A Possible Manny Scenario?

[love_that_reefer]

This is from Peter Gammons' blog on espn.com:

Interesting how many GMs think that if the Dodgers get CC Sabathia, the Giants will get big into Manny Ramirez, and Billy Beane and the A's will continue to move fast on Rafael Furcal. Also, expect Toronto to make good on its promise to Milton Bradley that he is the Blue Jays' priority.

Why do GMs think Sabean would go after Manny if the Dodgers don't? Sabean has said the Giants have around $20 million to spend this offseason and $4 million is already tied up in newly signed Affeldt for '09. Manny's price tag will go beyond $20 million. Manny would be Barry Bonds all over again. Lots of walks, lots of ticket sales, not enough wins.

In other Giants news, Juan Cruz still remains on Sabean's radar even after getting Affleldt. Right-handers are his main focus.

- Pat Burrell has also been rumored to the Giants. Burrell was in trade rumors last offseason with the Giants. Interesting thing about him is that he came up as a first baseman.

- Affeldt is campaigning for David Weathers who is a free agent. Weathers had a 3.25 ERA in 72 games last year. I prefer Juan Cruz.

- Giants are looking at Renteria and Orlando Cabrera as backup options.

[GiantsFanatic]

Exactly, getting Manny would be no different then having Bonds, and especially with no one to protect him.

[love_that_reefer]

I just wonder what Sabean is saying or doing for GMs to suggest the Giants could even get Manny.

[GiantsFanatic]

Well after thinking about it for a second, adding Manny would be better then having Bonds since Kent left, because we have Rowand and Sandoval, and Bonds never had guys like that in the lineup ever since Kent left.

[love_that_reefer]

Marquis Grissom and Moises Alou had better years than Rowand did last year. Besides, who would you rather pitch to? Manny or Rowand? Mannys IBBs would be Bonds-like.

[GiantsFanatic]

Thats true, but the Grissom and Alou teams were more competitive teams than what Rowand had last year.

[love_that_reefer]

They still didn't win. I'd rather get two players for the price of Manny. Just what is Sabean saying? It will be interesting to see if Sabathia does sign with the Dodgers. Would that really affect the Giants offseason plans?

[GiantsFanatic]

It would only affect the Giants offseason plans if they were persuing CC, which they are not, so I dont forsee us being affected by what the Dodgers do. Plus do you think Dodger would match or make a bigger offer to CC than what the Yankees have offered him?

[love_that_reefer]

I think the Dodgers could get close enough to the Yankees offer. Sabathia wants to be out west and loves to hit. The Dodgers are also a young team and Joe Torre is appealing too. The Dodgers have a real shot. It all depends on whether Sabathia will go for the money or for whats best for him.

[love_that_reefer]

According to the Denver Post, the Giants "are quietly making an aggressive play for Manny Ramirez."
How "quiet" is the "aggressive play" if a Colorado-based newspaper has the scoop on it? With the Dodgers looking like Ramirez's best option, perhaps agent Scott Boras is attempting to stir up a little bidding war.

Here we go again!!

[love_that_reefer]

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "it would be a mistake to put too much stock in a Denver Post report Thursday that the Giants are 'aggressively pursuing' Manny Ramirez."
While disagreeing with the "aggressively pursuing" description, the newspaper reports that "at some point the Giants could consider Ramirez under very specific financial conditions." In other words, if his price continues to drop the Giants could get into the mix.

If the Dodgers shed a lot of Andruw Jones' contract, Manny will be a Dodger. Giants need to focus on obtaining a 1B or 3B.

[GiantsFanatic]

SAN FRANCISCO -- Manny Ramirez could be an option for the Giants, but he's not the option.
Though the Giants are exploring the notion of signing Ramirez, the free-agent left fielder who would firm the sagging heart of their batting order, they apparently don't regard him as a must-have commodity for numerous reasons.

A source familiar with the Giants' operations confirmed the club's consideration of Ramirez on Friday. But the source characterized San Francisco's stance as similar to what it was with left-hander CC Sabathia, another of this offseason's premier free agents. The Giants spoke with Sabathia's representatives -- owing partly to the pitcher's desire to play in his native Bay Area -- but never made a formal contract offer.

In this case, the Giants believe they owe it to themselves to learn what it would take to secure a legitimate cleanup hitter who carried their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, to last year's National League West title by batting .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs in 53 games. A fraction of that production over the course of an entire season would benefit the Giants, who ranked last in the Major Leagues in homers and 15th in the NL in scoring and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).

The buzz regarding the Giants' interest in Ramirez has risen recently. The Denver Post led the parade by reporting that the Giants were "aggressively pursuing" him. San Francisco's KPIX-TV reported that the team had offered Ramirez a multiyear contract. And SI.com's Jon Heyman wrote that the Giants had "entered the bidding" for Ramirez.

But two industry sources said Friday that any talk of Ramirez receiving a contract offer from the Giants has been overblown.

The Giants' priority still may be obtaining an offensively proven corner infielder, since their outfield is full. Moreover, signing Ramirez would send the Giants beyond their payroll limit and might force them to trade another outfielder such as Aaron Rowand or Randy Winn -- neither of whom has prompted much demand on the trade market despite respectable track records.


For all his offensive prowess, Ramirez is considered a defensive liability. Bent on maximizing the asset of a strong starting pitching rotation, the Giants have been reluctant to consider players who are subpar defenders.

However, obtaining Ramirez could make the Giants the favorites to win the NL West. And ticket sales -- a concern for all clubs given the nation's economic malaise -- surely would accelerate if he brought his act to San Francisco.

It's believed that the Giants might consider Ramirez if he lowered his salary demands, which reportedly are hovering around $20 million a year.

San Francisco, the NL West's most active team this offseason, already has signed left-hander Randy Johnson, relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Bob Howry and shortstop Edgar Renteria in an effort to halt its skid of four consecutive losing seasons.

Interesting

[realmofotalk]

You know how I know Ned Colletti is still on the ****in Giants payroll?

[love_that_reefer]

I'm game, how do you know?

[realmofotalk]

It was a hypothetical question.