Current Roster

[MarcoPolo]

I am really starting to think that the 2019 season will be used to position the Giants for the future. Not necessarily "strip them all out, total rebuild", but definitely a pause to evaluate new blood (and maybe dump contracts). If MM can recover even some of his luster, the Giants will be praying some team loses a setup guy or closer so that he can be traded. If Belt puts in a career year, he'll be on the block in a millisecond. This is MadBum's last year in SF, and if the Giants find a taker, then he's gone (not to lose the contract, which is incredibly cheap, but if there's a juicy package of prospects - especially position players).

FZ is going to remake the team, and personally, if 2019 isn't going to be a very good year, I would *rather* that they throw the spaghetti against the wall and see who sticks (find a couple young players who are decent, and hopefully one that is pretty darn good). I mean, I'd rather NOT watch proven borderline, aged players all year. I'd rather watch UNproven, YOUNG players who may actually not be borderline after all. Then trades during this year and next off-season to free up salary (when possible) and bring in more young players, and we start again in 2020 or 2021. I see the Garcia/Vogt thing as *both* getting a chance to strut their stuff during the first 3 months of the season (at different times, unless Garcia shines) and then if a catcher goes down on another team, one of them is traded (for an outfielder). Two or three young IFs, and 2 or 4 young OFs to watch for a few months? I have no problem with that. I do NOT want to see Pablo lumbering around at 3B for another season. And I am PRAYING that Longoria will have another career year so that HE can be shipped to a contender. Time to clean house, get another *Giants* team together (not made up mostly of other team's left-over vets - just enough to leaven the loaf, so to speak.)

I think that next year's team will be VERY different than this year's team. Bochy will be gone, MadBum will be gone, Melancon will be gone (if he sucks, released; if he's good, then he's traded). If Belt can stay healthy this year (for once), and they can get a nice package for him - he's gone. (And no matter what Posey says, if Belt is gone then he's spending half his games at 1B - IF either Vogt or Garcia is a decent catcher.)

 

[LHG]

I am really starting to think that the 2019 season will be used to position the Giants for the future. Not necessarily "strip them all out, total rebuild", but definitely a pause to evaluate new blood (and maybe dump contracts). If MM can recover even some of his luster, the Giants will be praying some team loses a setup guy or closer so that he can be traded. If Belt puts in a career year, he'll be on the block in a millisecond. This is MadBum's last year in SF, and if the Giants find a taker, then he's gone (not to lose the contract, which is incredibly cheap, but if there's a juicy package of prospects - especially position players).

FZ is going to remake the team, and personally, if 2019 isn't going to be a very good year, I would *rather* that they throw the spaghetti against the wall and see who sticks (find a couple young players who are decent, and hopefully one that is pretty darn good). I mean, I'd rather NOT watch proven borderline, aged players all year. I'd rather watch UNproven, YOUNG players who may actually not be borderline after all. Then trades during this year and next off-season to free up salary (when possible) and bring in more young players, and we start again in 2020 or 2021. I see the Garcia/Vogt thing as *both* getting a chance to strut their stuff during the first 3 months of the season (at different times, unless Garcia shines) and then if a catcher goes down on another team, one of them is traded (for an outfielder). Two or three young IFs, and 2 or 4 young OFs to watch for a few months? I have no problem with that. I do NOT want to see Pablo lumbering around at 3B for another season. And I am PRAYING that Longoria will have another career year so that HE can be shipped to a contender. Time to clean house, get another *Giants* team together (not made up mostly of other team's left-over vets - just enough to leaven the loaf, so to speak.)

I think that next year's team will be VERY different than this year's team. Bochy will be gone, MadBum will be gone, Melancon will be gone (if he sucks, released; if he's good, then he's traded). If Belt can stay healthy this year (for once), and they can get a nice package for him - he's gone. (And no matter what Posey says, if Belt is gone then he's spending half his games at 1B - IF either Vogt or Garcia is a decent catcher.)

I like most of what you say and hope it can be put into practice. My concerns about guys like Sandoval or Hanson being removed is when its done so in favor of guys like Solano or Solarte.
Consider this about the catching situation too - if Bart can parlay a hot spring training into a strong start in San Jose into a June promotion to Richmond and, maybe, even a move to Sacramento before season's end. He'll probably be back in Sacramento to start 2020 but could be ready to start in San Francisco by July 2020. That gives Belt some more time to prove that he's either (A) healthy, (B) still productive or (C) both.

 

[SFGRTB]

I am really starting to think that the 2019 season will be used to position the Giants for the future. Not necessarily "strip them all out, total rebuild", but definitely a pause to evaluate new blood (and maybe dump contracts). If MM can recover even some of his luster, the Giants will be praying some team loses a setup guy or closer so that he can be traded. If Belt puts in a career year, he'll be on the block in a millisecond. This is MadBum's last year in SF, and if the Giants find a taker, then he's gone (not to lose the contract, which is incredibly cheap, but if there's a juicy package of prospects - especially position players).

FZ is going to remake the team, and personally, if 2019 isn't going to be a very good year, I would *rather* that they throw the spaghetti against the wall and see who sticks (find a couple young players who are decent, and hopefully one that is pretty darn good). I mean, I'd rather NOT watch proven borderline, aged players all year. I'd rather watch UNproven, YOUNG players who may actually not be borderline after all. Then trades during this year and next off-season to free up salary (when possible) and bring in more young players, and we start again in 2020 or 2021. I see the Garcia/Vogt thing as *both* getting a chance to strut their stuff during the first 3 months of the season (at different times, unless Garcia shines) and then if a catcher goes down on another team, one of them is traded (for an outfielder). Two or three young IFs, and 2 or 4 young OFs to watch for a few months? I have no problem with that. I do NOT want to see Pablo lumbering around at 3B for another season. And I am PRAYING that Longoria will have another career year so that HE can be shipped to a contender. Time to clean house, get another *Giants* team together (not made up mostly of other team's left-over vets - just enough to leaven the loaf, so to speak.)

I think that next year's team will be VERY different than this year's team. Bochy will be gone, MadBum will be gone, Melancon will be gone (if he sucks, released; if he's good, then he's traded). If Belt can stay healthy this year (for once), and they can get a nice package for him - he's gone. (And no matter what Posey says, if Belt is gone then he's spending half his games at 1B - IF either Vogt or Garcia is a decent catcher.)

I think FZ is very far away from the roster he likes. He likes versatility everywhere: on the field, off the field, contractually. He likes most of his guys to play multiple positions so they can matchup lineups. He likes his guys to be willing to set aside their ego to not be entrenched in one position or lineup slot. He likes his guys to have minor league options so the roster easily adjust.

This current iteration of the Giants' roster is almost none of that, although you can see some of it in all of the guys he's brought in.

I agree with you that next year will be completely different. He's going to slowly strip away where and when he can.

 

[LHG]

Giants trade CJ Hinojosa for Erik Kratz and designate Jose Lopez for assignment.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I think FZ is very far away from the roster he likes. He likes versatility everywhere: on the field, off the field, contractually.

He likes whatever he doesn't have - the grass is always greener (even when it is actually dried out scrub, apparently ...).

 

[LHG]

Giants Claim Tom Murphy From Rockies
Giants Designate Merandy Gonzalez For Assignment
Knee jerk reaction: Zaidi is either an idiot or the Dodgers' answer to Ned Colletti.

 

[calsnowskier]

KNBR mentioned that Garcia has been optioned.

Murphy/Gonzalez has been updated as well.

 

[LHG]

KNBR mentioned that Garcia has been optioned.

Murphy/Gonzalez has been updated as well.

"Garcia, good job earning that roster spot over Vogt and Rivera. As a reward, we are going to pick up two mediocre veterans that make more money than you and have no upside. Don't worry, we'll send you Sacramento, where you'll help Vogt get healthy and he can replace one of our backups, whom we'll jettison multiple pitchers in order to acquire these guys. That makes sense on multiple levels as we believe our starting pitchers are invincible and we need to make room so older minor league vets can have roster spots in AA and AAA. Oh, and we will bring you back . . . when you turn 34 and have played on multiple teams."

 

[SFGRTB]

Giants Claim Tom Murphy From Rockies
Giants Designate Merandy Gonzalez For Assignment
Knee jerk reaction: Zaidi is either an idiot or the Dodgers' answer to Ned Colletti.

I expect that Murphy will be placed on waivers in the coming days. Just Zaidi using the system to hoard assets.

 

[calsnowskier]

Stratton traded to Angels for Williams Jerez

 

[LHG]

Stratton traded to Angels for Williams Jerez

I'm more meh on this transaction. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, pare down yet again on starting rotation depth, while picking up in an area that doesn't seem to need any more depth (we've got two good lefties, which could be traded by the Giants' dealer, er, executive and Bergen looks good too), but if Stratton wasn't going to make the team, I assume the FO felt that he would be more likely to get claimed than the other guys and wanted value returned. I would have preferred picking up a younger C level prospect, who didn't require a 40 man spot. That would have at least cleared some 40 man space for any contracts purchased. Of course, if three guys still need to get dfa'd and only three guys will get their contracts purchased, then that is a moot point.

 

[calsnowskier]

I'm more meh on this transaction. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, pare down yet again on starting rotation depth, while picking up in an area that doesn't seem to need any more depth (we've got two good lefties, which could be traded by the Giants' dealer, er, executive and Bergen looks good too), but if Stratton wasn't going to make the team, I assume the FO felt that he would be more likely to get claimed than the other guys and wanted value returned. I would have preferred picking up a younger C level prospect, who didn't require a 40 man spot. That would have at least cleared some 40 man space for any contracts purchased. Of course, if three guys still need to get dfa'd and only three guys will get their contracts purchased, then that is a moot point.

Prospects not on the 40 have value because they don’t eat a roster spot. While I think Stratton has value, I am not sure he is good enough to get a legit prospect not already on a 40.

I too am somewhat meh on this deal. I think LA “wins” the trade, but it offers us some roster flexibility, so it fills a need for us as well.

 

[LHG]

Prospects not on the 40 have value because they don’t eat a roster spot. While I think Stratton has value, I am not sure he is good enough to get a legit prospect not already on a 40.

I too am somewhat meh on this deal. I think LA “wins” the trade, but it offers us some roster flexibility, so it fills a need for us as well.

I think that the Giants could have gotten a raw, low A level prospect (a "C" prospect) for Stratton. I agree, I believe the Angels won the trade but only slightly.

 

[SFGRTB]

I'm more meh on this transaction. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, pare down yet again on starting rotation depth, while picking up in an area that doesn't seem to need any more depth (we've got two good lefties, which could be traded by the Giants' dealer, er, executive and Bergen looks good too), but if Stratton wasn't going to make the team, I assume the FO felt that he would be more likely to get claimed than the other guys and wanted value returned. I would have preferred picking up a younger C level prospect, who didn't require a 40 man spot. That would have at least cleared some 40 man space for any contracts purchased. Of course, if three guys still need to get dfa'd and only three guys will get their contracts purchased, then that is a moot point.

Stratton wasn't making the team but they at least received a guy who has options, which will be the name of the game for the Giants.

They've still got Beede, Suarez, and Webb on the 40-man, plus Anderson in the minors. And it's possible they keep Lopez and Gonzalez if they clear waivers. They also have enough relievers on the 40-man that they could go the opener route.

 

[calsnowskier]

Mac DFA’d

 

[Stokes1931]

Mac DFA’d

Guy cannot catch a break.

 

[LHG]

Mac DFA’d

 

[tzill]

I wonder if he clears waivers?

 

[calsnowskier]

I wonder if he clears waivers?

You gotta figure SOMEONE gives him a shot. But his lack of options does not help his case.

 

[Sandisfan]

Mac DFA’d

I hope he goes to another team we play a lot and hits like we saw him hit before his shoulder and pounds our pitching staff while the trust worthy vets we hold onto do terrible. JUST VENTING I hope he does well somewhere where he can get a real chance and don't really hope it's against the Giants. It's just frustrating watching mediocre vets given plenty of rope over young players with at least some hope of being above WAR even if it doesn't workout. Just treading water with vets gets you nothing.