Just speechless

So the non-waiver trade deadline came and went today. And the Giants look just like they did yesterday.

Aargh.

This is sad for so many reasons (in no particular order): the team sucks so bad nobody wants any of the players; now we have to keep watching the players that are NOT the future play, while the players that ARE the future sit on their asses on the bench; and, perhaps most of all, we get to watch the same shyte for the rest of the season.

I'm left pretty much speechless. And sad.

(For a brief recap of Brian Sabean's conference call after the deadline today, check out Andrew Baggarly's blog today.)

I love you, but. . .

It's no secret that I love Omar Vizquel. He's amazing in the field (even having lost a quarter step at the age of 41), and shows great hustle and dedication to the game. But this season, he's been the suck at the plate. We can blame it on his pre-season knee surgery or the fact that he's a hundred years old, but it's a fact that he cannot hit the ball much.

I'll never suggest that we trade or DFA him, though. I agree with those who say that his career has been far too distinguished for him to be unceremoniously dumped in what is likely his last season.

Nonetheless, he should be sitting on the bench a lot more.

I bring this up because of the latest comments from Big Head Bochy about Vizquel's play after the All-Star Break.

But first, a little background. Back at the end of June, Omar was hitting .156. Bochy met with Vizquel, and Vizquel told Bochy that it was okay to bench him to play Manny Burriss more often. The idea was that Burriss would not just start against LHPs, but he'd get some starts against righties, too. The result? Omar plays 9 of the next 12 games, leading into the All Star break. Manny starts in 3 games. Hmmm. It doesn't look like Omar was sitting much. His BA dropped as low as .148 during that time, and leveled back "up" to .159 by the break.

Now we come back from the All-Star break. Omar starts in 2 of the first 3 games after the break. On July 22, both Bochy and Sabean sit down with Vizquel to tell him that he really really really will be playing less in the second half, so that Burriss can play more. Said Bochy at the time "In a week or so, Burriss will get more playing time." (Presumably the one week time frame referred to the approaching non-waiver trade deadline.)

As described by Janie McCauley (AP), "Bochy has said this before, but this time sounded more serious about actually doing it."

In the first four games after that discussion, Omar played in three and went 5 for 10, including 3 hits in Thursday's game. The result? Vizquel was in the line-up again on Friday and Saturday (that's starting in 6 of 8 games since the break). Bochy's comment? "He's swinging the bat well. I just wanted to get him back out here."

Bear in mind, 4 of Vizquel's 8 hits came against the hapless Nationals, so context is important here.

I don't know what it will take to get Burriss some more playing time. It would appear that Bochy and his never-ending love for the veterans will keep predominantly in the line-up, as a result of Omar's small-sample size decent showing over the last few games (mostly against a craptastic team) after a lengthy break.

I guess what it comes down to is the fact that even if a well-rested Vizquel can get a few cheap hits, he is not performing as well as Burriss can at this point. He may be one of my favorite players, but I think it's pretty clear that he's not the player he was. Time to prepare for the future.

Free Manny Burriss!

The Unemployed Barry Bonds

I'll admit it - I am totally and completely a Joe Posnanski fan. I've referenced his blog a couple of times here, when it looks at Giant-related stuff.

A few days ago he did a bit on "Barry Bonds' fuzzy math" that I enjoyed. Go read it. And read some of his other stuff - he's an excellent writer (I'm trying to figure out a way to rip-off his use of asterisks - I like that device).

If you're too lazy to click, the gist of the piece is that Bonds' agent, Jeff Borriss, had been telling anyone and everyone that he'd offered Bonds to all 30 teams for the pro-rated minimum, and nobody took him up on it. Turns out, Borriss never contacted the KC Royals, for one. It's not like they'd sign him, but it makes for a good blog entry.

Do we suppose that Bonds will remain home in Beverly Hills all season?

There's No Science in Baseball!

I was browsing through Newsweek on-line, and came across this "Sports Science" article: Why Lefties Make Better Baseball Players. Overall, an interesting read.

But the part I liked best was this little bit about the efficacy of sliding into first base, from a science perspective:

The only time you should slide into first base is if the first baseman is getting pulled off the bag by a wide throw so he has to tag you. In that case it might get you under the tag. But otherwise you're faster overrunning it. Now there are people who swear by diving. Their argument is that when you dive and your feet leave the ground you keep the same speed but get your hands out in front of you. Only, there's air friction. Though, I think if diving was in fact better, people would probably do it more.

I mainly liked it because of my man Omar Vizquel. Sliding into first base head-first is definitely "Omar Style." It's amazing how often it works for him (and frustrating how often it doesn't).

Now that I've paid tribute to him, it's time to point out that Vizquel should really retire now. I hate to see his lifetime stats dragged steadily downward this season, while he struggles to get any kind of offense going. He can use the knee as a reason, and get out with some dignity. Please?

Temporary Baseball Withdrawal

Enough of the All-Star break. I miss the Giants!

For the first time in years, this year's All-Star game was actually worth watching (well, except for having to listen to the most godawful announcing team of all time - Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, who apparently couldn't be bothered to actually watch and comment on the game, which FOX didn't really show much of anyways). Okay, maybe it was worth watching only up until the point when the NL lost (AGAIN), but that's a discussion for another day.

But even with a (relatively-speaking) good game to watch over the break, I still find this part of the season to be the most painful. I want Giants baseball, and I want it now. Off-days are bad enough. I flounder about, aimlessly wandering the streets until the next game. But at least it's only one day. Having to wait 5 days for a game is simply excruciating. I can't wander the streets that long - my kids would run out of kibble.

My kids are probably enjoying the break, though, since they don't have to watch baseball and ask questions like "Why do the Giants stink so bad?"

(Check with me after tomorrow night's game when the Giants face C.C. Sabathia, then ask me if I'm still excited for the return of Giants baseball.)

Out with the old. Please.

I know I've played this song before. But for the love of Willie Mays, can we PLEASE get on with the business of rebuilding?

Bruce Jenkins put it best in his latest 3-dot Lounge:

As the standings deceive, and fans shake their heads in disgust, you wonder if the Giants will ever grasp the solution: Get the usual-suspect veterans out of here as soon as possible. It's a dead-end street, a needless roadblock to progress. The notion of winning this year's N.L. West is one of the all-time pipe dreams.

While we rebuild, apparently we can't decide which minor-league players to have come sit on the bench behind the old men. Travis Denker just got sent down to San Jose, ostensibly because his hitting was deteriorating without regular at-bats (from Henry Schulman's latest Giants notes). Ivan Ochoa was called up from Fresno in Denker's place, since his offense has apparently been surprisingly good. Now what sense does it make to bring up another hot bat (as Denker's was), if you're just going to sit him on the bench? Aren't we going to see the same deterioration in Ochoa's offense if he just sits behind old Ray? This makes little sense. Bochy needs to play the guys that the team brings up.

And finally: I watched the Giants' series opener against the Cubs Friday. Cain pitched a pretty good game, allowing no runs through his 7 innings. But the poor SOB still got a no-decision (after Tyler Walker gave up a 3 run homer in the 8th). The only way this guy is going to get a win is if he pitches a shut-out and hits a homerun for the winning score.

What are the chances of the Giants winning the next two games to build momentum going into the All-Star break? Yeah, I don't think they have a chance in hell, either.

Hitting the links

Sounds like the NY Mets are looking for a corner outfielder. Ryan Church is back on the DL, and Moises Alou isn't the sturdiest player anymore. According to this NY Post sportswriter, Randy Winn might fit the bill.

And are the D'backs interested in Barry Bonds? Eric Byrnes is probably done for the season, and according to Nick Piecoro, it sounds like management has at least discussed Bonds, who could help the team against lefties. Management didn't deny Bonds was a possibility, and in fact it sounds like he has been seriously considered.

Part of me wants to see Bonds play again, but not in the NL West division. I was kinda hoping he'd spend the rest of the season with Detroit, or another AL team I could root for. Which would definitely NOT be the Red Sox, who apparently also have discussed signing Barry for the rest of the season (even though it would be "three months of a PR nightmare", according to Curt Schilling).

Of course, for now he's still home in Beverly Hills, but someone is going to get desperate enough eventually. I should prepare myself to see him in another uni sometime this season.

And from John Donovan's mailbag over on SI.com:

Barry Zito is putting up numbers that will have him unemployed sooner rather than later. Is this the worst dropoff from a former Cy in history, and perhaps the worst free-agent signing in history?
-- Steve, Birmingham, Ala.

The contract -- $126 million for seven years, is definitely up there, isn't it, Steve? Absurd the second he signed it before the start of the '07 season, almost regardless of how he ended up pitching. I do want to point out, though, that Zito's decline has been more gradual than people realize. He never has duplicated that '02 level, but he had a couple of passable years right after that Cy. Not great years, but passable. And then he kept falling. The dropoff has to be among the worst for a pitcher who is still young and, by all accounts, healthy. Bartolo Colon dropped off after his '05 Cy, but that was injury related. Eric Gagne has fallen pretty badly, too.

I should point out that Gagne was a PED user during his peak - I suspect that explains his fall more than anything else.

Apparently now that they have C.C. Sabathia, the Brewers are interested in reliever Jack Taschner along with Ray Durham (to be used off the bench). Interesting. What would they give the Giants in return?

Tempering all this trade talk is Will Carroll's report on Baseball Prospectus that "the Giants have waved off inquiries on anyone but Rich Aurilia and Ray Durham." If this is true, then the Giants will only delay their rebuilding process yet again.

Giants and trades, past and future?

I saw a groovy spreadsheet that Brendan Bianowicz of MLBTR put together, detailing Brian Sabeans's complete trade history (Yankees and Giants). Interesting collection. Of course, there are a few that will always stand out (good and bad), no matter what else Sabean does in his career. Have a read.

As far as trades go for this season, Sabean has told Henry Shulman of the SF Chron that Lincecum, Cain and Sanchez are off limits. Sabean also says he's not thinking of trading Winn or Molina, but apparently the team is shopping Durham, Vizquel and Aurilia.

I'd be happy to see Durham go. He wore out his welcome with me a couple years ago. He may still swing the bat on occasion, but he's lost his speed on the base paths, and his brick-like glove aren't any help. Vizquel is still a sentimental favorite, but I have to admit his offense is likely gone, not to return. Aurilia is putting up a pretty good season, but if he can bring a prospect, I'd give him a fond farewell.

Andrew Baggarly of the Merc points out that the team called up Eugenio Velez (after sending down Brian Horwitz), and wonders:

Curious, I thought they wanted Velez to play every day at Fresno. Looking at his stats, he obviously turned things around and began playing with confidence again. I wonder about the timing, though. Could a Ray Durham trade be closer than we thought? How much will Velez play this time? All good questions to ask management tomorrow.

Might I hope that Ray moves on? But has Velez improved enough in Fresno to avoid the boneheaded play of earlier this season? I had originally been a Velez supporter (expecting him to improve with time), but after a few weeks of his poor baserunning and pathetic attempts at the plate, I found myself celebrating his demotion. Let's see how he does this time around. I still have enough misplaced optimism to hope for the best (the season hasn't completely beat me down yet).

As an aside, Baggarly has posted today's lineup - Velez isn't in it. More Durham showcasing, perhaps?

And finally, this may be old news, but I'm not particularly pleased with the Giants' promotion of Eliezer Alfonzo. My first post was about this guy testing positive for PEDs. He acknowledged the mistake initially, and apologized to the fans (does he have any?), although now I understand that his claimed story is that he took some tainted bronchitis medicine over the winter. Whatever. It would seem that the Giants want nothing to do with Barry Bonds, who never tested positive for stuff (although yes, I'm sure he used along with everybody else), but call up some mediocre player who was stupid enough to juice with today's penalties. Whatever.