A-Gon

[dredinis21]

Cal, you and I both know that if the WS revenue didn't happen, we aren't anywhere near where we are now in salary. That being said, we have made relatively small climbs up in salary (roughly one solid starter per season in today's baseball economics) over the last few years. Meanwhile, the hated ones just took on 262 million dollars of salary. My basic point was do we become like the Red Sox and financially chase our Yankees West or do we stay as we have been doing. That is what I was eluding to.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Dodgers? trade still leaves them as NL's fourth-best team - MLB - Sporting News

 

[gp956]

Dodgers? trade still leaves them as NL's fourth-best team - MLB - Sporting News

I don't know.....I wouldn't be surprised if the dodgers do well this year.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Three-run HR in his first AB.

This almost smells like a set-up.

 

[SF11704]

It's interesting living in NY and seeing what most of you comparing what LA is doing to the NYY approach. In reality I don't think it's exactly the same ... at least not yet. Every owner wants to win a WS. That's the final goal. But in the past I have been tortured by quite a few NYY ownership interviews. They are usually done in support of their fanbase. On more than one ocassion (quite a few to be exact) I have heard their management say that they are doing their best to field a team that can reaxh the pplayoffs and go deep. A WS is never a 'sure thing' but it's a 'never thing' if you can't reach the playoffd. Since 1995 they have only been out of the playoffs once. 2008 I think. Their success in the playoffs just isn't there but they are always in them. Money doesn't seem to be an issue for them. They spend whatever it takes to 'recraft' their team on an as need basis. LA seems to be in that same mode but at this time they want it all. With 35 games or so left in the regular season nothing is 'for sure'. Playoff spots are even up for grabs. If by some stroke o0f luck or by devine intervention they can get that pool of talent to gel and play up to poential .... IMHO ... they will be a very difficult team for a number of years. For me 2013 will be the make or brake year for them .... with all that salary being laid out .... the expectations are going to be enormous ... but they also have quite a pool of talent to meet those expectations .... it will be interesting ... I just don't want them to turn into the NYY West!

 

[msgkings322]

It's interesting living in NY and seeing what most of you comparing what LA is doing to the NYY approach. In reality I don't think it's exactly the same ... at least not yet. Every owner wants to win a WS. That's the final goal. But in the past I have been tortured by quite a few NYY ownership interviews. They are usually done in support of their fanbase. On more than one ocassion (quite a few to be exact) I have heard their management say that they are doing their best to field a team that can reaxh the pplayoffs and go deep. A WS is never a 'sure thing' but it's a 'never thing' if you can't reach the playoffd. Since 1995 they have only been out of the playoffs once. 2008 I think. Their success in the playoffs just isn't there but they are always in them. Money doesn't seem to be an issue for them. They spend whatever it takes to 'recraft' their team on an as need basis. LA seems to be in that same mode but at this time they want it all. With 35 games or so left in the regular season nothing is 'for sure'. Playoff spots are even up for grabs. If by some stroke o0f luck or by devine intervention they can get that pool of talent to gel and play up to poential .... IMHO ... they will be a very difficult team for a number of years. For me 2013 will be the make or brake year for them .... with all that salary being laid out .... the expectations are going to be enormous ... but they also have quite a pool of talent to meet those expectations .... it will be interesting ... I just don't want them to turn into the NYY West!

Too late, I'm afraid.

The question is no longer what LA is going to do, but how are we going to respond? And not just this year but for the future.

 

[Robotech]

Too late, I'm afraid.

The question is no longer what LA is going to do, but how are we going to respond? And not just this year but for the future.

It's gonna be tough competing with them. We will have to be really smart.

 

[msgkings322]

It's gonna be tough competing with them. We will have to be really smart.

I've always thought of Sabean as a good GM, B+ level. This will be a test for sure. He'll need some Tampa-style smarts and bargain-hunting. And luck. And the owners need to step up some. God knows their franchise value went way up if the Dogs fetched $2 bil.

 

[SFGRTB]

Frankly, the only answer to match the Dodgers would be Josh Hamilton or Justin Upton. And the chances of either of those happening are close to nil.

The Giants will continue to do their own business as usual.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Too late, I'm afraid.

The question is no longer what LA is going to do, but how are we going to respond? And not just this year but for the future.

I agree. Money is no object for the Dodgers ownership group. They can do whatever they want.

I don't know what the Giants farm system looks like, but I've read it's not in the best of shape. Then again the Dodgers front office said they have a lot of work to do regarding their farm system & plan to do so. The team they have now will give them the time they need to do it.

THIS SUCKS!!

 

[msgkings322]

Frankly, the only answer to match the Dodgers would be Josh Hamilton or Justin Upton. And the chances of either of those happening are close to nil.

The Giants will continue to do their own business as usual.

I don't expect them to 'match' by overpaying stars and Yankee-ing up. I just meant, for 2012, they need to get a legit ML left fielder, doesn't have to be a star. They can't just keep throwing Blanco/Peguero out there.

For the future, I hope they (SF) are willing to raise payroll some. I don't expect them to try to match LA blow for blow with wild overpaying and contract eating like they (LA) have done this year.

 

[gp956]

The new playoff structure does no favors to the Giants as well. It places a huge premium on winning the division, and that's always going to favor the team with the deepest talent level.

 

[SFGRTB]

I don't expect them to 'match' by overpaying stars and Yankee-ing up. I just meant, for 2012, they need to get a legit ML left fielder, doesn't have to be a star. They can't just keep throwing Blanco/Peguero out there.

For the future, I hope they (SF) are willing to raise payroll some. I don't expect them to try to match LA blow for blow with wild overpaying and contract eating like they (LA) have done this year.

I knew what you meant, I guess I couldn't phrase it right. I was just trying to say to match a move by the same magnitude of the Dodgers would be either of those guys. G's are still likely to target a LF, if they can find one out there.

 

[calsnowskier]

According to COTs...

Outfielders
Michael Bourn
Marlon Byrd
Melky Cabrera
Matt Diaz
Curtis Granderson *
Josh Hamilton
Torii Hunter
Carlos Lee
Angel Pagan
Luke Scott
Ryan Spilborghs
Ichiro Suzuki
B.J. Upton
Shane Victorino
Reggie Willits
Delmon Young

Granderson will stay w/ the Spanx. Hamilton will cost north of $100M. Upton, Bourne, Pagan and Suzuki should be prime targets, with Melky, Lee, Scott and Young being secondary targets. I figure we gotta get two of these guys.

Internal options are Peggy, Brown, Kieschnick, Perez and Dominguez. None of these are too promising for the start of 2013.

 

[SFGRTB]

According to COTs...

Outfielders
Michael Bourn
Marlon Byrd
Melky Cabrera
Matt Diaz
Curtis Granderson *
Josh Hamilton
Torii Hunter
Carlos Lee
Angel Pagan
Luke Scott
Ryan Spilborghs
Ichiro Suzuki
B.J. Upton
Shane Victorino
Reggie Willits
Delmon Young

Granderson will stay w/ the Spanx. Hamilton will cost north of $100M. Upton, Bourne, Pagan and Suzuki should be prime targets, with Melky, Lee, Scott and Young being secondary targets. I figure we gotta get two of these guys.

Internal options are Peggy, Brown, Kieschnick, Perez and Dominguez. None of these are too promising for the start of 2013.

Though he might be right on the edge of that veteran breakdown cliff, Tori Hunter would be a solid option too. He's held up nicely so far and still plays a good RF.

 

[Stokes1931]

I wonder if the Fish have given up on Logan Morrison. His production is down this year (injury?). He has power, and is relatively cheap and has arb control for a few years. I'd sooner see Sabey-Sabes work his magic on LoMo than any of these other high priced OF's. Though I agree with Cal that we need to make a splash in that pool.

I have mixed emotions about Oxy. When he is hot, he is a superb player. But his defense is still suspect, and he is streakier than I thought. He has stepped it up since the Melky suspension, but can he be a consistent performer throughout the season? I think the Giants will attempt to focus on him, giving him some of the money that would have gone to Melky.

 

[msgkings322]

I wonder if the Fish have given up on Logan Morrison. His production is down this year (injury?). He has power, and is relatively cheap and has arb control for a few years. I'd sooner see Sabey-Sabes work his magic on LoMo than any of these other high priced OF's. Though I agree with Cal that we need to make a splash in that pool.

I have mixed emotions about Oxy. When he is hot, he is a superb player. But his defense is still suspect, and he is streakier than I thought. He has stepped it up since the Melky suspension, but can he be a consistent performer throughout the season? I think the Giants will attempt to focus on him, giving him some of the money that would have gone to Melky.

WHat's nice about Pagan assuming some basic level of decent production, is that he plays CF (a tougher position to fill) and he's a good leadoff guy, which Melky was not, and which we've always needed to really be a strong team.

 

[SFGRTB]

I wonder if the Fish have given up on Logan Morrison. His production is down this year (injury?). He has power, and is relatively cheap and has arb control for a few years. I'd sooner see Sabey-Sabes work his magic on LoMo than any of these other high priced OF's. Though I agree with Cal that we need to make a splash in that pool.

I have mixed emotions about Oxy. When he is hot, he is a superb player. But his defense is still suspect, and he is streakier than I thought. He has stepped it up since the Melky suspension, but can he be a consistent performer throughout the season? I think the Giants will attempt to focus on him, giving him some of the money that would have gone to Melky.

WHat's nice about Pagan assuming some basic level of decent production, is that he plays CF (a tougher position to fill) and he's a good leadoff guy, which Melky was not, and which we've always needed to really be a strong team.

Pagan is extremely streaky as we all know by now, but we had Melky next to him to ease his coldest of cold (which still was barley enough). I think with Pence in the fold and an upgrade from Blanco in the other OF slot, I wouldn't mind seeing Pagan back even with his inconsistency. Would like to see Scutaro back too

 

[calsnowskier]

Pagan is extremely streaky as we all know by now, but we had Melky next to him to ease his coldest of cold (which still was barley enough). I think with Pence in the fold and an upgrade from Blanco in the other OF slot, I wouldn't mind seeing Pagan back even with his inconsistency. Would like to see Scutaro back too

I see this as a no-brainer.

 

[Stokes1931]

Pagan is extremely streaky as we all know by now, but we had Melky next to him to ease his coldest of cold (which still was barley enough). I think with Pence in the fold and an upgrade from Blanco in the other OF slot, I wouldn't mind seeing Pagan back even with his inconsistency. Would like to see Scutaro back too

Agree with Moped.