Giants Mid-Season Report

by SonDog

I am pretty sure there are two people (yes, you, BH, and you, Stapes) that read my baseball musings, but whatever. I'm writing directly to you two, and if other people are reading, well, I hope you enjoy and learn something.

Here are my thoughts on the Giants at the symbolic halfway mark:

-- It was nice to see Jason Schmidt say publicly that he would like to return to the Giants. While part of me doesn't want to believe that Schmidt should get a four-year deal in the $50 million range from the Giants (considering he turns 34 in January), it's hard to argue against how good this guy has been over the last five years. Matt Morris isn't necessarily ace 1A that the Giants thought they were getting when they signed him, but Noah Lowry, Matt Cain and Brad Hennessey are all veritable locks for this rotation for the forseable future. (By the way, if Hennessey isn't in this rotation by August, I may drive to San Francisco and shoot Sabean and Alou in the head myself.)

-- I am totally looking forward to next season's makeover. Look, if the Giants win the West with this collective group of old farts and goes on one of the most inspiring "this is our last chance so let's win the whole fucking thing" runs, you can both tell me that I'm an idiot. But with the exception of the young pitching, this team doesn't excite me at all. Bonds, Alou, Durham, Finley, Benitez, Kline, Worrell, Matheney (as much as I love his toughness) and Vizcaino flat-out bore me these days.

-- Editor's Note: I know that previous comment is near sacriliget to say about Bonds in some circles, but its the truth. I no longer make sure that I watch every pitch of every Bonds at bat like I did as recently as last September. I can honestly say that I have found myself changing the channell to Family Guy or some other mind-numbing form of entertainment during a Bonds at bat on more than one occasion this season. His time with the Giants is nearly over, and we have all come to accept this in one form or another. I'll be able to tell my son someday about the inherint beauty of a Bonds at bat in his prime (like, 34-40 year-old, puffed up prime) and be glad to talk about it, but sadly it is time to turn the proverbial page on what has in many ways become a sad ending to an incredible career.

-- If given the current roster, coupled with the fact that I were the GM of the Giants on MLB 2007, X-box version, I would keep the following players for next year's roster (reasonable contractual terms taken into consideration): Randy Winn, Pedro Feliz, Mark Sweeney, Omar Vizquel, Lance Niekro, Eliezar Alfonzo (in a backup role... with emphasis on the word backup), Kevin Fransden, Matt Cain, Noah Lowry, Brad Hennessey, Matt Morris (if only because he has an untradeable contract and will throw 200 innings), Armondo Benitez (just kidding), Kevin Correia, Jonathan Sanchez, Brian Wilson and Jeremy Accardo.

-- I can't believe I'm about to say this: I really hope Sabean re-signs Pedro Feliz. He's solid when hitting seventh in the order, and his defense at third is the best we've seen since Matt Williams.

-- Why is it that anytime the Giants sign or trade for a leadoff hitter in recent years, that player suddenly becomes allergic to stealing bases? Think about it: Kenny Lofton, Ray Durham, Tsyuoshi Shinjo and Randy Winn all became absolute crap base stealers once they came to SF. Durham couldn't walk to first without pulling a hammy, Winn suddenly gets thrown out twice as often as he is successful, Lofton was old (how is this guy still in the league?) and Shinjo was Shinjo.

-- If Sabean trades any of these young pitchers for a rent-a-player, I will call for his firing.

-- Will Tim Lincecum join the team at the end of the year? Some say he is the next Chad Cordero. Some say he's the next Roy Oswalt. I just hope he's not the next Jessee Foppert.