Giants sign Mark DeRosa...Yippee!!!!

Another in the long line of bad Sabean signings. This is right in his wheelhouse. An aging, injured veteran has an over-his-head year and cashes in at the Giants ATM machine.

This is the same methodology that failed when they had the best player on the planet in the middle of the lineup. Add DeRosa to the Rowand and Renteria deals as further roster clogging, payroll-artery-clogging nonsense that has been a hallmark of the Sabean years.

DeRosa's best year recently was with the Cubs a few years back. Given the Wrigley Field, statistic enhancing advantage he went 21HR-87RBI-.857OPS. He can hardly be expected to approach those numbers at Phone Number Field. Last year his OPS dropped to .767 by comparison Aaron Rowand limped in this year at .738. Heck, Juan Uribe had an .824 OPS last year and you might get him for $1M a year. And DeRosa gets 2 years @ $12 million? If he was that good, I imagine the Cardinals would have kept him.

His OPS looks good only by comparison with the 2009 Giants anemic offerings. I guess when you paid Bengie Molina to produce a .727 OPS and Randy Winn to kick in with .671, DeRosa is a stud-puppet by comparison. But the Giants jump right back on the treadmill, running hard, getting nowhere.

Focus on the right things..keep the faith

FOCUS - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

Stan van Gundy with the sports quote of the year

from the Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Stan Van Gundy has a request for the NBA: no more games on Christmas.

The Orlando Magic coach says he feels "sorry for people who have nothing to do on Christmas Day other than watch an NBA game."

"We get a little carried away with ourselves with sports thinking we're more important than everything else," he said.

I hope Coach SvG doesn't think any less of people who have nothing to do on X-mas than Blog but in my defense I am multi-tasking.

The Giants hope for the future

The Giants made decent strides towards a return to respectability, even playoff contention in 2009. Now the hard part, maintaining that plus .500 level of competitiveness that gets a team into the playoffs once every few years.

Other than a banger like Matt Holliday, I'm not sure the help comes from the outside. Signing Juan Uribe to a one year deal makes sense, anything more makes him fat and lazy, ask the Pale Hose. If they are looking at Mark DeRosa seriously I would say, PLEASE NO!! Not DeRosa and Uribe. One or the other. DeRosa would just be a younger version of Rich Aurilia--a roster clogging, aging veteran that Sabean seems to love.

The real help will come from the John-Barr-Fred Stanley drafting and development of future Giants stars. And they are in the pipeline. Hopefully they mature before the big decisions on Lincecum and Matt Cain come due.

As things stand right now the Giants farm system is looking at the following harvest:

2010 Contributors
We should begin to see LHP Madison Bumgarner show the flashes of a top of the rotation starting pitcher. C Buster Posey needs to grab the catcher position by the throat and stake his claim to be one of the face of the franchise for the next ten years or more. 3B Conor Gillaspie needs to show the hitting form that should make him a solid .300 plus hitter. OF Roger Kieschnick needs to demonstrate the near five-tool potential and take hold of one of the corner OF spots.

LHP Joe Patterson could be this years Dan Runzler and jet through the organization and make a contribution. Dan Runzler needs to demonstrate that last years meteoric rise through the organization was not a fluke. Other potential set-up/closer candidates like Jose Casilla and Waldis Joaquin need to show more than Henry Sosa has so far.

The 25 and ups like LHP Craig Clark, RHP Danny Otero, RHP Kyle Nicholson and RHP Henry Sosa along with Runzler need to make solid contributions. They are too old to play in the sandbox of the minor leagues. If that's their fate, they move from prospects to suspects. RHP Daniel Turpen has one more year of grace. Most of these guys (exception is Sosa) were collegiate pitchers so we may be faced with a few cases of WYSIWYG. No higher ceiling to elevate to.

2011 Contributors
2B Nick Noonan, OF Thomas Neal, SS Brandon Crawford, OF Francisco Peguera and SS Ehire Adrianza have shown enough flashes of potential to whet the appetite but some red flags as well. All have to prove their abilities at the AA level or above, hopefully this year in order to pave the way for an impact in 2011.

Moving from prospect to suspect rapidly
LHP Clayton Tanner, LHP Aaron King, SS-2B Charlie Culberson and OF Wendell Fairley. All have shown flashes of potential, just not enough of it.

Rookies and Teens to Watch
The 2010 draftees RHP Zach Wheeler, C Tommy Joseph and 3B Chris Dominguez signed late and did not play at any level where their statistics could be properly evaluated.

The teen squad includes RHP Luis Mateo, OF Rafael Rodriguez and C Hector Sanchez have not played higher than the Rookie / Short Season level, but the early returns on Rodriguez and Sanchez are pretty good so far. Mateo's statistics are off the radar screen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HOPE - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13

Free at last, free at last.....

They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity — for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. - 2 Peter 2:19

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? - Psalm 118:5-6

FREEDOM - It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. - Galatians 5:1

From Brokenness comes Breakthrough

BROKENNESS - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Healing

HEALING - ‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. - Jeremiah 33:6

Faithfulness

Simply put, faithfulness is being one who is trusted in both word and deed. It is a quality appreciated in players, coaches, colleagues and friends. It is a quality that is appreciated when demonstrated because we live in a culture that increasingly glorifies faithless actions.

You should be so well known for your reputation of integrity that to others, your word is your bond. In the past, there was little need for legal contracts which with their increasing prevalence has only brought on more distrust and more deceitful behavior.

It may seem old school, but business deals used to be done on a handshake. Today, our word has been rendered meaningless and we increasingly do not value integrity.

Faithfulness includes telling the truth in all your dealings. Lying is simply a violation of trust. And trust is like a fine crystal, once it is broken it is impossible to put back together.


From cg.org: Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfulness
http://cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/PERSONAL/k/244/Fruit-of-Spirit-Faithfulness.htm

The dictionary then compares "faithful" with its synonyms:

Faithful implies steadfast adherence to a person or thing to which one is bound as by an oath or obligation; loyal implies undeviating allegiance to a person, cause, institution, etc. which one feels morally bound to support or defend; constant suggests freedom from fickleness in affections or loyalties; staunch implies such a strong allegiance to one's principles or purposes as not to be turned aside by any cause; resolute stresses unwavering determination, often in adhering to one's personal ends or aims.

Other synonyms include dedicated, steadfast, devoted, dependable, accurate, true, conscientious, dutiful, careful, scrupulous and thorough.

This world always appeals to moral and ethical standards lower than those of the great God and His way of life. In Technicolor with emotion-stirring music, Hollywood "sells" adultery and fornication as acceptable as long as the couple involved are attractive and somehow oppressed—thus "deserving" of a "better" relationship.

War, murder, lying, stealing, coveting, Sabbath-breaking and idolatry are acts that almost everyone in the world would claim as being wrong, yet most unwittingly commit them to some degree and promote them in our culture. They justify their sin because everybody else is doing it, and they see no good reason why they should not just go along. If they try to swim against the tide, they think they will be taken advantage of.

Not too long ago, a person's word was his bond, and mere handshakes sealed major business agreements. Tales of Abraham Lincoln's honesty over pennies are an almost legendary part of our nation's history. Historians say that faithfulness was such a hallmark of the Roman Republic that not one divorce occurred in its first seven hundred years! But in the last fifty years this nation has seen a calamitous, family-destroying rise in the divorce rate that threatens the very stability of society.

Faithlessness is playing a major role in this destruction. People are without natural affection and traitors to their marital contract. Child abuse is becoming ever more prevalent. Athletes seem to break contracts almost at will. Manufacturers lie about the quality of their products, and workers fudge in the quality of their work.

Faithlessness is rising to its peak because self-centeredness, the father of irresponsibility, is being promoted to its utmost. It is the spirit of this age, but we have cause to resist it by what God has offered us in His revelation. God-centeredness in our lives is the answer to faithlessness and irresponsibility. But God-centeredness is not cheap, and few are willing to pay the price: their lives!

My eyes favor the faithful of the land so that they may sit down with me. The one who follows the way of integrity may serve me. - Psalm 101:6

FAITHFULNESS - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9

Giants lose more than they gain in Rule 5 Draft

Ben Snyder got plucked out of the organization by the Rangers early in the major league phase. He's a solid prospect who should give them support in middle innings relief or possibly as a set up man down the road. He's a big, physical lefty who seemed to take to a relief role last season.

The organizations recent plethora of left handed pitching prospects left Snyder on the outside looking in.

Brian Horwitz, a fringe prospect as an outfielder, was selected by the Indians.

The Giants selected RHP Steven Johnson and LHP Jake Stevens from the Orioles. If the Orioles were that deep in pitching they would have finished with a better record.

Net loss to the organization. They have to find out what some of these guys can do earlier to keep from losing them in the future. Especially the LHP's, you can't hide them and if you don't give them a chance, another organization certainly will.

Fellowship and camaraderie in sports

When an esteemed athlete retires from the game, one of the aspects of the game they end up missing the most is the camaraderie that was shared with teammates. The sense of belonging and security that is part of the fellowship teammates share is the essence of being part of something larger and more important than oneself--being part of a team.

In the more competitive environments however, we see forces opposing each other that by their nature pull against the spirit of camaraderie, sportsmanship and fellowship.

Win-Loss records and individual statistics inherently conspire to pollute an environment of cooperation between individuals within a team as well as opposing teams. Playing time is determined by production. Advancement is determined by wins and losses.

Some coaches even feel as if their players are "soft" if they lend a hand to life a fallen competitor during a game. When I officiate basketball games, we emphasize to the coaches and captains that good sportsmanship is an expectation knowing that once the ball goes up, many times competition rules the day over cooperation and camaraderie. In youth sports, especially in the travel team level, this can lead to a "win or quit" choice for players if the emphasis on competition is too high.

It almost seems at times as if we are sending a mixed message when we expect players to simultaneously "pull together as a team" at the same time we expect them to "tear the opponent apart".

It is a delicate balancing act and in some respects we should not be surprised when players and coaches occasionally fail to find the proper mix. When we do pre-game meetings with teams and captains and review the emphasis on sportsmanship, I occasionally mention to the players that I understand that the game is important and that although their uniforms are different, they are all basketball players. If they were on the same team, they would likely be the best of friends. Hopefully, before the fur flies, they get a spirit of the Golden Rule inside them. They can still play hard, but not cross that line between fair play and overly aggressive or dirty play.
Coaches, players and fans should be more satisfied if their participation results not in producing winning records, but producing winning athletes.

There is a difference.
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FELLOWSHIP - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin - 1 John 1:7

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. - Philippians 2:1-4

Patience is a virtue

If there is one quality or character trait that would change the climate in sports it would have to be patience. Patience described by one well-respected author as "that calm and unruffled temper with which the good man bears the evils of life, whether they proceed from persons or things."

Granted, we live in a microwave, point and click society. We want things immediately in many areas of our lives. News, information, products and services. We live our lives looking for instant gratification and when things don't go our way we become angry and frustrated.

If people truly were more patient in the sports arena it would lead immediately to the following positive climate changes:

Improved decorum and sportsmanship at games and increased level of respect amongst players, coaches, fans and officials. Think about it; most of the issues arise from an increased emphasis on winning and achievement pushed down from the professional level to the youth sports level. Parents feel that either they or their children are doing something wrong if they have not produced the next Tiger Woods by two years old or if they have not attained some "McDonald's All-American" type status before puberty.

Some of these national publications that rank athletes prowess on a national basis before they've graduated middle school are ludicrous, as is anybody who puts any stock in them.

Specialization, burnout and overuse injuries would be less problematic as parents and young athletes realize they don't have to peak by the time they are twelve years old. There is a virtual lifetime of participation in most sports after twelve.

Team morale and inter-squad political issues would be reduced making life easier on coaches if kids realize they don't have to be a starter as a freshman in high school or their future in the sports is crushed.

Patience is a major building block in building faith and confidence in an athlete. If the basic ingredient is lacking or has not been developed fully, the athlete may not have deep, total confidence in their abilities. They do not truly trust their skills and abilities. The patient athlete ends up being a more valuable teammate in the long run.

What we see happen many time is the development of a feeling of entitlement among parents and players that prevents them from seeing the process they have embarked on from a long-term standpoint. This short-term thinking results in a tunnel-vision view of the environment around them and they take team situations far too personally.

We see a lot of athletes who are very talented who do not harness their abilities until the "slow the game down" and "allow the game to come to them". In effect, what we are describing to them is to develop PATIENCE.

In baseball, we like to see hitters demonstrate patience and allow the pitcher to come to them. It takes young hitters some experience to learn what that means. The same is true with the development of QB's and RB's as they progress from one level of competition to the next. Point guards in basketball are often better when they grow in patience and don't force the action.

Many athletes have the requisite talent. They have the tools in the tool box in terms of athletic gifts. They players who take care in the formative years to learn the discipline of patience tend to take learn how to use their tools to the fullest extent.

PATIENCE - But endurance must do its complete work, so that we may be mature and complete, lacking nothing - James 1:4

What's love got to do with it?

Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ‘me’ for the ‘we.’ - Phil Jackson

The Zen Master brings up a couple of virtues that are important for any team to move to a higher level. These elements are important for any cooperative unit to operate successfully.

Trust
Self-Sacrifice
Mutual Respect
Sharing
Communication

It is interesting that these virtues that a team needs to have in order to thrive are also necessary ingredients in the ultimate team environment: marriage. We tend to think that "love" conquers all, and that if you have that you can carry the day and succeed in a relationship. But many a marriage fails and on the courthouse steps one or both parties is forced to admit that "I love him/her, I just can't live with him/her". In almost all cases, one or more of the virtues listed above is seriously deficient within the relationship.

In team sports environments, we blame the lack of "chemistry". OK, I buy the elusive chase for chemistry. But we never hear what the definition of chemistry is. I submit that is the same combination of those five elements listed above that bind ANY successful relationship together. And when a team is able to cultivate these elements, they will find that they just love playing together as a unit. Success generally follows.

I always hear fans and pundits say that "chemistry" and it's link to success is a "chicken or the egg" argument. They imply that teams just pay lip service to chemistry after finding success and that there is no linkage. Without going all Dr. Phil on everyone, if coaches don't carefully monitor their teams attention and adherence to these virtues--success or chemistry will rarely follow.

LOVE - May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you - 1 Thessalonians 3:12