Giants 2008 / 2009

The Giants 2008 season is now officially in the books. We the fans, have had a few weeks to reflect on the entire season. There is no question that William Neukom, the new managing general partner, and the entire front office has much work to do as they begin to focus to improve the 2009 Giants.

In a resent report by Giants beat reporter, Chris Haft, noted that Neukom realizes the impact of free agency for the short term verses investing more in homegrown talent to make the Giants perennial contenders.

With the use 24 rookies this season, and lacking the “big bat” the Giants were 31-21 one run games. Largely impart because of the Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and the starting rotation.

The Giants are much better off today going into this off season than we were last year at this time. Granted they have many of the same needs but little was known about the kind of talent Giants organization had in the minor leagues. Often it was said the Giants had mortgaged there future by trading minor leaguers for proven veteran with the hope of “winning now”. That philosophy did not work.

Pablo Sandoval (catcher-infielder), Emmanuel Burriss (infielder), John Bowker (first baseman-outfielder), Eugenio Velez (outfielder), Nate Schierholtz (outfielder), Alex Hinshaw (reliever) and Sergio Romo (reliever) showed there potential. The question is if they will continue to develop. Furthermore, there is still some great young talent still to appear 2009, with the likes of Buster Posey and Conor Gillaspie.

The Giants finished just one game better than that of the previous year, but they appeared to have coalesced as team. This is essential element that seemed to have been missing that past few years. Just look at the 2007 Colorado Rockies and the 2008 Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Giants have certainly turned the page. Lets just hope Neukom does not resort to the quick and often expensive fix by reading past chapters.

Being a Southern California resident, the most difficult part of this season is that the LA Dodgers are still playing.

On a personal note, I would also like to thank Chris Haft for his outstanding reporting. He has done a great job during this difficult time, the past few season.

NL Cy Young

The following are excerpts from MLB writer Jayson Stark. I think he has it correct.

Tim Lincecum has been getting way too little play in this debate for way too long, anyway. But Webb's mini-funk has helped bring Lincecum back into the conversation. And it's about time.

True, Lincecum has four fewer wins (19 to 15). But how much of that is his fault? He's 15-3, with five blown saves and six CUS (?Criminally Unsupported Starts -- games in which he pitched at least six innings and his team scored one run or none while he was in the game). Webb has one blown save and only two CUS. So that accounts for your gap in wins, gang.

Toss wins out of the discussion, and Lincecum looks as if he has clearly outpitched Webb by most standards. Lincecum leads in ERA by more than three-quarters of a run (2.43 to 3.19), leads in strikeouts by 50 (210 to 160) and tops the league in both categories. Lincecum also leads the NL in OPS allowed (.609), quality-start percentage (22 of 27, 81 percent) and strikeout ratio (10.2 per 9 IP). And unlike Sabathia, you may have noticed that he has been in the same league, on the same team, all season.

if you look seriously at the big picture -- not just win totals or the last two months -- I believe that pitcher is Tim Lincecum.

For the full Jayson Stark story and comparisons please see the following: http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=22202

Fans Voted

Thank you for those who took the time to voted. Please return each week for the results and a new question. Please fell free to submit future questions you would like to be asked.

1) How do you feel about Bill Neukom replacing Peter Magowan?
Optimistic - Change is good 30%
No Real Change - Will not make a difference 53%

2) In order to strengthen the bullpen, who would you recommend demoting and/or releasing?
Tyler Walker 93%

Lincecum clear choice for Cy Young

For a Giants fan, it is always disturbing to see the Dodgers take over first place in the division. Today, the Diamondbacks relinquished the division lead and drop a 1/2 game behind the Dodgers. However, the Cy Young contest just became tighter. Diamondbacks ace, Brandon Webb (19-7), dropped his third straight. He now has an ERA of 3.41 in 197.2 innings pitched, with 166 strikeouts to his credit.

Tim Lincecum (15-3) has an ERA of 2.60 in 190.1 innings pitched with 216 strikeouts. More impressive is he has achieved it on a Giants team that has only scored 539 run this season compared to the Diamondbacks 640.

Chris Haft, the Giants beat reporter and author of the Giants Mailbag Column (08/25/2008) answered the question on ever Giants fans mind. The question asked was if anyone ever has ever won the Cy Young not only on a team with a losing record, but on a team so far below .500?


Chris responded “Yes indeed. The classic case is Steve Carlton, who captured the Cy Young Award while finishing 27-10 for the 1972 Philadelphia Phillies. Their record: 59-97. Other comparable examples include Brandon Webb -- this year's likely NL winner -- who took it home in 2006 when Arizona finished 76-86, and Randy Jones, the NL's Cy Young recipient in 1976 with a San Diego club that posted a 73-89 mark.”

How can Lincecum not get the Cy Young?!

Photo Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

Houston pick up Jose Castillo

On 8/13/08 the Giants designated infielder Jose Castillo for assignment. Castillo played mostly second base, and third base for the Giants. He also has experance playing shortstop. Houston Astros picked Castillo up off waivers on Wednesday (8/20/08). There are reports that Houston may use him for double-switch situations and expand his role to include the outfield.

Photo Credit: MLB / Houston Astros Roster
http://houston.astros.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=425489

U.S. Baseball Team - Bronze

In the first round of the 2008 Olympic Baseball Medal Round, USA was first defeated by Cuba 10-2. Then USA went on to defeat Japan, 8-4 and earn the Bronze. Nate Schierholtz repersented the Giants organization and the USA very well at the 2008 Games.


Nate Schierholtz
AVG.216, GP-GS 9-9, AB 37, R 7, H 8, 2B 4, 3B 0, HR 1, RBI 6, TB 15, SLG%.405, BB 2 HBP 1, SO 9, GDP 0, OB%.275, SF 0, SH 0, SB-ATT 0-0, PO 10, A 1, E 0, FLD% 1.000.


Congradulations Team USA...Hope baseball will be back in 2016.

Oopps, I did it again!

Dodgers, General Manager, Ned Colletti (Former Giants Assistant General Manager) re-acquiring (2006) pitcher Greg Maddux from the Padres. The intent is to capture the National League West.

To get Maddux, the Dodgers traded him for two Minor Leaguers to be named (cash considerations) to San Diego. San Diego and the Dodgers will divide the remaining $2.3 million of Maddux's $10 million contract.

First Manny Mania, now Maddux Mania. Go,Diamondbacks!!!

Photo Credit: Francis Specker/AP
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/14594661/