Which Snubbed Giants Have An All-Star Case to Make?

First off, congratulations to Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson for making the NL All-Star roster. I know Lincecum hasn't been as dominant as in years past, but take this into consideration: despite his "off-year" Lincecum is still ranked fourth in the National League in FIP (ahead of Ubaldo Jimenez actually). So, despite him probably not being as big a "shoe-in" as the past two seasons, Lincecum was certainly deserving of the berth. As for Wilson, I've been harping that he's been one of the league's best closers, and his numbers go beyond saves. In terms of FIP, he's the fourth-best reliever in the National League. That is a far cry from 2008, his previous All-Star season, when his FIP was 3.93.

However, there are some notable exceptions on this Giants roster. Aubrey Huff, Matt Cain, Andres Torres, and Juan Uribe are all names that deserved some All-Star attention, but didn't get the invite today. Unfortunately, it seems like any of them getting in is a long shot at this point. None of the Giants players listed are in the running for the fan "vote-in" (Heath Bell, Carlos Gonzalez, Joey Votto, Billy Wagner, and Ryan Zimmerman were the final five candidates chosen).

So, which Giants players have beefs, and which ones probably aren't All-Star worthy? Let's break down each player's "candidacy."


Aubrey Huff
.290 average, 15 home runs, 47 RBI, .391 wOBA, 17.4 wRAA, 2.6 WAR.

Huff probably is the most legitimate All-Star out of all the Giants players snubbed. He is ranked behind only Joey Votto and Albert Pujols in terms of wOBA for NL first baseman, and his 17.4 wRAA is tied for fourth out of NL first basemen as well. In addition to his offensive skills, Huff has shown tremendous defensive ability (4.2 UZR/150 at first base; 7.5 UZR/150 in the outfield) and flexibility (he has started at first base, left and right field). Thus, it's no surprise Huff's WAR is 2.6, which values to about $10.4 million dollars, according to Fangraphs.

So, why isn't Huff an All-Star? He's coming off an atrocious year, and he is playing for a Giants roster that has made more noise for their pitching and LACK of offense. It's really unfair. Huff is doing what Adrian Gonzalez did a year ago, but while Gonzalez has gotten the respect, Huff's incredible first half has been swept under the rug by the fans, players and of course, Charlie "I hate the Giants players" Manuel.

To illustrate my point that Huff is an All-Star-caliber player this year? He has a higher wOBA than All-Star first base reserves Gonzalez (.386) and Ryan Howard (.367). And, Huff's WAR is almost one and a half points better than Howard's (1.3).

Did Huff Get Snubbed?
Huff deserved an All-Star berth, but this system for first basemen is flawed to begin with. The fact that Joey Votto didn't make the roster is a travesty. Huff, unfortunately, is a victim at a position where fans, players and managers value big flies and hype more than actual overall performance.


Matt Cain
6-7 record, 2.93 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.60 FIP, 2.1 WAR.

Cain was an All-Star last year, and his year this season has been pretty similar to his 2009. He still has been pretty lucky (.262 BABIP) and his high xFIP (4.70) suggest that he may be due for a tough stretch sometime soon, but Cain has still been solid as the Giants' second-best pitcher behind Lincecum. Cain has showed improved control (2.93 BB/9, the first time it's been under three in his career), and he has already thrown almost as many complete games (three) as last season (four).

The main difference between Cain of this season and Cain of last year has been the record. Last year, Cain went 10-2 in the first half of the season, and it seemed to ride him into an All-Star berth. Don't believe the record has any effect? Look at Ubaldo Jimenez, who's advanced numbers are actually LESS impressive than a season ago. What has gotten him into the All-Star game? His 14-1 record trumps his 6-9 record in the first half a season ago.

Much like Jimenez isn't a better pitcher than he was a year ago (though he certainly should have gotten more credit), Cain isn't much WORSE a pitcher in 2010 in comparison to 2009. It's just that the run support hasn't been great (typical for Cain) and he hasn't gotten as lucky.

Did Cain Get Snubbed?
The problem with Cain is that he may have not been an All-Star caliber pitcher last year if not for his 10-2 record. He doesn't have great strikeout stuff, and his BABIP shows that he has been lucky this year (though his 76.4 LOB percentage suggests he hasn't been as lucky as 2009, when his LOB percentage wasn't under 83 percent for the first three months of play). Cain is a very good pitcher, don't get me wrong. But is he an All-Star like Lincecum based on the numbers? That might be harder to prove, especially when Cain isn't ranked in the Top-15 of NL Starting Pitchers in terms of FIP.


Andres Torres
.275 average, .819 OPS, 15 stolen bases, .370 wOBA, 11.0 UZR, 3.0 WAR.

Torres would have been a great story for the All-Star team. The 33-year old journeyman who went from poor, free swinging slap hitter with the Detroit Tigers to patient, speedy hitter with pop to the Giants. Torres has all the credentials of an All-Star candidate: great speed (15 stolen bases on 18 attempts), great defense (27.1 UZR/150), excellent run generation (10 wRAA), and plate patience (0.68 BB/K ratio).

Unfortunately, the powers that be felt Michael Bourn and his .319 wOBA was a better candidate in the outfield (seriously, I hate this "Every team needs one All-Star" rule; the Fresno Grizzlies have more All-Star candidates than the Houston Astros).

Torres can certainly rank up there with the best outfielders in the National League. However, Torres unfortunately plays at a position where the talent level is very deep. Torres' wOBA ranks him 12th out of NL outfielders. Fellow All-Star Snubs like Andrew McCutchen and Colby Rasmus look to be far more enticing candidates than Torres, though Torres' defensive value does give him an edge (He has the second-best UZR out of NL outfielders).

Did Torres Get Snubbed?
When you look at him in terms of pre-season hype and offense alone? No. There are a lot better outfielders offensively than Torres (though that shouldn't take anything away from Torres' season). However, when you look at his defense, and add that with his offensive numbers? Torres looks a lot more like an All-Star-worthy player. Unfortunately, it's offense, not defense and overall value that generate hype for an All-Star berth, and that killed Torres' chances before it could get started.


Juan Uribe
.256 average, 12 HR, .335 wOBA, 2.6 wRAA, 1.6 WAR.

Would you believe me if I told you that Uribe, going into today, was the third-best shortstop in terms of wOBA? Would you believe me if I told you that Uribe has been better offensively than Jose Reyes, who made the All-Star team, and Uribe's higher wOBA and wRAA prove it?

Well, it's the truth, and though he has cooled recently, Uribe still could make an argument that he has been one of the National League's better shortstops this season. Uribe has hit with some surprising pop (12 home runs) and he has done this despite his BABIP (.262) being shockingly low (the league average is .299 and his BABIP last year was .325).


Did Uribe Get Snubbed?
I love Uribe, but no. He didn't. The National League shortstop position is shockingly shallow in terms of talent beyond Troy Tulowitzki and Hanley Ramirez. Uribe is simply the best of a rather mediocre bunch. Furthermore, Uribe's minus-6.6 UZR/150 at shortstop this year has killed any overall value he might have, and despite a high BB/K ratio (0.57), he has swung at more pitches outside the strike zone this year (32.2 percent in comparison to 31 percent last year) and has a higher whiff percentage in 2010 (12.2 percent) than in 2009 (11.5 percent). Uribe is a solid utility infielder to have, but he's no All-Star.

New Poll Up: Which Giants Deserve to Make the NL All-Star Team?

Just a quick post. I put up a poll on the sidebar asking which Giants deserve to make the All-Star game in Anaheim this year. I narrowed it down to eight guys who have a realistic chance of making it:

Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Brian Wilson, Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe, Freddy Sanchez, Pablo Sandoval, and Andres Torres.

I left out Jonathan Sanchez from the list because of his inconsistency and Buster Posey and Pat Burrell because they don't have that many games under the belt.

You can vote for multiple guys on the list. In my opinion: I would think five guys are deserving: Lincecum, Cain, Wilson, Huff, and Torres. Uribe has been good, but I can't see him getting a boost over Troy Tulowitzki (who was an MVP candidate until he got hurt) and Hanley Ramirez (though he certainly is a better candidate than guys like Jimmy Rollins and Orlando Cabrera, as Crazy Crabbers notes). Also, I put Sandoval on this list more out of formality, since his year hasn't been as good as last season. As for Sanchez, he too has been awesome, but I'm not sure if his sample is large enough in comparison to other second baseman in the league.

Would love any input on your all-star picks. You can vote for real on MLB.com. It would be nice to see some Giants position players on the NL roster for once.

Matt Downs Another Wrench in Freddy Sanchez's Impending Return

It will only be a matter of time before Freddy Sanchez returns to the Giants active roster. AZ Giants.com has been covering his rehab games, and for the most part, it seems Sanchez is slowly getting closer to being game ready.

Going into today's game against the Marlins, the Giants are 16-10 and tied with the San Diego Padres for first place in the National League West. However, there is one question lingering on the minds of Giants fans amidst this recent surge of early season success:

What will the Giants do in order to make space for Sanchez?

It's a question Giants fans dread more than Elisabeth Hasselbeck meeting Erin Andrews in person for an interview.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post that looked at the second base situation between Sanchez and Juan Uribe. Basically, I liked Uribe more at the position, and felt that Uribe's power potential is something the Giants need.

However, the second base position is not just between Uribe and Sanchez anymore. You can add another guy to the mix that will make Sanchez's return all the much tougher:

That guy is Matt Downs.

Now, Downs isn't necessarily an unknown name. While he struggled in an early-season callup last year, Downs came on strong this Spring Training, hitting .356 in 45 at-bats. Due to a crowded infield situation, he started the year in Fresno, though he really had nothing to prove in the Pacific Coast League (.300 average, .834 OPS and 14 home runs in 2009).

In Fresno this season, Downs played strong, despite competing for playing time at second base with Brock Bond (who is hitting .310 with a .405 OBP this season with the Grizzlies). In 35 at-bats, Downs hit .286 with a .876 OPS.

After Aaron Rowand went on the 15-Day disabled list, Downs got the callup in what was expected to be a short cup of coffee stint. However, he has made a strong case that he may deserve some more playing time in the Giants infield.

In 29 plate appearances with the Giants, Downs is hitting .417 with four doubles and one home run. He sports an OPS of 1.226 and a wOBA of .523.

Hence, it is easy to see why the Giants were able to part ways with Kevin Frandsen after Spring Training.

That being said, what is Downs' future with the Giants this season? Do the Giants keep him and send down John Bowker (though he has nothing to prove in Fresno) or designate Eugenio Velez for assignment? Do they send down Downs and bring him up later in the year should Edgar Renteria get injured again? (Which is a strong possibility by the way.) Do the Giants finally cut ties with Travis Ishikawa? (Who has been a tremendous disappointment offensively this year, much to my dismay.)

Whatever the Giants do, they certainly have an interesting talent in Downs.

In the minors, Downs pretty much has been a Kevin Frandsen but with power. At four levels in the minors, Downs has posted a BB/K ratio as high as 1.89 (in Rookie League) and as low as 0.40 (his first season in Triple-A). That's pretty solid, and it looks even better when you see that he hasn't had a history of striking out a lot in the minors too (his highest strikeout percentage was 13.7 percent in Fresno last year).

Now, that hasn't been the case for Downs in the Majors. Last year, in 60 plate appearances, Downs had a strikeout percentage of 24.5 percent. The same has rung true this season too, illustrated by his 20.8 percent strikeout rate.

However, while the strikeouts have risen in the Majors, the walks have as well. In 2009, Downs sported a walk percentage of 10 percent (the highest percentage he had was 8.7 percent in rookie ball). This year, Downs has a walk rate of 13.8 percent.

This has produced solid BB/K ratios for Downs (0.46 and 0.80 respectively) in the Majors, which makes him a valuable commodity for this Giants team.

If you compare him to Sanchez and Uribe on plate discipline alone, Downs looks enticing. Sanchez's career BB/K ratio is 0.43 (0.29 last year in a combined stint with Pittsburgh and San Francisco) and Uribe's is 0.30. Down's BB/K ratio at the Major League level so far is 0.56.

Now, in terms of defense, Sanchez has the reputation of being a great defensive second baseman. However, if you look at the numbers from last season, he might not be much better than Uribe or Downs.

While Sanchez posted a UZR of 3.3, his UZR/150 was only 5.0. Uribe posted a 3.3 UZR as well at second base, but his UZR/150 was 16.1.

As for Downs, he had the lowest UZR of the three at 1.1 last year. His UZR/150 though? 10.0.

Sanchez's return to the Giants lineup is a touchy issue. It makes some sense financially why he will be the Giants' starting second baseman when he returns off the DL. General Manager Brian Sabean traded Tim Alderson for him last season, and he signed Sanchez to a two-year $12 million deal this off-season. The Giants have a lot invested in him, and unfortunately, you can't bench guys like that.

That being said, does Sanchez offer much more at the position than what the Giants currently have? He doesn't have the offensive potential of Uribe, and he doesn't have the youth or plate patience of Downs. Sure he has a Gold Glove and a couple of All-Star games on his resume, but when you look at his defensive metrics, Sanchez isn't THAT impressive.

Overall, it's a tough decision for the Giants management. When Sanchez returns, somebody is going to lose badly on this Giants roster, be it Uribe, Downs, Bowker, Velez, Ishikawa, or even Sanchez himself.

Whatever happens, all you can hope as a Giants fan is that the Giants' chemistry isn't messed up when Sanchez returns to the starting lineup. Considering how promising this team looks and the opportunity they have (With the Rockies struggling with injuries and the Dodgers being down), you would hate to see it all screwed up because the Giants needed to play a guy because of his contract.

Uribe or Sanchez: The Giants' Dilemma at Second Base

Thirteen games into the regular season, and Juan Uribe is proving that he is worth the one-year, $3.25 million dollar contract he signed this off-season. He is batting .348 with two home runs so far this year, and is sporting a OBP of .407, an OPS of .951, and a wOBA (weighted on-base average) of .397.

The most startling number however has to be Uribe's BB/K ratio, a sign of his improved plate approach so far this season. He has a 0.75 BB/K ratio through 13 games (11.1 walk percentage; 17.4 strikeout percentage). To put it in perspective, Uribe has only sported a BB/K ratio over 0.40 once in his career (2005 with the White Sox, when it was 0.44). Is Uribe going to keep this number by the end of the season? Probably not, but his plate patience and approach during the first couple of weeks during the 2010 season has been a nice, comforting surprise.

However, despite Uribe's hot start, one question is lingering on the minds of Giants fans and management in the coming week: what will happen to Uribe once Freddy Sanchez returns to the Giants active roster?

Sanchez has spent the entire Spring and first 13 games of the season on the disabled list. Yet, Sanchez, who was acquired last July for pitching prospect Tim Alderson, is almost expected to play second base when he returns to the roster. He was an NL All-Star with the Pirates last year, and he was re-signed this off-season to a two-year $12 million deal by Giants general manager Brian Sabean.

Thus, that puts Uribe's playing situation in limbo.

Thankfully for the Giants, Uribe is a versatile player. He can play third base and shortstop in addition to second base. With Pablo Sandoval proving that third base may not be the best position defensively for him in the future, and with Edgar Renteria showing his age more and more at shortstop, Uribe certainly can provide a spell from time to time throughout the infield. After all, that was why he was re-signed in the off-season for, despite Sabean's decision to bring back Sanchez.

If you look closer at the situation though, it isn't as easy for Uribe as it sounds.

For starters, Sandoval isn't necessarily a guy you can take out of the lineup, and with Aubrey Huff entrenched in the first base position, Sandoval doesn't have that luxury of playing first as often anymore when Travis Ishikawa was the starting first baseman in 2009.

Second, at this point, pulling Renteria out of the lineup (except for a day or two every now and then) may be a challenge in itself. While Renteria has cooled off from that 8-for-10 stretch at the plate April 7th and 9th when he hit the game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth against Braves closer Billy Wagner, he has still proved to be solid overall. While he has struck out more than usual these 13 games (11 strikeouts; 22 percent strikeout rate), he still has a solid average (.320), OPS (.815) and wOBA (.360).

And, Renteria defensively has been stellar so far. His RF/G is 4.3 (the last time it was that high over a full season was in 2004 with the Cardinals), and he has only committed one error in 12 games played.

Thus, while a lot of Giants fans were clamoring for Uribe to replace Renteria in 2010, Renteria has done his part to prove that he belongs in the lineup for the time being.

Furthermore, Uribe, defensively may not even be that good of a candidate to replace Renteria.

While traditionally Uribe has been a stellar shortstop defensively (he posted UZR number of 4.5, 7.1 and 6.2 from 2004-2006 with the White Sox at shortstop), he has declined defensively at the position the past couple of years. In 2007, his last year as the White Sox's starting shortstop, Uribe posted a UZR of minus-2.2. In 2009 with the Giants, in 41 games as shortstop, Uribe had a UZR of minus-1.2 (and a UZR/150 of minus-5.5). Renteria in comparison had a UZR of minus-0.2.

So what is Uribe's best position defensively? Last year, it was second base, where he posted a UZR of 3.5 and a UZR/150 of 16.4.

The problem with this? Sanchez is a much better defensive second baseman than Uribe, as evidenced by Sanchez's 7.4 UZR last season between Pittsburgh and San Francisco. Unfortunately, while Sanchez is better defensively, he pales in comparison to the offensive potential Uribe presents. Last year, Sanchez had a .742 OPS and a .322 wOBA in between Pittsburgh and San Francisco, and hit 39 extra-base hits (including seven home runs) in 489 plate appearances in 2009.

Uribe posted an OPS of .824 and a wOBA of .351 in 2009 with the Giants, and hit 46 extra-base hits (including 16 home runs) in 432 plate appearances in 2009.

As you can see, for a team that needs offense, Uribe seems to be the more enticing option.

At this point, who knows what manager Bruce Bochy and Sabean will do with Uribe when Sanchez comes back. Like I said before, with Huff at first, moving around Uribe won't be as easy in 2010 as it was in 2009.

If Sanchez gets off to a slow start, or is showing that he isn't fully recovered from surgery this off-season, then the Giants will look bad for playing Sanchez (because of his contract and "All-Star" status) and keeping Uribe (a player with more offensive potential) on the bench.

The San Francisco Giants "Prospectus" Project

Call me crazy. Call me nerdy. Call me insane. Whatever. I know the average baseball fan doesn't care about advanced statistical analysis. I know everyone thinks Sabermetrics is for geeks who don't watch the games. I know projections rarely ever live up to EXACT fruition.

Like I said before...whatever.

I have the time. I have the energy. I have the resources.

So, I'm starting a San Francisco Giants prospectus.

Granted, this is a very personal prospectus. It includes everything from batted ball analysis, win probability, advanced stats, plate patience, pitch type, etc. And that's not all. I have roster lists, contract information (thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts!), and this year's Bill James Projections (I had to splurge $9.95 on Yahoo for it, but you know what, it's worth it considering what you get).

Of course, this is all on excel sheets and paper right now. So, basically, the only one seeing this prospectus is me, KOB, the author of Remember '51. However, leading up to Spring Training and in the course of the season, I expect to use notes I write in my prospectus "notebook" as posts on this blog. Anything sabermetrically from now on will not just be exclusive to this blog. It will be in handwriting first, in a big purple notebook before I write it here on this blog.

So, does that mean I'm going to be another blog with only sabermetrics baseball angles? No, not really. I will continue to try to be pessimistic and humorous with some posts, be it the Remembering the Great '08 series or just other crazy thoughts in general. However, I think this Prospectus is worth noting because it is an ambitious project and I think it will give some insight to some of the future analytical pieces I will be writing in the future.

But like I said, the posts from now on just won't be from a Saber-slant. I will have articles that will go beyond all statistical and general baseball reasoning. After all, I am half-Filipino and half-Irish, and that mix doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of sense either. I might as well translate that into my baseball writing as well from time to time.

Crazy, irrational, "What the hell does that have to do with Giants baseball?" thought for today? Who would win in a fight? Eugenio Velez or Juan Uribe? Honestly, I don't know. I love the possibilities. On a Giants-fan-level, I would liken the fight to the first Clubber Lang-Rocky fight from Rocky III. Not exactly a fight everyone expects, and probably a lot shorter than we would all want, but there would be fireworks.

The Genie vs. Big Juan. I'm more excited for that than the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight in March.

Uribe Re-signing Official, Could Compete For Third according to Baggarly

Ironic. First I write a post trying to fathom the possibility of Eugenio Velez starting in Left Field for the Giants in 2010, and then I read this post from Extra Baggs.

Basically, Sabean and Bochy are yearning for the situation I've yearned for since Derosa signed: Pablo at first (though I'm not keen on bumping Ishikawa, but with Garko gone, he'll still get some time, if only as a backup), Juan at third, and Derosa in left.

In terms of improving the offense, the Giants will do much better with this lineup. Uribe, though a bit of a free-swinger, has power, and can drive in runs. Same thing with Derosa, even though he may be on the decline (due to age), and his home run numbers probably won't transition well to AT&T Park. And Pablo at first? Well...I don't care where Pablo plays really. The Panda can play catcher again for all I care. Him in the lineup = Happy Giants fans.

Anyways, back to Uribe, I'm glad the signing is official, that it's only one year, but I am curious how much he is going to be paid. Granted, whatever he is making, I'm sure it's not half as bad as it could have been in terms of acquiring a third baseman. For example, I know a lot of Giants fans toyed with the idea of Adrian Beltre, but Beltre is coming off a mediocre season at the plate, hasn't shown much other than his 2004 season with the Dodgers, and still got 10 million from the Red Sox for one year. For some reason, I think if the Giants signed him, he would have made a couple million more and would have got a couple more years as well. Is the pessimistic? Sure, but give me one year of Juan Uribe rather than three years of a guy who may be in the same ballpark talent wise as Uribe at this point.

Definitely check out the Extra Baggs post. He also brings up interesting points in terms of what Bruce Bochy will do with the lineup next season (though I don't think batting Aaron Rowand leadoff next year is necessarily the answer to the Giants problems offensively).

With Uribe Back, The Pressure is on Renteria to Produce for the Giants

From Bleacher Report

With Juan Uribe on the verge of getting a new contract from the San Francisco Giants, the pressure is on for one current Giants player:

Edgar Renteria.

With Mark Derosa getting signed to a two-year, $12 million dollar deal, and the possibility of an Adam LaRoche acquisition still looming, Uribe most likely will be a platoon player heading into Spring Training.

That being said, despite his backup-status, he will bring a lot of heat and competition to Renteria, who most likely will be slated as the Giants' starting shortstop come Spring Training.

For starters, Renteria is coming off an atrocious year, while Uribe is coming off a pretty good one. Renteria struggled through injury and ended up batting .250, with a .307 OBP and only five home runs, his lowest home run total in his career since 1998 (he hit only three for Florida that year). Uribe hit 16 home runs, drove in 55 RBI, and sported a .329 OBP (which is his highest number in that category in his career).

Thus, it makes sense statistically why Giants fans are pining for Uribe to start at shortstop over the overpaid (he'll make nine million dollars next year) and underachieving Renteria. Couple that with a major difference in personality (Uribe is a fun-loving guy, while Renteria is known for his seriousness, though Renteria did score some points for being the first guy off the bench and getting in Russell Martin's face during a scuffle in August against the Dodgers), and it almost seems logical that the end could be very near for Renteria in San Francisco.

That being said, I don't think Giants fans should be so hasty in terms of giving up on Renteria completely. For starters, the bottom line is this: he was hurt last year. It was obvious he played through injury, and was not 100 percent considering his elbow and arms problems. Thus, Renteria needs to be judged when he is completely healthy, and chances are, he will be in 2010 after having a full off-season to recover.

Secondly, Renteria, despite his decline as a player over the last few years, is the kind of guy that responds well to bad seasons. After a poor season in Boston, Renteria came back to the National League and lit it up with the Braves in 2006, where he hit .293 and scored a 100 runs.

Granted, most people thought that would happen LAST year when he was coming off a mediocre season in Detroit, but I think the adjustment from the American to National League, coupled with his injury, made things tough for Renteria. Thus, with a full year of being reacquainted with National League behind him, and healthy (hopefully), Renteria is more likely to breakout this year than he was last year.

And to put things more in Renteria's favor, Renteria did have an advantage over Uribe in one category: his BB/K ratio. Renteria had a 0.57 BB/K ratio in comparison to Uribe, who had a 0.30 ratio. While this may be a minute stat, it may be a telling sign that a healthy Renteria may be what this Giants team needs. Renteria's patient, less-free-swinging approach may be more valued on a team that ranked last in walks and OBP in the National League in 2009. Will the Giants get more pop from Uribe? Most likely. However, if the Giants want to score more runs and be playoff contenders, the Giants may want to go with a guy who has never had a BB/K ratio under 0.42 in his career rather than a guy has never had a BB/K ratio over 0.44.

One of the big gripes many Giants fans (and baseball fans in general) have had with Renteria (in addition to his inability to pull anything other than 85 MPH fastballs) is his mediocre defensive skills. Surprisingly though, in terms of playing shortstop, Uribe is not a dramatic improvement. Uribe's career UZR/150 is 3.5. Renteria has a career UZR/150 of 1.0.

Is Uribe better? Obviously, but Giants fans shouldn't be thinking that Uribe is a tremendous upgrade. He's better than the iron-footed Renteria, but he won't be confusing Giants fans with Omar Vizquel anytime soon.

Granted, the Bay Area faithful should be happy Uribe is back, mainly because he can play three infield positions and has a solid, if inconsistent bat. That being said, I think Giants fans need to give Renteria a chance to start the season. While Renteria was an obvious flop last season, if healthy, he is more than capable of turning it around in San Francisco this second time around.

That being said, unfortunately for Renteria, the time span should, and most likely will be short. The Giants need to win now, and they need to build on their 88 win season a year ago. If Renteria does not put up major improvement within the first month of play, it would not be surprising if general manager Brian Sabean sends Renteria packing, especially with Renteria in the last year of his contract.

It's put up or shut up time Edgar. The job's yours for now, and I do believe there are some Giants fans willing to give you a second chance, but just remember: there's a pretty decent option behind you, and the option looks more enticing to Giants fans by the day.

Another .250/.307/.635 season in terms of batting average, OBP and OPS isn't going to cut it this time around.

Brian Sabean Watch: So Far, So Good, But...

Okay, Brian Sabean is back for two more years. We know that for sure, Giants fans have to live with it.

But how's the GM doing so far? Well, I think you can look at a few things that have characterized this offseason for the Giants so far.

-Bengie Molina not offered arbitration
-Juan Uribe and Brad Penny turning down contracts to become Free Agents
-Ryan Garko being non-tendered

For the first thing, I really like this. Look, Molina has probably been the best catcher the Giants have had this decade. The only close competitor is Benito Santiago, and Santiago wasn't forced to bat cleanup, he was in a loaded lineup with Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent, and he was on steroids. The close third would be Bobby Estalella, but I only liked him because his at-bat song was The Rock's theme song (yes, the pro "do you smell what the Rock is cooking" wrestler).

However, the Giants have Buster Posey. Posey has proven he can play at Triple-A. He has nothing to prove except at the Major League level. If he may not be ready at the beginning of the year, he certainly would be ready by mid-season, and I think an arbitration contract would be too much for one half-year of Molina. Thus, just from what it looks like, the Giants probably will sign a low-tier veteran (in the Ryan Bard, Brian Schneider mold) to be an emergency just in case Posey doesn't have a good Spring Training or gets off to a slow start. Believe me Giants fans who love Bengie Molina, this is the right thing to do. Posey's upside is too much. The Giants can't supplant him in the minors for another year.

As for the second item, it's predictable, mainly because Edgar Renteria is going nowhere, and Sabean signed Freddie Sanchez to a two year, six-million per year deal. So, Uribe has nowhere to go, and is basically a utility infielder...again. The Giants got lucky with Uribe last year, who was coming off such a bad year. To be perfectly honest, I think the Giants could have gotten away with just signing Uribe and passing on Renteria. However, since Renteria is likely staying in a Giants uniform next year, Sabean needed to let Uribe go. Uribe is going to command some money. Some team like the Royals or Nationals is going to pay a decent buck for him. That being said, it was very fun to have Uribe for one season, even if it took Bochy half the season to realized that he was more capable of playing everyday than Matt Downs.

In terms of Penny, I was very relieved Sabean passed on him. First off, I want Madison Bumgarner in the rotation. The guy proved he could pitch last year. Did he have his best stuff? No, but he certainly proved that he could come in and not get shellacked, not to mention hold his own. When he has his best stuff, and is more under careful watch (he pitched his arm off in the minors) Bumgarner will be a lethal No. 5 starter behind Lincecum, Cain, Zito, and Sanchez. As for Penny? He had a great second half, but there were some alarming trends with the guy: low strikeout, high flyball, groundball out numbers. I guess in a park like AT&T you can get away with that, but I'm not willing to shell out big bucks for what was most likely a fluky, "F-you mode" second half with the Giants ("F-you mode" because almost everyone wrote off the pickup as a dumb move by Sabean originally, when in fact, it turned out to be Sabes' best trade deal that season).

And lastly, I just found this out today, but Ryan Garko will not be tendered a contract, according to the San Francisco Examiner Web site. Personally, I love this. One, I think Garko was a crappy pickup from the beginning. His home run numbers were incredibly slanted because he played in a home run hitter's park in Cleveland, and his choke up two-strike approach is the kind of crap you only see in Little League these days. I know Garko is a standup guy, but I'll take Travis Ishikawa, who while is more strikeout prone, gives you more bang for the buck in terms of power, and is a lot better defensively.

Of course, what could change this maneuver from a good decision by Sabean to a poor one is if he does one of two things: a.) he signs Adam LaRoche or Nick Johnson. b.) he moves Sandoval to first.

First off, I would hate Adam LaRoche to be in a Giants uniform. I know I actually campaigned for him before on Bleacher Report, but the guy stinks, and his swing is not tailor made for AT&T Park. Nick Johnson I do like though. He's a high OBP guy (which the Giants desperately need) and he's good defensively. Does he have power? Only if you consider eight home runs last year power, but I think his ability to draw walks is something that the Giants need in order to be contenders. My only concern is Johnson is injury prone, but with Ishikawa as back-up (along with Jesus Guzman, perhaps) I think that will be fine. I would rather have Johnson and Ishikawa and Guzman platooning than Johnson and Garko.

As for the move for Sandoval. I guess it makes sense (because the Giants' best offensive lineup [when they were forced to play Renteria] consisted of Uribe at third and Sandoval at first). However, I don't like the move. Sandoval has a glove, and a cannon, the problem is that his cannon is too wild. That will eventually be molded with more time. It's not the Miguel Cabrera problem with Sandoval where he doesn't have any range like Cabrera. He surprisingly has range for a guy his size. He just need to get his arm accuracy under control. I sincerely think he can do that, and when he does, he will be a solid third baseman for the Giants for years to come.

Okay, so those are the issues so far with Sabean. My analysis? I like what he's doing. He's giving Giants fans what we wanted when the season ended (passing on aging veterans, and being conservative with money). Now, are Giants fans out of the woods with him? Oh heavens no! There are plenty of moments for Sabes to be Sabes (Adam LaRoche would be the dagger). Yet for now, I think Giants can breathe easily, knowing that Bill Neukom wasn't a complete moron for re-signing Sabes so far.

Silence in November...But Quick Thoughts

Okay, so due to some circumstance beyond my control, Remember 51 won't have any more posts in November beyond this one. I will be without Internet, TV, newspapers etc. for a month, but don't worry, the Blog will be up and posting new pieces come December.

However, there are some quick bits I want to do before I hibernate for 30 days.

-The Freddy Sanchez Signing: To be honest, I like it. I was deftly afraid the Giants were going to sign Sanchez at eight million per year because he would have satisfied the clauses in his contract had he not been hurt. Problem was though, he was hurt and he didn't deserve the eight million. That being said, even in his short, injury-plagued second-half last year, Sanchez still looked good, and I honestly believe if healthy, he could have helped us get into the playoffs. He was hitting well, was a great fit defensively and really seemed to mesh on this Giants roster. If he's fully healthy next Spring Training, I certainly believe he can have a big impact next year, and will be worth the six million per year for the next two years (and will help Giants fans forget all about Tim Alderson).

-Juan Uribe's status as a Giant: For all those Uribe fans, it looks like Uribe is most likely going to be gone next year. GM Brian Sabean in the Giants' Sanchez signing news release claimed that with the Sanchez signing, Uribe is most likely going to test the free agent waters, and with that being the case, he will probably get paid much more than he deserves. I like Uribe as much as the next guy, and wish he could start at shortstop for this team, but he's typically a low OBP guy and with a roster full of those kinds of guys, I think the Giants can afford to cut Uribe loose. Thanks Juan. You gave us some great memories in 2009! Best of luck. (And for the record, I'm not being sarcastic here).

-49ers, Sharks and Warriors: I know this is a Giants blog, but I want to make some quick notes one the other Bay Area Sports teams sans the Raiders:

• As improved as the 49ers look, they won't make the playoffs. The offense still isn't complete, and while their defense is good, when you're opponent consistently has an advantage over you in time of possession by 10 minutes or more, than chances are, you're going to lose, despite how good your defense is. I think Singletary is the right man for the job. I do think they are the best team in the NFC West. However, the tough schedule, and the inconsistency on the offensive end is going to doom this team down the stretch.
• The Sharks on the other hand look to be declining. After years of coming so close to the cup, I seriously think the Sharks are in for a slow descent down a slippery slope the next few years. I think they will make the playoffs this year (simply because of the talent of Thornton and Marleau alone), but they won't go beyond the second round and I wouldn't be surprised if they actually miss the playoffs next season.
• The Warriors are a wreck. Don Nelson doesn't know what he's doing. Stephen Jackson's greatly on the decline and he's being a team cancer, and the team still doesn't have a point guard who can effectively distribute. Neither Stephan Curry or Monta Ellis is the answer at point. I think the Warriors have a talented team, and I think if they get a new coach, and get rid fo Jackson they will be greatly improved, but they are a tough team to watch next year. As sad as this is to say, I wouldn't be surprised if the Sacramento Kings finish better than the Warriors this year. They're this year's Washington Wizards.

All right, that's it. See you in a month folks!

Is re-signing Juan Uribe worth it for the Giants?

Giants general manager Brian Sabean has been known for some awful deals. This season was no exception as he proved to make a disastrous blunder in signing shortstop Edgar Renteria to a two-year, $18.5 million deal prior to the 2009 season.

What did the Giants get from Renteria? A .250 average, five home runs, a .307 OBP (the lowest of his career) and 124 games, most of them played while injured (so basically I would give him 80-90 games fully healthy).

Yet, while Renteria and his eight million dollar per year contract is another classic "Sabean Blunder," Sabean did make one deal that should be lauded and will be interesting to look into as we enter the baseball offseason.

The Juan Uribe signing.

When Sabean signed Uribe, many thought Uribe was going to be an afterthought on this team. With Kevin Frandsen and Emmanuel Burriss the favorites to play second base in Spring Training, and Pablo Sandoval and Renteria firmly implanted at third and shortstop, respectively, many experts wondered if Uribe would even have a place on this Giants roster, let alone starting lineup.

Well, Uribe surprised the experts, much to Giants fans' delight. After going through a woeful 2008 season with the White Sox where he hit only seven home runs, drove in 40 RBI and sported a .247 batting average and a .682 OPS, Uribe broke out in his first season in San Francisco.

While rotating between second and third base and shortstop throughout the season, Uribe hit .289, sported a .824 OPS and hit 16 home runs and drove in 50 RBI.

And all this production came at around one million dollars, seven million less than what the Giants had to pay Renteria this season.

However, with only a one-year deal signed last offseason, Uribe will be a free agent this year, and that begs Giants fans and management to ask the question:

Is he worth bringing back?

For starters, it is important to realize one thing: to bring back Uribe means somebody is going to go. The Giants can't afford to give Uribe a new deal and have him play a utility role again. If he comes back, he needs to be in the starting lineup consistently or the signing will be a waste of money.

Who that person is, however, is yet to be determined (though Giants fans probably should have a good sense who it might be).

For starters, it won't be Freddy Sanchez (unless he decides not to re-sign with San Francisco, which is a possibility). Sanchez is too much of a veteran presence for another veteran like Uribe to push out.

Secondly, it probably won't be Renteria either. While getting rid of Renteria is a nice thought, chances are it's more fantasy than reality. Renteria makes too much money and is coming off too poor a year to have any trade value. Thus, as crappy as it is for Giants fans to imagine, Renteria most likely will be back at shortstop on Opening Day.

Therefore, if Uribe is decided to be brought back by the Giants management, it probably will result in this scenario:

Uribe will become the starting third baseman, and Pablo Sandoval will be moved to first base, which is probably a better fit for him and his defensive skills, and Travis Ishikawa, the Giants current starting first baseman (along with Ryan Garko, but after Garko's bad year in San Francisco, I'm not going to give him anything just yet) will likely be bounced from the roster.

That can be good or bad depending on how much you like Ishikawa. As for me, I'm torn. Yes, I love his defensive ability, but I'm also disgusted by his propensity to strike out a lot (by swinging at a lot of pitches that aren't in his zone) as well as hit ground balls.

For some reason though, I can't shake this fantasy that Ishikawa has the potential to be a Carlos Pena-esque player. Ishikawa has the kind of power and plate approach that is very similar to Pena's. Like Pena, Ishikawa is never going to be a high batting average guy. He'll probably be in the .260 range at-best.

Yet once he understands what pitches he can hit, and which ones he can't, he will have the kind of breakout that Pena had while in Tampa Bay. Now, it's not going to happen right away. After all, Pena struggled as well in his stints in Oakland and Detroit. That being said though, Ishikawa seems to have made quicker progress than Pena did at this point in their careers, which gives me a little hope Ishikawa might be worth keeping in the long run.

So that's the dilemma. Believe me, I love Uribe, and I wouldn't mind to see him in a Giants uniform for the next couple of seasons. He's the kind of free-swinging, loosey-goosey player that can play three infield positions and drive in runs (he's consistently been a 20 homer, 70-plus RBI guy until 2008). However, his OBP numbers (career .296 OBP) might be an indicator that he may not be a fit for a team that struggles in that category mightily.

It's a tough call: should the Giants go with the present, run-driving support of Uribe? Or the Carlos Pena potential of Ishikawa?

Either way, Sabean will have to make a choice, and it will be very interesting to see what he does this offseason.

Sanchez's Surgery Should Be Final Straw For SF Giants GM Brian Sabean

From Bleacher Report

With this being the last year of GM Brian Sabean's contract, owner Bill Neukom is put in a very tough decision.

Does he stick with the GM who has been at the helm of the Giants' front office since 1997? Or does he go in a different route with somebody else calling the shots when it comes to personnel decisions?

As far as I'm concerned, everything Sabean has done (or has occurred as a result of his decisions in the past) after the All-Star break has showed why Neukom should go in a different direction next year when it comes on taking or declining Sabean's option.

First off, Sabean pulled the trigger on trading for Cleveland's Ryan Garko, who has done relatively nothing in his tenure in San Francisco as evidenced by his .233 batting average and only two home runs in 113 plate appearances as a Giant (It also should be noted that both his home runs came in the same game and at Coors Field).

Secondly, Edgar Renteria has been a tremendous, and classic Sabean-bust, which is only magnified by Juan Uribe's season, which may be his best offensive year since 2004 when he helped the Chicago White Sox to a World Series title.

Not only has Uribe been better than Renteria this year in almost every offensive category despite 98 less at-bats, but he also came seven million dollars cheaper.

Just imagine what the Giants could have done with an extra seven million dollars to spend had they not wasted it on Renteria.

Next, Angel Villalona, a highly prized prospect a couple of years ago that Sabean sold Giants fans on being the future of the Post-Bonds era, not only has tanked on the field (he had only a .267 average, .303 OBP, nine home runs and 42 RBI in 310 PA in Single-A San Jose this year), but now he is a suspect in a murder case in the Dominican Republic.

Villalona's future seems closer to Ugueth Urbina than Miguel Cabrera, and even then, at least Urbina had SOME time in the Major Leagues.

And lastly, Freddy Sanchez, who was traded for No. 2 pitching prospect Tim Alderson, may be shut down for the year after reports, via the Giants Web site, revealed his knee will need surgery.

If anything, Sanchez's impending knee surgery should be enough for Neukom to send Sabean packing. Everybody knew there were some questions with Sanchez's health before the trade deadline, but Sabean "examined" Sanchez and assured Giants fans he was healthy enough to make an impact during the August-September run.

Well...Sanchez, despite a solid debut, has barely made a dent on this Giants team. He has only played in 25 games, not exactly what Giants fans expected when Sabean traded him for Alderson.

To make matters worse, with Sanchez most likely not reaching the amount of plate appearances he needs to activate his 2010 option, the Giants will need to renegotiate with him on a contract next year.

Therefore, there is a possibility that Sanchez could be gone next season, and if that happens, the Giants basically lost their second-best pitcher in their minor league system for an injury-riddle player who barely played a half-a season.

That's the kind of thing Giants fans wanted to avoid this Trade Deadline. The San Francisco faithful didn't want another Ricky Ledee or Sidney Ponson half-season disaster.

And yet, here we are, with that situation a possibility again.

Overall, there has been a lot Sabean should be credited for in his tenure in San Francisco, especially recently. He has set down a solid foundation around pitchers like Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, and position players like Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey (even though Posey can't seem to find the field since being called up).

However, the mistakes of Sabean have added up too much in the recent past, and this year is no exception. Some new energy is needed in the Giants front office to keep this team going in the right direction, and unfortunately, after almost 13 years at the helm, the Giants aren't going to get that if Sabean is still calling the shots.

Neukom. The decision is up to you. Do the right thing.