Sabean is an old hand at overhauling a roster

GIANTS G.M. LOOKING TO ADD YOUNG TALENT

By Andrew Baggarly-Mercury News

In 1996, Brian Sabean was a rookie general manager who arrived at the winter meetings with the massive task of overhauling a last-place Giants ballclub.

He departs today for Nashville, Tenn., with the same task. Except now, the silver-haired Sabean will arrive the longest-tenured G.M. with his club other than San Diego's Kevin Towers.

"It's very much a different time," Sabean said. "Years ago we thought we were young. But the game certainly is getting younger every year, including in the front office."

Sabean, 51, has his eye on building a younger roster through old-school methods. With free agency holding few solutions, general managers are more ready to deal than they've been in years, and there is no greater thrill for a baseball executive than to pull off a stunningly creative trade.

Most of Sabean's best deals have come at the July 31 deadline. But you need only to remember his first year, when he traded Matt Williams to Cleveland for a package that included Jeff Kent, to know that Sabean is capable of engineering a blockbuster out of the blue.

"Everybody is excited," said Sabean, who spent the last month laying the groundwork for a half-dozen potential deals. "I don't see a lot of organizations being bogged down by agent meetings, and I think it's good for the industry."

When deals happen

Meeting with agents is a time-consuming process that can be handled just as well over the phone.

But something magical can happen when executives from two clubs hunker down in a suite, their scouts and assistants interact, and they all start throwing around names.

You never know what you might be shaking hands over a half-hour later.

"The dynamics of your group and your people skills, against what their entourage is, there's more of a chance to get things done in that fashion than maybe on the phone," Sabean said.

Sabean's trading partners have undergone considerable turnover in 12 years.
While the Giants gave Sabean a two-year extension in July to draw up plans in the post-Barry Bonds era, other organizations underwent major changes. Two successful and highly respected general managers, Terry Ryan in Minnesota and Bill Stoneman in Anaheim, stepped down. The St. Louis Cardinals fired longtime executive Walt Jocketty. John Schuerholz became Atlanta's club president and handed G.M. duties to Frank Wren.

While some longtime baseball men remain, such as Philadelphia's Pat Gillick and Washington's Jim Bowden, only Towers has been G.M. of his team longer than Sabean has directed the Giants. (Towers was named Padres G.M. in November 1995, about 10 months before Sabean was promoted by the Giants.)

It leaves Sabean a bit wistful, like a man in a club jacket who sometimes can't recognize the membership.

"I can understand some people's decision-making," Sabean said. "But it's a little concerning to me that guys like Terry Ryan, one of the meat-and-potatoes guys of the business that has done extremely well, is saying it's a pretty tough treadmill or it can be redundant or exhausting."

Sabean's job is not for the fatigued or semi-committed. The Giants have needs all over the diamond, including huge holes at the infield corners. But Sabean will target young hitters with enough run-producing potential to fill the middle of the lineup, regardless of their position.

Sabean is hoping to get the job done without sacrificing pitchers Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum.

Florida's Miguel Cabrera is the one elite hitter on the trade market, but even if the Marlins lower their demands, the Giants probably couldn't complete a deal without including Lincecum.

Not just one guy

Other young hitters who could be discussed include Cleveland third baseman Andy Marte, New York Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera and New York Mets outfielder Carlos Gomez. All would fit in the Giants' new world order.

"It's not going to be one guy," Manager Bruce Bochy said. "We talked about hopefully playing a different brand of ball, with everybody contributing and not relying on one guy to hit a three-run homer."

In the meantime, the Giants will look to deal veterans like Ray Durham, Dave Roberts and Rich Aurilia.

Every trade conversation this week figures to start with Cain and Lincecum. But Sabean said he would be "in shock" to find a deal worth sacrificing either player.
• The Giants opened the door for Pedro Feliz to return next season, offering arbitration to their third baseman before Saturday's deadline.
Feliz has until Friday to accept or reject the offer. If he accepts, he is considered a signed player and the parties can negotiate a one-year contract or allow an arbiter to determine the salary.
Feliz's agents have sought a three-year contract on the open market. If he signs elsewhere, the Giants would receive a compensatory draft pick - likely in the second or third round.