Andrew Baggarly-Mercury News
NASHVILLE - The Giants had their ears wide open in Music City on Monday, but they didn't hear anything to make them leap out of their chairs and dance.
As the winter meetings sprung into action, there was no movement on coveted young pitchers Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum and Giants General Manager Brian Sabean said he was close to declaring both right-handers completely off-limits.
"We haven't been blown away yet," Sabean said. "One team made an interesting proposal but I don't know if it's something we're going to pursue."
Sabean said the one proposal on the table did not involve acquiring Florida's Miguel Cabrera, who remains a heavy favorite to end up with the Angels.
With talk of Cain and Lincecum dominating every meeting, Sabean said he was just about ready to close shop and move ahead on other proposals.
"It may in fact be inhibiting some of the other business we could do," Sabean said. "If somebody holds out hope they could get one of those particular pitchers, it detours you away from other conversations."
Belief within the industry is that the Giants must move Lincecum to address a lineup that had a .387 slugging percentage, the worst among all major league teams.
"They'll trade him," a Reds official said. "They have to."
Sabean disputed that notion, saying the Giants must seek to compete behind its pitching staff and pointing out that other NL West teams - the Diamondbacks and Padres, chiefly - were contenders despite an offense that was just as meager.
"I don't feel pressure, nor am I getting pressure, to trade pitching to quote-unquote fill out the lineup," Sabean said. "We'll figure out a team and a lineup. But if you don't pitch in our division, you're in trouble."
One proven run producer that could be acquired without sacrificing Cain or Lincecum is Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada, who would move to third base. The Giants continued to discuss Tejada, with left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, right-hander Brad Hennessey, outfielder Fred Lewis and catcher Guillermo Rodriguez among the names that interested the Orioles.
But a Giants source said there was little movement on the Tejada front; Sabean's top lieutenants are roughly split on whether the former A's star would be a good fit at all, considering that he might not be happy about switching positions.
Still, Tejada is a proven run producer and his contract ($26 million over the next two years) isn't out of line for an everyday player with the potential to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100.
Tejada's name also could surface in Sen. George Mitchell's investigation into past steroid use, but the Giants weren't said to be dissuaded from any players because of the report.
The Giants need a third baseman because it appears Pedro Feliz will get a multiyear contract elsewhere. Feliz's agents also represent Scott Rolen and were pushing for the St. Louis Cardinals to trade the Gold Glove third baseman - likely to Milwaukee or Texas - and then sign Feliz. The Phillies also consider Feliz an option.
Because Feliz is a Type B free agent who was offered arbitration, the Giants would receive a supplemental first-round pick if he signs elsewhere.
With the Giants in need of so many things, it was easy for lobby-patrolling rumor hounds to connect them to almost every player rumored to be on the move.
The Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds were known to be two teams in pursuit of Lincecum and able to offer a variety of younger position players. The rough outline of a deal with Seattle would have reshaped both franchises, with the Mariners potentially shedding first baseman Richie Sexson and the Giants moving veteran infielder Ray Durham or Rich Aurilia.
Sabean was struck by the creativity of one proposal for Lincecum, but said he was "not leaning toward" pushing ahead with it.
He said every trade conversation involved giving up young pitching for "all people who are established in one form or another."
While catcher Bengie Molina has come up in rumors, Sabean said interest was limited to one team, the New York Mets, who subsequently acquired catcher Brian Schneider from Washington.
In other news, two Giants haven't fared well in the winter leagues. Shortstop Omar Vizquel heated up to raise his average to .217 in Venezuela while right-hander Merkin Valdez has not impressed while pitching in the Dominican league. One scout said Valdez, who missed all of 2007 because of reconstructive elbow surgery, was topping out at 91 mph.
"He's just a guy now," the scout said of Valdez, who used to touch 99 mph.
As the winter meetings sprung into action, there was no movement on coveted young pitchers Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum and Giants General Manager Brian Sabean said he was close to declaring both right-handers completely off-limits.
"We haven't been blown away yet," Sabean said. "One team made an interesting proposal but I don't know if it's something we're going to pursue."
Sabean said the one proposal on the table did not involve acquiring Florida's Miguel Cabrera, who remains a heavy favorite to end up with the Angels.
With talk of Cain and Lincecum dominating every meeting, Sabean said he was just about ready to close shop and move ahead on other proposals.
"It may in fact be inhibiting some of the other business we could do," Sabean said. "If somebody holds out hope they could get one of those particular pitchers, it detours you away from other conversations."
Belief within the industry is that the Giants must move Lincecum to address a lineup that had a .387 slugging percentage, the worst among all major league teams.
"They'll trade him," a Reds official said. "They have to."
Sabean disputed that notion, saying the Giants must seek to compete behind its pitching staff and pointing out that other NL West teams - the Diamondbacks and Padres, chiefly - were contenders despite an offense that was just as meager.
"I don't feel pressure, nor am I getting pressure, to trade pitching to quote-unquote fill out the lineup," Sabean said. "We'll figure out a team and a lineup. But if you don't pitch in our division, you're in trouble."
One proven run producer that could be acquired without sacrificing Cain or Lincecum is Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada, who would move to third base. The Giants continued to discuss Tejada, with left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, right-hander Brad Hennessey, outfielder Fred Lewis and catcher Guillermo Rodriguez among the names that interested the Orioles.
But a Giants source said there was little movement on the Tejada front; Sabean's top lieutenants are roughly split on whether the former A's star would be a good fit at all, considering that he might not be happy about switching positions.
Still, Tejada is a proven run producer and his contract ($26 million over the next two years) isn't out of line for an everyday player with the potential to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100.
Tejada's name also could surface in Sen. George Mitchell's investigation into past steroid use, but the Giants weren't said to be dissuaded from any players because of the report.
The Giants need a third baseman because it appears Pedro Feliz will get a multiyear contract elsewhere. Feliz's agents also represent Scott Rolen and were pushing for the St. Louis Cardinals to trade the Gold Glove third baseman - likely to Milwaukee or Texas - and then sign Feliz. The Phillies also consider Feliz an option.
Because Feliz is a Type B free agent who was offered arbitration, the Giants would receive a supplemental first-round pick if he signs elsewhere.
With the Giants in need of so many things, it was easy for lobby-patrolling rumor hounds to connect them to almost every player rumored to be on the move.
The Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds were known to be two teams in pursuit of Lincecum and able to offer a variety of younger position players. The rough outline of a deal with Seattle would have reshaped both franchises, with the Mariners potentially shedding first baseman Richie Sexson and the Giants moving veteran infielder Ray Durham or Rich Aurilia.
Sabean was struck by the creativity of one proposal for Lincecum, but said he was "not leaning toward" pushing ahead with it.
He said every trade conversation involved giving up young pitching for "all people who are established in one form or another."
While catcher Bengie Molina has come up in rumors, Sabean said interest was limited to one team, the New York Mets, who subsequently acquired catcher Brian Schneider from Washington.
In other news, two Giants haven't fared well in the winter leagues. Shortstop Omar Vizquel heated up to raise his average to .217 in Venezuela while right-hander Merkin Valdez has not impressed while pitching in the Dominican league. One scout said Valdez, who missed all of 2007 because of reconstructive elbow surgery, was topping out at 91 mph.
"He's just a guy now," the scout said of Valdez, who used to touch 99 mph.
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