Poll: Worst Offseason Acquisition?

As for Bochy, I pretty much retain my preseason "meh". I don't think he's what's killing the Giants this season, but he hasn't exactly shaken them out of it, either.

I would say that virtually no one predicted Durham's complete collapse. I think it's funny that there's a lot of people saying "Sabean is a moron and should have just played Frandsen" when the move was largely lauded around here when Durham was re-signed. Smacks of MMQB'ing to me.  

Durham was a good signing at the time. Saying otherwise is pure hindsight... even in his "bad" years as a Giant, he had OPS+ of 111, 115, 107 and 127. Nobody could have predicted that he'd suddenly fall off to a 73. There was nothing in his track record to indicate that he even had a season this bad in him.

Roberts wasn't a good idea, but he's also not Juan Pierre, so he gets plus points for that.

While that contract doesn't hurt us too bad right now while we are rebuilding with younger, cheaper players can you imagine the effect it will have in 4 or 5 seasons?  What if we can't sign a player we need because of that albatross of a contract?

I've said it before and I'll say it again - there's a good chance Zito won't even be in baseball anymore by the end of his contract.  

BP has a nice article on it in their book called 'Baseball Between the Numbers' and they found that:

In fact, their study found that managers are more likely to cost their respect teams wins because of overuse of such strategies (sac. bunts, intentional walks, stolen bases) instead of helping the team. Frank Robinson cost his teams -3.20 wins per season in his career because of his overuse of those mentioned strategies. Former Giants skipper, Roger Craig, is right behind him with -3.10 wins.

The managers that utilized these tactic's the best were at most adding 0.63 wins per season (Dick Williams in 1983, according to BP's research, had the best season for a manager from the era of 1972-2004).

It's extremely difficult to find out exactly just what the manager is responsible for and what he isn't. The front office can mandate in-game strategies, who starts, and set pitch count limits. It's impossible to pinpoint who did what move and why. You just can't attribute every move to the manager.

The reason that guys like Durham and Aurilia are still starting could very well be out of Bochy's hands. If the front office is making him start those players, what can he do?

On the other hand, Barry Zito is signed to a giant deal that's already looking bad in year 1. His declining peripherals (BB/9, K/9) were a scary fortune teller to what he could become. I don't think Zito is this bad but giving 7 year deals to pitchers has never, ever worked out before in baseball and I don't expect it to work now.

Zito has been a disappointment and won't live up to his contract, but he at least fills a need; ignoring the contract he is a serviceable middle rotation/slightly above average end-of-the-rotation guy who is on the mound every 5th day.

Durham, i don't know, i'm sure he evens out Winn on the pick-up basketball game they play between double-headers.

Talk about Eight Men Out. Arnold Rothstein could have just convinced Charlie Comisky to trade Sabaen straight across and saved himself the bribe money.