Melky Cabrera and his Melk Maids

With the year ending, it is time to review the top ten Giants stories of 2012. Over the next two weeks, I will work my way from ten to one to remind us all about the things we loved most from this past season. If you have any others or comments on what I have included, please let me know. With that said, here is my number ten Giants story of 2012-Melky Cabrera and his Melk Maids.

It didn't end well for Melky in San Francisco but you can't deny that he almost instantly became a fan favorite with his tremendous hitting and hustle. It didn't take long for fans to adopt him as one of our own and we started seeing stadiums everywhere the Giants went with a contingent of Melk Men and Melk Maids. His hustle and stellar hitting were a hit with fans and Melky was one of the most popular players on the team. The vote for Melky initiative got him a starting spot in the all star game, where he went on to win the games MVP award.

Now, with Melky, you do have to remember why it didn't last beyond a year. While he was a highlight of this season, his PED suspension left a dark cloud over the team and the way that he handled that entire situation is the reason that he won't be back. It is a shame that the Melkman ended it the way he did, he could have been a Giant for years and it certainly was nice to see a star in left field again. However, some things can't and shouldn't be forgiven. Melky is in Toronto now and it will be interesting to see how he re-builds his character there. I hope he has success because I don't want to see a man buried by one case of horrible decision making.

What Could Have Been?

Although Sabean never confirmed this, many reported that just before the Giants acquired Hunter Pence from the Phillies there was a deal in place to acquire veteran slugger Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs instead. The deal, according to reports, was agreed upon but vetoed by Soriano's no trade clause. So, essentially, he didn't want to be a Giant. Instead, the deal was struck with the Phillies and, although his batting average was not impressive, Pence made a nice impact in San Francisco.

At the time, I was happy that the Giants didn't acquire Soriano. While his power is impressive, his hitting is extremely streaky and there have long been those who have said that he is not a good clubhouse presence. The biggest impact that Pence had with the Giants was in the clubhouse. While it is not fun to hear that a star doesn't want to come to your favorite club, I really feel that this turned out to be a real blessing.

Barry Bonds-Hall of Fame

This is the first year that the major league's leader in career homeruns will be eligible for the hall of fame. It is very unlikely that Barry Bonds will get the 75% needed to be elected on his first ballot. Some never want to see him in the hall of fame and have painted him as the face of baseball's "steroid era." While I have little doubt that he will get in at some point, it is shame that he will not get in the first time. I am a Barry Bonds fan because he is still the greatest offensive player that I have ever seen. Despite the likelihood that he played on PHD's, I think he is still a legend worth honoring.

The baseball hall of fame is the greatest hall of fame in sports. It is truly an exclusive club that only accepts the very best of the best players. Barry Bonds deserves to be there. He deserved it before 1999 and despite what he did with advantages that not everyone else had, he was the best player of his era. The travesty in all of this is that many of the voters have a very open and personal agenda against Bonds because of how he treated them as sports writers. It really feels like an abuse of power to hold that against him. However good or bad of a person he is, Barry Bonds was a great player and that is what he should be measured by. While steroids and other PHD's will be the reported reason behind him not getting in this time, the truth is that he gave them all an excuse to punish him.

When he gets in, Barry will join the best of the best that this great game has ever seen. Let us just realize that he is not exactly joining the best people the game has ever seen. Babe Ruth was a legendary drinker and heavy smoker, hardly the definition of a role model. Ty Cobb, much like Barry, was legendary for treating reporters and fans like shit. George Brett once nearly assaulted an umpire after being ejected. Roberto Alomar spit in an umpire's face. As much as we would love for our stars of the game to be role models and heroes, that is not their place. Let's really analyze what they do on the field and in the game when we evaluate the very best. Once you analyze Barry's career their is no doubt where he belongs. He will get there one day.

Brian Wilson Update

Since a few people have asked, I thought I would update the latest that I know about Brian Wilson's free agent status. The Giants remain hopeful that they will be able to bring back the former closer but they are looking at Sergio Romo as their closer come opening day. Wilson still feels slighted for being non-tendered by the Giants. He has given a lot to the franchise and feels disrespected by how this all came about. All reports suggest that he will explore his options elsewhere but that does not close the door on him returning. The Angels, Red Sox and Tigers seem to be the biggest competition for his services and the Tigers and Red Sox appear to be the better fits for him.

There is a connection between Wilson, the Giants team and the Giants fans that can't really be measured. He is a bigger part of what has happened here than many people realize. From a personnel stand point, the Giants can afford the loss. However, chemistry is a big part of how the Giants got where they are and to think that losing Wilson would not impact team chemistry is naive. Casual fans really may not get this but Brian Wilson, even though he didn't contribute on the field, was still a factor in this year's run. The relationship between Wilson and Romo appears to be special and that is not something to take lightly. While it appears the relationship between Wilson and the Giants is strained a bit, I am still holding out hope that it can be saved.

Giants Sign Veteran Andres Torres Back

In another sharp move, Brian Sabean is bringing Andres Torres back to San Francisco for next year. Terms have yet to be disclosed but I would expect that it didn't cost much to sign the 2010 star, after two sub-par seasons split between the Giants and Mets. At this point, his role is certainly to be determined. If the Giants don't sign anybody else, there are still a number of solid outfielders on the market, then I would assume that Torres would get a shot to compete with Gregor Blanco for the starting job in left field. However, I fully expect Torres to serve an important role as a 4th outfielder that backs up the starters.

Giant fans are kind of split on Gregor Blanco as the every day player in left but I am all for it. He is young enough to develop more as a hitter, has really good speed, steals bases and plays outstanding in the field. If we are patient enough with him, and he gets the opportunity, I believe that Blanco could develop into a very similar player to Angel Pagan. He will probably never be a superstar but not everyone has to be. In the playoffs he had great at bats and played tremendous defense, while he may not have had a lot of huge hits, he was a very big part of the championship.

I am excited by the fact that the Giants now have three very similar players in Pagan, Torres and Blanco. Depth is a very important part of a championship team and a big part of depth is interchangeable parts. All three have been quite streaky hitters throughout their careers and it is nice to have a similar player to turn to if Pagan or Blanco hit a pro-longed slump. It keeps consistency in the lineup, even with different names. While other GMs are making big splashes and grabbing headlines, Sabean continues to put the pieces together to deliver another strong season of Giants baseball.

Angels Land Hamilton

At this point in free agency, it takes a lot to shock me when a big name signs. With that said, I am somewhat surprised by the Angels landing Josh Hamilton today with a five year 125 million dollar contract. After last offseason's spending spree bringing in C.J. Wilson and Albert Pujols, plus the emergence of Mike Trout, I expected the Angels to focus on some arms to fill out their rotation but avoid making a big splash in free agency. That obviously was not the case, with this signing, and once again it looks like fantasy baseball in Los Angeles.

Hamilton's contract is not nearly as bad as the one the Angels gave to Pujols a year ago but it is just a case of committing to long to a player that does nothing for your biggest need. The Angels really needed to land a couple of solid starters this offseason. With Greinke going across town to the Dodgers, they were left with two starters with solid big league backgrounds on their roster. Not only did they sign Hamilton today but they also saw the Tigers keep the next best arm on the market, Anibal Sanchez. Now they will be left to throw too much money at Kyle Lohse and gamble on another starter or two.

There is no doubt that signing Hamilton gives the Angels a formidable lineup that is probably scarier than any other in baseball but I just feel like this will turn out to be a bad fit. Preventing runs is just as, if not more, important as scoring them. With Pujols and Trout, last season, the Angels didn't even get into the playoffs. Now, with two starters and three superstar bats, it will be surprising to see the Angels put together the type of rotation that you need to compete every day. If I was an Angel fan, I would be excited as hell to land Hamilton but once that high goes away there would certainly be a number of concerns.

Next Year's Free Agent Class

 Now that this year's key free agents are re-signed, it is a good time to look forward to next year's likely free agent class for the Giants. This year, it was all about role players that fit well into the team that just won a world series. Next year won't be nearly the same, next year's class will include some key contributors that will likely get a lot of interest from many teams outside of the bay area. Next year will be a key test of Brian Sabean's loyalty and decision making capabilities because towards the top of next year's free agent class will be Tim Lincecum and Hunter Pence. Barry Zito will also, almost certainly, see his team option declined and enter free agency as well.

To say that next year will be a pivotal year for the Giants front office is an understatement. Lincecum is coming off of a terrible year but a great playoff run. If he is able to find a middle ground next year then he will be looking at a long term contract in the neighborhood of 20 million per year. If he doesn't rebound, he becomes an intriguing project that could still land a 3 year 50 million dollar deal. Pence should be able to command a five year commitment worth somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 million a year. Zito could land one more multiple year deal as well, entering his mid thirties, and could still get something in the range of three years and 25 million dollars. If that isn't enough, Pablo Sandoval will be entering into his final year before free agency as well. Not to mention the need to lock up Buster Posey for years to come.

It was nice to daydream about the Giants courting Josh Hamilton or other key free agent or trade targets this offseason but I think they did the smart thing by re-signing their own free agents and hopefully preparing offers to get other key pieces locked up before they have competition. While the Dodgers and other teams spend money on the big names, the Giants have been known to pick their spots when entering free agency. As they well know, sometimes you hit the jack pot (Barry Bonds) but most times you have to wait year's for an investment to pay off (Barry Zito), if it ever does (Aaron Rowand).

Greinke Set for Record Payday in LA

According to reports, the Dodgers are close to adding the best starting pitcher available this winter. Zack Greinke is set for a record shattering 147 million dollar, six year deal with the L.A. The former Cy Young award winner will be the latest star brought to Hollywood by the Dodgers new ownership group. He is set to join Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Hanley Ramirez as players that have been added since the new ownership group moved into place earlier this year.

If this were fantasy baseball, those names would be terrifying. However, as the Giants showed last year, it takes much more than star power to win in the real game. A look at recent history will show that this kind of spending doesn't often payoff for teams the way they would hope. In recent offseasons, we have seen teams like the Red Sox, Phillies, Marlins, Angels and Tigers spend freely for the big names in the offseason. While it does great for hype and hope in the offseason it has not payed off in the regular season or, more importantly, in the playoffs.

Some of the big spenders have even quickly abandoned ship with the bad contracts they have signed, which is how AGone, Crawford and Hanley Ramirez ended up with the Dodgers. While the Tigers did get through a very week American League playoff pool with the addition of Prince Fielder, they were no match for the Giants in the fall classic and Fielder failed to make any impact. While throwing money against the wall looks good in the offseason, it is not often the best way to build a team. Chemistry matters and that can't be bought.

While I came into this offseason daydreaming about Michael Bourn and Josh Hamilton coming to the Giants, Brian Sabean remained savvy and invested in chemistry by bringing back Pagan and showing little interest in Hamilton's desire for a six to seven year commitment. The Giants haven't gotten many winter headlines recently but they have gotten a lot of headlines in the fall. That is what it is all about and I look forward to the national media, once again, burying the Giants hopes of defending their NL West, NL penant and World Series crowns next year. Let's be honest hear, the best fantasy team is the Dodgers and they can fantasize about winning while the Giants go out and execute.

Giants Re-Sign Scutaro

In a deal that took longer than I expected, the Giants have finally agreed to terms to bring back the NLCS MVP, Marco Scutaro. As I reported the other day, the big hold up was the Giants willingness to commit to the 37 year old for three seasons. In the end, a good deal for both sides was reached and Scutaro is set to make 20 million over the next three seasons as the starting second baseman for the Giants.

Re-signing Scutaro was the biggest need this offseason for the Giants and it now ensures that the defending champs could go into opening day with the same lineup that they had most of the playoffs. While Scutaro will almost certainly not perform to the level that we all saw, after he was acquired from the Rockies, he is a steady veteran that will give solid at bats and play good defense. As long as he stays healthy, Scutaro should hit around 280 or 290 and score at least 80 runs. In today's game, that is solid production from a middle infield spot.

Re-Signing Scutaro may Take a Three Year Deal

With Affeldt and Pagan now under contract, the only key contributor from last season's world series title that is not yet signed is Marco Scutaro. A few weeks back, the Giants were close to inking Scutaro to a two year contract but it now appears that Scutaro is holding out for a three year contract. At age 37, a three year commitment is a risk but given the organizations lack of depth at second base and the depth of free agent second basemen it is critical that the Giants do what it takes to bring Scooter back next year. It now sounds like a 3 year 20 million dollar deal is what it will take to get Marco back.

Giants Re-Sign Pagan for Four Years

I will be the first to admit that I was hesitant to endorse the Giants re-signing Pagan because I expected him to get over-payed. However, after BJ Upton signed for five years and 75 million with the Braves, the market was set and Pagan is now set to return to San Francisco at a price tag of 40 million dollars over the next four years. While I feel that is more than he is worth, it is not a bad contract by any means. Pagan is valuable and he became a leader and a presence during last season's world series run.

I actually envisioned Pagan getting both more money and more years but the market did not allow that. The Giants benefited from the deal that Upton got in Atlanta. Even if this turns out to be a bad contract, like Huff and Rowand, it won't last long. At 31, I don't expect Pagan to be a big impact player by the end of this contract but he very well should be able to contribute at a good level for at least two or three more years. He was a huge catalyst for the offense in 2012 and if he even approaches the level of play that he had this past season then it will be a great signing for the Giants.

Giants Trim The Beard

With negotiations on a new deal at a stand still, the Giants are set to allow former all star closer Brian Wilson become a free agent. Coming off a second Tommy John surgery, and not expected to pitch until June at the earliest, Brian Wilson and the Giants are at an impasse in negotiations. The deadline to get something done is today and it would be a miracle if that happens.

After the emergence of Sergio Romo as the teams closer for much of the second half and the entire postseason, Wilson would probably not return to the closer role if he does pitch for the Giants again. Unfortunately the beloved bearded wonder lost his job to injury. Depth and perseverance got the Giants through the loss of the icon. However, let's not take for granted the impact that his presence had on Romo this past season.

While many fans feel Romo is ready to step into the role full time after another spectacular season, I have my reservations. He certainly is great but he is far from a conventional closer and I am concerned about how well he would do the job for a full season. If you think that I am the only one, remember that Santiago Casilla was the original replacement when Wilson went under the knife this time. Obviously, Bochy was not ready to give the reigns to Romo.

Don't get me wrong, once he got the ball he ran with it and did a spectacular job as the man. Romo was 14 out of 15 in save chances in the regular season and perfect in the postseason, while allowing just one run in the playoffs. I am certainly not the first to doubt Romo and he is a man who thrives on his doubters as much as his supporters. As fun loving as Romo seems, he competes hard and it is apparent that he is adamant about proving his doubters wrong. You can never question his heart or competitiveness.

If, or more likely when, Wilson becomes a free agent, I am hopeful that the two sides will continue to talk. A deal can still get done, it just opens up to competition from other clubs. Wilson is an icon in San Francisco and it would be a shame to see his time here end this way. Clearly, he wants to stay and that is a good thing. The issue is not really a dollar figure as much as it is about respect for what he has done for this team and in the community. While the world saw how great and entertaining he was in 2010, we all enjoyed him long before that. He is a staple on this club and I am really hoping that this all gets worked out soon.

Holliday Cries About Getting Hit

In a recent interview, Matt Holliday was quoted saying that he "wasn't thrilled about getting hit" in game 7 of the NLCS. It is quite funny to hear that, I am pretty sure that I don't care Matt but I will send you some tissue if your feelings are really hurt. He also said that "if he wanted to hit me, I wish he would've done it on the first pitch of the next game." Yeah because retribution is all about when you want to receive it.

Look dude, you gotta man up! A few years back, Holliday got off of twitter for nearly a year because fans were making fun of him for working out to Creed. Clearly, this dude is very sensitive. I was quite upset when he slid into Scutaro during game two of the NLCS and I said some unfavorable things. I would like to take this chance to apologize..............On second thought, man up and stop being a bitch Holliday. You took it upon yourself to try to take a guy out. Then, when the time was right, you wore one for it. That is baseball! In the interview, you referred to the take out slide as "just playing hard." Well, Matt Cain was just playin hard too. Grow a set and man up if you don't like it!

MVPosey Time!

This is the moment that I have been waiting for since around mid August. Today, the Buster Posey era has become national. Not only is the best offensive catcher in the game of baseball but he is one of the best hitters in the game as well. This season he cemented his legacy as one of the best Giants of all time and the face of a new era of Giants baseball. Let the Buster Posey era begin!

The Loria Problem

With many baseball fans, executives, players, etc. upset about the Marlins/Blue Jays trade, Jeffrey Loria is really coming under fire. People are calling for him to be kicked out of baseball. After he threatened to move the Marlins out of Miami if the tax payers didn't help pay for a new stadium, promising to increase payroll if they complied, this action is seen as reprehensible by most. Loria held the city hostage, teased the fan base last winter, and is now ripping the big league club apart. There will probably be more moves and I am guessing that Giancarlo Stanton will be the lone recognizable name on the Marlins roster come opening day.

While the uproar and attention goes to Loria, once again, the real problem with the game is being ignored. Bud Selig has embarrassed and stained the game of baseball beyond words. From the labor wars to the  steroid era to the embarrassing acts of owners Selig is the man in charge and he is responsible for all of it. Removing Loria, a close friend of Selig's, won't fix this problem. The only solution, for the good of the game, would be for Selig to step down or be removed. Unfortunately, I am now convinced that he will be in office until he or the game dies.

For those who don't know, Loria is not the first friend of Selig's to embarrass the game. You don't have to go back far to find the last either. Frank McCourt, another friend, was a stain on the Dodgers franchise for five years before an ugly, public divorce finally got forced him to sell the team. Selig did a lot to get McCourt the Dodgers after his failed attempt to by the Red Sox. McCourt was just another stain on the game brought to you by Bud Selig.

Major League Baseball has a revenue sharing program that gives each team upwards of 120 million dollars annually. The rules of this agreement state that owners are required to reinvest most of this money into the baseball team. Selig continues to allow owners, like Loria to dance around those requirements and pocket money that is supposed to go into building up the game of baseball. As long as Selig is around, this will remain a problem. Loria has done this before, with the Expos and Marlins, and he will do it again. What is the purpose of getting rid of him if you are just going to allow another one of Selig's friends take over?

Affeldt Deal Finalized

With the completion of his physical, the Giants will finalize a 3 year 18 million dollar contract to retain the services of one of the best left handed setup men in the game, Jeremy Affeldt. Although six million a year may seem like a bit much, you can't under-estimate how valuable Affeldt is for the Giants. He has been one of the best in the game for the past 5-6 seasons and has never suffered any significant arm issues. Some have second guessed signing him until he is 36 but I expect his arm to hold up fine and I think that is well in line with what the market commands.

The Giants should also finalize a new contract for Marco Scutaro this week and when that is complete it will only leave Angel Pagan as the final unsigned critical component to this past season's title run. With the depth of the free agent outfield class, and Pagan's insistence on testing the market, I expect for this one to go unresolved for quite some time. The Giants have touched base with Nick Swisher but I strongly doubt they would bring him in without signing another outfielder as well. As for Hamilton, the Phillies have gotten a lot of attention as the team for him but I find that hard to believe unless they were to move Cliff Lee's contract.

Marlins and Blue Jays Trade

In another blockbuster deal, the Marlins are putting the finishing touches on dealing away all of the pieces from last winter's spending spree. According to reports, the fish will be dealing Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle to the Blue Jays for a good looking group of prospects and a couple of descent big leaguers. On the surface, this looks like a hell of a deal for the Blue Jays and one that could make them immediate contenders in the toughest division in baseball. However, if you dig a little bit deeper, you could find that they are making the same mistake that the Marlins did last winter by betting on stars rather than waiting for their team to come together.

Whether either side wins this trade will take years to decide but it certainly grabs your attention. This may be the first of a few major moves this winter with Justin Upton and Shin Soo Choo on the block as well. Much like the deal the Dodgers and Red Sox made last August this will grab a lot of attention and drive the media hype machine crazy about the Blue Jays. Yet, chemistry is something that can't be bought and is hard to place together. The Dodgers were a 500 baseball team for 2 and a half months before that deal and were the same for a month and a half after it. They were no better or worse, just more expensive.

What the Blue Jays actually got is a fantasy baseball superstar short stop that has yet to show any ability as a team leader. They also got a "number one starter when healthy" in Josh Johnson. I got news for everybody, a number one starter never comes with the tag, when healthy. If you can't rely on your number one for 200 plus innings a year then you are in some serious trouble. JJ has shown glimpses, even extended glimpses, of being the best pitcher in baseball but he is very unreliable and that is not a number one. They also got Mark Buehrle who is the most reliable piece of the deal but he should only be relied upon as a third or fourth starter and comes with the price of a number two. Emilio Bonafacio is a throw in that I think could work well for the Jays and John Buck goes back to Toronto where he had his best season in the majors.

While we will hear how great of a deal this was for the Jays, we can't judge it yet. It will be years before we can begin to evaluate the prospects the Marlins got. Sadly, I am pretty certain that they will do nothing to replace the payroll. It will be interesting, after this deal and the Red Sox trade a few months ago, to see how these trades impact free agency. Maybe owners will start to pull back a little bit on these outrageous contracts for very good players in free agency? Stars should still get paid (Pujols, Hamilton, Fielder, etc) but very good players (Pagan, Reyes, Buehrle, Lohse, B.J. Upton) should not be paid like superstars because the expectation level will never be met.

Trade Interest for Brandon Belt

Apparently, a number of GM's were inquiring about the availability of first baseman Brandon Belt during last week's GM meetings. While I highly doubt that the Giants are considering trading Belt, it is interesting to note that many teams have expressed interest. While struggling in his rookie year and much of the first half of this season, Belt showed glimpses of the promise he still has in a strong second half. At just 24 years old, there is still plenty of time for Belt to develop into the star that many expected him to be. He hit 293 in the second half and through all of his offensive struggles he has continued to play gold glove caliber defense at first base. I don't expect much to come of this but it is certainly a card that Sabean will keep in his back pocket.

Marco Scutaro Next to Sign

Reports suggest that the Giants are close to re-signing NLCS MVP, Marco Scutaro, to a two year deal worth a reported 12 million dollars. With the re-signing of Affeldt and Scutaro, along with the depth of this year's free agent outfield class, there is little doubt now that the Giants will have a very successful offseason coming off their second World Series crown in three years. Whether they re-up with Pagan or bring in the likes of Hamilton, Bourn or Ichiro, the Giants will certainly go into next year with a team that is well equipped to defend their title.

Around the League 11/12/12

It has been a quiet offseason so far but it will get more exciting soon. Thus far, there haven't been any big names signed. It seems as if, for now, more teams have expressed interest in the top pitcher Zack Greinke than the top hitter Josh Hamilton. Both will get great pay days and it will be interesting to follow all offseason long.

The general manager meetings last week did not produce much, aside from trade speculation. It now appears likely that the Diamondbacks will go into next year with a dramatically different outfield. They have already dealt Chris Young and continue to shop Justin Upton. Meanwhile, Shin Soo Choo appears likely to be traded at some point, either before the season or next summer, as he enters his final year of arbitration in Cleveland. He should be quite a bargain with an anticipated salary around 8 million. With a deep free agent class in the outfield, it might be best for the Indians to wait until next summer to shop their leadoff hitter.

Hyun-Jin Ryu is free to sign with the Dodgers, after they paid just under 26 million to his Korean team. When they get him signed, they will hope that the lefty can ultimately pitch somewhere in the middle of their rotation. His numbers in the Korean league are very strong and he has big league stuff. This certainly is an upgrade to a rotation that has many question marks, the biggest of which is the tender elbow of Chad Billingsley who is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery.

Affeldt Agrees to 3 Year Contract

The Giants have inked key setup man and reliever Jeremy Affeldt to a three contract. Terms are yet to be disclosed. With the depth of the bullpen, there was some question as to whether or not Affeldt would price himself out of San Francisco but it is good to see that the team and his representation could come to a deal to bring back the left handed setup man. While the Giants have won two of the last three world series, Affeldt has offered stability in a bullpen that has seen a bit of turnover. He is one of the few left handed relievers in the game that can get right handers out as well.

There is still some doubt about Brian Wilson's future with the Giants and it would have been tough for the team to sustain the leadership loss of Affeldt if they don't end up bringing back Wilson. This is the first signing for the Giants this offseason. Marco Scutaro is still a free agent and it would be nice to get him signed as soon as possible too. Angel Pagan should take some time because he is expected to take offers from other teams and I expect him to see what others have to offer before talking seriously to the Giants about a return.

Free the Beard?

With the emergence of Sergio Romo last year, it appears that the Giants will not offer Brian Wilson salary arbitration by the November 30th deadline and allow him to become a free agent on December 1st. His recovery from his second Tommy John surgery is said to be on track but he is not expected to be ready to start throwing until late April at the earliest. So, where ever he pitches in 2013 he won't do it until around mid-season most likely. Even if he is not offered arbitration, he could still stay in San Francisco but he would certainly have to take a significant pay cut to do so.

I was somewhat saddened to read this but I understand that it is an unfortunate part of the business of baseball. Wilson will forever have a place in the hearts of Giants fans everywhere. He is a charismatic entertainer as much as he was a dominant closer. It is sad to imagine him ever pitching against the Giants. The beard was a big part of the 2010 title. While many saw his antics as entertaining and funny, don't forget what that may have meant to a young team under the pressure cooker of the playoffs for the first time. Wilson kept so much attention on himself that others could relax.

If he leaves, I will never forget him and I hope that he gets back to what he was before he got hurt. Please, just don't do it for the Dodgers.

Hunter Pence a Consistantly Solid Producer

As many fans saw Hunter Pence struggle with breaking balls out of the zone throughout the postseason, it became easy to forget what an asset he could be for the Giants going forward. While his swing is nothing short of ugly, his results are very solid. Throughout his career he has proven to be a reliable run producer and a solid defender. Nothing he does is pretty but his end results have always been strong. He is under the Giants control for next year and will get at least one full season in right field. I would actually like to see him out there for four to five years. Fans just need to forget about the hacks they saw him take in the postseason and look at his career numbers.

He is a lifetime 290 hitter with runners in scoring position who's rbi total has gone up in each of the past three seasons. His homerun total has been very consistent, over the last five years he has hit 25, 25, 22, and 24. Despite what we saw in the playoffs, he can hit for a solid average as well. His career average is 285. The only alarming thing his numbers show is an increasing strike out rate since he left Houston. If he can get that down from last year's 145 to around his career norm of just under 120 then he should be able to give the Giants an average in the 280's.

His value, aside from his bat, is almost immeasurable. We all know about his postseason speeches that became routine. The leadership and energy that he provides every day, whether he is hitting or not, is not something to take for granted. He hustles on defense and makes plays that most would not even attempt. While he may not be the consistent protection that the Giants need behind Posey he is  certainly a threat. He only hit 219 after he came over from Philly last year but he still had 45 rbi in 59 games. I just hope fans temper their expectations and enjoy the hustle.

Don't Bring Back Melky

There is one thing that Giants fans seem torn about this offseason and that is the idea of whether or not the club should give outfielder Melky Cabrera a second chance after his PED suspension. He is a free agent and before he got suspended he looked like he was going to be an expensive but very necessary re-signing this offseason. He was having an MVP like season and had a true connection with the Giants fan base. Melk men and Melk maids were all over AT&T park during, what looked to be, a magical career season for Melky.

Some fans can't shake those memories and it is very understandable but we all need to acknowledge what happened. It is one thing to say that Melky cheated, it is an unfortunate part of todays MLB, but the way that he handled himself with the team is unforgivable. After the suspension, he walked away without even acknowledging his teammates or the front office. He essentially turned his back on the team, the front office and the fans. The PED's we can get over, hell look at Barry Bonds, but the aftermath is hard to forget.

You also need to take note of how the team responded to his suspension. While nobody in the lineup replaced his numbers, the entire offense gelled better than we have seen in years. Scoring went up and production came from every part of the lineup. Blanco took many of the starts in left field the rest of the way and, while he didn't provide the offensive punch that Melky had, he starred with his glove work and defensive speed. Not to mention, having a few key offensive moments in the postseason.

Chemistry is a hard thing to find but, when it is there, it is impossible to ignore. While the offensive numbers Melky put up were impressive they weren't nearly as important as the way his actions pulled this team together. There are some free agents I want back more than others but Melky is one of the few that I don't think should even be talked to. His time in San Francisco was short, fun and exciting but it ended when he walked out without even an explanation. I hope that the fans that want him back will understand why management will pretend he was never here. It is time to move on.

The Giants Captain

In his first three seasons, Yankee captain Derek Jeter had a Rookie of the Year Award, an All Star selection and two world series rings. Within three years, Buster Posey has all of that plus a comeback player of the year award and he is soon to add an MVP as well. Posey has laughed off the comparisons but it is something that he will have to get used to.

Whether or not Posey will ever win as many rings as Jeter, who has won 5 and will be back next year, is yet to be determined but these comparisons won't go away any time soon. The Giants are the first team since Jeter's Yankees to win two titles in three years and at 25 years old, Posey has a lot of time to chase the Yankee captain. Posey is a quiet confident leader that works hard and sets the example for a Giants team with many players just coming into their own.

There is one thing that Posey could now give Jeter some pointers on and that is coming back. Jeter's 2012 season ended the same way Posey's 2011 year did, being helped off the field after suffering a devastating injury that crippled their team. Posey came back stronger and better than ever this year. Next year, Jeter will attempt to do the same. If he does, the comparisons will continue. As Posey chases Jeter's five rings, Jeter will be trying to put a little more distance between them before he goes on his five year wait for a first ballot hall of fame induction.

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