence, why risk it?
It’s called being responsible and not rewarding bad behavior. Cabrera’s actions hurt not only him but the Giants as well. That they had a good enough team to overcome his departure and still make the post season says a lot about the team.
That they chose not to add him to the roster and make him a spectator for the
play-offs says that Giants have a great understanding of what is fair play.
CoughMOTA!
COUGHBondsBernardCOUGHAtonofotherguysCOUGHEstallela
1) He’s had a huge layoff, and doesn’t have the opportunity to “rehab” in actual minor league games.
2) it would be a little tough to know what to expect from him, both because of the layoff and just generally not knowing what kind of player non-PED Melky is.
3) It would be a massive distraction and be the main focus of the media for the next series at least.
4) Blanco is quite a bit better defensively in LF, and has been swinging a hot bat down the stretch and in the first playoff series. Adding Melky doesn’t necessarily upgrade LF, especially in one or two short series. Of course it adds depth to the team by putting a better bat, more speed and another capable defensive OF on th bench whether Melky starts or sits. But can you really blame Bochy for wanting to go with the team that has been playing so well since Melky left?
I suspect a lot of teams will be thinking the same thing about buying low on Melky and he’ll end up getting a deal that is a lot bigger than expected, Maybe only one or two years but I bet it’ll be 8 million or more per season.
It’s not much big of a risk if you have money to spend…on the chance that his talent/production is somewhere between what his career numbers were and what he did this season.
Seems like there is a lot of money available and not much talent to throw it at this upcoming off season.
I’m convinced that the Rangers put a low bid in on him to replace Hamilton.
I’m shocked, shocked! To find steroids here!
Here’s your division title sir.
Oh, thank you.
Personally I am really surprised by this. Brian Sabean made it really clear that Melky is not welcome back. The Giants are really pushing it, and Sabean could get in big trouble with the Commissioners office considering he’s allowed so many PED users to continue playing on the Giants. Starting with Bonds, but especially letting Mota stay on the playoff roster and now Cabrera potentially coming back. I would not be surprised to see Selig force Sabean out of the GM seat….