Diary of Positives
by GiantFan on Aug 28, 2007 1:06 PM PDT
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.
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.
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.
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Re: Diary of Positives
by EliminateMe on Aug 28, 2007 1:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by llamalimbo1 on Aug 28, 2007 1:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
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
Re: Diary of Positives
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).
by Goofus on Aug 28, 2007 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by positiveuphemism on Aug 28, 2007 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Still can't shake this
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.
by victor frankenstein on Aug 28, 2007 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by GiantFan on Aug 28, 2007 1:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by jponry on Aug 28, 2007 1:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by jponry on Aug 28, 2007 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Draft
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: Diary of Positives
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.
by tk on Aug 28, 2007 1:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
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.
by Goofus on Aug 28, 2007 1:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
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.
by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by ejdacanay on Aug 28, 2007 2:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by Goofus on Aug 28, 2007 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
Eric Byrnes signed an extension with the D-Bags. Now Sabean can't sign him -- Great for our future.
by Woody Wins on Aug 28, 2007 2:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by rxmeister on Aug 29, 2007 8:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
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.
by nvsfg on Aug 28, 2007 2:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by delorean on Aug 28, 2007 3:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by delorean on Aug 28, 2007 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by APGiantsFan on Aug 28, 2007 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by delorean on Aug 28, 2007 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
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.
by orangeandblackattack on Aug 28, 2007 6:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by mjrboredom on Aug 29, 2007 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
Who's more "gritty" ? Who's more "scrappy" ?
by nvsfg on Aug 28, 2007 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by GiantFan on Aug 28, 2007 4:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
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.
by sharksrog on Aug 28, 2007 3:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by sleeknerve on Aug 28, 2007 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by E Ticket on Aug 28, 2007 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by rxmeister on Aug 29, 2007 8:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
by Caught Backcourt on Aug 28, 2007 4:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
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.
by redhornet78 on Aug 28, 2007 4:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Diary of Positives
*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
by oldjacket on Aug 28, 2007 7:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Puppies!
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
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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