Apologies for the Girth....

Unless the ownership is forcing Sabean's hand.

I'd be cool with Sexson at first and/or Glaus at 3rd along with Matsui.  But, this is the Giants.  So we will have get half-assed.

If the giants are really going to be as wretched as everybody thinks (i, myself, have never really seen a MLB team without legit 3, 4 or 5 spot hitters), Sabes should wait until the all-star break to move any of our future stars.  by then they should have proved their relative metal and maybe then we really can land 3 guys for one of them.

Wait what are we talking about? Oh right. Matsui. I've said a few times that I'm okay with this trade especially if it nets the Giants Matsui+1, and all they give up is Sanchez. Even a throwin minor leaguer, I'd be okay with.

I've asked the Giants to piss or get off the pot with Sanchez. Part of it is his injury problems, part of it is his inconsistency at the ML level. The Giants also have to accept the blame for not knowing what they're doing with him. Is he a starter? A reliever? Where is he pitching? Nobody seems to know.

I don't think this will end up as The Dead Horse trade Part II. Sure, Matsui's numbers have a chance to dip playing in this ballpark, but he's one of the few (only?) Japanese imports to MLB who can hit for power consistently. I like that about him. If Sanchez finally gets his behind in gear as a Yankee, then yeah we lose. But is there enough patience with him here to wait for him to get his behind in here, especially since the management deems it necessary to constantly jerk him around between levels and between the rotation and the bullpen?

My point is, at least we know what we're getting in Matsui. We don't know what Sanchez is doing. That's why I say make the trade.

Oh, and isn't actually in jail.

Ironically, after years of neglecting the farm system and signing short term stop gaps... the Giants roster is in a position where they might as well acquire short term stop gaps (as long as they hold on to their precious Lincecainium).

I agree that we are a few steps away from being good, but that those steps are a little tricky this off-season.  If I'm reading between your lines correctly, I think you're pointing to the non-existent margin for error for any of these potential moves to go wrong.  That is, if any of them don't pay off, we're back in the suckvomit range of the meter.  No real insight here; just giving you a high five for your refusal to get hysterical.  (You had a hysterectomy?)

I'd do Matsui+prospect for Sanchez or Lowry, definitely. It's even better if Matsui will/can play 1B. That trade fulfills Kawakami's "you've got to start somewhere" approach to fixing the offense without gutting the rotation.

Sanchez and Lewis are two young guys who I think are not going to get better, just lose value, so I'd be happy to see either get traded for a productive player.  Matsui would be productive.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7537414

I hope they are and hope it ends the Lincecum/Rios talk if he were to sign.

I can't really figure out why I would like it more than a deal for Tejada including similar principals. I mean, Tejada wouldn't break up the young outfielder juggernaut, right? And they're both gamers. I think it's partly that Matsui is a more disciplined hitter, and I know I will be really craving that talent now that Bonds is gone. But it's not as though Miggy just wails away up there. I don't know.

I think it's worth pondering performance differences between Matsui and Rios in the next 2 or 3 years. I know, I know, most figure we won't contend in that time, but it is the amount of time that we would be guaranteed to have them (2 for Matsui, 3 for Rios). Rios is apparently a MUCH better fielder, but I expect the offense will be pretty similar over that time. Of course, Alex is RH, so he may well get the better of Hideki in the phone booth. So, Rios is probably going to help you win more games, but it's telling, I think, that we can even discuss it. One guy is being considered for Lowry/Sanchez, and the other for Lincecain?!? Guess the $ makes a big difference (and the likelihood that you could extend Rios, I suppose, but there ain't no guarantee there).

Ugh...  So the question now is:  Is 6 years of Enchanter equal to 2 years of Rios and whatever contract D-Train is under?

I say keep Timmyboy.  He has too much potential to toss away for Rios and Dontrelle.

That could be a hell of a rotation, though, if we then kept Lincecum.  Cain, D-Train, Timmy, Zito, and Lowry/Correia if Noah gets traded.  Could be fantastic, or could be merely above average, but it would definitely be the first time in MLB history that a $126 million pitcher is effectively the fourth starter in a rotation.  But even if Rios then gets spun off to Toronto for Rios, Cain, Zito, Willis, Correia, Lowry (where I think Lowry would be better than Correia but just want to split up the lefties) would be quite serviceable if not downright good.

And yet, still, even in fantasyland, the thought of losing Timmy for any reason is enough to make me sick.