The Robb Nen Story

Post what he thought of the trade NOW!  :)

I love that story. Truly a remarkable guy, and my favorite all-time Giant.

A couple years ago, a very cool opportunity came up for my boys and me. I noticed, while reading our little local city paper that gets inserted into the OC Register every Friday, that Robb Nen (who lives close by) would be making a public appearance for charity that Sunday afternoon at my son's Junior High School.  I thought, "Robb Nen?  At a public school?  On a Sunday?  In Orange County?  Where most people couldn't care less about meeting a San Francisco Giant?  In an event publicized by a newspaper (I saw or heard no other mention of this event) that is probably read by all of maybe 500 people? Cool! No one'll be there!"  So, that Sunday, I piled my wife and three boys in the minivan and we all dropped by the school.

Sure enough, there was Robb Nen, sitting outside at a little table, with just a buddy of his there with him.  So, my boys all go up to him and shake his hand, get autographs, pictures and all that.    

Now this was right after the Nathan-for-Pierzynski trade, so after I ask him how's his shoulder and he says "Good--I think I'll be ready", I ask him what he thinks of getting Pierzynski.  Now, it pains me greatly to admit this, but I was actually positive about this trade, and posed my question in a sort of "Hey! How `bout them Giants!" sort of tone.  And I figured Nen would go with the flow and say something safe and vaguely positive like you'd hear if he was interviewed on KNBR:

(Ralph: "So Robb, we're all wondering, vis a vis the Pierzynski trade, and given the fact that A.J. is known to be a loquacious sort notwithstanding, which by the way I always felt as if those who are more verbal, those who typically relate to others primarily through the use of the spoken word, not necessarily in a mendacious kind of way, but, you know, just someone who is well-read, well-spoken and is able to express thoughts and feelings easily, often seeming to be the type of ballplayers who are best suited to catching gives rise to the kind of question of what kind of personality works best for a catcher, or if you've ever known of any vegans who were catchers, or if you think vegans might make good catchers, despite the fact that they might have to use a synthetic material to fashion a catcher's mitt...").  

...Anyway, I ask Nen what he thinks of the trade, and instead of giving me a company line, "good to see them improving the lineup...", Nen kind of scrunches his nose, like a bad smell just wafted by.  Then he pauses for a second, and says quietly, "'Don't like it."  Well, I'm stunned and I say, "Why not?" And he replies (these quotes are my best but certainly imperfect attempt to give his exact words):

"Well first of all, Nathan's got an unbelievable arm.  He's got unreal stuff.  Guys like that don't come along every day.  Second, he's still affordable for the Giants.  Third...Timmy (Worrell)'s not going to be brought back, and...(he pauses) you know, I always kind of thought that they were grooming Joe to take over the closer's role...in case I don't make it back."  (Yes, he really said this--and after he'd given his stock reply to my earlier question about his shoulder.)  "Anyway, I don't see trading him away."

"And with Pierzynski, the Giants think they're going to get him to sign a cheap multi-year deal, but he's up for arbitration.  He's not going to sign their deal, he will go to arbitration, and the Giants are going to end up paying more than they're expecting or they'll lose him after one year."  

Like I said, I was surprised at Nen's remarks, so I offered up my most thoughtful, intelligent "Huh." in response.  

Of course, it turns out that Nen was absolutely, frighteningly, Nostradamus-ly right.  Trading Nathan was very foolish.  Had Nathan stayed, he'd be closing, Benitez would not be a Giant (the lone minus in this being that there'd be no Natto Benitez masterpiece; it really is true that all great art is borne of profound pain), and the Giants' budget would have been that much more flush. With Nen's chances for comeback at that point sketchy and with Worrell on the way out, and with the starting rotation not very strong, it's hard to understand why Sabean didn't make certain he had a bona fide closer for 2004.  Obviously he didn't think Nathan fit the bill.  Obviously, the Twins at least thought Nathan had potential in that role.

The thing we'd have missed would have been the overrated, overpaid, loud-mouthed, self-promoting, slow-footed, rag-armed, banjo-hitting, double-play-hitting-into wonder that was A.J. Pierzynski.  A.J. was Milt May without the congenial personality, and also except that May hit .310 at a time when hitting .310 was a pretty decent accomplishment.  A.J was Willie McGee, except that A.J. was really slow, horrible defensively and got on people's nerves in the clubhouse.  Hittingwise, though, A.J. reminds me a lot of Willie--someone who was somehow respected as a big contributor offensively. In reality A.J. didn't hit for power, had zero speed, and would swing  at everything.  I swear there were a couple times I saw him swing at pickoff throws to first.

Also, as has been mentioned a few times since then, the Giants would have been able to keep Liriano and Bonser.  Having those guys might've been nice. 'Specially seeing as the Giants have nothing to show for them today.  A valid point to make about losing Nathan, Liriano and Bonser is, "Who knew?".  And OK, yeah, no one knows how every trade will turn out 100% of the time.  Then again, it's a GM's job to know stuff like that.  I've always given Sabean full credit for his good trades, even for the ones where he was said to be "lucky".  But by the same token, his screw-ups also have to land squarely in his lap, whether he was the victim of bad luck or not.

And anyway, if Robb Nen seemed to see pretty clearly that this was a bad trade, why couldn't Sabean see that as well?

I want Robb Nen to manage my career as an insurance salesman.