2008 Season Preview...

[opzoneworld]

I pulled this off a report entitled "Giants Have Work to do in 2008" on the Giants web page (www.sfgiants.com). It is a decent article but I found the preview posted below most interesting. It is important to note that a lot can change between now and opening day; however, I don't know how anyone can look at this and not see 100+ losses.

Season in Preview

A lot can change by Opening Day, but as 2007 becomes 2008, this is who is projected to take the field for the Giants:

LF Dave Roberts
3B Kevin Frandsen
RF Randy Winn
C Bengie Molina
CF Aaron Rowand
2B Ray Durham
1B Dan Ortmeier
SS Omar Vizque
SP Matt Cain
SP Barry Zito
SP Tim Lincecum
SP Noah Lowry
SP Kevin Correia
CL Brian Wilson

I do not want to see Davis Roberts or Ray Durham starting on this team. No way. No how. Under no circumstances. I can see myself not attending a single game this year on that alone...

[GS Warriors 1]

Yeah, you have to start them with at least a 60 win base and see what happens from there. If they get lucky, they could get to 65-97. The worst case scenario, 108 losses. This is quite easily the worst offense in MLB. I think Aurilia has a better shot at starting at 3rd than Frandsen does and that sucks.

Prediction: Ray Durham will be the best hitter on this team this upcoming season.

[dukuduku]

Apologize for the optimism: Don't want to be too homerish... (hard not to be)

How much can team chemistry win games? Not saying that the post Bonds era will produce the incentive to win the division, but how can we know how the team will click, based on its personnel. I'm not involved or clued in enough to know that our offense is worst in baseball, but could our team over-achieve based on it's desire and prahna (that is, come together to be a unit)?

So... with homerism in mind, here's my preditction:

The pitching staff throws lights out... Cain, Zito, down the line...

Batting, they give our pitchers runs they need to win games

Home record great... road record, sucking balls, outcome... in the thick of things at the end... can we hope for more? I'd be happy with this result.

[Bleeding Green]

No. Winning creates chemistry not the other way around. When you say over-achieve, the best this team could possibly do is win like 70 games. Like if you played a season 100 times with these players you'd win 70 games once.

I'm sorry; I liked following the Giants lately but damn. Gotta hope that they can deal off some (ALL) of these veterans at the trading deadline. Hope that Durham, Aurilia, Roberts, Winn, et al have good first halves so that you can acquire at least something of value for the future. As it is now, how many legitimate above-average starters do you envision being on this team in 3 years? I count just Cain and Lincecum with hopefully Villalona ready to play by then as well. Maybe Brian Wilson?

The Aaron Rowand signing signals to me that Sabean is not going to trade any of the veteran players and will likely acquire more.



Randy Winn is the best hitter on the team. Ha, Durham!

[GS Warriors 1]

how many legitimate above-average starters do you envision being on this team in 3 years? I count just Cain and Lincecum with hopefully Villalona ready to play by then as well. Maybe Brian Wilson?

I think those 4 are likely legit. Maybe Jonthan Sanchez, if the Giants stop **** around with him. People inside the org think that Alderson and Bumgarner will move up quickly but I think Bumgarner could be more like 2012, we'll see. As for offensive players...eh...I've never been a Schierholtz guy but he could be decent. Frandsen could be an average 2B offensively. Fairley and Noonan? Who knows. Their offensive talent is awful right now outside Villalona.

Randy Winn is the best hitter on the team. Ha, Durham!

BG, I thought you would know that Durham is the king of contract year production.

2002 with CWS/OAK: 114 runs scored(has yet to even come close to that since), 11.5 BB%(career high). Solid batting line. 3 yrs/$21M from SF.

2006: Career high 26 HR, .293/.360/.538(career high SLG). Also career highs in OPS and ISO.

I know Randy Winn is likely the best hitter on the team but I'm just throwing this in there.

[Bleeding Green]

That's pretty interesting, but Durham is old and he's coming off a truly awful season so I wouldn't count on it.

I didn't see him a lot last year, but the stats indicate he might be finished. Is this the impression you got watching him last year? A 65 OPS+ is unbelievably bad.

I thought Durham was going to make a charge at maybe a potential HOF-worthy career with a late-career resurgence after his career year in 2006, but that's no longer the case.

How bad is his defense?

[opzoneworld]

His D is bad. Not -real- bad but bad. He has lost a lot of range with his age. I honestly don't mind him off the bench but if he is starting I think that says a lot about Bochy...whom I already have enough against already.


Oh...and put me on the Nate Schierholtz bandwagon. I think this could be lead the league in doubles each and every year. Perfect player for the Giants spacious park.

[FaTaL]

Apologize for the optimism: Don't want to be too homerish... (hard not to be)

How much can team chemistry win games? Not saying that the post Bonds era will produce the incentive to win the division, but how can we know how the team will click, based on its personnel. I'm not involved or clued in enough to know that our offense is worst in baseball, but could our team over-achieve based on it's desire and prahna (that is, come together to be a unit)?

So... with homerism in mind, here's my preditction:

The pitching staff throws lights out... Cain, Zito, down the line...

Batting, they give our pitchers runs they need to win games

Home record great... road record, sucking balls, outcome... in the thick of things at the end... can we hope for more? I'd be happy with this result.

if you take away bonds obp from last season the team obp was around .320. im sorry but this team this year is going to suck so bad and it really hurts that their playing in the most pitching rich division in the game. thats another reason to be very afraid of a 60-70 win team.

[FaTaL]

Yeah, you have to start them with at least a 60 win base and see what happens from there. If they get lucky, they could get to 65-97. The worst case scenario, 108 losses. This is quite easily the worst offense in MLB. I think Aurilia has a better shot at starting at 3rd than Frandsen does and that sucks.

Prediction: Ray Durham will be the best hitter on this team this upcoming season.

thats not good

[opzoneworld]

I think this team just needs a shakeup. I would go to Texas and offer them two deals for Hank Blalock.

1 - Sanchez, Durham, Lewis for Blalock
2 - Sanchez, Frandsen, Roberts for Blalock

The Giants should want Blalock betting that a change of place could bring him back to all-star level. He will be only 28 this year so there is plenty of time for him to get back on track. Even if he never gets back to all-star form, he is still a very solid 3B. Blalock could lockup 3B for the Giants for many years. Also, the Giants shed one horrible contract; either Durham or Roberts and grant a young guy a chance to start for 162.

The Rangers I would guess do deal 1. They get a good pitcher who can be a starter or a main guy out of the pen in Sanchez. Durham is in a contract year so they get to shed his contract and maybe get lucky when he has a big contract year. They also get a good 4th outfielder at worst who should at least get a chance to start and prove he can play in this league. All for a player they appear to be on the outs with anyway.

Now, this lineup looks a lot better for the Giants. Good balance.

LF Roberts
2B Frandsen
RF Winn
3B Blalock
CF Rowand
C Molina
1B Ortmier
SS Vizquel
Pitcher

Bench: Aurilia, Velez, Schierholtz, Davis, Alfonzo

SP Cain
SP Zito
SP Lincecum
SP Lowry
SP Correia
CL Wilson

[EJS99]

It looks like they're going to keep their eye on Crede. If he's fully recovered, expect the Giants to put a package for him. Probably something like Lowry or Sanchez packaged with either Lewis or Davis. I guess there's some supporters for Crede in the Giants.

[opzoneworld]

I dont mind a Sanchez + Lewis for Crede deal per say. However, if the Giants have Durham start at 2B, meaning Frandsen -still- does not get 162 to prove either he can or cant play either at 2B or 3B, I'll be pissed. How is that getting younger? Sometimes I just don't get it...

[Hopper15]

You don't need to send real prospects for Crede. Wait them out. They don't want that salary on the books.

[opzoneworld]

I agree with that Hopper.