Who screwed up: Sabean or LaRoche? **WIN A FREE T-SHIRT**
Brian Sabean offered Adam LaRoche (the best offensive talent left in free agency) $17 million dollars to do two years worth of work.
LaRoche says no thanks, and Sabean then signs Aubrey Huff for $3 million.
LaRoche then throws a right hook as he signs with our rivals the Diamondbacks for $4 to 5 million.
OUCH.Sabean is now being criticized for not waiting it out and talking more to LaRoche instead of just pulling the plug. I mean, was anyone else really looking at Huff? Instead, the deal goes sour and Sabean does a “look what I can do” and quickly locks up another 1B — the Huff Express.
What do you think happened in this deal?
So did Sabean screw up by not being more patient? LaRoche had 25 homers and 85 RBI last year.
Or did LaRoche overvalue himself and had to suffer a major hit?
Personally, it’s tough to reel in big names as ATT is not a hitter-friendly place to play. But for LaRoche to suffer a $13-million loss immediately after we sign another first basemen? I think it’s two giant babies who are in over their heads.
Both end up looking like fools, not one.
CONTEST RULES:
-15th post that is contributing to the question will win a free FIRE-SABEAN T-Shirt! Absolutely FREE, we pay S&H.
-Only 2 posts per IP address, any others will be disqualified.
I would have to say it was LaRoche. He wanted to see what else was out there. Figured his numbers would drop in San Francisco, and someone would match the offer or give hime something better. Sucks to be LaRoche right now.
~King of Cali
All The Latest SF Giants Rumors
http://www.sfgiantsbaseball.net
I would have to disagree. I think Sabean screwed up, but not because he wasn’t more patient. Sabean screwed up by offering LaRoche $17 M in the first place. This reeks of the Renteria deal. I am not the biggest LaRoche fan, and I think Huff offers more potential production (look at ‘08) than LaRoche. Just the possibility of giving him $17M makes my skin crawl. Good thing LaRoche is dumber than Sabean. The bottom line is this: We still don’t have our big bat, and I think the Giants overachieved in ‘09. Giants fans need to realize that the team will likely be similar, if not worse than last year. I know this is a “doom and gloom” approach, but if we had just offered Adam Dunn the same deal he got with the Nats last year, how much better would this team look? A guy that can actually put it into the Cove and hit 40 HRs looks pretty good right now.
This story is very reminiscent of what happened to NBA player Bonzi Wells a few years back…
After a solid 2005-06 season with the Sacramento Kings, Wells was ready for his big payday. The Kings offered him a 5-year, $38.5 million contract…and Bonzi just laughed at it. He decided to test the market, but nobody was biting. Nobody. And by the time he realized his mistake, the Kings didn’t want him either. He ended up signing with the Houston Rockets for the paltry sum of $2 million a season (down about $6 mil per from the Kings’ offer). Wells missed most of training camp, first due to a groin injury and then because of dental work. When he finally did show up, he was out of shape and overweight. Coach Jeff Van Gundy decided Wells didn’t deserve much playing time, and Wells got huffy. As a result, Bonzi was placed on the inactive list, dismissed from team practices, and forced to work with trainers to get in shape. Things got so bad that Van Gundy exiled Wells from the Toyota Center. He was finally allowed to rejoin the team in December, but he promptly injured his back and had to miss 10 games. Bonzi eventually made it back from injury and everything seemed fine, but then, out of nowhere, he up and left the team because he felt like he was “disrupting team chemistry.” Thus endeth his season.
The moral of this story is (READ THIS ADAM LAROCHE): don’t be greedy.
Very nice shirts, man. I’ve got some ideas for 2010. Send me an email if you’re interested.
i want fire sabean tshirt
This is my first visit here, but I will be back soon, because I really like the way you are writing, it is so simple and honest
You have tested it and writing form your personal experience or you find some information online?
Not bad article, but I really miss that you didn’t express your opinion, but ok you just have different approach