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Diary of Positives

by GiantFan on Aug 28, 2007 1:06 PM PDT Comment 42 comments

The season has been a pretty disappointing one & there's been lots of negatives, but i thought, i'd focus on some the positives that have come out of this season

The season has been a pretty disappointing one & there's been lots of negatives, but i thought, i'd focus on some the positives that have come out of this season (in no particular order):

Lincecum - It's difficult to believe that he'd not played any higher than A ball before the start of the season, but he's come in & done a great job so far.
Lowry - Coming off a bad year, it was always going to be interesting to see how he bounced back, and it's been great to see him come back with a good year, boding well for both the future & any possible trade value
Bullpen - Coming into the year, there wasn't much hope for the bullpen, but whilst it's still not one of the best, it's more positive for the future, especially given the youth of our bullpen. Messenger has been a decent addition, Hennessey has done well as a setup-man/closer, Misch has done alright since coming up & Wilson has done very well.
Morris trade - Morris was coming off a terrible year & his contract was looking terrible. We managed to get both his contract off the books & a useful player (or two) for him, which we wouldn't have believed possible at the start of the year.
Benitez trade - Benitez was coming into the season with question marks over both health & ability. Whilst we had to absorb most of his contract, we managed to get a good player in return.
Play of young position players - Coming into the season there was still the question of when we were going to produce a decent young position player. Whilst none of our young players have set the league alight, Davis, Lewis, Schierholtz, Ortmeier & Frandsen have seen playing time & shown promise that perhaps we may have a future.
Draft - With 6 picks in the first & supplemental rounds, the draft was always a promising avenue this year. There may be some disagreement over some of the picks, but it's nice to have an infusion of young talent to the minor league system.

Other honorable mentions:

Cain for continuing to pitch well & show good composure in a tough year.
The Sweeney trade for getting something of use out of a trade of Mark Sweeney.

Poll

Which has been your most positive moment?

Sweeney Trade

0 votes

Lincecum

99 votes

Lowry

4 votes

Bullpen

1 votes

Morris Trade

3 votes

Benitez Trade

5 votes

Young position players

5 votes

Draft

4 votes

Cain

9 votes

130 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

0 recs | Comment 42 comments

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Comments

Re: Diary of Positives

Lincecum, followed by Cain as a close second. I'm still very optimistic about the young position players, but none of them have conclusively proven they belong in the show. After his rocky first start, Lincecum has left no doubt that he is ready to play at this level.

Proud adoptive father of the All-Father, currently sandbagging in Augusta.

by EliminateMe on Aug 28, 2007 1:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

lincecum, cain, and then draft.

Free Justin Knoedler! (not by trading him to another team though)

by llamalimbo1 on Aug 28, 2007 1:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

...Bonds?

For actual content: He should be on the list in terms of a positive this year. To me, the fact that he won is quite a big positive and is probably my favorite moment of the year.

From your list: Lincecum.

by positiveuphemism on Aug 28, 2007 1:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, leaving him off is criminal.

by awesomer on Aug 28, 2007 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Won what?

I interpreted the poll questions as something akin to "positive trend for the future" and/or "pleasant surprise". If by "won" you mean passing Aaron, it's a great accomplishment, but not unexpected or something that points to a brighter future (in my opinion).

Attention all cars: Be on the look-out for Ryan Klesko's missing power.

by Goofus on Aug 28, 2007 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

"Won" as in : he has had a lot of people trying to bring him down over the past few years in a thinly veiled attempt at preventing him from passing Aaron. He passed Aaron. He won. They lost.

by positiveuphemism on Aug 28, 2007 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Still can't shake this

The comparisons of Bonds' and Aaron's reactions to their respective recordbreakers...Barry does indeed thrust arms skyward in the universally recognized gesture of victory.

Henry looks up briefly , then runs toward first as if he wasn't sure it was gone and it was his job to get to the farthest base he could.

Barry Zito: Not an embarrassment of riches , but a rich embarrassment.

by victor frankenstein on Aug 28, 2007 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

As Goofus mentioned, it wasn't exactly what i was thinking of (more positive things for the future than positive moments for the now), but i should have put it on there, i just didn't think of it!

by GiantFan on Aug 28, 2007 1:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Your mind has been taken over by mass media. Like Goofus' :)

Barry Zito -- Catch Me if You Can.

by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Lincecum, Cain, Bonds

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.

by jponry on Aug 28, 2007 1:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

oh, and the draft

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.

by jponry on Aug 28, 2007 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Draft

Tough to top what Lincecum has accomplished this year, but don't underestimate the importance of this year's draft for our future. We desperately needed a large infusion of young, high ceiling talent into the organization and we got just that.

Angel Villalona, AKA Big V, should probably get a mention too. His performance in the AZL is most encouraging that he is the real deal.

by DrBGiantsfan on Aug 28, 2007 1:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Draft

Big V likes the Big Mac in a Big Vay

Barry Zito -- Catch Me if You Can.

by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

BONDS!

Bonds stands alone.

by nostocksjustbonds on Aug 28, 2007 1:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

It's all good. It's baseball, for pete's sakes. But it got to be way better the day they offloaded Mando.

I'm a big Rajai fan these days. He reminds me of Randy Winn right after we got him, which is fine.

I have trouble thinking of Giants negatives. PS, the biggest positive: Flemming/Miller live on.

Notgardo may be afraid to catch Niekro's knuckler. Mama didn't raise no fool.

by tk on Aug 28, 2007 1:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

I voted Lincecum #1. I wnet into the season expecting him to spend the year in Fresno getting ready for a September call up and didn't think he'd be a mainstay in the rotation until 2008. He's a full year ahead of what I expected.

Of late, the improved bullpen has me feeling better about the future with Correia as a potential starter coming around the outside corner as we head down the stretch.

Attention all cars: Be on the look-out for Ryan Klesko's missing power.

by Goofus on Aug 28, 2007 1:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

I'm with you. I haven't really enjoyed watching a Giants pitcher like this since Marichal came up. My only concern with him is the number of high pitch-count innings he has thrown. Thank the Baseball Cods his dad is around to keep an eye on things.

The biggest downer has been the constant media assault on our sensibilities re Bonds.

In the meantime the charity event that Grant linked to over at Dolces where Tim Lincecum and many other will be tending bar gets little if any attention from the same media.

I would much rather look at the eye candy and read about the gossip at Dolce's than read some hack's regurgitated gossip about Bonds, steroids, Aaron and snore-on.

Barry Zito -- Catch Me if You Can.

by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

we never draft position players, we mostly draft pitchers, which kinda sucks

by ejdacanay on Aug 28, 2007 2:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

That's the best "positive" you can come up with?

Attention all cars: Be on the look-out for Ryan Klesko's missing power.

by Goofus on Aug 28, 2007 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Honorable Mention:

Eric Byrnes signed an extension with the D-Bags. Now Sabean can't sign him -- Great for our future.

Sharlon Schoop: "It's only stealing if you get caught...more than 54% of the time"

by Woody Wins on Aug 28, 2007 2:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Totally

Barry Zito -- Catch Me if You Can.

by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

except if he now signs someone even worse.

Randy Messenger: "I'll be back soon and we'll be rid of Scott Atchison"

by rxmeister on Aug 29, 2007 8:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

I needed a "three pick" option for the poll.Lincecum,Cain's re-bound, and the youngsters (and the draft). OK a "four pick".

Timmy has been awesome to watch. I've missed a few TV games, but not one where he's pitched.

Cain's re-bound calmed me down a little bit. It's easy to forget the guy's only 22. He has the "poise" of a much older player.

The "youngsters" and the draft give me hope that it won't be this bad for long.

Ben Copeland, because the Giants can't have enough OF prospects

by nvsfg on Aug 28, 2007 2:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Are you folks watching the same "young kids" as I am? Apart from the Maharajai and maybe Ortmeier, I'm not convinced there's a major leaguer in the bunch.

Billy Hayes: Nine more big-league plate appearances than you.

by delorean on Aug 28, 2007 3:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

And I'm talking strictly position players here, of course.

Billy Hayes: Nine more big-league plate appearances than you.

by delorean on Aug 28, 2007 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Just the fact that there are "young" postition players that are getting a serious look is a positive and I think Nate has real potential.

by APGiantsFan on Aug 28, 2007 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Yeah, I could be convinced to add Nate to the list. My reaction is mostly against Frandsen, I guess. He really impressed me in Spring Training, but he's been a big disappointment (until very recently) since his callup. I thought he'd be a solid middle infielder, but I find myself holding my breath every time a ball is hit his way.

Billy Hayes: Nine more big-league plate appearances than you.

by delorean on Aug 28, 2007 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

I have no doubt that, barring major injury, Frannie will be successful enough to accumulate 6 years experience.

The problem with his defense seems to be that he's trying to play too fast, he's too excited. This is the main reason that he struggles on routine plays but pulls off many stellar ones. I expect that he will grow out of this.

Zealously advocating for Nate the Great since 2007.

by orangeandblackattack on Aug 28, 2007 6:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Here here... even though I think Frandsen probably does, in truth, quite verily suck

by mjrboredom on Aug 29, 2007 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

C'mon, you have to give "Frannie" some love !

Who's more "gritty" ? Who's more "scrappy" ?

Ben Copeland, because the Giants can't have enough OF prospects

by nvsfg on Aug 28, 2007 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

It's not been so much, that they've played great, or that they've got great future's in the game. It's more a case of there's been a number of them who have played, and most haven't looked out of place. Whilst there's viable concerns about their futures, it's been nice to see, especially compared with the young players we've had recently, and looks better than it did at the start of the season!

by GiantFan on Aug 28, 2007 4:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

i can understand that. i really wish there was another IF prospect ready to come up, though.

Billy Hayes: Nine more big-league plate appearances than you.

by delorean on Aug 28, 2007 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Lincecum -- I felt before the season that Tim was already the Giants best pitcher. Watching him pitch at San Jose was akin to watching Danny Almonte pitch in the Little League World Series.
Lowry -- I expected a bounce back from Noah this season, but despite his team starter-leading ERA, I have been a bit disappointed. With a horrendous 1.51 WHIP, a strikeout rate that is nearly as low as last season's presumedly injury-induced mark and by far the highest walk rate of his career, I feel Noah's good season has been more the result of good luck (such as only one of 15 bequeathed runners' scoring and some GREAT defense behind him) than of actual good pitching.
Bullpen -- I expected the bullpen to come together decently this season, although admittedly I had the same belief last season as was sorely let down.
Morris trade -- Why did the Giants sign Matt in the first place? I WAS quite happy they were almost miraculously able to deal him to the Pirates, but why didn't they trade him in May or June, when he was pitching like an All-Star. Just as with Lowry now, it was obvious that Matt was pitching well on borrowed time.
Benitez trade -- There is a wise faction out there who believe that one should rarely spend big bucks on a closer. Armando could perhaps be used as exhibit A in that regard.
Play of the young position players -- I believe it is mostly an illusion. Nate Schierholtz might indeed become an everyday player, and Kevin Frandsen has a slight possiblity of doing so, but by and large these guys are platoon players at best.
Draft -- I hope this turns out to be the BEST thing about the 2007 season. I like Noonan and Fairley, and Carlos Gomez is psyched up about Alderson and especially Mad Bum. But the Giants had the chance to realize there aren't likely to be many good places to spend their money this off-season and have the vision to commit more of the available bucks to this year's draft. Had they drafted Rick Porcello instead of Alderson and Kyle Russell with one of their last two supplemental round picks, I think they would have been runaway winners in the draft instead of mere winners.

Of course, winning at all is something that has become a little foreign to the organization. :)

by sharksrog on Aug 28, 2007 3:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

whatever happened to danny almonte?

by sleeknerve on Aug 28, 2007 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

He just retired from the over 60 league

Barry Zito -- Catch Me if You Can.

by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

good job of posting all your "positives." I think you left out 9/11 and the job being done by President Bush.

Randy Messenger: "I'll be back soon and we'll be rid of Scott Atchison"

by rxmeister on Aug 29, 2007 8:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Lincecum, Cain, draft, Bonds. It's amazing how much Tim developed as a pitcher since his first game in the bigs.

by Caught Backcourt on Aug 28, 2007 4:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

noah- i'll say it, i'm heterosexually man-crushing his season. His stats aren't sexy, but he gets out there, throws the ball (with his left-hand!) and his paycheck is a baseball bargain.
will he keep up this pace, especially with the amount of walks he gives up? hell no. but we'll have a 16 win, 26 y/o trade chip who is signed to a cheap contract in an off-season where curt shilling is the biggest name pitcher available. bring on adam jones!

i'd also say timmy, rajai, and the draft have been high points.

Dodgers fans eat their young.

by redhornet78 on Aug 28, 2007 4:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

I would say that now, as opposed to over the offseason, I am more convinced that the Giants are heading in the right direction.

*Lincecum and Cain are a pair of pitchers that are ideal to rebuild a team around.

*The Giants have a lot of youngish guys in the pen, and a lot more at double and single A that might contribute in the immediate future. Developing a system that keeps a constant flow of effective relievers will help keep the young starters helthy.

*The current crop of guys getting their tryouts are alright, but it is important to expect only what they can give. I think between Lewis, Davis, Ortmeier and Schierholtz we will have at least two reasonably effective cheap starters and a role player or two. Their main contribution will be in allowing us to spend money on FAs in the infield.

*Scottsdale, might, might have our infield of the future, but that future is a ways off (at least 3 for AV).

my rank goes like this
lincecum
cain
scottsdale
draft
bullpen
young outfielders + frandsen

there is no pain greater than being behind the Rockies in the standings

by oldjacket on Aug 28, 2007 7:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Puppies!

Duh.

Steve Kline: Lately, significantly less okay

by groug on Aug 29, 2007 12:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

Lincecum
Cain (I <3 Him)
The return of Brian Sabean being the fleecer and no longer the fleecé in the Benitez/Morris trades (even though his "Waiver Deadline Trade" thinking was, at best, lame as hell)

by mjrboredom on Aug 29, 2007 9:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Diary of Positives

I put Cain #1 ahead of Lincecum because if he turned out to be a bust, it would have been a greater disappointment than if Lincecum spent the whole year in the minors.

The Giants are in a much better position with two potential aces than they are with all that weight being put on The Franchise.

by achiappanza on Aug 29, 2007 10:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

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