2008 Record: 72-90 .444
Run differential: -119 (13th)
2008 payroll: $76,594,500
Last season was first without Barry Bonds in a Giant uniform since 1992. A sans Bonds offense coupled with a young rotation made San Francisco many experts’ mortal lock for 100 losses. With a surprising performance by the rotation and extreme luck in one run games (31-21), the Giants were happily able to avoid the cellar and give the sportswriters a great big …burger to eat. The major highlight was Tim Lincecum showing he is the best young hurler in baseball by winning the Cy Young Award in his first full season. Additionally Jonathan Sanchez finally had a defined role and Brian Wilson showed he has the stuff to be a big league closer. Unfortunately filling Bonds’s shoes proved difficult as the offense was an embarrassment-- only managing 94 home runs and finishing ahead of just San Diego in runs scored.
The 2009 club isn’t much different. Due to Brian Sabean’s never ending crush on 30+ year old men, San Fran signed a few guys to short deals hoping provide this team with more “leadership” in an effort to help them “go a long way.” The most famous addition is the Big Unit who agreed to a one-year contract. Also coming to town are two relievers to help shore up the pen in Affeldt and Howry. Luckily, the team only signed one geezer to fix the offense. Banking that a return to the NL rejuvenates Edgár Rentería and finally letting rookie Travis Ishikawa as well as top hitting prospect Pablo Sandoval play could allow the offense to creep up to league average.
This team needs to be cautious though since manager Bruce Bochy pushed his young pitchers so hard last season. We all know what happened to Prior and Wood when Dusty took the reins. Let’s just hope Lincecum and Cain don’t suffer a similar end. When you put everything together you get a team where if all things break right could find itself in the playoffs or with some bad luck could end up as one of the worst teams in baseball. Either way this team has pitching depth that should be the foundation for their next contending teams. Now to just find a way out of the Zito and Rowand contracts…
Likely opening day roster:
| Pos. | Name | Salary | How Acquired |
| C | Bengie Molina | $6 M | Signed as FA 12/06 |
| C | Steve Holm | $.39 M | Drafted 17th rd 2001 |
| 1b | Travis Ishikawa | $.39 M | Drafted 21st rd 2002 |
| 2b | Emmanuel Burris | $.39 M | Drafted #33 overall 2006 |
| 3b | Pablo Sandoval | $.39 M | Signed as amateur FA from Venezuela 2002 |
| SS | Edgar Renteria | $7 M | Signed as FA 12/4/08 |
| LF | Fred Lewis | $.392M | Drafted 2nd rd 2002 |
| CF | Aaron Rowand | $8 M | Signed as FA 12/12/07 |
| RF | Randy Winn | $8.25 M | Acquired in trade w/ Sea 7/05. Signed extension 2/06 |
| Inf | Kevin Frandsen | $.398M | Drafted 17th rd 2004 |
| Inf | Rich Aurilia | Non Roster Invitee | |
| Of | Dave Roberts | $6.5 M | Signed as FA 12/06 |
| UT | Eugenio Velez | $.39 M | Selected in AAA phase of Rule 5 draft '05 |
| SP | Tim Lincecum | $.65 M | Drafted #10 overall 2006 |
| SP | Matt Cain | $2.65 M | Drafted #25 overall 2002. Signed extension 3/07 |
| SP | Randy Johnson | $8 M | Signed as FA 12/26/08 |
| SP | Jonathan Sanchez | $.395M | Drafted 27th rd 2004 |
| SP | Barry Zito | $18.5 M | Signed as FA 12/06 |
| Cl | Brian Wilson | $.395M | Drafted 24th rd 2003 |
| SU | Jeremy Affeldt | $3 M | Signed as FA 11/17/08 |
| RP | Bobby Howry | $2.75 M | Signed as FA 12/3/08 |
| RP | Jack Taschner | $.83 M | Drafted 2nd rd 1999 |
| RP | Alex Hinshaw | $.39 M | Drafted 15th rd 2005 |
| RP | Sergio Romo | $.39 M | Drafted 28th rd 2005 |
| RP | Luis Perdomo | $.39 M | Selected in 2008 Rule 5 draft |
Say hello to: Jeremy Affeldt, Bobby Howry, Randy Johnson, Edgár Rentería
Wave goodbye: Tyler Walker, Omar Vizquel
Rookies: Pablo Sandoval, Sergio Romo, Travis Ishikawa
Non-Roster Invitees to Watch: Ramon Ortiz, Buster Posey, Rich Aurilia, Josh Phelps, Juan Uribe
Potential breakout: Jonathan Sanchez, Fred Lewis
Welcome to Earth: Bengie Molina
Likely to rebound: Bobby Howry
Strengths: The rotation is excellent.
Weaknesses: The offense is putrid. The left side of the infield has the same range as a rose bush.
Payroll obligations to former players: none
Optimal batting lineup (position, name, bats, Avg/OBP/Slg, HR, SB, EqA):
LF Lewis L .287/.357/.458 9, 21 .281
SS Rentería R .270/.317/.382 10, 6 .247
RF Winn B .306/.363/.426 10, 25 .286
C Molina R .292/.322/.445 16, 0 .266
3B Sandoval B .345/.357/490 3, 0 .297
CF Rowand R .271/.339/.410 13, 2 .262
1B Ishikawa L .274/.337/.432 3, 1 .272
2B Burris R .243/.333/.486 1, 0 .277
Prediction: 3rd place and a losing record
1 comment:
I think I agree with how Sabean builds a team around pitching and defense. No offensive minded player is going to want to spend 4 years in the offensive wasteland that is AT&T Park. Only a juiced out Bonds could take the ball out of that park on a daily basis. Therefore, I feel the Sabean/McGowan mantra is a smart philosophy and the only philosophy considering their annual stadium debt payment and the grueling San Francisco summer evenings.
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