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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Crawford Named Giants Defender of the Year

It was nice to see mlb network name Brandon Crawford as the Giants defender of the year. Many see Crawford as a future gold glove winner and this is a good way to get the attention he will need to win gold gloves in the future. This is not a major award at all but it is a nice honor for a young player that doesn't often get the attention that he deserves. I am a huge fan of Crawford and very happy to see this for him.

In other news, Giants third string catcher Eli Whiteside, was claimed on waivers by the Yankees. Whiteside had the unfortunate assignment of coming in as the replacement for Posey after the knee injury last year. He is a player who has worked his tail off in the minors and deserves a chance to make a big league roster. With the emergence of Hector Sanchez this year, Whiteside became a little bit more expendable, especially given the fact that he should get a small raise in arbitration. In New York, he should have a chance to battle for a big league backup role. I wish him all the luck in the world because he is a really hard worker and he knows the game well. Someday, he will be coaching somewhere.

2013 Estimated Team Payroll

The Giants, after another title run will likely increase the payroll for the 4th consecutive year, according to general manager Brian Sabean. This means that the Giants are a team that believes in re-investing to sustain excellence and it has been remarkably successful of late, obviously. They entered the 2012 season with a team payroll of around 118 million dollars and then added another 14 million in acquisitions during the season. The players they added, especially Scutaro and Pence, had a major impact and led them to pulling away in the division and eventually winning it all again.

Their payroll, entering last season ranked 8th in the majors and you can look for them to stay right around that spot. However, the payroll is expected to go up by about 10-20 million and there is no reason to believe they wouldn't be willing to add to that during the season if it gave them a chance to make another deep run in Orangetober. Now, with the payroll going up, many players are contractually guaranteed raises and that will account for about half of the increase. However, the Giants also are finally free of the Aaron Rowand contract and about 27% of the payroll from last year went to Rowand, Huff, Melky and Freddy Sanchez. None of them are expected to be brought back, in fact Huff has already been bought out at a price of three million dollars.

So, the budget is their to add to the team. I do expect that they will find a way to get Scutaro and Affeldt signed, sooner rather than later. After that, the team should have in the neighborhood of 20-25 million left to spend. The question then is how do you spend it. That will be up the genius that is our GM, Brian Sabean. I have been calling for Hamilton to get a long look from the Giants. Based upon the budget, they can afford him but I wouldn't want to see him get a 6-7 year deal from the Giants. That is apparently what many expect him to want. Some team maybe foolish enough to do it but I strongly doubt that it will be Sabean and the Giants.

Whether Hamilton ends up in San Francisco or not, I trust that Sabean will continue to mold the Giants into a winning team for years to come. There are plenty of options in the outfield, including Angel Pagan who is going to get a significant payday somewhere, so the Giants need to take their time and really get the best fit for this team at this time. They don't necessarily need to make the biggest splash but it is nice to know that ownership is willing to spend the money if the right situation comes up. That is all we can ask for as fans, isn't it?

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Bring Back Scooter

I am somewhat surprised that the Giants have not re-signed Marco Scutaro yet. Of their free agents, he is clearly the biggest priority to bring back. The other options at second base aren't very good and the Giants don't have a second basemen in the minors that is big league ready. It made so much sense to re-sign Scooter that I left him off of my free agent prediction list. I mean, he wasn't going anywhere right? Well, I hoped they would have something done before he hit the open market last Friday night and I predicted that it would be done by the end of the week. Since neither of those happened, I am a bit concerned right now. Hopefully it will all work out and he will come back.

 The team does not have the excuse of saying they can't afford him though. He is likely wanting a 3 year deal in the range of 8-10 million annually. That is very reasonable in today's market, especially when Scooter is the best shortstop or second baseman on the market. Just get it done and move on. The longer this takes, the more we should worry.

Angel Pagan to the Highest Bidder

According to reports, Angel Pagan will not give the Giants any kind of discount to retain his services. As he enters free agency at age 31, he is looking for the best available pay day. You can't fault him for this. He may never be in a better position in his career. He had a major impact on the Giants, in a career year. Given his age, it is time to cash in. Now it is time for the Giants to learn from history and move on.

After the 2010 title, I was apprehensive about re-signing Aubrey Huff but he was such an integral part of the title run that I accepted him back. He was over-payed, based off of his career numbers, but I hoped that his performance wouldn't drop off too dramatically. After his 26 homeruns in 2010, he had just 12 in 2011 and followed that up with most of 2012 lost to injury. In the end, the Giants thanked him for his services and paid off his  3 million dollar buy out. It was a mistake to re-sign him and the Giants need to remember that this time around.

Pagan reminds me a lot of Huff. He was a very good player before he became a Giant. When he got to San Francisco, everything clicked and he had a huge impact on a championship team. It was a perfect fit while it lasted. However, it is over now and you have to accept that. There are other options within the market and within the Giants roster. I have been preaching for the Giants to pursue Hamilton and I think they will. However, Michael Bourn would also be a good fit. Here are some lineups I think you could see if the Giants got either Hamilton or Bourn. By the way, they won't get both and they don't need to.

With Hamilton                                                                 With Bourn

Marco Scutaro                                                                 Michael Bourn
Brandon Belt                                                                   Marco Scutaro
Josh Hamilton                                                                  Pablo Sandoval
Buster Posey                                                                   Buster Posey
Pablo Sandoval                                                                Hunter Pence
Hunter Pence                                                                   Brandon Belt
Gregor Blanco                                                                 Gregor Blanco
Brandon Crawford                                                           Brandon Crawford

I love the Hamilton lineup because it is so deep and I think Belt could blossom in front of Hamilton, Posey and the Panda. The Bourn lineup is the same as we had all postseason with Bourn replacing Pagan. Still not bad and I think Bourn would be a better leadoff hitter than Pagan was. With Bourn, instead of Hamilton, you would be left with money to try to extend Posey and bring back Lincecum. So, both sides have huge advantages. The Giants have the money, after the estimated 28 million in revenue they made this postseason, and I expect them to spend it on one of these two outfield stars.

Free Agent Predictions

Well, we are into the Hot Stove Season now and many are predicting where various players will end up. So, I will go over a few of the various free agents myself and where I expect each to land.

• Josh Hamilton- Washington Nationals for 8 years and 175 million. In the age of ridiculously long contracts, I do expect the Giants to be one of the last teams standing for Hamilton but I think the Nationals will finally nail a huge free agent. The length will be ridiculous and I think that will take Sabean out of the mix.
• Zack Greinke- Baltimore Orioles for 6 years and 130 million. For those who don't know, Greinke suffers from an anxiety disorder and I am thinking that will keep him away from New York and Boston. The Orioles need an ace and I think Greinke will be a great fit for them.
• Michael Bourn-San Francisco Giants for 4 years and 50 million. I expect that the Giants will turn to Bourn when negotiations fail with Hamilton. With Bourn, they will land a solid leadoff hitter to anchor their deep lineup for the next several years.
• Kyle Lohse- Los Angeles Dodgers for 4 years and 50 million. The Dodgers will unquestionably be a big part of the Greinke sweepstakes but when they miss out, I expect them to settle for the next best starting pitcher on the market.
• Angel Pagan-Philadelphia Phillies for 5 years and 50 million dollars. I expect Pagan to be disappointed when the Giants flirt with the likes of Hamilton and Bourn and I think the Phillies will jump at the chance to land the second best leadoff hitter on the market.
• B.J. Upton- Atlanta Braves for 6 years and 100 million dollars. Upton has so many tools and that will attract suitors. This will likely come down to the Braves and Yankees and I think the Braves will win it with the length of the deal.
•  Ichiro Suzuki-Tampa Bay Rays for 2 years and 20 million. It is like musical chairs in the outfield and this seems like the spot for Ichiro, although I could easily see him back in New York.

Huff Leaves With His Thong

Well, we should not be surprised at all but the Giants declined the team option they had to bring Aubrey Huff back next year. He will receive a handsome send off of two million dollars and will be free to sign with any team in about 3 hours. Huff was a big part of the Giants 2010 World Championship and injuries and the development of Brandon Belt have made it easy for the Giants to decide it is time to move on. The 35 year old Huff probably doesn't have the knees to play everyday, even as a DH, but I would look for him to sign somewhere for a bench role. He can probably play part time or as a pinch hitter/occasional DH for another two or three years. Giants fans will never forget the contributions he made to bring the city of San Francisco it's first World Series title.