Olney on Tejada

[ColinCoby]

For those of you who don't have in...Buster Olney wrote about Tejada, and how he might not be the answer at SS this year.

(Tejada) turns 37 in May, and as he nears the end of a career that will probably net him about 2,500 career hits and at least 300 homers and a hard-earned reputation for being a strong leader, his production is in decline. His OPS since 2003:



2004: .894
2005: .864
2006: .877
2007: .799
2008: .729
2009: .795
2010: .693





...If he has a resurgence this summer, if he can still play an effective shortstop, this could all be very seamless. But it's also possible that the Giants will need to be on the lookout for some kind of upgrade during the season, because San Francisco will again contend -- they are regarded by some rival evaluators as the best team in Arizona this spring -- and because Tejada has reached the stage of his career when his performance could tip for good.



Maybe the Giants would turn to Mike Fontenot, who hit .283 in 103 games last season. Or maybe, if Tejada struggles, they could go outside the organization. And there figure to be some players who become available during the season, such as:



1. Jose Reyes: He is eligible for free agency in the fall and it seems unlikely that the Mets will re-sign him, and executives with other teams expect New York to market him before the July 31 trade deadline, for pitching.

2. Marco Scutaro: The Red Sox were willing to deal him during the offseason, given the ascendance of Jed Lowrie. "I think the Red Sox want Lowrie to win that job, eventually," said one rival evaluator. With a salary of $5 million this year and a player option that would pay him at least $3 million for next season, he's a little pricey for a utility infielder; for the Giants, he could be more than that in 2012, for a club option of $6 million, if he remains productive.



3. Jack Wilson: It appears he'll play second base at the outset of the year -- probably until Dustin Ackley is ready to take over -- in what is the last season of a multiyear deal Wilson signed with the Mariners. Wilson doesn't contribute much offensively -- he posted a .282 on-base percentage last year in 193 at-bats, with no homers and one steal -- but if the Giants ever decided they want a defensive upgrade over Tejada, they could make a move for Wilson, 33. Brendan Ryan will be the Mariners' shortstop.


Can Fontenot even play shortstop regularly?

 

[tzill]

For those of you who don't have in...Buster Olney wrote about Tejada, and how he might not be the answer at SS this year.

(Tejada) turns 37 in May, and as he nears the end of a career that will probably net him about 2,500 career hits and at least 300 homers and a hard-earned reputation for being a strong leader, his production is in decline. His OPS since 2003:



2004: .894
2005: .864
2006: .877
2007: .799
2008: .729
2009: .795
2010: .693





...If he has a resurgence this summer, if he can still play an effective shortstop, this could all be very seamless. But it's also possible that the Giants will need to be on the lookout for some kind of upgrade during the season, because San Francisco will again contend -- they are regarded by some rival evaluators as the best team in Arizona this spring -- and because Tejada has reached the stage of his career when his performance could tip for good.



Maybe the Giants would turn to Mike Fontenot, who hit .283 in 103 games last season. Or maybe, if Tejada struggles, they could go outside the organization. And there figure to be some players who become available during the season, such as:



1. Jose Reyes: He is eligible for free agency in the fall and it seems unlikely that the Mets will re-sign him, and executives with other teams expect New York to market him before the July 31 trade deadline, for pitching.

2. Marco Scutaro: The Red Sox were willing to deal him during the offseason, given the ascendance of Jed Lowrie. "I think the Red Sox want Lowrie to win that job, eventually," said one rival evaluator. With a salary of $5 million this year and a player option that would pay him at least $3 million for next season, he's a little pricey for a utility infielder; for the Giants, he could be more than that in 2012, for a club option of $6 million, if he remains productive.



3. Jack Wilson: It appears he'll play second base at the outset of the year -- probably until Dustin Ackley is ready to take over -- in what is the last season of a multiyear deal Wilson signed with the Mariners. Wilson doesn't contribute much offensively -- he posted a .282 on-base percentage last year in 193 at-bats, with no homers and one steal -- but if the Giants ever decided they want a defensive upgrade over Tejada, they could make a move for Wilson, 33. Brendan Ryan will be the Mariners' shortstop.


Can Fontenot even play shortstop regularly?

I don't think Fonty has the arm to be an everyday SS, and DeRosa doesn't have the range. Wilson is intriguing, if only b/c he's got so much history with Freddy turning DPs. They were very good together in PIT. And, he probably wouldn't cost much.

I expect Miggy to get around 140 starts this year and contribute about 1.5 WAR.

 

[msgkings322]

I don't think Fonty has the arm to be an everyday SS, and DeRosa doesn't have the range. Wilson is intriguing, if only b/c he's got so much history with Freddy turning DPs. They were very good together in PIT. And, he probably wouldn't cost much.

I expect Miggy to get around 140 starts this year and contribute about 1.5 WAR.

I hope we get that much out of Tejada, but the way I see it SS is just going to be our least solid position. No team has studs everywhere from 1-8 and deep rotations and pens. SS is our hole.