Giants Rumors

Originally posted by LUser:
I have noticed a lot of Giants fans are kind of myopic about the way they follow baseball.

Most are very aware of the Dodgers and wanting to be better than, or beat them head to head... and some follow just the division, others just the NL.

Very few even consider the AL the same game and they are very anti- DH. Other than the A's the typical Giants fan doesn't have an AL rival unless the LAA world series sticks in their craw.

They catch up with the AL once the playoffs start and they don't have to look around to find the games.

For those of you from out of town it's F'in impossible to find anyone working in a sports bar who knows how to work the tv's.

maybe this sounds harsh, but unless you have basic knowledge about the other teams around the league, and basic all around knowledge about baseball history, youre considered a vanilla giants fan.

its one thing to not have heard of Scott Barnes, but Ryan Garko has been in the major leagues for 4 seasons now. maybe im just a more hardcore baseball fan than most others.

Originally posted by SFGiants55:
maybe this sounds harsh, but unless you have basic knowledge about the other teams around the league, and basic all around knowledge about baseball history, youre considered a vanilla giants fan.

its one thing to not have heard of Scott Barnes, but Ryan Garko has been in the major leagues for 4 seasons now. maybe im just a more hardcore baseball fan than most others.

I think you are right in both cases. You ARE more hardcore (and therefore more knowledgeable) than most baseball fans and the Giants fans (or those that refer to themselves as such) are more "vanilla" for lack of a better term as an overall BREED.

I consider my self semi-knowledgeable but I already made a mistake in misidentifying Garko and he is miles away from a household name in baseball beyond Shaker Heights.

I knew his name and may even remember hearing about him at Stanford while he went there, but it's clear why this type of deal was made rather than V. Mart and LaRoche. 446,000 reasons in fact. The team is hemmoraging money.

Also after the interview with Chonicle live you could tell he was ecstatic about getting out of Cleveland and couldn't wait to be back in Cali as a wanted fulltime Giant after 4 years trying to breakthrough in that lineup.
He sees it as a big chance to make the most of and is excited.

From what I know of LaRoche (His attitude and ADD problems) wearing out his welcome with the Braves and elsewhere he has maxxed out his talent and we would be his 3rd or 4th team and in a market where he wouldn't have fit or been motivated as much as Garko. I mean, he was playing with his brother in Pitt. and still didn't seem happy.

I hope were not done dealing and want to see some more excitement at ATT other than a bobble day or $5 bleachers on the Timmy K's plan night's.

Maybe if we finally put together a consistant winner and a World Series Champion we would "Churn" out a less "Vanilla" type of Fan.

Worked for the Niners.

I want Dunn. I traded for him in the Show

Originally posted by crzy:
I want Dunn. I traded for him in the Show

LOL I did the same thing a few days ago. Got rid of Renteria for him.

Originally posted by SF69ers:
LOL I did the same thing a few days ago. Got rid of Renteria for him.

If only the Nats were that stupid. Maybe they'd like us to throw in Zito to "sweeten" the deal.

Originally posted by SFGiants55:
maybe this sounds harsh, but unless you have basic knowledge about the other teams around the league, and basic all around knowledge about baseball history, youre considered a vanilla giants fan.

its one thing to not have heard of Scott Barnes, but Ryan Garko has been in the major leagues for 4 seasons now. maybe im just a more hardcore baseball fan than most others.

Come on man. I don't like being confrontational (especially with other Giants fans), but you need to come down off your high horse a little.

As LUser said, Garko is hardly a household name. What do YOU imagine the threshold for considering oneself a fan of a team to be? The ability to recite the starting lineup of every other team in the league? I hate to break it to you, but you would be eliminating 99.9% of Giants fans in the process. If I didn't know ARod or something, then ok, you might have a point. But Garko? Come on.

Just as with any sport, there are varying degrees to which people follow it. I consider myself a hardcore Giants fan. I don't live in the Bay Area anymore, but I still catch mostly every game online. I discuss the team, games, players, etc. with a friend almost daily. I'm a very busy person (PhD student in engineering), so I simply don't have the time to watch other teams' games, read their box scores, watch too much SportsCenter, or play fantasy baseball or baseball video games. Does this make me less of a fan of my team? No. Does it mean I am less knowledgeable about baseball as a whole? Sure.

When I made the post saying I didn't know who Garko was, it was written with the intent of getting information from those on the board who are more knowledgeable about baseball as a whole. Although the board is still young, I could already tell that users such as LUser and Giantjohn had a lot of baseball knowledge, and I was hoping one of them could fill in my gaps of knowledge, which they did. I didn't write it to get bashed or have my fanhood questioned. I have the utmost respect for those that are highly knowledgeable about the game, but I would kindly ask that you use it in a constructive manner rather than to attempt to talk bad about others (unless they are dodgers fans). Thanks.

Originally posted by Thizz415:
i have a feeling sabean is dumb enough to trade alderson for sanchez. I would like sanchez but i do not want to give up more than needed.

I would fire Sabean on the spot if he made that trade. Seriously, even he cant be that stupid.

Originally posted by GiantsWinThePennant:
I would trade Tim Alderson but not for Addum Dunn maybe Victoe Martinez though or Dann Uggla. Dan Uggla for Alderson and Noonan Clark

Seriously? There is no way I trade Alderson, Noonan, and Clark for a guy who is hitting around .220 and hits in a much easier park than ATT. Uggla's power numbers would drop off big time in our park and he doesnt give you much of anything else to make up for that. NO WAY to that deal.

Originally posted by CornsOnTheCob:
Come on man. I don't like being confrontational (especially with other Giants fans), but you need to come down off your high horse a little.

As LUser said, Garko is hardly a household name. What do YOU imagine the threshold for considering oneself a fan of a team to be? The ability to recite the starting lineup of every other team in the league? I hate to break it to you, but you would be eliminating 99.9% of Giants fans in the process. If I didn't know ARod or something, then ok, you might have a point. But Garko? Come on.

Just as with any sport, there are varying degrees to which people follow it. I consider myself a hardcore Giants fan. I don't live in the Bay Area anymore, but I still catch mostly every game online. I discuss the team, games, players, etc. with a friend almost daily. I'm a very busy person (PhD student in engineering), so I simply don't have the time to watch other teams' games, read their box scores, watch too much SportsCenter, or play fantasy baseball or baseball video games. Does this make me less of a fan of my team? No. Does it mean I am less knowledgeable about baseball as a whole? Sure.

When I made the post saying I didn't know who Garko was, it was written with the intent of getting information from those on the board who are more knowledgeable about baseball as a whole. Although the board is still young, I could already tell that users such as LUser and Giantjohn had a lot of baseball knowledge, and I was hoping one of them could fill in my gaps of knowledge, which they did. I didn't write it to get bashed or have my fanhood questioned. I have the utmost respect for those that are highly knowledgeable about the game, but I would kindly ask that you use it in a constructive manner rather than to attempt to talk bad about others (unless they are dodgers fans). Thanks.

I agree with your statement and its well said. There are certainly varying degrees of baseball knowledge and the time to study and know the players. I have been following the game for a long time and have a job that allows me to be online a lot. So.. its pretty easy to know a lot of mjaor league and minor league players. As a PHD engineering student I cant believe you have ANY time. At least we know we have 1 smart person on here!

dude alderson isn't going anywhere!!! The pirates aren't even that smart to work a deal that nice! but i'd be happy if we do get snachez!! And Barnes was nice but was he our 9th best pitcher or overall prospect?

Originally posted by Maximill15:
dude alderson isn't going anywhere!!! The pirates aren't even that smart to work a deal that nice! but i'd be happy if we do get snachez!! And Barnes was nice but was he our 9th best pitcher or overall prospect?

Barnes was rated our 9th overall prospect by Baseball America before the season started. Not 9th rated pitcher as someone else posted but 9th rated prospect. That ranking would be much different if it was done right now. Guys like Noonan and Gillespie have had poor years and Barnes has been terrific. My guess is the Giants rankings if done right now ( and included Wheeler) would be:

1) Posey
2) Bumgarner
3) Alderson
4) Villalona
5) Wheeler
6) Barnes
7) Neal
8) Kieschnick

The top 5 would be basically untouchable I believe unless for a premier player so it seems to me like the Giants gave up the next highest guy for Garko.

If a trade for Freddy Sanchez is gonna get done, it will be after this series as, I'm sure, the Pirates don't want Sanchez to be playing against them. I would be anxious to see for whom Sabes would give up for someone like Sanchez. Maybe someone like Gillespie or Noonan/Crawford? But also, there would have to be talks for extending Sanchez too if he were to come on since he'll be a free agent after this season. NO Rent-A-Bats!

Originally posted by GinormousBalls:
If a trade for Freddy Sanchez is gonna get done, it will be after this series as, I'm sure, the Pirates don't want Sanchez to be playing against them. I would be anxious to see for whom Sabes would give up for someone like Sanchez. Maybe someone like Gillespie or Noonan/Crawford? But also, there would have to be talks for extending Sanchez too if he were to come on since he'll be a free agent after this season. NO Rent-A-Bats!

He's not a rent-a bat.

Unfortunately he's a Renteria II.

He's really expensive and is just an average guy not OBP. with little significant other contributions.

Also he's owed an extension of 8 mil if he hits a very reachable incentive target and is already 30 years old.

I dont want to commit 17 mil of next years payroll to 2 over 30 MI's without seeing the other tangible benefits as being apparent.

If the Pirates want out of him (and I think they do) make them pay some of the deal or give them minescule return for having to take the weight next year.



Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez agreed on a contract that could be worth $19 million over three seasons.



Sanchez

The deal is for two years and $11 million guaranteed and includes a third-year, $8 million option that will vest if Sanchez reaches a designated threshold of 635 plate appearances in 2009.


Sanchez will get a $300,000 signing bonus, $4 million this year and $6.1 million in 2009. The contract potentially locks up Sanchez with the Pirates through his first year of free agency in 2010.

"Freddy is an important part of this organization and we are excited to have him under contract for his last two arbitration years and his first year of free agency," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement. "This contract is an illustration of our willingness to commit to our quality young players who are positive representatives of the Pirates both on and off the field."

Sanchez, 30, is a .310 hitter in parts of six major league seasons with Boston and Pittsburgh. He won the National League batting title with a .344 average in 2006, and hit .304 in 147 games for the Pirates last season.

By signing the new deal, Sanchez avoids a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for next week. Sanchez had been looking for $4.9 million in arbitration, while the Pirates had countered with an offer of $4.1 million.

Sanchez is the first Pirates infielder to hit .300 in consecutive seasons since third baseman Bill Madlock in 1982-83, based on a minimum of 450 plate appearances. Sanchez was a third baseman when he won the batting title in 2006.

Jerry Crasnick covers Major League

Damn, LUser I thought for a second there that Sanchez agreed to terms on a new contract. After reading it it's his current contract. Wheew, that would have really sucked.

STARK: Pirates ready to deal
ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that the Pirates intend to trade both second baseman Freddy Sanchez and shortstop Jack Wilson by the deadline, according to clubs that have spoken with them in the last 24 hours.

Sanchez is now heavily rumored to be heading for the Giants. And there are indications the Pirates and Red Sox were close to a deal for Wilson, until the Red Sox backed off -- at least for now -- until they can determine which prospects they might need to make other trades. The Pirates are looking to accumulate young players in all their deals, in keeping with the moves they've made over the last year involving Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth