The big question: What do we do now?
Well, it’s pretty much the only question that matters.
Player-wise we saw the emergence of Pablo, a little excitement from Velez and Torres, and the introductions of Buster and Madison.
A great, young core. But we saw the overuse of Randy Winn and Edgar Renteria (who will be back). We saw the mediocrity of Aaron Rowand, and the mixed reaction of Bengie Molina.
Ryan Garko enjoyed spending time on the Pier during gamedays, while Freddy Sanchez enjoyed spending his time in a hospital.
Which transitions us to management. I have never seen a manager screw up so many times in game situations. What sickens me more is people still defend him. WAKE UP: In his 14-year career he is a sub-.500 manager!
“He is a winner,” people say. Really? He won what, two division titles? He sucks in the playoffs, he sucks in clutch situations, he sucks.
He is the only manager to blow two three-run leads in a playoff-destined game in the bottom of an inning against the same team while managing two separate teams. (vs. Rockies in 1-game playoff; vs. Rockies this season)
FIGURE that one out. So why not extend his contract! And now lets look at Brian Sabean.
His big moves involve Ryan Garko to try and replace Ishikawa and Sanchez who he knew was injured.
By the final weeks of the season Garko didn’t even dress and Sanchez (surprise, surprise) was hurt. Bold Sabes, bold!
Now all eyes are on the offseason and how he is going to tweak this team. This is going to show the entire world why we shouldn’t have gave his contract a second look.
He inherited Bonds and learned how to build around him, we don’t have him anymore yet we still love having aging veterans who hurt more than help.
Winn better go, Molina can go (unless he returns to share time with Buster and actually bats like a catcher in the 8-hole). I’d like to see Brad Penny back.. even though I’d never think I’d hear myself say that.
Say bye to Howry, Justin Miller, Fred Lewis and Merkin “walk-off the field” Valdez.
I know we won’t retain him, but Uribe was a pleasant surprise this year and it’d be nice to see him back.
The list goes on with wants and don’t wants but my opinion doesn’t matter.
Sabean I really hope you prove me wrong I really do.. But I have a sick feeling Bengie will be hitting fourth and Valdez will be sitting in the bullpen watching him strikeout.
The easy part of the season is over, now let’s see why someone, somewhere likes Sabean and thinks he can do well this offseason.
Bring it on.
What the Giants need is hitting. Pitching, they’ll come around once they see that they have big guns out there to win games. I wish the Giants had a guy such as Orlando Hudson. He is a good hitter and got some speed.
If I was Mr. Sabean I would get guys with speed and good hitting to hit first in the lineup. The third, fourth and fifth hitters would have to be guys that could hit the distance and that what the Giants don’t have. Guys that can be feared from the opposite teams. That’s what a good pitcher sees. Once the pitcher sees that he’s got guys behind him that can hit home runs and guys that can steal bases, I can guarantee you that the pitcher would feel a lot more comfortable in his pitching and would be ale to win more games.
We do have the pitching, but if a team doesn’t have the hitting, what good is the pitching. Pitchers such as Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Jonathan Sanchez, Noah Lowry, would win a lot more games if only the Giants had better hitting.