This Just In

The Barry Zito contract didn't work out. In other news, pizza tastes good.

But the infamous "sources close to the Giants" cited in Bruce Jenkins' story in the San Francisco Chronicle this week say that the Giants are "exasperated" with Zito, and might consider cutting him.

Zito has been exasperating since 2007. He's not quite as exasperating, however, without the $126 million price tag. I'd be a lot more exasperated with my crappy car if I had already paid $60 million on it and still owed another 60, but not enough to abandon it in an alley and keep making the payments for it.

To continue with the automotive analogy, the folly of cutting/abandoning Zito/the crappy car is compounded by the fact that there are no better cars available at this time.

Jeff Suppan? The engine has been pulled out and replaced by a canned ham.

Henry Sosa? No brakes, with seat belts made of piano wire.

Ryan Vogelsong? Seems to putter along, then you realize it's your rusty old tricycle from ten years ago that you traded for Jason Schmidt.

Something that the Jenkins report doesn't even consider is that Zito will be of some value to the Giants. Maybe not $126 million kind of value, but compared to other fifth starters he was average to above average in 2010. Without him, you're still paying the contract, and your 2011 fifth starter may break down before you even drive it off the lot. Kinda makes you want to deal with the all the stigma associated with one of the worst contracts in MLB history. As exasperating as it is.

Jonathan Sanchez: Number Two in the Rotation, Number One in Your Heart

While scouring the Internet looking for clips of Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford, or maybe even Slim Sandoval hitting the first home run of the spring (and coming up empty - why is the Internet allergic to Spring Training clips?), I thought I'd weigh in quickly on the recent announcement that Jonathan Sanchez would be the number two starter in the rotation this year.

I understand the reaction that since Matt Cain is better than Sanchez that Cain should be the second starter. Cain is more consistent, but Sanchez had an interesting 2010, and the story of that season makes me think that he will be better than some people think.

For most of '10, Sanchy was always one of those guys who could be dominant and strike out 12 in a game, or lose control and walk 12. And you usually knew early on which Sanchez you were going to get. But somewhere in September he began to work on his command and was arguably the best guy on the staff that month.

When the playoffs started, he had some standout performances, but not in a good way. He clearly ran out of gas. In the LCS and World Series he lost 2 of his three starts, and the no-decision was the infamous game where he lost control early and plunked Chase Utley. This made some fans forget how he was able to re-invent himself in September, and solidified his reputation as having command issues.

The moral of the story is that Sanchez finished the season with the lowest BAA in the majors, and his ERA and WHIP has gone down every year of his career. And we now know that he can adjust and find better command when he needs to. If Bochy wants to shuffle his lineup so that righties and southpaws alternate - which I think is kind of overrated anyway - the Giants will be more than fine, as long as they keep an eye on that WHIP.

Plus even if Sanchez is more likely to put in a short start, it will be easier on the bullpen if that short start comes in between the longer start from Lincecum and Cain.

Too Many Cooks Spoil the Left Field, and Other Awkward Mixed Metaphors

The Giants website recently reported that left field is kind of a crowded area this spring training. Crowded with what? Blades of grass? If it's crowded with potential starting left fielders, like Bruce "Open Mind" Bochy seems to think it is, then some people in this crowd need to move it along.

While it does appear that there are a handful of potential starting left fielders, appearances can be deceiving. Let's take a look at the "candidates."

Pat Burrell, who made a home for himself in left field last year, though he had a dreadful World Series.

Aubrey Huff, because he may move to left if Brandon Belt wins a starting job at first.

Belt, because apparently, Huff and Belt are as interchangeable as Amy Adams and Isla Fisher, and can just be flip flopped defensively.

Mark DeRosa, who might be healthy. Might.

Oh, and Nate Scheirholtz, because he's willing play any outfield spot. So either left field, or we'll trade him. One of the two.

If Bochy isn't just playing it close to the vest, he should be more clear that Burrell is his front-runner, because it's clear he's the one who should be occupying that spot.

I would be fine with Huff in left field based solely on his ability, but he is our first baseman, and belongs there to start 2011. He would only move from there if Belt somehow has an unbelievable spring or needs to be on the starting roster because of an injury somewhere. Belt winning a job is looking increasingly unlikely, though. For one, Bochy said he would start the season in Fresno. If that wasn't definitive enough, there's the fact that they would need to make room for him to even fit on the 25-man roster should he make the squad. This would be tricky, except in my pipe dreams where Aaron Rowand and his contract are beamed into a space ship and transported to another time, like the humpback whales in Star Trek IV.

Nobody seems to know what DeRosa’s health status is right now. Everybody, however, does know that he hasn’t played in a major league game since May 2010. Seeing him hit balls off a tee is encouraging for someone whose wrist was filled with melted ice cream as of a few months ago, but it doesn’t convince me he should be starting. Unlike some more vocal local fans in the Bay Area, I don’t wish for DeRosa’s absence. It's true that he is old and is coming off of a bad injury, but so was Freddy Sanchez last year at this time. Plus his versatility means that he could cover most of the infield as well as be an outfielder. We may need him to spell Tejada, Sandoval, or Fontenot, who can’t back up all of the infield by himself. Perfect utility candidate - yes. Starting left fielder - no.

Finally, I love Scheirholtz’ defense and his willingness to play all of the outfield spots. And that’s exactly where he is valuable: as a late-inning defensive replacement. Not really any upside to his bat.

It's as simple as this: Burrell is the only candidate here who provides the offense we need and isn’t needed elsewhere. Left field party’s over. It’s late, Bochy. Pat's had a long day and he's got to go to work in the morning. Get them all out the door.

A Feud in the Making?

Okay, so Mat Latos and his one "t" have decided to start signing "I Hate SF" on baseballs for charity, and Giants fans are upset.

Not only do I think we should not care, but we should embrace it. In fact, if you don't think this whole Mat Latos baseball graffiti stunt is absolutely delicious, you are not a good fan, don't care about the Giants and hate apple pie.

Cleveland Brown great Jim Brown said, "act like you've been here before." He's talking to us, as fans of the World Champion San Francisco Giants. While it's true that none of us have been here before, it doesn't prevent us from wearing this World Champion stuff. If we get throw a tantrum whenever a player, team, or fan base reacts to us, we just come off as bratty fans who want their trophy but don't want to pay for it.

Did you all forget that we're flying a plane with a World Championship banner over Dodgers Stadium on opening day? Being champs has consequences and living through them should just be reminders of how awesome it is to be on top.

Plus it's good for the rivalry. The NL West has been a laughingstock of the MLB for too long. A few more feuds like this and it'll become a guilty pleasure reality show.

So don't be upset. Own it!

National Holiday

There was no Charlie Brown special on TV last night. I didn't stay up past bedtime and fall asleep by the chimney waiting for Bruce Bochy to come down with a sack of prospects. I didn't wake up this morning and hit dismiss - instead of snooze - on my alarm, after realizing there was no work today and could sleep another hour. I didn't look for tiny plastic baseballs filled with candy left behind by Andres Torres in the yard today, just barely catching a glimpse of him as he scampered out the gate.

Even though none of that happened today, pitchers and catchers reporting is still a national day of note. There has been no baseball for three and a half months. There has been a lot of talking about baseball and a lot of speculation. There has been plenty of Mitch Williams and Harold Reynolds on my TV, telling me what's going to happen this summer, but no ball has been thrown or bat swung that carries any meaning, in an MLB sense until today.

DeRosa's wrist? Freddy Sanchez' shoulder? Brandon Belt? The Weight Problem that Shall not be Named? The talk can finally end, and these issues can finally be resolved in the real, physical world.

And for that I celebrate.

Michael Young Doesn't Want to be Traded to Giants. So There.

Texas Rangers third baseman and World Series non-winner Michael Young has been going through a tale of two off-seasons.

Young was a good soldier when the Rangers dealt for Adrian Beltre, willing to slide over to DH to accommodate Beltre. Then, after an apparent night out with his best friends eating a gallon of ice cream and listening to I Will Survive decided that he was hurt and wanted out of Texas.

So trade talks started swirling, as trade talks do. The National League West was mentioned, but Young said, emphatically, and while wearing an "Giants Suck" t-shirt, that he wants to go to any team in the division but the Giants. Ouch.

Of course, his official list included some non-NL West teams (Angels, Twins, Yankees and Cardinals). Also, technically it wasn't every other team in the division because didn't list the Diamondbacks. But that could be because the Diamondbacks are not a baseball team but a showroom provider for a local pool dealer. So maybe he didn't actually mention specifically that he didn't want to go to the Giants while he was throwing darts at a Giants World Series banner, but he might as well have, being from Southern California the way he is and all.

Do we care? Kinda. Young is a talented and versatile infielder who can play all positions, and is a good enough hitter to have contended for batting titles. He is exactly the kind of guy who would look good in a Giants uniform on the left side of the infield, which is iffy defensively right now. A great fit in San Francisco. A trade would be a no-brainer if we could wrap up Aaron Rowand, the $24 million dollars we owe him, send them to the Rangers, and get Young in return. It would be worth it to see if the Rangers ever got that desparate. Maybe in time it will happen. Like jet packs.

Spring is (Up) in the Air

Spring training is but a wink of a young girl's eye away, and not many eyebrows have been raised this off-season. The Giants signed a few, jettisoned a few, and sailed through a very calm arbitration sea, without spending outrageously (or being total tightwads). Tejada signed for a year. I shrugged. Renteria felt insulted and went to Cincinnati. I clipped my fingernails. Pablo Sandoval ran into Rich Aurilia at a shopping mall in Arizona, told him that he lost 20 lbs, then promptly headed into T.G.I.Friday's for a Chocolatini. Ho hum.

Suddenly, pitchers and catchers report in two weeks, and the Giants off-season was like one of those days at the office where you're relatively productive but don't do anything dazzling, dash home right at five, and enjoy a sensible dinner before flossing and getting to bed at a reasonable hour. I would say that standing pat is typical for a World Series winning team, but this is the first one I've ever known intimately. I'll say it anyway - mostly because I like saying "World Series winning team" when referring to the Giants.

The drama is coming. Things will prove to be a bit more interesting when Spring Training starts and the position players and the lineup will solidifies. There are some locks on the team, but several spots in the infield and outfield are still up in the air.

The biggest question marks:

Brandon Belt: The happy ending to Spring Training would be for Brandon to win a starting job, then continue the Buster Posey tradition of winning Rookie of the Year and a World Series. But we've had first base prospects win starting jobs before. J.R. Phillips, anybody? Knowing Bochy, he won't want to force the issue, especially with Aubrey Huff coming back, who, like Belt, can play both first and in the outfield.

Pat Burrell: Depending on how the Belt-Huff situation affects the outfield, "The Bat" could either be starting in the outfield or riding the bench. With Uribe gone, however, Burrell's power becomes much more valuable. I think the 2011 team needs his offense.

Mark DeRosa: One of the biggest mysteries, since, because of his wrist injury, we haven't seen him since Jon Bowker was on the team.. DeRosa is probably the most versatile Giant when healthy and could end up in the outfield or the infield depending on the Giants' biggest need.

Pablo Sandoval: He needs more discipline at the plate! (Get it?) Panda's well-documented fitness drama seems to be at the center of which Pablo Sandoval we'll see in 2011. While I don't expect him to be entirely out of the order, I don't see him earning a spot any higher than sixth in the lineup, at least to start thing off.

And one lousy month of Spring Training is supposed to decide all this? I can see it deciding if DeRosa is healthy or determining if Freddy Sanchez is fully recovered from his surgery. But to decide if Panda is back or if Belt is ready for a starting job? Seems like a couple dozen meaningless games is too small a sample. Issues like these will continue to evolve after the season starts.

I know you're supposed to lead with your best foot, but the season is 162 grueling games long. It's not such a big deal if the lineup on opening day isn't the lineup on the last game - Just ask the 2010 Giants. The opening day outfield for your world champions? DeRosa, Rowand and Bowker. A distant memory. In the post season, the shuffling continued at a frenzied pace, as quick-change artist Bruce Bochy put Scheirholtz and Ishikawa in the starting lineup as the circumstance dictated. Bochy taught all us doubters that consistency isn't necessarily the best thing when it comes to baseball.

No matter what happens this spring, expect the lineup musical chairs to continue in the summer.

Ask a Dodger Fan... Off Season Edition

Growing up Giants, I've always viewed the Dodgers and their fans as a force of evil in the world, which, balanced against the forces of Orange and Black bring order and symmetry to the universe. However, since I've moved down to LA, I've met individual Dodger fans. To my surprise, many of these people have actually turned out to be some decent human beings.

In an effort to engage in more civil discourse, I'm beginning a regular feature called Ask a Dodger Fan, where I can get some fan perspective on the goings on of the Giants vis a vis their biggest rival. The off season moves are starting to wrap up and spring training is less than a month away. Perfect time to get a blue perspective on the off-season, and a look ahead to 2011. Also, you can consider this Q & A a thinly veiled attempt to find weaknesses in the Dodgers as we get ready for the upcoming season.

The first Dodger fan is good friend and former co-worker Jeanne Torres, a life-long fan born and raised in LA.

I Bleed Orange: The Dodgers have had a pretty busy off-season while the Giants have kind of stood pat. What move, if any, is the one that is going to put the Dodgers back at the top of the NL West?

Jeanne Torres: We still need that consistent big bat in the line-up. The Dodger's young core can't seem to do it on their own.

IBO: What is a need you wished that they would have addressed that they didn't?

JT: Ownership stability. Until thats locked in, players, personnel and fans don't know what to expect. After that, I think most Dodger fans would like to see a trade for a good power hitter.

IBO: Do you think the Giants winning the division was a case of them peaking at the right time while the Padres choked, or are they the strongest team in the division?

JT:I do think it was the Giants peaking at the right time, but that seems to be the story of recent WS winners. We can all look at the rosters, payroll and see whos got big names in their line-up and who doesn't, but that hasn't mattered in recent playoff years. (unless its the Yanks winning of course)

IBO: From the Dodgers' perspective, is there a target on the back of the Giants' in particular?

JT:There's always a target on the Giants. It just might be a little bigger this year.

IBO: Is Andre Ethier back to 100%? And when can we expect to see him luck into a walk-off home run a week like in '09?

JT: As far as I know, he should be at 100%. Hopefully his numbers will pick up from last year.

IBO: I name three players, and you tell me who's going to have bounce back years in 2011. First Jonathan Broxton.

JT: No, unless he starts taking PED's. Personally I think he's thrown out his arm. After seeing guys like Gagne, and Pappalpon lose their velocity, It's made me a big critic of having a young gun be your closer. After 3 or 4 seasons, their physical condition looked worked and all I see is "retirement" by their early 30's.

IBO: Casey Blake.
JT: Blake is getting older, so I only expect his numbers to stay the same.

IBO: Matt Kemp (With and without Rihanna)
JT: Kemp should have a bounce back year. Hopefully he's grown up a bit and has less distractions. I hope he can stay out of Ned's doghouse this year.

IBO: With resigning Ted Lilly and acquiring Jon Garland, the Dodgers look like they will have a very good starting rotation in 2011. How do you think it stacks up against the Giants rotation?
JT: I'm actually happy about our rotation, but the main focus is health. If the Dodger pitching staff stays healthy, we can compete with ANY team.

IBO: Do you think the Giants winning the World Series title heats up the rivalry a little bit, or does it not have any effect one way or the other?
JT:Absolutely! There will always be that Giant/Dodger rivalry, but it's more special when both teams play well and the wins mean more than just bragging rights. Neither wants the other to finish above them and a World Series championship tops its all. I'm sure us Dodger fans can't wait to beat the Giants this year. It would be great if both teams had big name super stars in their line-up, it's the only element I think our rivalry is missing.

Arbitration Update

Quickly - The World Series Champions have reached deals with four of their six arbitration eligible players. Strikeout machine Jonathan Sanchez, bullpen gallery members Ramon Ramirez and Santiago Casilla, and Babe-Ruth-clone-but-only-in-October Cody Ross all signed one-year deals. Good, good, good and good.

Details are from the team's official site

That only leaves Andres Torres and Javier Lopez as the two arbitration eligible players yet to reach an accord with the Giants.

Both Torres and Lopez filed for about $800K more than they were offered. I fully expect them to reach resolution before a hearing, but I think Torres is clearly the priority here. He's the only speed demon in the starting lineup and one of the few excellent fielders on the team. Pay him what he wants. In $2 bills if he prefers.

The only point of hesitation is that he suspiciously had a career year at age 32 after languishing in the minors for ten years. While he may not have as good of numbers in 2011 at the plate as he did in 2010, I don't think it's a coincidence that right before enjoying his best season, he finally learned to cope with ADHD. Sometimes late bloomers do exist.

Lights! Camera! Bunting Practice!

Showtime and the World Champion San Francisco Giants have announced that over a ten month period, they will be shooting a reality series with the Giants. The show will follow the team through Spring Training, and the first half of the season, going to air sometime during the second half. The series will be called Machine Thong Freak Prop 19 World Series Beard.

I only made up one of those sentences.

I read some articles and listened to some callers today, and folks are worried that all those cameras in the locker room might distract the players from... all the cameras in the locker room.

Or maybe they're actually worried about private locker room stuff getting out. Like towel snapping and other tomfoolery. Or maybe they fear that Aubrey Huff and Pat Burrell will turn into Snooki and Sammi with chewing tobacco (if they don't already partake).

I shrug about that aspect of it. This is just going to be a baseball version Hard Knocks, which Showtime even said. Hard Knocks never tried to create conflict, or install a confessional hot tub in the clubhouse, etc. They just tried to get inside football stuff. Like shake weights. And the most important part is that thus far it has not hurt the Jets playoff chances.

Giants President of Baseball Operations Larry Bear is already excited about the increased coverage of his team, and so am I. Fans all over the country are going to be saying, "Oh, the Giants. Great. I'm so tired of hearing about them." and I'm finally going to be on the other side of that complaint.