I know it was a win, but damn, at what point are the Giants starting pitchers (excluding Mr. 126) going to go on strike? What’s a guy gotta do around here to get a win? lol…

from the Chronicle:

“The Giants are looking for a left-handed-hitting first baseman but have no interest in Dan Johnson, whom the A’s designated for assignment.”

Yeah, why take a flyer on a 28 yr old guy with talent and some power and plate discipline when you have Rich Aurillia around.

This is exactly the type of transaction a talent starved organization would be making. Its free talent in a position that we have a desperate need for improvement. The Giants should pick Johnson up immediately and if it doesn’t work out, so what. Its not like you had to give him a $126mm. I’m not suggesting he is the 2nd coming of Carlos Pena, but Pena was available for free too after being waived by the Red Sox, and that worked out pretty well for the Rays.

Well at least the Red Sox had a passable 1B, and an another left handed 1b/DH that was let go by an AL team that was available as a waiver wire pick-up…..David Ortiz.

The Giant’s haven’t had a 1b with power since Snow hit 28 hr 10 years ago, and that’s kind of an important position when it comes to offensive production. And in case the brilliant Sabes hasn’t noticed, the team is having trouble scoring runs. Not that anyone in his “brain” trust could successfully identify an offensive talent anyway….still waiting for the first one they develop.

The more I think about this the angrier I get. Why the fuck WOULDN’T they want to pick up Johnson? One reason, please.

I agree. I watched the game last night and my wife walked in to see the 0-0 score. “What a boring game,” she said. “No, it’s a pitching duel,” I replied. She picked up a book and walked out. Just then the Giants won the game. I yelled at her in the other room that they’d won and she’d missed it and the winning play wasn’t boring. She laughed.

Right now they’re up on the Cardinals in the 8th with a 4-0 lead and Correia pitching great. I have to admit, maybe I took the Giants’ pitching a little for granted because of horrible Zito and that 126 million dollar contract is. Maybe they’ll be only a 90 loss team, and with that line-up that’d be pretty impressive.

The question is, if Zito doesn’t improve dramatically this season, is his 126 million dollar contract going to be the worst of all time? I know Pavano was a horrible signing for New York, but in total it was only about one third as much money.

i cant not believe that people on this board trust sabean to trade for johnson…he was dfa, not outright released

if he clears waivers, maybe they will take a flyer

and even if signed, you really think he would play?

bochy is still trotting ray and ritchie out there

ort hits a walkoff??? back to the bench my son

velez hits a triple??? back to the bench my son

the only reason that freddie will get any playing time is cuz roberts is doing what he has always been great at….spending a season on the dl

They’ll win some games if the team ERA stays below 0.33 like it has been the past 3 games. Kind of have to.

Nothing will change until Sabean and Bochy and their scouts are gone. There is no leadership in the front office nor on the field. As CJ Points out they will win some games with a staff era of .33. But it won’t be very many when they are averaging 2.5 runs per game and a stellar 3.0 runs in their 3 game mini streak over two of the weaker teams in MLB.

I am completely unimpressed with Aaron Rowand. Besides his definitive SoCal, Barry Zito, Mark Prior, Brett Tomko, FP Santangelo frat-boy too-cool-for-school nightclub demeanor, he plays CF like he never saw the position in his life. He couldn’t find a cut-off guy with a search warrant. He got blinded by his girlie necklace and managed to turn a runner on second into a runner on third in Los Angeles. He makes Magellen’s Great Circle Route look like a laser beam. Jim Edmonds and even Rick Ankiel make Rowand look a Sunday Beerleaguer in comparison. Aaron Rowan is what Dave Roberts should have been, an ordinary outfielder, not a Todd Linden redux. No clue on how to play CF here. Guys with 5 year contracts should, you know…actually acclimate one’s self to their work environment. Running into fences doesn’t mean you’re good…it means you’re an idiot that has lost situational awareness.

Another fucking douchebag long term contract.

After these last three games I feel for me it’s time to re-assess the definition of success. The Giants are not a playoff team. They are manager-front office challenged so the definition has to fit the situation.

I think if they find out if Sanchez and Corriea are indeed rotation guys either here or with another team then that fits my new definition. They have several position players who may get some spotty playing time but if they can make statements like below:

We have our future second baseman here.
or
We have to find a second baseman because Frandsen and Velez suck

Fred Lewis can play a major league outfield spot
or
He can’t.

Rajai Davis is fourth outfielder-pinch runner
or
He needs a new line of work

Brian Wilson is a closer
or
He’s not

If we know this by seasons end then I say its a successful season.
Doesn’t mean too much I realize but I don’t know how to make it through otherwise.

Agree completely, +mia. I knew about a guy once who would overspend at a car dealership for a “status” ride like a Cadillac. Then he could brag to all who’d listen about how expensive his car was, and how the salesmen treated him like royalty when he whipped out his fat wad. It was idiotic, of course. Sort of like our “brain” trust.

Poor Matt Cain… I’m telling you, he’s going to go nuts. A no-hitter through 6 innings and the only run of support he got while actually pitching was his own home run? And he still gets a no decision? Man, that’s rough. At this rate he’ll probably finish the season with a stat line like this: 4-6 , 2.95 ERA without missing a start. I wonder what the all time record is for no decisions for a starting pitcher?

I feel terrible for Matt Cain.

I’ve posted this before, but each glorious Barry Zito performance motivates me to post it again. Here are Brian Sabean’s last four major pitching-related transactions:

4. Traded Nathan, Liriano, and Bonser for AJ Pierzynski.
3. Sign Armando Benitez for over $20 mill.
2. Signed Matt Morris for nearly $30 mill.
1. Signed Zito for $126 mill.

Has any other GM ever had a run like this? The AJ trade and the Zito signing may be the two biggest baseball fiascos of the 21st century. The Benitez signing was an epic disaster. The Morris signing turned out badly. Basically the Giants gave up 3 good pitchers and $180 million and got nothing in return.

Now, you might think that a GM that has compiled this kind of trading record, and who has also failed to develop a single ML-caliber hitter in ten years, deserves to be fired.

And you would be right.