The Chron reports that the Feliz contract talks have run aground. The Giants had set a deadline for Feliz to agree to a contract and it has passed. Unfortunately, it doesn't totally eliminate the possibility of resigning Feliz. But the closer we get to the end of the Feliz era in SF, the better.
Bay City Ball posted on this and suggests that the Giants should pursue Morgan Ensberg. I was going to post a similar sentiment when he was released, but never got around to posting it, so I put my comment up at Bay City Ball if you want to read my comments, plus further thought and analysis.
Happy if No Feliz
The more I think about this, the more I am against Feliz returning. Sure, he would have to do well if he got a one year or year with option contract from us, but I don't believe in trying to retain disgruntled players, they tend to bring their resentments to the ballpark and this will affect their play. The best players turn that into a positive and do well, but after all these years of Feliz saying that he has turned a new leaf in one way or another - and then he doesn't - I don't believe he can do it, he has cried wolf one too many times for me.
And if he returns to the Giants, after making bold statements in public about "3 year contracts" and "other cities have schools too" (a reference to his preference for 2007 season to return to the Giants last off-season because his children go to school here, apparently; I wonder if his kids get taunted by other kids because Pedro can't hit or get a walk?), he is going to have egg on his face and would feel a sense of shame, losing face in such a public way, and perhaps lose confidence, having to come back to the Giants without the 3 year contract he so publicly demanded.
In any case, I still prefer having 3B open for Kevin Frandsen to start there if he does not beat out Durham (essentially a competition between Frandsen, Durham, and Aurilia for 2B and 3B), but if the Giants have to get someone, I think I would rather have Enberg than Feliz. He is possibly nearing the end of his career, but he is a good defensive 3B (he was a top 10 in Plus/Minus in Fielding Bible), and right now we could use a hitter who can get on base well plus hit with some power. In addition, given his recent problems the past couple of seasons, we can probably sign him for half what we would have to pay Feliz to play for us in 2008. Feliz made $5.5M in 2007 and probably expects a raise - again! - for 2008, when I think he should get a pay cut, much like I thought last off-season when he got a raise again. I would also think that having a manager who believes in him would be a boost to his confidence, I would think that Garner's lack of confidence had to have affected him.
I don't really see Ensberg as an upgrade over Feliz but I do agree that he is not likely to be a downgrade either. I would be fine with this. But I am against most of the trade tragets we have heard about. I think trading for Teahan, Sanchez, Figgins or Chavez would be foolish because they would cost more in young talent then whatever minimal (and I think zero) production value advatange they offer over Feliz. I would much rather just trade the supplemental draft choice for Feliz then trade Lowry or more for any of the above.
ReplyDeleteThe trade possibilities I like the best are the ones that can be constructed as salary dump for salary dump. I could live with Roberts for Crede or Roberts and Aurilia for Inge. But the one I like best is trying to get Duncan in a package with Rolen. We could trade Winn, Roberts, and Aurilia to balance the dollars and a couple pitchers to balance the talent. The Cardinals could replace Duncan in the outfield with Winn and platoon Roberts with Barton as their third outfielder (Ankiel being the 2nd). The Cardinals could platoon Aurilia with Spiezio to replace Rolen at 3B. The questions are: Which pitchers would we have to add to make this make sense for the Cardinals? Could we afford to add these pitchers? Would adding these pitchers make sense for the Giants
Let me put it plainly: I'm tired of Feliz's act and the thought of giving him two years - and with a raise! - give me the willies.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think that Lowry is worth more than Teahan, Sanchez, or Chavez, so I would want the other team to add other prospects. I would be OK as long as the entire package is OK. But it sounds like nobody except the NL West team appreciates Lowry the way we do, and I don't want the Giants making a deal just to make a deal, I want them to get good value for Lowry else don't do the deal. We are not in the position to give up talent to other teams in order to be competitive, we need to gain talent for talent given.
The Cards have a hotshot CF coming up in Colby Rasmus, who should make the majors in 2009, so I don't think they would want two players who would be blocking his way as their contracts go into 2009. Still, I don't care for that deal, Rolen is a injury waiting to happen, we would need another 3B around to cover when he is out again. If it was just the vets, I can go for it, but not if we have to give up young pitchers too. We are doing them a favor by taking Rolen off their hands, he's expensive but plays few games and he's poison in the clubhouse with his bad relationship with LaRussa. We should not have to give up additional talent.
Why would the ChiSox want Roberts now, they just picked up Swisher and said he's playing CF? And why would Detroit want Roberts and Aurilia for Inge? They already have OF, so Roberts is a 4th OF though I guess Aurilia can be useful for them.
OGC,
ReplyDeleteI take it from your response to my trade proposal with the Cardinals that you somehow missed that I had not just Scott Rolen coming to the Giants but Chris Duncan too. With this in mind what do you think?
As for your concerns about what the Cardinals will do with Roberts in 2009 when Rasmus could be ready, Ankiel becomes a free agent then and the Cardinals could thus just replace Ankiel with Rasmus. If not Roberts should not be that hard to trade with just a year remaining on his contract, if not still the Cardinals could just use Roberts as a 4th outfielder and count his salary as the cost of getting rid of Rolen.
With regards to the WhiteSox, who said Roberts had to play CF. Why couldn't the Sox use Roberts to platoon with Quentin in LF. Do you really think the WhiteSox want to bet that Quentin will prove to be a fulltime starter for them when he failed to do so with the DBacks?
Finally, as for the Tigers I think Roberts could revive his 2004 RedSox role with them and thus would be very valuable for such a contender.