San Francisco Giants Top 20 Prospects for 2009

John Sickels-minorleagueball.com

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don’t get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get out of the top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you are looking for.

1) Madison Bumgarner, LHP, Grade A: Health is a risk as with any young pitcher, but incredible performance at a young age and improved secondary stuff stands out.

2) Buster Posey, C, Grade A-: Excellent defense, should hit for average with high OBP and at least moderate power.

3) Tim Alderson, RHP, Grade B+: Borderline A-. Doesn’t have Bumgarner’s stuff but pitched well at a higher level with great command.

4) Angel Villalona, 1B, Grade B: Grade A power potential, Grade C refinement. Horrid plate discipline balances out extreme youth at this point.

5) Conor Gillaspie, 3B, Grade B-: I like the Midwest guys. Polished bat, will hit for average and get on base, glove needs to be more reliable but I think it will.

6) Henry Sosa, RHP, Grade B-: Good arm, but a bit erratic, can he stay healthy?

7) Nick Noonan, 2B, Grade B-: Strike zone judgment needs work but I like the other skills.

8) Travis Ishikawa, 1B, Grade C+: In under the 130 at-bat rule. Should be a solid player but I don’t see stardom in him.

9) Waldis Joaquin, RHP, Grade C+: Fits the tradition of power arms in this organization.

10) Rafael Rodriguez, OF, Grade C+: I have no idea where to rank guys like this. Could be anything from a superstar to a superdud.

11) Jose Casilla, RHP, Grade C+: Another power arm of interest, though a long way away.

12) Clayton Tanner, LHP, Grade C+: I like him as a sleeper for ’09.

13) Jesse English, LHP, Grade C+: Added to 40-man roster, rebuilt his career following injuries with a strong year in the Cal League.

14) Scott Barnes, LHP, Grade C+: Intriguing lefty out of St. John’s in the 2008 draft. Good stuff, decent command.

15) Luis Perdomo, RHP, Grade C+: Nice pickup in the Rule 5. Could help in bullpen quickly.

16) Ehire Adrianza, SS, Grade C+: Good scouting reports, good glove, sample size very small. Could rise rapidly in grade in ’09. Other sources will rank him higher.

17) Kelvin Pichardo, RHP, Grade C+: Another power arm who can help if he throws strikes.

18) Sergio Romo, RHP, Grade C+: In under the 50-inning rule Great story, I like him a lot, but beware fly balls and unsustainable BABIP leading to regression to mean.

19) Jesus Guzman, 3B, Grade C+: Signed away from Oakland as minor league free agent. I think his progress was real.

20) Joseph Martinez, RHP, Grade C: Wins with marginal stuff. Can he do this in the majors?

Others: Brandon Crawford, SS; Matt Downs, UT; Wendell Fairley, OF; Jason Jarvis, RHP; Roger Kieschnick, OF; Aaron King, LHP; Mike Loree, RHP; Daryl Maday, RHP; Osiris Matos, RHP; Thomas Neal, 1B; Kyle Nicholson, RHP; Juan Carlos Perez, OF; Kevin Pucetas, RHP; Edwin Quirate, RHP; Ryan Rohlinger, 3B; Adam Witter, C-1B.

As usual, don’t sweat so much about where the Grade C+/C types rank exactly on this list. After I get past the top 10 I don’t worry so much about exact placement, since I’m trying to concentrate on the book right now. Some of the Grade C guys could be C+ in the book, and vice versa.

SYSTEM IN BRIEF:
The system has three outstanding prospects in Bumgarner, Alderson, and Posey. After that the question marks start, with guys like Villalona and Gillaspie having notable strengths but also weaknesses that prevent a higher grade at this time.

The Giants seem to have a knack for finding spare pitching between the couch cushions, and are adept at picking up both power arms and more polished guys. You never know which young pitcher is going to go Foppert on you, so it is wise to gather as many as possible.

They have considerably less depth in position players, and at lower levels are relying on raw tools guys like Rodriguez and Fairley to carry the load. Even college pick Kieschnick is relatively raw. Don’t worry about Posey, though. I think the only thing that could derail him is injury, a risk for all young catchers.

Unit wants to savor time with Giants

Johnson realizes 2009 could be swan song to his Hall of Fame career

Chris Haft - MLB.com
If 2009 is Randy Johnson's final Major League campaign, he intends to cherish it.

The "Big Unit," known through most of his 21-year career as a glowering, intimidating 6-foot-10 presence on the mound, won't necessarily change his demeanor when he's pitching. But he sounded ready to share the camaraderie with his new Giants teammates -- especially if they're the last ones he'll have.

"I'm not going to say I'm done because I haven't even started the year," Johnson said on a conference call Saturday, one day after signing a one-year, $8 million contract with the Giants. But the 45-year-old acknowledged, "It could be my last season. ... I probably want to enjoy it a little more and be surrounded by people who are enjoying it as well."

Johnson believes that the Giants can achieve the feat that would please him and his teammates most: A National League West title. The Giants have endured four consecutive losing seasons, but Johnson noted that he witnessed the type of turnaround San Francisco aspires to in 1999, when he helped the Arizona Diamondbacks win the division with a 100-62 record after they finished 65-97 in their inaugural season the year before.

"I foresee that possibility and the likelihood that would happen," Johnson said, adding that competing in a "weaker NL West" could assist the Giants.

Giants management is equally aware of the West's vulnerability. Arizona, Colorado and San Diego have done little or nothing to improve themselves. Reigning division champion Los Angeles retains its core of young, talented position players but must restock its starting rotation due to possible free-agent defections and hasn't yet re-signed late-season catalyst Manny Ramirez.

Lacking a potent offense, the Giants are flawed themselves. Having resisted offers of corner infielders for Jonathan Sanchez, general manager Brian Sabean hinted that he might at least listen to trade proposals involving the left-hander, now that Johnson's aboard.

"We're going to have to be open-minded," Sabean said, although he repeated that he wouldn't obtain a player who's eligible for free agency after 2009.

Waiting until Spring Training also could be an option for the Giants, who'll know by then whether left-hander Noah Lowry will have sufficiently recovered from two forearm surgeries. If Lowry's fit, Sanchez would be bumped from the rotation into the bullpen and could be expendable.

If the Giants can't upgrade their offense, they'll rely more heavily on pitching. That partly explained why they pursued Johnson, the 295-game winner who finished 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA for Arizona last season. Maybe, Sabean reiterated, the Giants can compensate for the offensive shortcomings with pitching prowess. Johnson joins a starting rotation that already features fellow Cy Young Award winners Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito, along with the richly skilled Matt Cain and Sanchez.

"That will be exciting to play with them, learn from them and hopefully teach a little bit as well," Johnson said.

Zito, for one, was thrilled.

"I'm eager to play with arguably the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time," Zito said through his publicist, Kathy Jacobson. "I have enjoyed watching Randy from the opposing dugout for years and am excited to be around him on a daily basis. I always wanted to play with a multi-Cy Young Award winner and now that has happened."

Johnson sounded ready to impart one particular nugget of wisdom: Never feel satisfied, even after winning a Cy Young Award. This could prove useful to Lincecum, the reigning NL winner, and Zito, who captured the AL Cy Young Award with Oakland in 2002. Having captured five Cy Youngs, Johnson definitely knows what he's talking about.

"Don't ever be content after winning a Cy Young," he said. "You never know when you've had your best year."

Johnson added that he made this observation to Brandon Webb after the right-hander won the NL Cy Young Award in 2006. In two seasons since then, Webb has won 40 games.

Manager Bruce Bochy relishes the thought of the Giants' younger pitchers taking cues from Johnson's drive -- which he'll certainly maintain as he pursues his 300th career victory. Cain and Lincecum, both 24, and Sanchez, 26, should particularly benefit from Johnson's example. "It can't help but rub off on people," Bochy said.

Johnson, whose renowned fastball still travels in the low-90-mph range, might be as spry as any Giants pitcher. Having spent his previous two offseasons recovering from back surgeries, he has focused on conditioning instead of rehabilitating this winter.

That also bodes well for the Giants, who Johnson selected after fielding interest from a dozen teams, by his count.

When Johnson gets some free time next year, the Walnut Creek, Calif., native and 1982 Livermore High School graduate might even revel in his Bay Area roots. He hinted at visiting places like his Little League field at Bear Park near Mendenhall School in Livermore, situated across the bay from San Francisco.

"It'll be a lot of fun," Johnson said, reiterating the theme of his chat.

Big Unit will be big help to Giants

Keith Law-ESPN.com
With the signing of Randy Johnson to a one-year deal, the Giants made another move toward 2009 respectability, if not outright contention in a weak division, without doing any damage to their long-term rebuilding plan.

Despite his age (he turned 45 in September), Johnson showed that he has something left in the tank in 2008, making 30 starts, striking out 22.4 percent of opposing hitters and posting an ERA better than league average.

He's been pitching for a few years with reduced stuff, but his fastball is still solid-average at 89-93, and his slider remains sharp, 82-86 mph with good tilt and late depth to it. His third pitch, a splitter, is a weaker offering; he gets on top of the pitch, but has a slow dive rather than the hard bottom more often associated with a splitter. Right-handed hitters can time the pitch because its drop starts early.

He still has good deception, especially against left-handers, but tends to pitch in the upper middle part of the zone too often with his fastball, which, combined with the gradual drop in his velocity, has turned him into a fly ball pitcher over the last few years. San Francisco's park is an ideal spot for a pitcher with this tendency, because it is one of the least home run-friendly parks (in terms of converting fly balls into home runs) in baseball.

For the Giants, it gives them one of the strongest rotations in the league, with the reigning Cy Young Award winner at the top in Tim Lincecum, a potential No. 1 starter in Matt Cain and a breakout candidate for 2009 in lefty Jonathan Sanchez. Barry Zito now becomes the fifth starter; consider the contrast between the Giants' philosophy in signing Zito, who was all name but declining performance-wise, to a seven-year contract that cost them a draft pick, and their philosophy in signing Johnson to a short-term deal that does not cost them a pick.

The Giants could now trade a starter for offensive help, and their offense does need it, as they were the first team in a decade to fail to hit 100 home runs in a full season. They also had the fourth-worst OBP in the league and finished just three runs ahead of the NL-worst Padres.

They still need help at two infield spots (third or first base, with Pablo Sandoval at the other spot, and shortstop or second base, with Edgar Renteria at the other spot), or the Giants could try to upgrade in either outfield corner, with center field already committed to Aaron Rowand for the rest of eternity. While it would be difficult for the Giants to trade Sanchez or even Cain, they could increase their chances of contention in 2009 with the right deal, and they have more young high-end pitching on the way in Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson.

You may have heard that Johnson is just five wins short of the hallowed 300 mark, which remains (despite frequent comments to the contrary by voters) a benchmark for Hall of Fame induction, one that has kept highly qualified players like Bert Blyleven out.

Johnson should be a lock for induction regardless -- the third-highest strikeout total of all-time, five Cy Young Awards and three second-place finishes, etc. -- but reaching 300 wins may increase his vote total when he does reach the ballot. Of course, perhaps the major variable in determining whether a pitcher wins a game or not is the run support he receives from his team, and the Giants' offense remains a weak spot, so reaching five wins will likely take Johnson longer than it would had he signed with another team.

Randy Johnson, Giants agree to 1-year deal

JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
The Big Unit is heading home to the Bay Area.

Randy Johnson and the San Francisco Giants agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract Friday, meaning the 45-year-old pitcher will go for his 300th win with a new team.

Johnson, a 21-year big league veteran who spent the past two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, was born in Walnut Creek, Calif., about 30 minutes from the Giants' waterfront ballpark. He grew up in nearby Livermore.

The five-time Cy Young Award winner has 295 victories after going 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts last season. He can earn an additional $5 million in performance bonuses.

The Giants offered several things on Johnson's wish list: spring training in the Phoenix area, and a chance to stay on the West Coast and in the NL West so he can pitch near his current home in Arizona.

"All of those things kind of fell into place with the Giants," Johnson's agent, Barry Meister, said in a telephone interview.

Johnson joins fellow Cy Young winners Tim Lincecum (2008) and Barry Zito (2002) in an intriguing rotation that also features promising right-hander Matt Cain. San Francisco becomes the first team with three Cy Young Award recipients since the 2002 Atlanta Braves with Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.

"He's looking forward to pitching between Lincecum and Cain and serving as a mentor for the young pitching staff," Meister said.

Johnson has 4,789 strikeouts, second on the career list to Nolan Ryan (5,714). The 6-foot-10 lefty made $16 million last season, when he struck out 173 and walked 44.

The Oakland Athletics were among the teams interested in Johnson, a 10-time All-Star who filed for free agency last month. He and the Diamondbacks had serious discussions about a new deal that could have kept him in Arizona, but the sides failed to reach an agreement.

During the winter meetings this month in Las Vegas, Giants general manager Brian Sabean didn't hide the fact that he was seeking a veteran starting pitcher for a short-term deal and that Johnson would be a great fit. Left-hander Noah Lowry is a question mark after undergoing two operations this year that sidelined him all season, one for a nerve problem in his forearm and then an arthroscopic procedure after the season on the back of his pitching elbow to remove bone spurs

"Randy continues to be one of the most intimidating and competitive pitchers in baseball today," Sabean said in a statement. "He commands respect and will have a dramatic influence on the way the 2009 team conducts business."

The Giants turned to a youth movement this year and finished fourth in the NL West at 72-90. They haven't reached the playoffs since 2003.

Johnson certainly will help attract fans as he chases career win No. 300. The Giants went 37-44 at home for their fourth straight losing campaign in San Francisco. They also failed to reach 3 million fans for the first time in the 9-year-old ballpark's history, certainly in part because home run king Barry Bonds was gone.

Sabean has been busy all offseason. He also added shortstop Edgar Renteria and relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry.

San Francisco Holiday Wish: A Giants Bat

Rob Angstadt - Bleacher Report
The San Francisco Giants came into this off season with clearly stated goals:

1. Improve the bullpen.

2. Sign a veteran shortstop

3. Add a power bat to the infield while not sacrificing defense

If the season were to start today, GM Brian Sabean could accurately say that he has achieved two of the three goals. By adding lefty Jeremy Affeldt and righty Bob Howry, Sabean has successfully bridged the gap from our fearsome rotation to closer Brian Wilson. Compound that with an improved Sergio Romo and Alex Hinshaw, in addition to a better role for Jack Taschner, and Sabean can say, "Mission accomplished!"

The signing of free agent Edgar Renteria provides a stable veteran presence at shortstop that will bridge the gap to allow our pitchers to breathe a little easier knowing that they will not have to rely on rookies at the most important defensive position in the diamond. "Mission accomplished!"

This leaves one major goal that is yet to be achieved. The San Francisco Giants need a giant bat.

As we approach the end of 2008 and are getting ready to begin 2009, the Giants have the traditional corner power spots occupied by Fred Lewis, Randy Winn, Pablo Sandoval, and Travis Ishikawa. While all of these players are highly skilled in certain areas, none of them, with the possible exception of Pablo Sandoval, strike fear into hearts of opposing pitching the way players in these spots should.

Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers have so much offensive talent on their major league team with more on the way from their system, that any opposing pitcher heading to Arlington is ready to see their ERA shoot through the roof. Unfortunately for Texas, they have the worst starting rotation in all of baseball and lack any hope for improvement in the future. Like the major league team, their minor league teams are stacked in offensive talent but do not have pitching.

The Texas Rangers are right now looking at starting the season with a rotation featuring Kevin Millwood, Vincente Padilla, Brandon McCarthy, Matt Harrison (who?), and Dustin Nippert (again...who?) yet their lineup packs a punch with Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Hank Blalock, Ian Kinsler, Chris Davis, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Taylor Teagarden.

In San Francisco, pitchers know they must pitch a near perfect gem every five days to have a chance of winning. In Arlington, hitters know they must put up at least six runs a game to have a chance of winning. This is a match made in heaven, so why aren't the sides talking?

There have been rumors in the past linking Blalock to the Giants, but with his injury history resembling that of Joe Crede, Sabean wisely took a pass. So what about the other corner infielder? What about Chris Davis?

In 295 at bats, Davis hit 17 home runs, had 55 RBIs, and a respectable BA of .285. Most experts project him to be a 30 home run 100 RBI man. If he were on the Giants, he would slide right into the cleanup spot, pushing Molina down to the 5th spot, Rowand to the 6th, Fred Lewis to seventh, and Ishikawa to the bench. While I appreciate the James Loney type defense that Ishikawa provides, the Giants can not afford to have their first baseman batting 7th.

Of course, the same reasons I mention above are the same reasons the Texas Rangers want to keep him. The thing is... they don't need him. They need pitching. San Francisco has pitching, lots of pitching, too much pitching, and desperately needs a bat they can control for the next few years.

San Francisco also has another thing that the Rangers need... money. If Brian Sabean could create a package that would allow Texas to shed salary while at the same time improving their rotation, they'd have to accept.

Some Giants fans may say that to get a player like Chris Davis, the Giants would have to sacrifice Matt Cain. I don't agree. We are not talking about the most talented player on the Rangers.

We are not talking about Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, or Michael Young. Johnathan Sanchez would immediately become the No. 2 starter on the incredibly weak pitching staff that Texas currently has. Couple him with prospects Pucetas or Alderson as well as cash and the Texas Rangers would have to accept.

With two teams with such glaring weaknesses in the other's area of strength this is a match made in heaven. These teams are also in different leagues, so if the unfortunate does happen and Johnathan Sanchez turns into Scott Kazmir and with his incredible fastball, power slider combination he could, at least he wouldn't wreak havoc on the Giants.

The worst thing that the Giants can do is nothing. Nothing does not put runs on the scoreboard. Nothing leaves the Giants with no one able to crack 25 homeruns. Nothing does not give Matt Cain the run support he craves. Nothing does not put fans in the seats. Lincecum can not pitch every day.

If Sabean were able to pry Chris Davis away and Bruce could field the following lineup:

1. RF Randy Winn

2. SS Edgar Renteria

3. 3B Pablo Sandoval

4. 1B Chris Davis

5. C Bengie Molina

6. CF Aaron Rowand

7. LF Fred Lewis

8. 2B Emmannuel Burris/ Kevin Frandsen

9. Lincecum/Cain/Zito/Lowry/Pucetas (or Randy Johnson if the Giants sign him)

then all of Giants nation could rejoice and yell: "Mission accomplished!"

Taschner remains a Giants

San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate)
Left-handed reliever Jack Taschner, whose future with the Giants was in doubt, will return in 2009. The Giants tendered Taschner a contract for next season by Friday's deadline.

Taschner, who will turn 31 in April, had a 4.88 ERA in 67 games for the Giants last season, but general manager Brian Sabean said he believes Taschner can improve in a different role, complementing fellow lefties Jeremy Affeldt and Alex Hinshaw.

"He just needs to pitch in a spot in the pecking order (where) he can relax and have some success. He's been overexposed a little bit," Sabean said. "To have three lefties, including him, that really helps. Not many teams can do that."

Taschner earned $400,500 last season and is the only Giant eligible for salary arbitration.

Will Giants bid for Sabathia?

Andrew Baggerly - Mercury News

Two winters ago, the Giants placed a $126 million wager on Barry Zito. Now they arrive in Las Vegas pondering whether to double-down.

Should they plunk down another $100-million-plus contract for ace left-hander CC Sabathia? Or would it be a reckless gamble for a franchise trying to get younger and more financially nimble?

You don't need to be a seasoned baseball executive to know that starting pitchers seldom are a good bet on long-term contracts. You'll get better payoff odds from the airport slots.

Yet the Giants continue to debate the idea of signing Sabathia, and they don't expect a resolution at the winter meetings this week.

"We don't want to close things off," said Giants President Larry Baer, acknowledging the risk of investing a quarter of a billion dollars in two pitchers. "In the end, everybody would have to feel comfortable that he's the right guy and agree it's the right thing to do. None of those firm decisions have been made. In this end, I have no idea where it's going to go."

The Giants already bought a new setup staff, signing Bobby Howry and Jeremy Affeldt. They have a new No. 2 hitter after luring shortstop Edgar Renteria with a two-year, $18.5 million contract.

"None of those signings cost us a draft pick, which is very important," Baer said. "And while they might not be sexy signings, they incrementally help us. We know there are lots of other ways we need to improve."

At the same time, the

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rest of the National League West is clipping coupons. The San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies have cuts costs. Even Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who borrowed heavily to purchase the club, is strapped for cash.

The Giants could be tempted to seize the moment and make an aggressive push. Given the current economic climate, they'll need to give fans the strongest possible incentive to buy tickets. And nothing moves turnstiles like a winner, right?

Baer acknowledged the state of the division but said: "We just have to stay focused on our goals. We want to take the step in 2009 to be better than .500. Whether that takes us to contention or not, we'll see. We can't close ourselves off from any possibilities, but we won't sacrifice the long-term building process we've already begun."

General Manager Brian Sabean said: "We're sitting in a pretty good place. Some teams seem to be challenged to retain their own roster or go forward with the present payroll. We're doing what we can to play catch-up or leapfrog some of these people. It's one of those years when it might turn out that way."

Sabean will be fielding trade offers in his suite at the Bellagio, hoping for a deal to augment his power-deprived offense. The longtime G.M. said it's possible the Giants won't make any more offensive moves, but it's hard to believe Sabean would feel confident entering the last year of his contract with Bengie Molina as his cleanup hitter. The Giants' 94 home runs last season were the fewest by a National League team since the 1993 expansion Florida Marlins (in a non-strike-shortened season).

Sabean is looking for a power-hitting corner infielder, with left-hander Jonathan Sanchez his most attractive trading chip. The club has been linked to a pair of third basemen, the Cincinnati Reds' Edwin Encarnacion and the Marlins' Jorge Cantu, both of whom are capable of a 25-homer season.

But Encarnacion and Cantu also are considered subpar defensive players. That looms as a significant drawback, especially since scouts noted Renteria's shrinking range and agility while playing shortstop for the Detroit Tigers last season.

Defensive concerns also make it unlikely the Giants will look at Adam Dunn or Pat Burrell, two free-agent power threats who could play first base.

Pressure on Sabean to produce

Ray Ratto - San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate)
The Giants did their bit for suicide prevention Thursday by showing Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain that they would not be pitching in front of an all-rookie infield in 2009. If you look at it that way, Edgar Renteria makes perfect sense.

But Renteria represents something different for the Giants, and no, lowering the age of the shortstop by almost a decade doesn't count.

The tip was in general manager Brain Sabean's use of the phrase "scouting and statistical analysis" in explaining the Renteria signing. That Renteria, at age 33, coming off a year in which he played like he was 53, and costing Randy Winn money, cleared all the Giants' newfound analytical hurdles makes him the test case for the Neukom World Order.

Unless there was discord among the brains in the front office - Neukom (who is already showing more hands-on than his predecessor), Sabean, Dick Tidrow, John Barr, Bobby Evans, Ron Scheuler and Jeremy Shelley - Renteria was regarded as a good idea by all the Giants. As Knuckles Schulman points out, the market was all to the seller: Emmanuel Burriss looks more second-base-ish after the fall league, and the Giants need every bat they can scare up.

Renteria is a risk, though, because he is coming off a year in which he was both thick of body and thin of stats. The argument that he was just a National League player lost in Boston and Detroit remains to be re-proven in a more spacious ballyard. He is at an age where one bad year more often than not leads to another. Plus, there is the perception that he is standing in the way of youth, glorious youth, even though it is more than fair to infer that Renteria is standing in front of nobody in the Giants' system.

He is indeed a roll of the dice, and the fact that more people were involved in the debate only puts more people at risk if Neukom decides to change the front-office roster in October.

True, with the winter meetings upon us, we may very well forget about Renteria if the Giants find that power hitter to spare Bengie Molina another year in the four-hole. We would certainly forget about it if they out-Zito themselves and win the CC Sabathia money-put.

But in the greater likelihood that neither of those things happen (and yes, cynical old poops that we are, we are discounting the notion of Randy Johnson), Renteria will be the team's signature signing in Neukom's first year. If he doesn't work out as expected and, worse, cannot be re-gifted at the trade deadline, Neukom is unlikely to call a staff meeting and blame himself.

So what we have here is Brian Sabean's biggest roll of the dice. It wasn't Barry Bonds or Barry Zito, because both of those were handled above his pay grade. It wasn't Jeff Kent, although that made his reputation. It won't be Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain, although he gets as much credit for those as he gets points off for Dave Roberts.

No, this is Sabean's big signing to date for his new boss, Neukom, a boss redistricting the organization of a team whose best years are now six years behind it.

There has always been a myth that Sabean didn't believe in baseball's more involved numbers, when in fact he wasn't a difficult sell on them at all. The flaw had always been the lack of position players in the system, and Renteria is both an acknowledgement of and a temporary fix for that. It is not, as is often portrayed, another retreat to the AARP Era, but an admission that while the problem has been addressed, it has not yet fully been repaired.

But when your contract is down to months rather than years, everything is magnified, and there are no mulligans, let alone Hillenbrands or Tuckers. Edgar Renteria is not a classic new-age signing, but he's a short-term necessity on a team that has no shortstop near the top end of the minor-league pipeline. He has to anchor a young and uncertain infield the way Omar Vizquel could have had his bat not died. And he has to rediscover his passion for the game at a time when many players start to lose theirs, or have it taken from them.

So this really is Brian Sabean's biggest signing, at least in terms of job security. Renteria is playing for Neukom's heart and mind, and the shape of the front office for years to come. Other than that, there's no pressure at all.

Renteria signs two-year deal with Giants

Chris Haft-MLB.com
The Giants culminated their courtship of shortstop Edgar Renteria by signing the 13-year veteran to a two-year, $18.5 million deal Thursday.

The Giants had pursued Renteria and Rafael Furcal, another free-agent shortstop. But Renteria proved to be more economical than Furcal, who reportedly is seeking a four-year contract worth more than $10 million annually. The Giants and Renteria's agents, Jeff Lane and Barry Meister, began exchanging proposals about two weeks ago, as initially reported on MLB.com.

"Jeff and I really felt like this was the right place for him," Meister said.

Renteria's arrival is expected to prompt change throughout the Giants' infield. Emmanuel Burriss, who began the offseason as the heir apparent at shortstop, likely will play second base, where he'll compete with Kevin Frandsen and Eugenio Velez.

Frandsen's also in the mix at third base, although the Giants would like to obtain an offensively proven corner infielder, with Pablo Sandoval manning the other corner. If this happens, Frandsen could be thrust into a utility role. That might in turn quash the Giants' thoughts of re-signing utilityman Rich Aurilia, who has spent 10 of his 13 big league years with the club.

The Giants believe that Renteria, a .290 career hitter, can help upgrade their offense. San Francisco finished 15th in scoring and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in the National League while ranking last in the Majors in home runs last season. Also, Giants shortstops ranked last in the NL in batting average (.228) and OPS (.576) and tied for last in home runs (one) and runs (51).

Renteria's 62-point drop in batting average, from .332 with Atlanta in 2007 to .270 for Detroit last season, appears ominous.

"I thought he slowed down a little bit," an American League scout said.

Among longtime Giants fans, this might awaken memories of second baseman Rennie Stennett, who signed a then-lavish five-year, $3 million deal before the 1980 season and proceeded to hit .242 in two seasons before being released.

But indications are that Renteria's no Stennett. Renteria, who also amassed 10 homers and 55 RBIs for Detroit, hit .299 in last season's final two months. Moreover, according to his agents, he has shed more than 10 pounds this offseason to get himself fit.

A five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner, the 33-year-old Renteria was once considered among the Majors' most multitalented shortstops. He has exceeded .300 four times and enjoyed his best year in 2003, when he batted .330 with 13 home runs, 100 RBIs and 34 stolen bases for St. Louis.

Observers believe that Renteria will benefit from returning to the NL, where he hit .293 with Florida (1996-98), St. Louis (1999-2004) and Atlanta (2006-07). By contrast, he hit .274 with Boston (2005) and Detroit.

Because the Tigers declined to offer Renteria salary arbitration, the Giants will not lose a Draft pick for signing him.

Giants sign free agent Howry

Righty's addition completes search for bullpen depth

Chris Haft - MLB.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- No matter how the rest of the Giants' offseason unfolds, they already can say that the back end of the bullpen moved to the forefront.

Completing their search for setup-relief depth, the Giants signed right-hander Bobby Howry to a one-year, $2.75 million contract on Wednesday. Howry's arrival complemented the Giants' acquisition of left-hander Jeremy Affeldt on Nov. 17 -- the first free-agent agreement of the open signing period.

General manager Brian Sabean accomplished his goal of adding proven performers to the bullpen, which featured All-Star closer Brian Wilson but otherwise floundered last season. Giants relievers tied for 14th in the National League with a 4.45 ERA and allowed the third-most home runs (62), despite pitching the fourth-fewest innings (487 1/3).

"This was a big part of the puzzle," Sabean said upon concluding San Francisco's reliever search. "I doubt there'll be any further movement in the free-agent-reliever market."

The Giants will shift their focus to bolstering their lineup. They're likely to sign free-agent shortstop Edgar Renteria by the end of the week. Scattered rumors have linked them to free-agent left fielder Pat Burrell. And yahoo.com reported that San Francisco is considering sending left-hander Jonathan Sanchez to the Florida Marlins for third baseman Jorge Cantu, who hit .277 with 29 home runs and 95 RBIs last season.

Should the Giants succeed at upgrading their offense, they're confident that their bullpen can hold more of the late-inning leads that will be generated.

Sabean was quick to point out that Howry, 35, has recorded 87 holds since 2005, the Major Leagues' fourth-highest total in that span.

"He's somebody who relishes being in close and late games," Sabean said. "The biggest thing with Bobby is he's been there and done it. You can't deny the bulk of his statistical resume."

Howry owns a 42-43 record with 66 saves, 165 holds and a 3.68 ERA in 668 appearances with the White Sox (1998-2002), Red Sox (2002-03), Indians (2004-05) and Cubs (2006-08). But he's coming off a season in which he posted a career-worst 5.35 ERA, including 6.93 after the All-Star break. He allowed 13 home runs in 70 2/3 innings while opponents hit .336 off him.
"I struggled with being consistent with my mechanics," Howry said. "It's something I fought all year. I struggled to find that smooth place where it's consistent all the time. It messed with my location. It's a matter of ironing out some kinks."

After enduring such a rough year, Howry was flattered when the Giants approached him about handling setup chores.

"I know, after last season, there may be some people out there who think I'm not up for the role I've done most of my career," he said.

Sabean theorized that leaving Chicago's Wrigley Field and making most of his appearance at the largely pitcher-friendly parks in the National League West could help Howry, who finished with a 5.89 home ERA last season. His career ERA at AT&T Park is 5.40, but he has pitched just five games there (five innings, three earned runs).

This will be a homecoming of sorts for Howry, who began his professional career in the Giants organization as a fifth-round selection in the 1994 Draft. He was traded to the White Sox in the memorable "White Flag" deal on July 31, 1997, and made his Major League debut with them the following season. Howry remembered the trade as a "big shock," adding, "When you're young, I don't think you realize how much of a business the game is."

Manager Bruce Bochy indicated that even with Howry aboard, right-hander Sergio Romo will continue to receive late-inning opportunities. Romo excelled in 29 appearances as a rookie last season (3-1, 2.12 ERA).

"Romo has shown that he can help out in the setup role, whether it's the sixth, seventh or eighth inning," Bochy said. "He can give us multiple innings. He's going to fit in nicely."

Howry's contract includes $1.5 million in performance bonuses which, if he reaches them, will allow him to approach the $4.5 million base salary he received last season.

Giants, A's leading Furcal sweepstakes

Ken Rosenthal - FOX Sports
The Rafael Furcal sweepstakes, accelerating at a rapid pace, appears to be shaping up as a Bay Area showdown between the A's and Giants.

"It's moving pretty fast," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told FOXSports.com on Friday. "I don't know if we're going to be in it or not."

The Dodgers want to retain Furcal, who is a favorite of manager Joe Torre, but might be reluctant to meet the player's desire for a four-year contract.

A team's willingness to offer Furcal a fourth year likely will be the difference-maker in the negotiations, major-league sources say.

When the Dodgers signed Furcal prior to the 2006 season, they gave him three years and $39 million. He is 31 now, and coming off back surgery.

Both the A's and Giants were satisfied by what they saw in Furcal's medical records, sources say.

Both teams also might want to move sooner rather than later on Furcal, fearing that a delay could draw the Braves and Cubs into the negotiations.

The Braves would pursue Furcal only if they traded shortstop Yunel Escobar to the Padres in a package for right-hander Jake Peavy; those talks currently are dormant, but many in the industry expect them to revive.

The Cubs, too, are interested in Furcal, but after re-signing free-agent right-hander Ryan Dempster to a four-year, $52 million contract, they probably could not invest heavily in another player until after the team is sold. Bidders have until Dec. 1 to submit offers, Major League Baseball officials said this week.

The A's, lacking a long-term internal solution at shortstop, would use Furcal as their leadoff man in a revamped offense anchored by their newest trade acquisition, left fielder Matt Holliday.

The Giants' projected shortstop, Emmanuel Burris, 23, could move to second base if the team signed Furcal. The Giants also are negotiating with another free-agent shortstop, Edgar Renteria, according to MLB.com — and competing with the rival Dodgers for perhaps the biggest free-agent prize, left-hander CC Sabathia.

If the Dodgers lost Furcal, they could turn their attention to Renteria or Orlando Cabrera, the latter of whom they discussed acquiring in a trade last summer.The team also is trying to re-sign left fielder Manny Ramirez and third baseman Casey Blake, and is expected to make an offer for Sabathia shortly.

Giants' interest in Hudson is becoming serious business

Getty Images

MLB.com

The San Francisco Giants' pursuit of free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson, previously considered casual, is apparently serious. Two industry sources said on Thursday that the Giants have reaffirmed their interest in Hudson, who is widely regarded as the leading free agent available at his position according to MLB.com.

No deal is imminent, as is the case with the other free agents atop the Giants' shopping list, including left-hander CC Sabathia, shortstops Rafael Furcal and Edgar Renteria and, possibly, right-hander Juan Cruz. But the Giants' signing on Monday of left-hander Jeremy Affeldt — the first free agent to come to terms — demonstrated the club's intent to seek talent aggressively this offseason.

Hudson, who turns 31 on Dec. 12, is among the Majors' most multidimensional infielders. The three-time Gold Glove winner hit a career-high .305 last season with eight home runs, 41 RBIs and a .367 on-base percentage for the Arizona Diamondbacks. A switch-hitter, Hudson owns a lifetime .282 average.

Hudson plays one of several positions where the Giants seek an offensive upgrade. Their second basemen ranked last in the National League with five home runs, 14th with 78 runs and 12th with a .707 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging).

Giants bolster bullpen with Affeldt

Club lands sought-after free agent with two-year, $8 million deal

Chris Haft - MLB.com
Acting quickly on their vow to strengthen their bullpen, the Giants signed left-hander Jeremy Affeldt to a two-year, $8 million contract Monday.

Affeldt, 29, became the first of 171 free agents to make a deal since the open signing period began last Friday. "They didn't mess around too much. That's what my agent, Mike Moye, and I were really impressed with," said Affeldt, who didn't sign with Cincinnati last offseason until Jan. 23 and wanted to avoid a similar delay. Affeldt added that the quality of the Giants' starters hastened his decision. "With that starting rotation, the bullpen won't get burned out," he said.

After a season in which their relievers tied for 14th in the National League with a 4.45 ERA and allowed the third-most home runs (62) despite pitching the fourth-fewest innings (487 1/3), the Giants knew that bolstering their bullpen was essential. So they turned to Affeldt, who drew interest from eight to 10 teams.

Signing Affeldt won't slow the Giants' pursuit of other relievers, although general manager Brian Sabean indicated that they'll focus on right-handers. "That'll be the next list we work off of," Sabean said, noting that the Giants have a full complement of left-handers in Affeldt, Alex Hinshaw and Jack Taschner.

Among free-agent right-handers, Bob Howry has drawn interest from San Francisco. Juan Cruz is also believed to be on the club's shopping list, although his agent, Barry Praver, refused to confirm that. And Affeldt endorsed David Weathers, his former Cincinnati teammate who served as a mentor and more. "That guy's one of my best friends, so I'm a little biased to that scenario," Affeldt said.

Affeldt brings several assets to San Francisco.

"He's characteristic of a guy who's coming into his own," Sabean said.

One quality is versatility. Though he'll probably fill a late-inning setup role, his background as a starter enables him to pitch multiple innings with relative ease.

Durability is another. Affeldt led Cincinnati with 74 outings last season, finishing 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA and recording a 2.23 ERA in his final 34 games. In 2007, Affeldt made a personal-high 75 appearances for Colorado.

Accuracy is a third strength of Affeldt's. In 78 1/3 innings last season, he struck out 80 and walked 25 -- a ratio of better than 3-to-1. That's a welcome trait for the Giants, whose 652 walks were the NL's second-most.

"We know how much the bases on balls hurt us," manager Bruce Bochy said.

It wasn't always thus for Affeldt, who struck out 281 and walked 178 from 2002-06 with Kansas City. His improvement began after the Royals dealt him to Colorado in a four-player trade on July 31, 2006.

Rockies coaches, said Affeldt, "felt I didn't pound the [strike] zone enough."

So he focused on refining command of his curveball. Meanwhile, he gained velocity, probably as a result of relieving full-time. With Kansas City, he made 142 appearances as a reliever and 42 as a starter.

Affeldt blossomed with Colorado in 2007, posting a 4-3 record with a 3.51 ERA. He made seven postseason outings for the NL champions, including appearances in all four World Series games against Boston. He accumulated three shutout innings against the Red Sox.

This year, opponents batted .260 and amassed nine homers off Affeldt, but those were largely results of pitching 41 games at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Affeldt permitted seven homers and a .302 average at home, compared with two homers and .203 on the road.

Affeldt owns a 26-28 record with 18 saves and a 4.55 ERA in 360 lifetime appearances.

Giants in talks about top free agents

Henry Schulman - San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate)
The Giants were not prepared to say whether they submitted any formal offers on opening day of the free-agent shopping season Friday, but an official acknowledged the team has made contact with agent Scott Boras, who represents top-hitting free agents Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez.

"We've maintained contact with all of the top free agents to some degree with the understanding that we're willing to go after the best talent we can," director of player personnel Bobby Evans said.

The Giants had spoken to pitcher CC Sabathia's representatives but as of Tuesday had not talked to Boras. That has changed.

Teixeira or Sabathia would represent great long-term solutions for the Giants at first base and on the mound. Evans said it is too early to tell whether these are pie-in-the-sky dreams that will be shot down by offers from big-money clubs. Reports from New York say the Yankees faxed Sabathia a $140 million offer for six years.

The Giants' more realistic targets are a middle infielder and bullpen setup men. As of midday, they had not submitted a formal offer for Rafael Furcal, the premier shortstop on the market and one of their supposed targets. Furcal should have plenty of suitors, including Oakland, and is believed to be seeking four years at $10 million per for openers.

Furcal's agent, Paul Kinzer, said Friday there is a potential match with the Giants. "I'll just say we've got serious interest in each other," Kinzer said. "He likes the Giants and they've expressed serious interest."

Asked why Furcal would consider the Giants over teams closer to the postseason, Kinzer said, "Their great young pitching staff. He feels they can be competitive pretty quick."

Other shortstops on the market include Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Juan Uribe and Cesar Izturis. The Giants are not ruling out second basemen, either.

The Giants are believed to be interested in one of their former draft picks, Cubs reliever Bobby Howry. Howry's agent, Craig Landis, said in an e-mail, "Howry does have some interest in returning to the Giants. It may be a possibility. It is too early to tell."

Evans said the Giants have some interest in all experienced relievers on the market but does not expect closers such as Kerry Wood, Brian Fuentes or Trevor Hoffman to be interested in coming to San Francisco to set up Brian Wilson.

Zito's mother dies: Funeral arrangements are pending for Roberta Zito, Barry's mother, who died in Los Angeles early Thursday morning. She was 65 and had been hospitalized for three days. The cause of death was not immediately known, but she had struggled with health issues for many years, according to the pitcher's publicist, Kathy Jacobson.

Jacobson said Barry Zito was "heartbroken, as you would imagine, with the loss of his mom. She really was the heart of the family."

The pitcher, his father, Joe, and sisters Bonnie and Sally were at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center when Roberta died. Jacobson said Mrs. Zito attended all of Barry's starts in Oakland and San Francisco until a hip and knee replacement this year prevented her from traveling. She did see Zito's final start of 2008.

Roberta Zito was a member of the Merry Young Souls, the backup group for singer Nat King Cole, when she met Joe in the early 1960s. Joe Zito was a composer and conductor for Cole. They married in 1964.

Giants' Lincecum wins Cy Young Award

Henry Schulman - San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate)
After 41 years, the National League Cy Young Award has returned to San Francisco.

Tim Lincecum this morning became the second San Francisco Giant to win baseball's most coveted pitching honor and the first since Mike McCormick in 1967.

In balloting announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Lincecum won in a landslide. He garnered 23 of 32 first-place votes, seven second-place votes and one third-place vote, for a total of 137 points.

Brandon Webb of Arizona finished second with four first-place votes and 73 points. The Mets' Johan Santana was third with four first-place votes and 55 points.

CC Sabathia of Milwaukee got the final first-place vote but finished fifth behind Brad Lidge, the Philadelphia closer.

One writer, Chris DeLuca of the Chicago Sun-Times, did not name Lincecum on his ballot. His three choices were Webb first, Lidge second, Santana third.

Thirty-two members of the BBWAA, two from each National League city, cast ballots after the final game of the regular season but before the playoffs. Five points were awarded for each first-place vote, three for second place and one for third place.

With his small frame and whip-like delivery fooling and overpowering hitters at an astounding rate, Lincecum captured an award that eluded some of the Giants' greatest pitchers, including Juan Marichal and Jason Schmidt. Gaylord Perry won in 1972 as a Cleveland Indian and in 1978 as a San Diego Padre. The award was first given in 1956.

In his first full big-league season, Lincecum threw 227 innings over 33 starts and one relief appearance. He went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and led the majors with 265 strikeouts.

In the National League, only Santana had a better ERA (2.53). Only Santana (2341/3) and Cole Hamels (2271/3) had more innings.

The landslide surprised Lincecum, who was sitting on his sofa at home in San Francisco watching NFL highlights on TV when he got the call saying he won.

"I thought it was going to be a lot closer," he said. "I definitely don't want to say I had it in the bag. I was thinking somebody else would have it, Johan Santana, CC or Webb. Those guys are all great players. I think they're all three Cy Young winners previously. I figured they had a better shot, or as good a shot as I did."

Lincecum often sounded nonchalant about his Cy Young chances, but teammate Brian Wilson revealed the thought had crossed both of their minds as early as spring training.

"Tim and I made some goals for each other, and the Cy happened to be just one of the many we set," the closer said. "We joked around about both winning the award and calling it the 'Cys Youngs.' I can almost assure you that out of all the candidates, not one of them started their spring training off with winning that award in mind.

"Every start that Tim had, he had an agenda. As outlandish as it seems, focusing on that goal subsequently helped him focus on success and achievement."

Wilson was in a dentist chair when Lincecum phoned to say he had won.

"I was screaming when he told me," Wilson said in an e-mail. "I'm not sure if that was a reaction to the drill cutting into my gums because of my overaggressive fist pumping I was displaying on the chair. Like I said before, I knew it was his when he took the mound every start."

Lincecum's other teammates were thrilled as well.

"That's great, man. Wow," catcher Bengie Molina said when told of Lincecum's win. "He pitched so great. I'm so happy for him. "I'm hoping he enjoys it. I know it's an individual award, but looking back and seeing year we had as team, for him to come out with Cy Young is amazing. It's unbelievable."

Lincecum is the second Cy Young winner in four seasons that Molina has caught. The other was the Angels' Bartolo Colon in 2005. Molina also caught Roy Halladay of Toronto when he finished third in 2006.

Reliever Jack Taschner called Lincecum "a phenomenal pitching talent and a great kid and great worker."

Although Lincecum's win did not surprise him, Taschner said, "The landslide surprised me because there were so many good pitchers in the NL this year. Usually when you're on the West Coast, East Coast guys don't get to see West Coast pitchers. Obviously the word got out. You only had to see him once to see how special he is.

"This is great for him and great for the organization. It's a great start to his career. He's only two years in."

Lincecum, an All-Star at 24, became a Cy Young favorite late in the season when Webb faltered in three consecutive starts, including two against division-rival Los Angeles. However, Webb finished strongly and padded his win total, finishing with four more than Lincecum.

Santana went 9-0 over the final three months of the season and captured the ERA title to burnish his credentials for the award. Sabathia went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA and with three shutouts in 17 starts for the Brewers after his acquisition from Cleveland on July 7.

Giants ink first baseman Phelps

Former Jay signs Minor League deal with Spring Training invite

Chris Haft - MLB.com
Adding potential depth Monday, the Giants signed first baseman Josh Phelps to a Minor League contract with an invitation to big league Spring Training.

Phelps, 30, owns a .273 batting average with 64 home runs and 244 RBIs in 465 games spanning eight Major League seasons. He also has caught 12 games in the Majors and diversified himself further by playing outfield this year.

"He expanded himself as a player," said Phelps' agent, Steve Canter.

A right-handed batter, Phelps spent most of 2008 with St. Louis' Triple-A Memphis affiliate, batting .291 with 31 homers and 97 RBIs. He also hit .265 in 19 games for the Cardinals, who cast him into free agency by designating him for assignment.

"We had interest from several clubs, but we felt the Giants were the best fit," Canter said.

Phelps, 30, enjoyed his most productive span from 2002-04, when he hit 52 home runs, mostly for Toronto. He hit .309 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs in 74 games for the Blue Jays in 2002 and followed that with a .268 average, 20 homers and 66 RBIs with Toronto in 2003.

Although Phelps isn't the premier big bat the Giants seek, he could help them off the bench. He has hit .297 lifetime against left-handed pitchers, exceeding the .249 average the Giants recorded off lefties in 2008.

Ex-Marlins reliever Miller joins Giants

Joe Frisaro - MLB.com
Justin Miller, who spent the past two seasons working out of the Marlins bullpen, has reached agreement on a Minor League contract with the Giants.

According to an industry source, the 31-year-old right-hander will be a non-roster Spring Training invitee with the Giants.

After being used heavily in the first half, in both long relief and setup situations, Miller was placed on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation on July 5.

Miller was designated for assignment on Aug. 15.

In 46 games for Florida this past season, Miller was 4-2 with a 4.24 ERA. He threw 46 2/3 innings, striking out 43 and walking 20.

Miller joined the Marlins in 2007 and made 62 appearances, posting a 5-0 record with a 3.65 ERA.

Miller broke in with the Blue Jays in 2002. Early in his career, he was a starting pitcher.

The veteran has appeared in 153 games, including 33 starts.

Giants expect offers for Cain

GM Sabean would like to keep right-hander

Chris Haft - MLB.com
The discussion over whether the Giants should trade Matt Cain already is a lively one, conducted on radio talk shows and Internet fan sites and by baseball reporters nationwide.

The issue is likely to intensify as the offseason progresses and trade rumors proliferate, beginning with next week, when Major League general managers convene for their annual meetings in Dana Point, Calif. Giants GM Brian Sabean doubtlessly will hear Cain's name whispered in his ear by covetous counterparts.

Ideally, the Giants would keep Cain to maintain their formidable tandem of 24-year-old right-handers at the top of the starting rotation. Asked during his end-of-season summary whether Cain and National League Cy Young Award candidate Tim Lincecum will be off-limits in trade talks, Sabean said, "In my mind, they are."

But Sabean expressed similar resolve last year, before he weighed trading Lincecum for Toronto outfielder Alex Rios. The Giants needed a big bat then, and they still need one now. With Lincecum having entrenched himself among baseball's top performers, speculation has shifted to Cain, who almost surely could be exchanged for a potent hitter still in his 20s.

Since GMs loathe divulging their innermost thoughts, MLB.com asked four Major League scouts about the merits of trading Cain, which until recently would have been unthinkable. Speaking under condition of anonymity, they agreed Cain's better being retained than peddled -- yet they wouldn't hesitate to trade him in the right deal.

"I certainly wouldn't want to move him unless I absolutely had to," a scout for a National League team said of Cain, whose 30-43 career record belies his 3.74 ERA. "I think he's going to get better. With continued maturity, he's going to be a dominant guy."

With his 6-foot-3, 246-pound physique, steamy fastball and stoic attitude, Cain has "big-time upside," a scout for an American League club said. "He's at the top of the list. I think he's going to be an impact pitcher."

But the consensus of scouts said Cain doesn't quite qualify for the tiny group of truly untouchable players.

"The only guys I'd say would be untouchable with anybody would be the Albert Pujolses or the Joe Mauers of the world," a scout representing an AL team said. "There aren't too many guys in our game about who you'd say, 'I can't trade him.' I think it's very closed-minded if you would say he's untouchable."

One scout pondered Oakland's eight-player deal last December with Arizona that fetched the A's six players, mostly Minor League prospects, for right-hander Dan Haren.

"That's a great analogy right there -- that's what you've got to do," the scout said. "Is Matt Cain any better than Dan Haren? I don't know. But they traded [Haren]."

One rumor already has circulated widely: Cain for Milwaukee first baseman Prince Fielder, who has hit 112 home runs in the last three seasons. The Brewers could lose both CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets to free agency and would desperately need a starter.

"Wow," one of the NL scouts said. "That would be tempting. But, to me, Fielder is a below-average defensive player. I care more about defense than most people."

Money would be a factor in this trade. Fielder's eligible for salary arbitration and could command as much as $10 million. Signing him to a multiyear deal wouldn't be cheap, either. By contrast, Cain's contract -- an economical one, which enhances his value -- will pay him $2.65 million in 2009 and $4.25 million in 2010. There's also a $6.25 million club option for 2011, although the base figure could rise nominally if Cain reaches certain performance levels.

Thus, the Brewers probably would have to send the Giants a player or two with Fielder to get Cain. One scout said: "If there's imbalance with the dollars, the other club would probably sweeten the pot a little bit."

A scout suggested that if the Giants dangled Cain for a hitter besides Fielder, they probably could obtain two prospects along with the hitter they needed. He added that one of the prospects ought to be a pitcher who is almost Major League-ready to help cushion the loss of Cain.

But, another scout said: "The problem with our game is there aren't a lot of organizations with a lot of bona fide prospects in their systems."

Yet, some do possess that depth, and chances are that they're among the two dozen clubs involved in the perennial search for starting pitching. Sabean and his assistants can expect to handle plenty of questions about Cain in the weeks ahead.

Lee, Lincecum are SN's pitchers of the year

SportingNews

Neither the Giants or Indians reached the playoffs this season, but it's not because of Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee. They are Sporting News' Pitchers of the Year, voted by a panel of 314 major league players.

In just his second season in the majors, the 24-year-old Lincecum was dominant. He was 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and led the majors with 265 strikeouts in 227 innings.

"You don't see many guys his size throwing that hard, but it's not so much his size and deception. It's his stuff. He has 'A' stuff," Phillies second baseman Chase Utley said.

Cliff Lee tied for the major league lead with 22 wins -- he finished 22-3 -- and his 2.54 ERA was best in the American League. In 223-1/3 innings, the left-hander allowed just 34 walks and struck out 170.

"He's always had the stuff, but this year he coupled that stuff with the ability to locate and trust his pitches," Cleveland catcher Kelly Shoppach said. "He had zero fear of throwing to either side of the plate no matter who the hitter was."

The complete Sporting News MLB Awards package will be available in this week's magazine, where you also will find Sporting News' Player of the Year, Managers of the Year, Comeback Players of the Year, Rookies of the Year, Closers of the Year as well as the magazine's National League and American League all-star teams.

Giants Discussing Uggla, Konerko And Lee?

MLB Trade Rumors - Paul Moro

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers mentions some names that the offensively-challenged San Francisco Giants are considering acquiring this off-season, specifically, Dan Uggla, Paul Konerko, and Derrek Lee. He writes:

San Francisco, desperate for a proven bat, is expected to pursue one-dimensional second baseman Dan Uggla. The Giants also may kick the tires on first baseman Paul Konerko of the White Sox and Derrek Lee of the Cubs, both of whom have full no-trade clauses. They probably would have to deal a young pitcher—Jonathan Sanchez or Matt Cain.

I understand why the Giants would want to add some bats. They averaged 3.95 runs per game in 2008, just barely ahead of San Diego who had an MLB-worst 3.93 runs/game. But I do not understand why they'd want these three guys specifically.

• Uggla is arbitration-eligible this year and you'd have to assume he's due for a pretty big raise from his current $417K salary. Despite this, Uggla will probably cost around $6MM in 2009, which is a steal in today's market. He's certainly no defensive asset, but second basemen with 30+ HR power are not exactly plentiful. But here's the issue - Uggla's going to be 29 in March, which is rather old for a first-year arbitration player. If the Giants somehow manage to get him on the cheap, then good for them. If they need to give up one of their young pitchers to do so, that would be a mistake.
• If the White Sox trade away Konerko, they'd be doing so at what could be a bargain price. The first baseman will be 33 on Opening Day and is a 10-and-5 player and as such has a full no-trade clause, not to mention the $24MM due to him over the next two years. I'm not sure how you're going to convince him to waive that no-trade without tacking on another two years to the end of that deal. And while I expect Konerko to have a decent bounce-back year in 2009, he's never going to be a 40+HR bat again. The Giants are not going to be competitive in 2009 and Paul Konerko is not going to change that.
• A similar argument can be made against the idea of getting Derrek Lee to the Bay. Also signed for two more seasons (at $13MM per), Lee's a bit older than Konerko and his power numbers have dropped quite a bit. And as Rogers mentions, the Cubs will not let Lee go without getting compensated with a Cain or Sanchez in return. Lee may have two more above-average years left in him. Cain and Sanchez is worth far more than that to a rebuilding team like the Giants.

Giants cut ties with Correia, Hennessey, Walker

Andrew Baggarly - Extra Baggs

The Giants outrighted seven players off the 40-man roster, including Tyler Walker, Kevin Correia and Brad Hennessey. All three right-handers were eligible for arbitration, but the Giants felt they weren’t worth the salaries they would have commanded.

Others outrighted: infielders Scott McClain and Ivan Ochoa, left-hander Geno Espineli and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo.

I suspect the Giants will look to re-sign McClain to a minor league contract. Espineli, too, since he apparently wasn’t claimed. But Correia, Walker and Henessey are almost certainly going elsewhere.

Also, the Padres claimed infielder Travis Denker off waivers. The Giants evidently didn’t see Denker panning out.

With Noah Lowry and Merkin Valdez coming off the 60-day disabled list, the 40-man roster stands at 33. It’ll be reduced by two more when Omar Vizquel and Rich Aurilia file for free agency after the World Series.

The Giants will use the free space to add Rule V draft-eligible players whom they wish to protect. And any free agents they sign, of course.

New owner confident Giants will soon contend

JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
New Giants managing partner Bill Neukom wants San Francisco to be aggressive about bringing top players to town, saying he's not against the club going after a high-priced free agent this winter.

"We're not ruling that out," Neukom said Tuesday, in his first public appearance since taking over for Peter Magowan last week. "But there are financial realities."

Neukom and Larry Baer, promoted to team president as part of the restructuring, have told general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy not to think in terms of a set payroll but rather to take an outside-the-box approach when it comes to organizing the roster. San Francisco had a payroll of about $80 million last season and Sabean expected something similar for 2009.

Sabean and Bochy have been asked to present a couple of different roster possibilities featuring varying talent levels — not to mention a manual for players and others about how the organization will be run from top to bottom, down to how things will be handled in given situations, such as with two outs or with runners on base.

"The number is something of a placeholder at this point in our financial planning process. We said to Brian and to Bruce Bochy, 'Look, don't be constrained by a placeholder number for player payroll right now,'" Neukom said. "'Think of this in terms of how you're going to assemble a roster that's going to be competitive in '09 and come back to us. We may not be able to afford plan A, we may tell you that we're really at plan B or plan C.'

"We just think that's the way you run a talent business."

With the economic downturn and ticket sales already having dropped this past season, Baer doesn't envision any increases in ticket costs and perhaps even some drops. The club missed 3 million fans for the first time in the nine-year history of its waterfront ballpark.

It didn't help the Giants went 37-44 at home for their fourth straight losing campaign in their own park. San Francisco hasn't reached the playoffs since 2003, one year after getting within five outs of a World Series title against the wild-card Angels. Last year, the Giants had Barry Bonds chasing the home run record and the All-Star game.

Neukom believes by rebuilding the franchise from the bottom of the farm system up and establishing a "Giant way" of doing things at all levels, the organization will be competitive come 2009 and then a contender again soon after.

"We intend to be competitive," he said. "And after we are competitive we intend to be contending. We want to be contending as soon as possible. We want to be the sort of franchise that puts a contending Major League Baseball team on the field game in and game out, and affords its community and fan base a contending team year in and year out. And how we're going to do that is by emphasizing and investing even more in homegrown talent."

Neukom hinted that he wouldn't address the futures of Bochy and Sabean any time soon. Both will be in the final years of their contracts.

"Brian and Bruce enthusiastically have endorsed the notion that we've got so much work to do, and it's good work, that we're not going to worry about what their status is with the Giants beyond the 2009 season now," Neukom said. "We're not going to be distracted by that. We're going to focus on making sure our trajectory toward competitiveness goes up from where it was in '08 so we can have a team we can all be proud of in '09 and beyond."