Off Season Grade

[calsnowskier]

Hmm, I don't know. I'd rather just gripe about how the offseason didn't go right. In unrelated news, GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

Every offseason is going to be different, depending on the needs of the team, the quality of the free agent market, the potential in the upper minor leagues and even who may be available on the trade market. For this off season, I'd would have been much happier with just one risky free agent starting pitcher. See Cueto's opt out as a player option makes no difference to me because if he stinks for one or both years before the opt out, he will be going nowhere. However, going with just Cueto would have been a lot better than signing both Cueto and Samardzija. And yes, I'd prefer Cueto over Samardzija. My early favorite was Wei-Yin Chen, before I knew that he was a Boras' client (not too fond of Boras and the stink he makes - see Harvey, Matt; Ozuna, Marcell and Fernandez, Jose for recent examples). After being cool to Mike Leake at the end of the season, I began to warm up to the idea of him or maybe Doug Fister as a reclamation project. The Giants seem to be good at getting a year or two of production on such missions.

So if the Giants signed Cueto or Leake and no one else, I would have given the offseason a higher grade. And yes, I know that I'm about the only one in this forum that would think that way.

I don't agree with much of what you said here, but I respect your thought process and love that we have an intelligent dissenter here.

 

[LHG]

I don't agree with much of what you said here, but I respect your thought process and love that we have an intelligent dissenter here.

I forgot to mention I get cranky about free agent signings when it blocks someone in the farm system. I readily admit to being a farm system homer. In a perfect world, every Giant prospect would outshine his potential and the Giants would never need to go anywhere else for their players. Hey, I really hope the 2016 Giants and Samardzija, Cueto and Span, over the length of their contracts, prove me to be a crazed nut with no idea of what he is talking about regarding this offseason.

 

[calsnowskier]

I forgot to mention I get cranky about free agent signings when it blocks someone in the farm system. I readily admit to being a farm system homer. In a perfect world, every Giant prospect would outshine his potential and the Giants would never need to go anywhere else for their players. Hey, I really hope the 2016 Giants and Samardzija, Cueto and Span, over the length of their contracts, prove me to be a crazed nut with no idea of what he is talking about regarding this offseason.

There is still room for Mac and/or Parker to play, though. Pence is the only "untouchable" starter.

 

[LHG]

There is still room for Mac and/or Parker to play, though. Pence is the only "untouchable" starter.

I look forward to see how that plays out in spring training. I have to think Kyle Blanks will get a legitimate shot as well.

 

[calsnowskier]

I look forward to see how that plays out in spring training. I have to think Kyle Blanks will get a legitimate shot as well.

Certainly. Mac and Parker both still have options and we have a LOT of bully arms on the 40 that can be trimmed.

Put a gun to my head, and I think Blanks actually has the inside track for the 5th spot.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Certainly. Mac and Parker both still have options and we have a LOT of bully arms on the 40 that can be trimmed.

Put a gun to my head, and I think Blanks actually has the inside track for the 5th spot.

Are you sure the gun doesn't have Blanks in it already?

 

[Mays-Fan]

There is still room for Mac and/or Parker to play, though. Pence is the only "untouchable" starter.

And that's another good thing about having depth - competition forces the best out in everyone. As an example here, Pagan now knows that him starting is by no means a certainty. He will have to do everything he can to be physically ready to endure the long haul, in addition to working on his game skills.

 

[LHG]

And that's another good thing about having depth - competition forces the best out in everyone. As an example here, Pagan now knows that him starting is by no means a certainty. He will have to do everything he can to be physically ready to endure the long haul, in addition to working on his game skills.

I was thinking the opposite with him. The talk (that I've heard at least) is that he has the inside track for the starting spot in left field. By no means is it a lock, but he is the starter as of now. My thinking is that, at worst, he'll platoon with Blanco and back up Span. Parker or Williamson or Blanks will be the pinch hitter/corners back up. I hope that, regardless of what Pagan is told prior to spring training, he comes in the best shape of his life and is ready to play 162 games.

 

[calsnowskier]

Are you sure the gun doesn't have Blanks in it already?

 

[Mays-Fan]

I was thinking the opposite with him. The talk (that I've heard at least) is that he has the inside track for the starting spot in left field. By no means is it a lock, but he is the starter as of now. My thinking is that, at worst, he'll platoon with Blanco and back up Span. Parker or Williamson or Blanks will be the pinch hitter/corners back up. I hope that, regardless of what Pagan is told prior to spring training, he comes in the best shape of his life and is ready to play 162 games.

All good and valid points. My basic point is that if we had NOT acquired Span (or any other FA OF), Pagan would have most certainly been a lock to start. He probably WILL start now anyway, but Blanco will be pushing him.

 

[Stokes1931]

Of course, the off season grade is an Incomplete. That is, we will see how the additions and subtractions perform in the upcoming season(s).

That said, on paper, I generally like these pickups, and would give this a high B grade.

There are questions about each pickup, of course. Will Cueto pitch his NL numbers or his AL numbers? Will Scrabble do better than with the Chubs? Can Span stay healthy?

Of more concern to me is whether we have hamstrung out ability to pick up additional help at the trade deadline, if needed, and the development of the younger players. I think our pitching help (for starters) is still a year or two away. I really like Heston, and Beede and Bickford look solid, with Mejia, Stratton and Johnson looking to also be in the mix potentially.

I want to see more improvement for Mac and Parker and Cole, as I think they are next in line for OF spots. Not sure Parker has anything more to prove at AAA, though.

Should be an exciting even numbered year.

Side note, I will not be going to Spring Training this year, unless someone makes me a great offer. (I have some friends with a condo in Scottsdale and their couch is free.)

I will be going to more Rivercat and SJ Giants games this season, though. And will certainly go to the AFL next year, teh Deity willing.

 

[tzill]

Of course, the off season grade is an Incomplete. That is, we will see how the additions and subtractions perform in the upcoming season(s).

That said, on paper, I generally like these pickups, and would give this a high B grade.

There are questions about each pickup, of course. Will Cueto pitch his NL numbers or his AL numbers? Will Scrabble do better than with the Chubs? Can Span stay healthy?

Of more concern to me is whether we have hamstrung out ability to pick up additional help at the trade deadline, if needed, and the development of the younger players. I think our pitching help (for starters) is still a year or two away. I really like Heston, and Beede and Bickford look solid, with Mejia, Stratton and Johnson looking to also be in the mix potentially.

I want to see more improvement for Mac and Parker and Cole, as I think they are next in line for OF spots. Not sure Parker has anything more to prove at AAA, though.

Should be an exciting even numbered year.

Side note, I will not be going to Spring Training this year, unless someone makes me a great offer. (I have some friends with a condo in Scottsdale and their couch is free.)

I will be going to more Rivercat and SJ Giants games this season, though. And will certainly go to the AFL next year, teh Deity willing.

1. I think Cueto is much more likely to pitch to his career norms than his 2.5 month outlier in 2015.
2. Shark was screwed up with a pitching coach who admitted he took a wrong approach; he should be fine.
3. Span would have to implode physically to not justify his modest contract.
4. Span's contract was backloaded just so that we have flexibility to add at the deadline.
5. Don't forget Coonrod, and Crick isn't necessarily done either.
6. Parker should be the 5th OF; Mac needs AAA for the ABs, although I think he'll end up being the starter in LF by next year.
7. I am going to ST -- these four games: 3/10 SF@MIL, 3/11 CLE@COL, 3/12 OAK@TEX, 3/13 SD@SF

good post.

 

[Mays-Fan]

FWIW, from Bleacher Report, not much new, but they gave us an A+. Interesting that the writer is convinced that Span will start in CF and lead off, with Pagan having to compete for LF. I'd like to see that, but until I see it, I won't believe it:

MLB Offseason Report Card Grades

Notable MLB Additions: SP Johnny Cueto, SP Jeff Samardzija, CF Denard Span, 1B/OF Kyle Blanks

Notable Prospect Additions: None

Notable Losses: SP Mike Leake, SP Tim Hudson, SP Tim Lincecum, OF Nori Aoki, OF Marlon Byrd, SP Ryan Vogelsong, RP Jeremy Affeldt, RP Yusmeiro Petit, OF Alejandro De Aza, 2B Marco Scutaro, C Hector Sanchez

Offseason Review
The San Francisco Giants once again missed out on their top offseason target when they failed to sign Zack Greinke, but unlike last offseason when they missed out on Jon Lester and then sat on their hands, they quickly moved on to a backup plan this time around.

That wound up being Jeff Samardzija, who was signed to a five-year, $90 million deal shortly after Greinke decided to join the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The team wasn't finished there, though, as they followed that signing up by adding Johnny Cueto on a six-year, $130 million deal.

Those two newcomers alongside Madison Bumgarner give the Giants a terrific trio of starters to lean on, as well as enough starting pitching depth that they're not forced to rely on anything from Matt Cain.

The other hole was in left field, which the team addressed by taking a chance on Denard Span with a three-year, $31 million deal after an injury-plagued 2015 season.

Span hit .302 and led the NL with 184 hits in 2014, and he'll replace Angel Pagan in center field and atop the lineup as long as he's healthy.

Meanwhile, the oft-injured Pagan will now compete with Gregor Blanco, Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson for playing time in left field.

It was time for some necessary change for the Giants to make a move back toward contention, and swapping out Tim Lincecum, Tim Hudson and Vogelsong with Samardzija and Cueto was exactly the retooling the team needed.

Grade: A+

 

[tzill]

FWIW, from Bleacher Report, not much new, but they gave us an A+. Interesting that the writer is convinced that Span will start in CF and lead off, with Pagan having to compete for LF. I'd like to see that, but until I see it, I won't believe it:

I'd be shocked if it turns out any other way, with the caveat that Oxy will not have to "compete" for LF -- he'll be handed it as his to lose.

 

[calsnowskier]

While I expect Span to be the primary CFer and Pagan the primary LFer, the splits for Span and Pagan line up very well with each other. I would not be surprised to see a bit of a platoon develop with them, with both given the opportunity to take additional ABs from LF (Pagan moving over in this situation).

Blanco should continue to get a LOT of PT, assuming both Span and Pagan stay to split-norms (or one of them gets hurt)

 

[Mays-Fan]

I'd be shocked if it turns out any other way, with the caveat that Oxy will not have to "compete" for LF -- he'll be handed it as his to lose.

There is a personal prestige that goes with playing CF that I suspect Pagan will not give up quietly. Not saying that is a certainty, but I believe it is worth noting.

I agree it should and will likely turn out that way (Span is CF, Pagan in LF), but while Pagan is healthy, he will fight for CF.

 

[Hangman]

C-/D+

 

[filosofy29]

C-/D+

We're you potty trained at gunpoint sir?

 

[calsnowskier]

We're you potty trained at gunpoint sir?

Even HWSNBN would look at Hangman and call him a sourpuss.

 

[LHG]

C-/D+

Wow, even I didn't give them that bad of a grade. Thanks for taking (some) of the pressure off of me.