LTR's Offseason Checklist

[love_that_reefer]

This is just a list of players I think the Giants should either want or need. I did this last year and the Giants only signed or traded for one and that was Aaron Rowand but for too many years. Also keep in mind that these are realistic choices the Giants can make. No Sabathia's or Teixeira's in this list. The Giants are in a rebuilding mode so some choices are for just a short term fix. Both pros and cons will be given for each player. This not a year for more Jose Castillo's and Tyler Walker's. The Giants need capable players. Again, these are my thoughts and not in any way rumors unless its specified.



Raul Ibanez-1B: Ibanez can really help the Giants in a lot of ways. Ibanez can help play LF if Fred Lewis is not ready to start the season after having surgery to remove a bunion. Lewis should be ready but just in case, Ibanez is there. Also, Ibanez can be the primary first baseman with Sandoval backing him up and Ishikawa playing in AAA. Sandoval could be our third baseman if Ibanez is signed too. Options arise. Ibanez hit .293 with 23 HRs and 110 RBI. The Giants desperately need his production. The Giants were dead last in baseball in HRs and no other team hit under 100. He's a left-handed bat and a perfect fit for the #3 hole in the lineup. The only problem is his age, 36. The Giants don't need to sign him for more than three years and I would try to overpay a little for just two years. Also, Ibanez might not want to go to a rebuilding team to play first base. First base would allow him to stay healthier rather than play LF every game but he might want to stay in the OF. The Giants need to take a serious look at what Ibanez could do for this team. He would provide a legit middle of the order guy and would move Molina down in the order away from the cleanup spot. That's a plus right there. Ibanez only made $5.5 million last year so two years, $18 million might get a deal done allowing Ishikawa room to mature. Ibanez would stay on the West Coast which also might be appealing.

Dennys Reyes-RP: Reyes is a must want for any team. Reyes has had three good seasons in a row for the Twins posting ERAs of 0.89, 3.99 and 2.33. He can help lead Alex Hinshaw as the lefties in the pen. He would be a good 8th inning guy for the Giants taking pressure off the young Hinshaw. Bullpen costs the Giants way too many games. The Giants bullpen had 28 losses last year and was 24th in ERA with a 4.45. Reyes is only 31 so he's got some seasons left in him. Just like many free agents this offseason, Reyes might not want to go to a team like the Giants and prefer a true contender. Giants will have to overpay to get a player like Reyes to lure him in. He just left the Twins who got to play in the infamous 163rd game. Money will be the only thing that will get him from that to a team that finished 4th in a weak division. Silly thing is that weak division might help us convince others the West can be won. Reyes would be a great addition for the Giants if the price is right.



This will be a continuing piece and will add on nightly but feel free to reply anytime.

[realmofotalk]

Dear Sabean,
Do sign Raul Ibanez so your fellow Jedi dumbass Ned won't sign him and forfeit our first round pick as compensation.

[love_that_reefer]

That would be labeled as another con to signing Ibanez but it would be a second round pick, not a first rounder. Any chance the M's are dumb enough not to offer arbitration?

[love_that_reefer]

Casey Blake- 3B: The Giants had only 12 HRs and 59 RBI from third base making that the worst in all of baseball. Casey Blake hit 21 HRs and 81 RBI by himself in '08. Blake is a below average third baseman but its a very weak class for free agent third baseman and Blake can hit. Not only can he hit, he can also play more than one position and Sabean likes that. He can play at first or in the outfield as well as being a third basemen. Blake averages a .334 OBP, 23 HRs and 79 RBI a season which is far above anything a Giant third baseman did last year. Giants need his production but will be hurting defensively a bit. Blake is also 35 and not the quickest guy at the hot corner. His age makes him perfect for a short term deal though plus he's only a Type B free agent. Two years and $15 million should get Blake in the orange and black. Blake made $6.1 million last year. Having Blake on a two year deal will allow the Giants to find or draft a third baseman for the future. With Blake at third, Sandoval, Ishikawa or Josh Phelps(signed a MLC today) will play first base. Blake is an upgrade at third offensively who doesn't break the bank but doesn't make the Giants any younger either.

Braden Looper- SP: Looper is not my first choice or even high on my list but is someone who the Giants need to keep an eye on this offseason. Looper isn't the best starting pitcher but finished '08 with a better ERA than three of our five starters. Looper has posted ERA's of 4.94 and 4.16 since becoming a full-time starter two season ago. The main reason the Giants should look at him is that he has been a reliever most of his career and sports a 3.58 career ERA from the pen. He can be the long reliever/spot starter when the Giants need him. He can also start the season and move to the pen when/if Madison Bumgarner is ready to be called up. Looper is 34 and might have to go back to the pen to lengthen his career. Looper is a low cost upgrade at the end of our rotation. He is an upgrade over Correia as a starter and while we're at it he is better than Zito as well. Looper shouldn't be the Giants first choice for the back end of the rotation but is easy on the wallet and fits into the rebuilding mode the Giants are in. He is not a long term fix and would not go past three years.

[love_that_reefer]

Sean Casey- 1B: Casey is 34 years old but the man can still hit. Did I mention he made less than a million last year? The Giants should look at Casey on a one year deal. Casey hit .322 with a .381 OBP in '08 for the Red Sox. His lack of speed diminishes his nice OBP but he still gets hits. His last full season came in '07 where he hit .296 with a .353 OBP. Casey lacks power but hits unlike any 1B the Giants had last year. Casey and Sandoval/Phelps platooning at first would be an upgrade from last season. Casey is also a great clubhouse guy and would fit in well with the youth movement. Giants can probably offer him more playing time than any other team which could be appealing. If the Giants aren't in the race at the deadline and Casey does well, the Giants could then get something for him. Then the Giants could call up Ishikawa. Only problem us he doesn't necessarily answer our problem in the power department. Casey is a great guy, a good hitter and comes at a cheap price tag. The Giants should look into him.

Juan Cruz-RP: Cruz has seemed to take to his permanent relief job after being bounced around from starter to reliever. The past two seasons of being strictly a reliever, Cruz has posted ERA's of 3.10 and 2.61. Both of those years he would have lead the Giants bullpen in ERA. Cruz is one of the better relievers out there and could really help from the right side. He is 30 and right in his prime. Giants could offer him four years just to lure him to San Francisco at $3.25 million per year. Cruz made just under $2 million in '08. The bullpen is a major need and Cruz is a prime candidate. He's played for Arizona so he knows the hitters in the West already and knows the NL. Cruz is a good fit and could benefit coming to a pitcher's park. Definitely worth spending for!

[love_that_reefer]

Brad Penny- SP: Penny was just denied his $8.75 million option for next season by the Dodgers and is now a free agent. Penny has shoulder issues so before the Giants will have to run a detailed physical before any deal is made. Penny struggled this past season in part because of the shoulder but is just one year removed from throwing 208 innings with a 3.03 ERA. Penny owns a 4.06 career ERA and would make for a good #3 or 4 starter in the Giants rotation. Due to his shoulder, Penny will be forced to take a one or two year contract and at a discount. The Giants should be on this. Penny knows the NL West and the hitters which comes at an advantage. A one or two year deal at $6 million per should be attractive to Penny who won't have to move far if at all. His shoulder is a risk so a one year deal would be ideal. He's only 30 years old so he should recover.

Orlando Hudson- 2B: The O-dog has been plagued the past two seasons by wrist injuries but when this guy is on the field, he's a star. Hudson is a slick fielder with a good bat. Hudson has a .305 average with a .371 OBP in 107 games last year. His season averages are .282/.346 with 13 HRs and 70 RBI. Last season, Giants second basemen averaged .267/.332 with 5 HRs and 69 RBI. What really separates him is his Gold Glove defense, something the Giants need to work on. Hudson has won three Gold Gloves and at 30, he's in his prime. His wrist will slow him down a little but even then he is still a top talent. Hudson would also be a huge help to Emanuel Burriss at SS. I like Frandsen as our second baseman but Hudson is just better and the Giants have to do what's best for the club. Hudson will help on offense and defense which will help our pitching. Frandsen could move to third and split time with Sandoval while giving Hudson a rest every now and then. O-dog only made $6.25 million so given his recent wrist injuries, its not likely to go up all that much or break the bank for the Giants. A three year deal could work for the Giants because in that third year, the Giants should have a rotation of Lincecum, Cain and Bumgarner.

[Dry1313]

Comments on two guys:
Blake and Penny.

Blake: Frandsen, Sandoval? Aren't these potential core guys meant to see a lot of time at 3B? Wouldn't it be unnecessary salary? Also, how productive exactly is Blake? IIRC, he has really only had a few good years, and his production has been very inconsistent. I think he benefitted a lot from the Dodgers lineup, and I don't think SF offers the same protection.

Penny: Absolutely perfect fit. While injuries may be an issue, the guys a damned good pitcher and would be one of the best #3's in baseball. It would make the Giants rotation feared throughout the NL. Also, he knows the division and its hitters, and can potentially get revenge on the hated Dodgers.

[love_that_reefer]

Blake actually did worse in that Dodgers lineup than he did while in Cleveland. I attribute that to switching leagues and ballparks but still had a productive year. If Blake is signed, then Sandoval would play first filling another hole. Its not unnecessary salary if it helps fill a void. Blake averages 23 HRs and 79 RBI which is a huge upgrade from what we have and had at third base while sporting a decent OBP. Giants need to look into Blake.

[love_that_reefer]

Here is the extremely risky portion of my checklist:

Randy Johnson- SP: Hear me out. Randy Johnson went 11-10 with 173 K's in 184 IP and a 3.91 ERA at the young age of 44 this past season. Johnson is also just five wins from the illustrious 300 win mark. This will help put asses in the seats for the first half of the season and be a good one year stop gap just until guys like Bumgarner and Alderson are ready. Having him on a one year deal is the key. This of course all depends on Lowry's condition and if the Giants think he will be able to start the year. I personally don't see that happening but I do hope I'm wrong. Johnson would also be one of three Cy Young winners (Lincecum and Zito) and one of three left-handers (Zito and Sanchez). Johnson would definitely have to come down with the salary considering he made $15 million last season. He is 45 with a history of back problems so a one year, $8 million deal with incentives might be plausible. Johnson is a risk but after last year's success and our current rebuilding mode, one year of Johnson does make sense. Having three lefties at the back of our rotation will help and his chase for 300 wins will be something the Giants can market around. Having three Cy Young winners is also marketable. Johnson is familiar with the NL West and its hitters which is useful to the rest of the team. Johnson's '08 season was better than anyone's in the Giants rotation not named Lincecum or Cain. His back and age are huge risk but on a one year deal in a rebuilding stage, I think it could be worth it. Of course I would love for the Giants to get a more long term solution if they can but this is worth a look.

Mark Prior- RP: Please notice I have him as a relief pitcher and not a starter. That ship has sailed. Prior needs to follow his former teammate Kerry Wood's career and move to the pen. He has started a throwing program again but there is no way this guy should even be allowed to attempt coming back as a starter. Prior hasn't pitched in two seasons so its not set in stone he can even comeback but he could be worth the risk. Kerry Wood certainly was. Prior isn't likely to get any big offers so he will come rather cheap since he has made the easiest money the past couple of seasons. Teams are tired of shelling our guaranteed money for this guy. I think if Prior could come back, he would be best served as a reliever. He always had good stuff but to say he still does would be dumb. He is worth a shot at resurrecting a career and wouldn't cost the Giants much.

[love_that_reefer]

Jeremy Affeldt- RP: Affeldt is really starting to figure out how to be quality reliever. Affeldt has posted back to back seasons in which he performed well. A 3.51 ERA in '07 and a 3.33 ERA in '08. Those ERAs also came with teams that have home hitter's parks. Jeremy is 29 and coming into his own plus being a lefty doesn't hurt either. The Giants could use a younger veteran from the left side to join Alex Hinshaw. $3 million was his salary last season so he should expect a raise. $4.5 million could be worth shelling out for Affeldt. Only knock on him is his inconsistent career. He possesses a career 4.55 ERA but a 4.01 as a reliever. Affeldt keeps getting better and better as a reliever so I think the Giants should jump on this guy. He averaged over a strikeout an inning last year which would be welcomed with open arms in the Giants pen. He's left-handed, entering his prime and won't break the bank. Giants should take a chance.

Joe Beimel- RP: Like Affeldt, Beimel is a left-handed reliever. Biemel would be the left-handed specialist for the Giants. Beimel had three good season for the Dodgers having ERAs of 2.98, 3.88 and 2.02. Nothing like stealing one away from the enemy. Beimel is 31 so a three year deal would be the highest I would go. Beimel is familiar with the West and its teams and parks, like many people I have mentioned, which will benefit the Giants. Beimel would come at a much lesser cost than Affeldt. Beimel made just under $2 million last year. Coming off a season where he had a 2.02 ERA will demand a nice raise though but the Giants need him. He's a veteran and he shuts it down from the left side. The Giants biggest weakness is thier pen which should be the main focus of this offseason. I like the idea of taking one away from the Dodgers and having a reliable lefty in our pen.

[love_that_reefer]

According to the Giants official website, Sabean has contacted the agents for Joe Beimel and Casey Blake. The two were part of my list here and one former Dodger that I haven't named but the Giants have named is Rafeal Furcal. So without further ado:

Rafeal Furcal- SS: Furcal fills two needs for the Giants, leadoff man and starting SS. With Furcal on board, Burriss would move to second base and Frandsen would then help at third and be the utility man. Furcal has some pop for a leadoff man and is still quick despite his bad back and age. Furcal is 31 and has missed significant time the past two seasons with that bad back which makes him a pretty big risk. His $15 million salary should come down a bit making him affordable for the Giants to obtain though. Furcal is a career .286 hitter with a .352 OBP. He also averages 36 stolen bases a year which fits in well with the Giants new found love for speed. Furcal's defense isn't that good but his offense makes up for it. He has a cannon but an inaccurate one. Furcal was having a MVP caliber season in '08 until he hurt his back. When he came back, he helped propel the Dodgers into the playoffs. Furcal really adds a spark to the top of the lineup and would move Lewis to the bottom half of the lineup which could make it even better. A three year deal at a considerable paycut from last year should be doable for the Giants. I wouldn't go any further than that. I'd rather have Hudson at second than Furcal at short just because I think Hudson will come cheaper. Both are ideal and both have had two seasons in a row of significant DL time. I do know the Giants need a legit middle infielder and Furcal is as good as they come....when healthy.

Will Ohman- RP: Ohman's career has been all over the place but the 31 year old had a good season in '08 with a 3.68 ERA and 4th in Holds. Ohman is a lefty which the Giants really need. Ohman's lack of consistency makes him a risk but not a major one. He is still better than Walker, Hennessey and a number of other Giants relievers from last year. Ohman could benefit coming to a pitcher's park and a weaker division. I would offer a two year deal for $2 million per year. Ohman is in the middle of the pack as far as free agent relievers go. Affeldt and Beimel are better options for a left-handed reliever. Ohman has increasingly bettered himself over the past couple of season so maybe the trend could stick for the orange and blank. The bullpen needs to be one of the main areas of focus for Sabean.

[love_that_reefer]

Since my last post in this thread, one of the players I suggested has been added and that man is Jeremy Affeldt. Edgar Renteria and Bobby Howry were also signed but were not on my checklist.

Ryan Shealy- 1B: Here is a guy the Giants need to keep their eye on. Shealy is currently with the Royals but may be non-tendered or at the very least trade bait after they went out and traded for Mike Jacobs. Shealy is like former Giants prospect Todd Linden in that he never converted his talent to the Major League level. He has had glimpses of brilliance here and there but his overall ML experience has been disappointing spanning over four seasons. Shealy is now 29 and time is running out for him to stick with someone. Ryan is a righty and does have a 162 game average of 19 HRs and 93 RBI over those four seasons of Major League ball. He also comes at a very cheap price. Shealy has a good glove at first which well help guys like Sandoval and Renteria from the left side of the infield. He has good on-base numbers at the minor league level but haven't translated to the ML level yet. His minor league batting average is .309 with a .391 OBP, something the Giants could use. This is a very cheap option at first for the Giants and one that could payoff handsomely. Shealy could platoon with Ishikawa or Sandoval and if Shealy doesn't pan out, there is always Josh Phelps down in AAA who could help out. This is all reward and hardly any risk since he will not cost hardly anything even if the Giants have to trade for him. Shealy could provide 25+ HRs while providing good defense. Sabean needs to keep his eye on the Shealy situation.

[love_that_reefer]

Here is the extremely risky portion of my checklist:

Randy Johnson- SP: Hear me out. Randy Johnson went 11-10 with 173 K's in 184 IP and a 3.91 ERA at the young age of 44 this past season. Johnson is also just five wins from the illustrious 300 win mark. This will help put asses in the seats for the first half of the season and be a good one year stop gap just until guys like Bumgarner and Alderson are ready. Having him on a one year deal is the key. This of course all depends on Lowry's condition and if the Giants think he will be able to start the year. I personally don't see that happening but I do hope I'm wrong. Johnson would also be one of three Cy Young winners (Lincecum and Zito) and one of three left-handers (Zito and Sanchez). Johnson would definitely have to come down with the salary considering he made $15 million last season. He is 45 with a history of back problems so a one year, $8 million deal with incentives might be plausible. Johnson is a risk but after last year's success and our current rebuilding mode, one year of Johnson does make sense. Having three lefties at the back of our rotation will help and his chase for 300 wins will be something the Giants can market around. Having three Cy Young winners is also marketable. Johnson is familiar with the NL West and its hitters which is useful to the rest of the team. Johnson's '08 season was better than anyone's in the Giants rotation not named Lincecum or Cain. His back and age are huge risk but on a one year deal in a rebuilding stage, I think it could be worth it. Of course I would love for the Giants to get a more long term solution if they can but this is worth a look.

Johnson's agent says Randy is interested in the Giants:

Agent Barry Meister said Thursday that Randy Johnson is "really interested" in playing for the Giants.
"We made a check list of everything that's important, and San Francisco checks off on every box," Meister said. "They're in the National League. They'll be competitive. They train in Arizona. San Francisco has a lot of appeal."