Off Day Rant 05-24-10

43 games in on a 162 game schedule….so about 2 1/2 games past the quarter mark of the season…..and suddenly the season has turned from just enough offense, to how the hell are we ever gonna score a goddamn run……heck, even the Giants who never make a move until its way beyond needed……" discussions about some significant changes" now this is the strangest thing I have read in a while……a fucking merry go round of players shifting to defensive positions that are far from their best spot……..as if suddenly the Defense part of Defense and Pitching is suddenly forgotten…….

Lets review where we are for a moment….
Pablo….he is an above average defensive 3rd baseman and seems to be comfortable there, don't touch him……
Huff, although he hasn't been a real force with the bat, he is playing solid D and although .280/.360/.440 isn't going to win any MVP's…its markedly better than we have been getting or could get from in house in the near future…..
Middle Infield? As long as they are healthy Uribe/ Renteria/ and Sanchez should be OK there……
Catcher….well, Molina's .294/.366/.378 isn't bad and Posey is on the way soon……
Right Field???? Well with Nate's defense and BA and OBP should play, period….yeah the power isn't there yet but as he gets more and more comfortable he should be able to drive pitches more, most players don't find their power stroke early in their major league career…..
Left Field and Center Field have been the sore spots on the Giants roster….. Rowand does look improved in Center, but his bat is as pathetic as ever…maybe even worse……we keep running him out there, expecting him to" BOUNCE BACK" to 2007….Not going to happen that’s 1296 Plate Appearances and 326 games of .264/.324/.416 AND the TREND is DOWN……The there is the whole DeRosa drama, but even if he does manage to play he will NOT be productive….and Honestly I think the Giants are putting off surgery just so they can save face……..

So what do we do????
Well, first of all this whole shuffle is plain stupid….. if you want shift Huff to left and Uribe. Sanchez, and Renteria on the infield…..Uribe or Sanchez plays 1st…..OR you can shift Pablo to 1st (GASP) and play Uribe at 3rd……but don't do it
Leave everything the same…..shift Torres to Center and bring up Posey……Posey can pick up left pretty damn quick I am sure…. you can play him out there 4-5 games a week and maybe catch a few innings here and there….leave Whiteside on the roster and he can get a start or two……this keeps Molina fresh, and his bat in the lineup….which is better than Rowands……

But even IF we do all this, what do we accomplish???
What's the saying, like shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic???
Yes, I am back to it……DRASTIC measures need to be taken not just because of 2010….but 2011…..offensive help isn't coming soon…..Posey doesn't suddenly become a .300-25-100 guy (I don't think, at least)……

I have said it before and I will say it again….we need a trade…..if its one of the guns in the big league rotation, then so be it.…..then rely on the Org's ability to develop more pitching and keep moving forward…..whether it is a trade for Major League Talent….or even "Major League Ready" Talent…hell pick up the phone and find out what it would take to get Mat Gamel from the Brewers…..I bet we could likely do Bumgarner straight up…….or maybe even a package of lesser prospects……but even something like that wouldn't get the Giants over the hump…..we need to consider trading Cain or Sanchez …if we can get an impact bat we can sign long term, then GREAT…if not we need to consider trading one of them for a package of high level prospects….… those two will keep getting more expensive in the short term and you aren't going to get what you need ….call up the Red Sox or the Rangers or Tigers and see what you can get…….the marketing people wouldn't stand for it, but remember…..WINNING cures EVERYTHING……





(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational though sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin