NFL Black Monday: Because you can't fire the owner

Bears, Jets, Falcons, 49ers and you could add the Redskins to the list. The common thread is all except the "Skins just released their coach and / or their GM on Black Monday, but also that each one of these franchises has either bad or overly meddlesome and clueless ownership.

You can't fire the owner. I guess you can make the suggestion however.



The 49ers CEO said he and Harbaugh parted ways due to "philosophical differences". what does that mean? One wanted to win and one wanted to lose? The 49ers say they wanted more of a teacher and yet their ex-coach is going back to his alma-mater Michigan, where presumably he will have to be.......more of a teacher. Seems like they may have been closer philosophically than either imagined. Or maybe there was more to it.

In the Bears case, I guess you can't fire the QB either. Not after you just made him the highest paid QB in the league. And surrounded him with weapons. And gave him an offensive minded coach to replace the defensive minded coach who was presumably holding him back.  Hmmmm......what am I missing here? Something about the first law of holes....?

The Bears just keep ordering more shovels and hiring more ditch diggers. 

Goooooooooooo Bears!!! 

No more "Blockbuster" for the Giants?

Well, there you have it. Perhaps no more "Blockbuster" for the Giants. 

from Mercurynews.com
http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_27190634/marco-scutaros-career-giants-may-be-over?source=infinite

If Scutaro is done, he'll forever be remembered not only for his hits in the 2012 postseason but also his skyward pose in the driving rain during Game 7 of the NLCS. Romo was on the mound as Scutaro enjoyed the downpour and threw the final pitch of that series and season.

 

They don't win in 2012 without him. They don't win without him coming over late season 2012 and spraying hits all over the yard. They don't win without him overcoming Matt Hollidays' dirt-bag slide in the NLCS that year and persevering long enough to dance in the rain and advance to Detroit. The great thing about it as I reviewed the You Tube below of that night was it was Matt Holliday's pop-up to Scutaro that precipated ( no pun intended ) the celebration, added a page to Giants lore as well as the Giants - Cardinals rivalry. The baseball gods were dancing in the rain that night as well. 

from mlb.com
http://m.mlb.com/video/v25415817

Was Matt Holliday's takeout slide of Marco Scutaro in the first inning of NLCS Game 2 a dirty play?

• 55%
  Yes
• 45%
  No

 (Total votes: 127,077)

I Love a Rainy Night with the San Francisco Giants

Lots of great memories in Marco's short time with the Giants, he was a consummate professional. 

Scoots, your time with the Giants was too short, but your accomplishments and the memories are enough to last a lifetime. A great competitor and a great Giant. 

Giants Hot-Stove Buzz and Speculation

Let me see if I have this straight, the Giants are:

• "in the picture on James Shields" @ 5 years / $110 million
• "interested in acquiring" Cole Hamels @ $23.5 for next four years + $20 option year 2019 when he'll be 35
• and "haven't talked to, don't plan to" talk to Matt Scherzer

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamelco01.shtml

2015 31 Philadelphia Phillies $23,500,000

2016 32 Philadelphia Phillies $23,500,000

2017 33 Philadelphia Phillies $23,500,000

2018 34 Philadelphia Phillies $23,500,000

2019 35 Philadelphia Phillies *$20,000,000

$20M Team Option, $24M Vesting Option, $6M Buyout Vests if he 1) has 400 IP in 2017-18, including 200 IP in 2018, and 2) is not on the disabled list with a shoulder or elbow injury at the end of the 2018 season

Hamels would be the most attractive from a contract versus performance potential comparison with Shields coming in second only because Scherzer is just looking to break the bank. He has Scott Boras as his agent, so go figure. Hamels will likely cost a king's ransom of prospects and seems attracted to San Diego under the "going home" banner. Hamels is from the San Diego area originally and reportedly would not mind ending his career there. So the Padres may have a leg up there and they have both the pieces to make a deal and a GM who is in wheeler-dealer mode right now.

The current signs point to either "Shields or bust" for the Giants with bust looking like the best bet.

from Bleacher Report:
Cole Hamels Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation Surrounding Star Pitcher | Bleacher Report:

Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels has been the subject of numerous trade rumors and reports, as teams look to bolster their rotations with the lefty's services. The Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers have all expressed interest in acquiring the ace. 

'via Blog this'

from Bleacher Report:
 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2250529-james-shields-rumors-latest-buzz-and-speculation-surrounding-star-pitcher

The final Shields numbers are expected to be close to the five years and $110 million remaining (if the option is picked up) on the Cole Hamels deal, according to one major league source who was privy to Shields’s demands. The Giants and Red Sox are in the picture, and the Yankees may be another suitor.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE:

Maybe Cuban phenom switch-hitting, SS-3B Yoan Moncado as a decent consolation prize? Giants odds are 13-1 according to this analysis, but the Yankees and Red Sox are in on this kid, among others.

from Bleacher Report:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2280818-ranking-signing-odds-for-cuban-phenom-yoan-moncadas-top-8-suitors/page/7

Moncada is 19 and packs a lot of tools into his 6'1/210 frame. He’s a plus-plus runner with above average raw power from both sides of the plate and the tools/skills to stick in the infield, possibly at shortstop. Moncada is the quick-twitch type with big bat speed that clubs covet, and his track record of hitting at big tournaments and in Cuba’s professional leagues is excellent considering his age. 

 Different sources had Moncada timed differently in the 60-yard dash, though he ran somewhere in the 6.56- to 6.6-second range. That gives him a 70 for his speed on the 20-to-80 scouting scale, or close to the top of the scale. Moncada reportedly looked better at third and second than he did at shortstop, with enough arm from any infield position. He swung the bat well from both sides of the plate, showing plus raw power both ways. The only negative was that Moncada didn't face live pitching, hitting only off of a BP pitcher. When asked to grade out his tools based on this workout, in combination with previous reports, one scout gave the following grades:

Hit - 60
Power - 60
Speed - 70
Arm - 60
Field - 50

Short-term Shields works, the back end of his contract is going to suck, not the same with Hamels or Scherzer, but they hurt you down the road in other ways. Moncado the risk is he flops, but that seems like a low-risk and the Giants have to win one of these Cuban lotteries, don't they?

Moncado would move the Giants hot-stove league grade from a B-/C+ level to a solid A-/B+ in a hurry. If you knew what Cain and/or Lincecum were going to give you in the next 2-3 year, life would be so much easier. But life is not like that.

Giants fans are looking for one more present under the tree waiting to see if upper management deems them to have been naughty or nice last year. Given the fan support and the results from what has to be a worn out cash register in the Giants back office, woe to management if there isn't at least one more gift to the masses.

James Shields is a risky investment -- ESPN

Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports

This is a particularly good synopsis of the pros / cons of the Giants signing James Shields by ESPN.com's David Schoenfield. So now that I'm leaning more NO than YES, does that mean that somewhere out of the blue the Giants find some coin under the seat cushions in the front office and sign "Big Game" James?

Probably....but stay tuned. Who else signs him? We might be negotiating against ourselves at this point. Put your best offer on the table and fix a deadline to it where you tell Team Shields that afterward you are going in another direction. You're out!!

from ESPN:
James Shields is a risky investment - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN:

Again, this doesn't mean Shields isn't a good pitcher. But any team that's willing to make a big investment in him would have to view him as a difference-maker in 2015 and 2016, a guy it needs to push it over the top. I'm just not sure there's a team that applies to. Depending on the ballpark and the quality of defense behind him, his numbers might drop a little, and his new team might be getting more of a No. 3 starter than a No. 2.

Jim Bowden rates the Giants as the team most likely to sign Shields. That makes some sense, as Matt Cain is a question mark coming back from elbow surgery and Shields would bump Tim Lincecum from the rotation. But wouldn't it make even more sense for the Giants to wait a year and go after one of those young aces, when Lincecum's $18 million comes off the books? Do you want to build a rotation around Madison Bumgarner, a guy coming off an injury and three starters (Shields, Tim Hudson and Jake Peavy) in their mid-to-late 30s?

Sure, Shields could help in 2015. But it's not as if the Giants are going to have trouble selling tickets if they don't sign him. They have a little goodwill to play with after winning the World Series. They have a strong team, with or without Shields, and play in a weak division. I'd pass on Shields, go with Lincecum and/or Yusmeiro Petit in the fifth slot, then go all-in next year on Price or Zimmermann. 

'via Blog this'

Where in the world is Marco Scutaro?

It appears as if we are about to find out. No surprise given the comments from the brass, it appears very likely that where in the world Marco Scutaro will not be in 2015, is anywhere near San Francisco.

from HardballTalk:
Giants’ training staff preparing an update on Marco Scutaro | HardballTalk:

In his column for the San Francisco Chronicle, John Shea reports that the Giants’ training staff is preparing an update on second baseman Marco Scutaro, and adds that it likely isn’t a good sign.  Scutaro was only able to play in five games during the 2014 season due to recurring back problems. The Giants owe him $6 million in 2015, the final year of a three-year deal he signed with the club back in December 2012. The 39-year-old veteran was productive for the Giants in 2013, posting a .726 OPS. Shea notes that the Giants never considered him as a potential replacement at third base once Pablo Sandoval left.

'via Blog this'

To my knowledge, he never appeared on the bench this season during his rehab, as did Cain, Pagan, Morse, etc. Sabean's cryptic comment along the lines of "we have his phone number around here somewhere" was telling, as was the "we have no viable internal options to replace Pablo at 3B".

We know they don't want to play Posey at 3B,  but it's not much of a stretch to suggest that Scutaro, a former major league SS, could make the switch if healthy.

Combine those two statements and you get the impression that Scutaro will not be ready, willing and able to play anywhere for SF in 2015. Another $6M in salary flushed down the toilet.

We know Pablo felt disrespected. Now we may be learning that apparently somebody also pissed in Scutaro's Wheaties. Maybe spend some of the savings for not chasing / finishing in second place chasing James Shields for some sensitivity training for all Giants front office personnel and staff. Or start signing emotionally tougher players. Sheesh!!

Giants, Red Sox still in the picture for James Shields | HardballTalk

Given the recent noise from the Giants about being at / near the top of the budget, I don't see how they can be in the running for Shields at 5 years / $110 M.

from HardballTalk:
Giants, Red Sox still in the picture for James Shields | HardballTalk:

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reports that the Giants and Red Sox are still “in the picture” for free agent starter James Shields, adding that the Yankees are another possible suitor. According to Cafardo’s source, Shields is expected to fetch five years and around $110 million.

Shields, who turned 33 on Saturday, finished the 2014 season with a 14-8 record, a 3.21 ERA, and a 180/44 K/BB ratio in 227 innings for the Royals. He had mediocre results in the post-season, posting a 6.12 ERA in 25 innings. “Big Game James” took losses in both starts he made against the Giants in World Series Games 1 and 5.

'via Blog this'

Plus, if you compare Shields and Peavy, you're almost looking at the same guy statistically speaking. Performance-wise, you can probably make a better case for Peavy. If you're saying that because of the perception of Peavy maybe having excess mileage, or higher potential for breaking down going forward making the difference between a $12M AAV in Peavy versus a $22M AAV in Shields, then I'm just saying some agent is going to get more than a huge bro-hug and one might be due a punch in the eyeball.

Drilling deeper, according to the repertoire and velocity comparison, Shields velocity has gone up the last couple of years from 91.31 in 2010 to 92.49 in 2014 (+1.16 MPH) while Peavy has lost a bit of his FB, dropping from 91.06 to 89.88 (-1.18 MPH) during the smae 2010-2014 period.

They always say velocity isn't important, maybe as a stand alone metric, but clearly in this comparison, it may have just made an $86M difference.

from the baseballcube.com
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/reports/compare.asp

Positions:	P-429
Proper Name:	Jacob Edward Peavy
Born:	May 31, 1981 (33.204) in Mobile, Alabama
Height/Weight:	6-1 / 180	Bats/Throws:	Right-Right

Positions:	P-369
Proper Name:	James Anthony Shields
Born:	December 20, 1981 (33.001) in Newhall, California
Height/Weight:	6-3 / 190	Bats/Throws:	Right-Right JAMES SHIELDS

Pitch Repertoire	Fastball (27.07%) -- Changeup (26.74%) -- 2-Seam Fastball (14.16%) -- Cutter (11.76%) -- Curveball(11.45%) -- Slider (8.82%)
Fastball Velocity:	[2014] - 92.49 - [2013] - 92.14 - [2012] - 92.03 - [2011] - 90.9 - [2010] - 91.31 JAKE PEAVY

Pitch Repertoire Fastball (27.35%) -- 2-Seam Fastball (23.65%) --Cutter (17.80%) -- Changeup (10.59%) -- Curveball(10.40%) -- Slider (10.09%) -- Splitter (0.13%) Fastball Velocity: [2014] - 89.88 - [2013] - 90.33 - [2012] - 90.73 - [2011] - 90.17 - [2010] - 91.06

The assist goes to Mrs. The Slav for cropping the stats so they fit the page size without spilling over the edge. 

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

The Peavy deal is looking better and better for the Giants in terms of Average Annual Value (AAV) and number of years committed. If they have that much money to commit to Shields, maybe the money would be better spent on Mikey Mo's replacement in LF. You saved about $15M on the Sandoval-McGehee shuffle at 3B and Morse was in for about $10M last season. You only spent $12M on Peavy, so minimum there should be $13M left. That's if you stay even payroll-wise and that would be kind of a slap in the face to the fans and the franchise considering you are now getting a third chance to defend the title and get it right by winning in consecutive years. That would put all debate about "Giants, dynasty or not?" to rest.  You lost on Tomas in LF, let Morse walk when he didn't get near what he could have / should have and let the Padres load up on guys that you could easily swing over to LF. Running out of options there guys. I'm not sure you can pull a Dexter Fowler out of your hat and satisfy the populace. Your going to have to have something bigger up your sleeve there. Maybe it's time to let go of the James Shields chase and spend for a competent bat. It's not like this was the greatest offensive lineup in the world at times last year, you know?

Kendry Flores is the cost of replacing Panda

So now we learn the true cost of losing Panda, the replacement cost.

Juan C. Rodriguez ‏@JCRMarlinsbeat  8m8 minutes ago

#Marlins getting RHPs Kendry Flores and Luis Castillo from #Giants for Casey McGehee.

McGehee gives about the same production offensively, probably a bit of a drop-off defensively. He also comes cheaper at $3.5M versus Pablo's $8.5M or so last year. Maybe we can bring back Vogie now.

Kendry Flores is going to break a lot of hearts in Giant Prospect Prognostication-ville. He was a favorite of the stats crowd for his K/9 - BB/9  efficiency of about 4:1. He may not arrive until 2016 anyway, so a potential piece of the future leaves the franchise. Detractors would point to a bit of a drop off moving from Low-A to High-A as a bit of a warning sign against his chances of making the big squad. In Florida, he has more of a chance to advance. Luis Castillo is a non-prospect IMO.

from mlb.com
http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=572309#gameType='R'&sectionType=career&statType=2&season=2014&level='ALL'

Giants stay the course, re-sign Jake Peavy to two-year deal - Yahoo Sports

(Getty Images)

Another good move for the Giants. A good move, maybe not a great, splashy move like the Lester signing would have been. But the Giants don't specialize in splashy anymore. And maybe that's a good thing. Let the Dodgers specialize in splash, flash and spending wads of cash. The Giants can keep specializing in winning.

from Yahoo Sports:
Giants stay the course, re-sign Jake Peavy to two-year deal | Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports:

The latest late night/early morning deal is brought to us by Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal, who reports the San Francisco Giants and GM Brian Sabean have reached an agreement to bring back veteran right-hander Jake Peavy on a two-year deal. ESPN's Jerry Crasnick later confirmed the overnight agreement and the financials, which come in at $24 million guaranteed.

'via Blog this'

This buys the Giants some time to rebuild the starting rotation. Tim Hudson leaves after 2015 and perhaps Lincecum as well. Peavy will be gone after 2016.

In the prospect pipeline, for starting pitchers you might expect the following reinforcements to arrive:

2015
Ty Blach
Chris Stratton

2016
Kendry Flores

2017
Kyle Crick
Clayton Blackburn
Adalberto Mejia
Keurry Mella
Tyler Beede

If any of them arrive ahead of schedule, either due to injury or a sudden bump in development, so much the better. And there is some hope for that, especially with Kyle Crick.

I was listening to MLB radio on Sirius and one of the commentators made a similar comparison to my Madison Bumgarner - Tim Alderson career path divergence and the ramifications with the Dodgers Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billinglsey. Not as elegant as the Giants example in that they started their careers at different times, but what I noticed in the comps is that Kershaw struggled mightily with his control at the AA level in 2007 at Jacksonville,  posting a 6.12 BB/9 versus a 10.44 K/9. The next year in 2008 Kershaw repeated AA Jacksonville and posted 8.70 K/9 versus 2.80 BB/9 and the rest, as they say, is history.

Kershaw's K/BB rate went from 1.71 when he was a 10+ K/9 to 3.11 when his K's went down to 8.66 per 9IP. Kershaw's K level held at the level when he reached the bigs, although his BB level wen up to 4.35 and 4.79 his first two years. Since then his BB/9 in  the bigs has decreased almost every year dropping from 3.57/2.08/2.49/1.98/1.41 from 2010 to 2014. Strangely enough, Kershaw's K/9 is now back over 10+ in 2014 @ 10.85, while his BB/9 is an absurd 1.41!!

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?P=clayton-kershaw

Crick was 11.1 K/9 and 6.1 BB/9 which is about his minor league career line in those two metrics. He needs the light to go on in a similar way that it appeared to for Kershaw. Kershaw sacrificed the gaudy 10+ K/9 to lower his BB/9 rate to an acceptable level, which  increased his overall pitching efficiency.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?P=kyle-crick

If Crick can take a similar career U-turn, the Giants could see the Matt Cain 2.0 comparisons for Crick come true. That would bolster the Giants starting rotation for years to come.

Concussions Derail Batting Performance for MLB Players -- University of Rochester Medical Center

At least now I will feel like I'm in good company when I feel the need to repeat myself. Before I read this I felt like I was just banging my head against a proverbial wall in some perverse way hoping that I would feel better when I stopped. 

Ben Carlson, CFA, who writes for A Wealth of Common Sense, referenced a financial advice quote from Jason Zweig of The Wall Street Journal that sums up what investors should be thinking in these volatile times.

"I was once asked, at a journalism conference, how I defined my job. I said: My job is to write the exact same thing between 50 and 100 times a year in such a way that neither my editors nor my readers will ever think I am repeating myself."

"That's because good advice rarely changes, while markets change constantly. The temptation to pander is almost irresistible. And while people need good advice, what they want is advice that sounds good."

Now I feel more like a professional journalist. Perhaps I should start getting paid for this. 

• The following study demonstrates why you will continue to see the "Buster Posey moves to 3B" conversation continue to be pervasive among Giants fans and bloggers regardless of what Brian Sabean says.

• The following study demonstrates why you will continue to see the "Buster Posey moves to 3B" conversation continue to be pervasive among Giants fans and bloggers regardless of what Brian Sabean says.

Concussions Derail Batting Performance for MLB Players - News Room - University of Rochester Medical Center:

"The message, “when in doubt, sit it out” flashed on video boards throughout the World Series, with good timing: A new analysis of Major League Baseball statistics shows that concussed players may not be fully recovered when they’re cleared to return to the batting lineup.

A University of Rochester study looked at MLB players who suffered a concussion between 2007 and 2013. Researchers found that during their first two weeks back, the concussed players’ batting performances were significantly worse than another group of players who were rusty because of being away for paternity or bereavement leave during the same period.

Lead author Erin Wasserman presented the data at the 142nd annual meeting of the American Public Health Association on Nov. 19, 2014, in New Orleans. Wasserman is an epidemiology doctoral student in the Department of Public Health Sciences at UR specializing in concussion research.

Brain injuries are most often associated with contact sports, but they are prevalent in baseball, too. During the World Series last month, head injuries affected two San Francisco players, one of whom was not able to play due to his concussion. At the high school and college levels, baseball concussions are rising at a rate of about 14 percent a year, researchers said.

In the MLB study, players returning after a concussion had lower batting averages (.234 versus .264); lower slugging percentages (.359 versus .420); and lower on-base plus slugging percentages (.654 versus .747) compared to players returning from bereavement or paternity leave, researchers reported.

“Although players who sustain a concussion may be symptom-free and cleared by MLB protocol to return to play, the residual effects of concussion on the complex motor skills required for batting may still be a problem,” said Principal Investigator Jeffrey J. Bazarian, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Emergency Medicine at the UR School of Medicine and Dentistry, and a national expert in sports head injuries.

When a batter is at the plate, the brain and its neural networks must be in top form to master hand-eye coordination, intense visual acuity, fast reaction time, postural stability and balance, and swing control in just 400 milliseconds – the estimated time it takes most balls to pass from pitcher to batter, Bazarian said.

After a concussion, brain function can be impaired for weeks or months resulting in symptoms such as slowed thinking or response speed, and poor concentration. Understanding the impact of concussions on batting performance can help to inform decisions about when to return to the lineup, the study said.

Concussions account for about 2 percent of all injuries that result in loss of playing time, behind strains and contusions as the most common MLB injuries.

'via Blog this'

Michael Vick and Redemption

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 14: Michael Vick #1 of the New York Jets warming up before a game against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field on December 14, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)


I know many people will still never forgive the man for the beginning of the story, but they have missed the rest of the story as it unfolded. A truly remarkable story of redemption. And really who doesn't need a little bit of that in their lives?

The credit goes to Vick for recognizing and making some serious fundamental changes in his life. An assist has to go to Tony Dungy, who made the effort to mentor the young man when many, many people wanted to throw him away like a piece of garbage. Sad beginning, conflict and drama in the middle, leading to a happy ending. If you made a  movie about it nobody would believe it, yet it is the basic theme of so many Hollywood movies. The go-to theme if you will.

A remarkable sports story as well as a remarkable human interest story.

from Yahoo Sports:
Michael Vick has nearly paid off his $18 million debt | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo Sports:

As ESPN notes, Vick opted to go with Chapter 11 rather than Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which meant he paid back all that he owed, not a small percentage. To him, it was an important and necessary step to demonstrate his willingness to atone.The deal with creditors is set to expire at the end of the year, and Vick will likely sell some property to close off the last of his debt.

"I feel blessed because I came out and found myself in a position where I had a lot of people that really believed in me, people who gave me an opportunity," Vick said. "At the time, it wasn't about trying to fulfill all the bankruptcy needs, I was trying to fulfill all the needs that I had in my life because I had nothing."

Vick will never escape the shadow of the events that landed him in prison. But he's shown through his actions that he won't remain defined by them. That's admirable, in its own way.

'via Blog this'

Sergio Romo re-signs with the Giants for $15 million | HardballTalk

Yay!!! Giants win one!!! After losing Panda and Morse, this victory was needed for the fan base. Romo wanted to stay, was popular with the fans and after the Dodgers DFA'd Brian Wilson, I was beginning to worry we'd lose him too. The salary is about right and he just wouldn't have looked right as a Yankee or Red Sox. It was beginning to look like the one I thought we could afford to lose the most, we would keep in Jake Peavy. Maybe now Vogie will stay, but like Morse, it sounds like the Giants already gave Vogelsong the cold shoulder. We shall see. Morse at 2/$16M was pretty reasonable. I'm still in shock that we couldn't match the offer and end up losing a free-agent to the Marlins, of all teams.

from HardballTalk:
Sergio Romo re-signs with the Giants for $15 million | HardballTalk:

After testing the open market as a free agent Sergio Romo has re-signed with the Giants for two years and $15 million, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Romo lost the closer job this year and his overall numbers slipped, but he finished the season by allowing just two runs in his final 23 appearances along with a 23/3 K/BB ratio. At age 31 his durability is a big question mark, but he’s been one of the best relievers in baseball for basically his entire career and the Giants obviously know what they have in Romo after seven seasons together.

'via Blog this'

We're still down about two bats and some of the solutions proposed out here in Blog-ville and BLB radio are downright absurd. Like, "let's trade Panik and Susac for a stud 3B or a LF'er". WTF, let's just toss in Posey and Bumgarner and get both at the same time. Why you would trade Panik and create a hole at 2B that you presumably just filled for a few years to patch another hole at 3B is beyond me? Maybe me not losing sleep over tossing Crick into a deal would sound just as ludicrous but IDK, Hot Stove League is in full throttle mode right now. Everybody is Monty Hall making deals.

Some guys still believe that Matt Duffy or Adam Duvall can do what Panik did, given the opportunity. IDK, I still subscribe the football coaches maxim about how if you have 2 QB's you really don't have one QB. The Giants would go to the post today with a tri-headed monster of Blanco/Perez/Ishakawa in LF and Arias/Duffy/Duvall at 3B. So, I guess they really, really don't have one 3B or one LF. If that makes sense.

Bottom line, Romo stays, good news for Giants fans.

Just for this, he's worth all the money the Giants give him. I feel like this today. 
http://m.mlb.com/video/v25462635/ws2012-gm4-romo-fans-cabrera-to-seal-series-win

Giants lose Mikey Mo

Too bad. He just seemed to have fun being a Giant. It doesn't get much better than that. You can't beat going home, though. Giants now have to work double time replacing his production as well as the Panda's. Not sure where it's coming from since the Yankees just took Chase Headley off the market (good news). Now it looks like the trade market has to provide the answer, which means losing a prospect or two or three, which means losing pitching prospects for the Giants.  Given that the Giants didn't lose a single prospect in the Rule 5 Draft, it doesn't seem as if the rest of baseball values the Giants prospects in the same way the Giants do (more likely) or the Giants utilize their pieces more efficiently (less likely).



from Giants Extra:
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/giants/2014/12/16/report-michael-morse-two-year-deal-marlins/?

"Source confirms: Morse in agreement with #Marlins, two-year contract, pending physical. @JoeFrisaro first with news of deal.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2014

That's good news for Morse, who was a high school star in the Fort Lauderdale area and lives less than an hour from Marlins Park. (I believe his brother still lives right there.) It's bad news for the Bay Area media because, well, this guy was a lot of fun to cover. For the Giants, they expected this and they didn't plan on bringing Morse back. He was really well liked in the clubhouse, but the staff didn't view him as a left fielder anymore and there's no room at first with Brandon Belt and Buster Posey getting all the time there. There are still options for a right-handed platoon for Gregor Blanco and the Giants will still find another starter, whether it's James Shields or Jake Peavy or Ryan Vogelsong or someone else. The market is pretty much out of third baseman, though, so that piece will almost certainly have to come via trade (Ben Zobrist would be an outstanding fit, no?). Anyway, so long Michael Morse. People will always talk about Travis Ishikawa's homer, but Morse should never have to buy a meal in San Francisco, either."

'via Blog this'

Great moment in Giants history. We're going to miss his big bat and his seemingly boundless joy.

Michael Morse Game Tying Home Run Game 5 NLCS

http://youtu.be/EWwEmsUobA0

WINTER MEETINGS NOTES: Giants chase Shields; Panda's move was no surprise - Giants Extra

Some good news for the Giants out of the Winter Meetings, hopefully they hold on to Blach and fellow prospect Clayton Blackburn. They could help solidify the back end of the starting rotation beginning as early as 2015. Kyle Crick still worries me a bit with his wildness, I don't seem to recall the same issue with Zack Wheeler at the same point in his development. If Crick comes around, he has top of the rotation stuff. No other Giants pitching prospect brings a higher ceiling to the table than Kyle Crick.

from Giants Extra:
WINTER MEETINGS NOTES: Giants chase Shields; Panda's move was no surprise; #ThreeBelt; Giants add two minor leaguers - Giants Extra:

"— On a brighter note, here’s another thing I heard all week: The Giants think Ty Blach is very underrated on prospect lists. The 24-year-old left-hander has had two good seasons since getting drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, posting a 3.02 ERA over 47 appearances. Blach has pulled away from some of the other pitching prospects in that vaunted 2013 San Jose Giants class, and there are people in the front office who believe he can contribute to the back end of the rotation at some point next season."

'via Blog this'

As far as chances to be a major league contributor, I still like Blach the best although he fell a little bit off last years performance mainly due to his hitting too many bats. He is a pitch to contact guy, but the thinking is that guys are getting too much hard contact which will only get greater as he advances. Blackburn has no such worries attached to him that I have seen. He seems to be able to grind through lineups and get outs efficiently. LHP prospect Adalberto Mejia throws up a red flag with his PED suspension.

P.S. - Although I am partial to LHP's, I like Blackburn / Blach in that order. And before I get crushed by others, I have not seen enough of Tyler Beede outside of Vanderbilt to rank him yet, but he is 1-1A with Crick in terms of ceiling, with a little more consistency it seems in terms of performance. His age helps in that regard. Blackburn, Blach and Beede, the Killer B's of Giants pitching prospects. 

from Bleacher Report:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2267984-giants-prospect-adalberto-mejia-suspended-latest-details-reaction-and-analysis

As Pavlovic mentions, Mejia is regarded as one of San Francisco's best prospects. He was ranked as the Giants' No. 4 prospect coming into the 2014 season by Baseball America and MLB.com, and spent all year playing for Double-A Richmond. 

Just 21 years old, Mejia was signed by the Giants as an international free agent in 2011. In the scouting report for him coming into 2014 onMLB.com, the left-hander was described as having the total package of what scouts look for in a young southpaw:

He had no problem handling high Class A hitters at age 19, as the only thing that slowed him down was a strained lat muscle that sidelined him for seven weeks.

Mejia has everything scouts look for in a pitcher -- stuff, size and command -- and as a bonus, he's left-handed. Mejia throws a low-90s two-seam fastball with minimal effort, getting the ball to cut or sink and locating it where he wants.

Losing Mejia for 50 games certainly delays his path to the big leagues next season. He still had work to do, as evidenced by a 4.67 ERA and 119 hits allowed in 108 innings, via MiLB.com, but the ceiling is bright for this young pitcher. This is just a bad speed bump on the road to what will hopefully be a long and prosperous career for a talented hurler. 

So in order, I guess my Giants pitching prospect list would be:

• Clayton Blackburn
• Derek Law
• Kendry Flores
• Keury Mella
• Ty Blach
• Adalberto Mejia
• Steven Okert
• Joan Gregorio
• Kyle Crick
• Chris Stratton
• Martin Agosta

The bottom three could really turn this list around in a hurry. Especially if Crick and Stratton start pitching in a more consistently dominant fashion.  Agosta may start falling from lists in this coming year. A major disappointment given where he was drafted. Flores and Mella are still a couple of years away from contributing.

from mlb.com
http://m.giants.mlb.com/news/article/100152666/clayton-blackburn-among-giants-prospects-in-arizona-fall-league

For someone who has breezed through pro ball, Giants right-hander Clayton Blackburn has a lengthy to-do list in the Arizona Fall League. He's trying to add two new pitches while replacing innings lost to a rib-cage injury during the season.

"I got hurt a little bit this year and missed about a month, so making up some innings, but also I'm trying to learn more of a true slider," said Blackburn, ranked as the Giants' No. 7 prospect. "I already have a big curveball, so I need a little bit of a true slider. And I'm going from a changeup to a splitter. So working on those, just perfecting my craft and getting better overall."

 In four pro seasons, Blackburn has gone 23-17 with a 2.98 ERA and a 405/76 K/BB ratio in 395 2/3 innings, thanks more to advanced pitchability than overpowering stuff. Though he has a burly 6-foot-2, 260-pound frame, he also has the athleticism to repeat his delivery. Blackburn throws with such little effort that his fastball appears quicker than its 89-93 mph velocity, he has the ability to manipulate the shape of his curveball, and he owns a sinking changeup to keep left-handers in check.

Blackburn went to big league camp with the Giants this spring and saw Hunter Strickland, his roommate at Double-A Richmond this year, become a key part of San Francisco's bullpen during the postseason. As the organization's most advanced starting-pitching prospect, he could make his Major League debut as a 22-year-old next season.

Chicago White Sox prevent Giants from doing something stupid

(USA TODAY Sports)

Now if someone will just step up and overpay for Chase Headley's services allowing the Giants to focus on signing James Shields, I would be grateful. From the White Sox standpoint, at least they didn't give him five years, which some were projecting Cabrera would get. That would have made the risk even greater. He can hit and he would plug a hole in the Giants lineup left by Sandoval, but he comes with even worse baggage than Sandoval's occasional struggles with weight watching. For that reason, I would have shied away from a Melky Returns to SF sequel.

The shopping list still includes a starting pitcher, left fielder and third baseman and will grow to include a set-up man if/when Romo sign elsewhere, so Sabean will have start shopping for pre-Christmas bargains (aka dumpster dives), which is his niche. It's still not too late to salvage the holiday season and bring good cheer to Giants fans, but the shelves are starting to look a little more bare.

from Yahoo Sports:
Chicago White Sox agree to three-year deal with Melky Cabrera | Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports:

If it wasn't official before, it's official now: The Chicago White Sox mean business.
After taking the Winter Meetings by storm, acquiring Jeff Samardzija in a six-player trade with the Oakland A's and signing free-agent reliever David Robertson to a massive four-year, $46 million deal, general manager Rick Hahn has struck again, agreeing to a three-year deal with outfielder Melky Cabrera. 

'via Blog this'

Crasnick: Yanks, Sawx, Dodgers eye Romo - Yankees Blog - ESPN New York

It looks like it's going to be bye-bye Romo and the Yankees-Sawks-Dodgers Trifecta is a sports agents wet dream come true and a nightmare to Sabean. I get that you pushed all your chips to the center of the table in a noble effort to acquire Lester. But now your other competitors, specifically the Dodgers, are clearly beating you to the punch in executing Plan B. Not a good Winter Meetings for the Giants so far, maybe Sabean needs a breath mint.

Unless the Giants Plan B is to wait for the big dogs to eat and then scoop up whatever scraps they miss.

from ESPN New York:
Crasnick: Yanks, Sawx, Dodgers eye Romo - Yankees Blog - ESPN New York:

SAN DIEGO -- We have mentioned a number of times that the Yankees could try to sign Sergio Romo as their closer, allowing them to leave Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller as setup men. Jerry Crasnick says the Yankees are not alone in their interest in Romo. 

'via Blog this'

Lost in the Lester-lust, MadBum is SI Sportsman of the Year

Like Posey, almost uncomfortable talking about himself in the limelight. More times than not, both of them deflect the limelight to others in interviews.

When you read some of this stuff coming out, you almost think, "Is that story real? Do they still make heroes like this?" He's a real throw back to a bygone era. A John Wayne type.

From a questionable draft prospect with a name seemingly borrowed from a romance novel to World Series hero. That's our Madison.

from Bleacher Report:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2294745-sports-illustrated-story-reveals-absurd-details-about-madison-bumgarners-life?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming

MadBum is Sportsman of the Year

12/10/14 | 00:03:34

Madison Bumgarner receives SI's Sportsman of the Year Award, and MLB Commissioner-elect Rob Manfred speaks about MadBum's remarkable career

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/40172882/v37040839

Bumgarner on his splinter

12/08/14 | 00:29

Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner jokes around about getting a splinter and throwing too much during the postseason

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/21753540/v37036667

MadBum on rare suit purchase

12/10/14 | 00:25

SI's 2014 Sportsman of the Year Madison Bumgarner speaks about his limited history with wearing suits and having to buy one for the event

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/21753540/v37040831

Giants "not in the driver's seat" in Jon Lester negotiations - Giants Extra

I heard this interview with Evans on Sirius yesterday and thought "then the Cubs ARE in the drivers seat" and that is how it turned out. Giants once again are in the back seat.

from Giants Extra:
Giants "not in the driver's seat" in Jon Lester negotiations - Giants Extra:

Assistant general manager Bobby Evans was less optimistic about signing Lester on Tuesday, saying he feels the free agent left-hander is feeling a strong pull from Boston and Chicago. Lester was drafted by the Red Sox and spent his whole career there before a July trade to Oakland. The Cubs are run by former Red Sox executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. “I think there are other clubs he’s a little more attached to,” Evans said. “Ultimately, I don’t know, but the sense we get is that we’re not in the driver’s seat. I don’t know exactly who is, but it will probably come down to deep relationships he has in other places.”

'via Blog this'

So good for the Cubbies, they get their bell-cow. And they needed this win more than the Giants and the Red Sox. Good for the Sawks, 'cause Lester got the opportunity to publicly lead their owner John Henry around grovelling and begging and apologizing for past sins, before finally telling him to F-off. Truly every bitter employee and jilted teenage girls dream come true. The Daily Double of revenge.

And good for the Giants, since they won't have to deal with the dynamic of a guy who may be second or third in the rotation behind Bumgarner and Cain, if he's 100%, carrying the top contract around the clubhouse. That may have been the deciding factor for Lester, with the Cubs he is THE MAN and if he leads them to the promised land, it's never been done before. In SF, he might have the fear that "dang, even if the team wins the World Series, they've been there, done that". Same with the Sawks, so the Cubbies make the most sense. If he wins on the North Side, he owns this town.

Now the Giants can go after the guy who I still think fits better in the rotation and the clubhouse and that is "Big Game" James Shields. Forget about Scherzer and his $200M. That's Yankee money.

And get Romo back before he shuffles down to LA and joins Mr. Wilson in the embattled former Giants closers club that the Dodgers bullpen may develop into. .

And get a Vogelsong clone because I heard him interviewed on Sirius it seems like he's gone to Minnesota of Philliy or anywhere but SF. Way to burn that bridge quickly guys.

The final nail in the "Posey to 3B" coffin is struck by Sabean ( for now )

Well I guess this settles the "Posey to 3B" issue. HOWEVER!!!. There is a difference between can / can't play 3B and should / shouldn't.  Sabean's initial comments were more along the lines of  "Posey can't play 3B, so it's not even a consideration". That is a patently absurd comment, but I understand why he said it. If Posey goes the way of Hector Sanchez / Brandon Belt and misses significant time due to concussion symptoms, there might be less 20/20 hindsight. Less of a public furor along the lines of "See, we told you he was going to get hurt". Now we no longer have that problem.

from MLB Trade Rumors:
NL Notes: Giants, Braves, Mets, Andrus, Nationals – MLB Trade Rumors:

GM Brian Sabean says the Giants won’t have Buster Posey replace Pablo Sandoval at third base, and they continue to view him as a backstop, MLB.com’s Chris Haft writes. “He’s a franchise player, a franchise catcher,” Sabean says, adding that Sandoval, who recently signed with the Red Sox, was a key presence in the Giants’ clubhouse. “He brought a lot of energy. He loved playing the game. He’ll be missed on and off the field,” Sabean says. The Giants will continue to look for a third baseman and left fielder, but Sabean expects they might do so through trades and not through free agent signings. Here are more notes from the National League.

'via Blog this'

We joke about the odd / even year effect because it's played itself out three times in a row (inverse gambler's fallacy?), but remember one of those odd year failures was at least partially due to the loss of Posey in the lineup due to injury.

Good to see Sabean own the decision. I'm OK with saying, "he's too valuable to us at the C position to move out of there. We'll have to look elsewhere for an answer at 3B". I'm not comfortable with the GM of my team making statements that seem to imply that he either doesn't have a working set of eyeballs in his head or he doesn't believe his fan base has a sufficient working knowledge of baseball that they would accept the first statement at face value. Maybe fans /bloggers don't have enough knowledge (opportunity) to be an actual GM, but at least some have a basic understanding of the game.

I can't say it loud enough or often enough.

Pablo Sandoval was a C who was converted to 3B and we just finished a season where folks lauded his athleticism and abilities enough at 3B to consider him for a Gold Glove. You can't tell me that with the level of athleticism and background that Posey brings to the table, that he couldn't make a similar transition if asked and lead the team from 3B, as many other major-league stars have before him. There is no baseball law or law of nature that says leadership always emanates from the catcher position. You have to protect one of the most valuable assets the franchise holds.

We're just going to have to hold our collective breaths for the time being as long as Posey toils behind the dish. Later in his career when they are looking to get the final ounce productivity out of his bat, the math may shift and the issue may resurface.

But for now, get used to hearing the sound of  ".....now batting, your catcher, Buster Posey!!" Hopefully, for a long, long time.

Buster Posey Contract Announced at Press Conference

http://youtu.be/jf2oLHMI2GY