Delmon Young and Moby Dick References

by Grant on Oct 15, 2008 11:48 AM PDT

How a good rumormonger works:

1. Newspaper article hints that Delmon Young might be on the trading block.

2. The story is posted at a message board-type hangout for Giants’ fans. The Giants should be in the market for young power hitters, so even though the article doesn’t specifically mention the Giants as potential trade partners, the connection makes sense, and it sparks a spirited discussion.

3. A different writer buries a Delmon-to-Giants?-note deep in a column that’s mostly about the Minnesota Gophers. The mention is just offhand, hey-look-this-kind-of-makes-sense speculation, but now that the Pioneer Press has run with it, I can write the following:

I can’t reveal my source, but someone close to the Twins thinks that a Delmon-to-Giants swap might be close.

4. Eliminate any mention of the Pioneer Press article before I post.

5. Enjoy the riches and womens that come along with being a top-level rumormonging blog captain.

So let me start today’s column with this nugget: I can’t reveal my source, but someone close to the Twins thinks that a Delmon-to-Giants swap might be close.

Young is my white whale. He’s young, powerful (well, he will be), and undervalued. There aren’t a whole lot of position-player busts with #1 overall picks, and Young went into the draft with the kind of scouting pedigree reserved for special players. Alex Rodriguez. Justin Upton. Rickie Weeks. These kind of scoutgasm-inducing players don’t come around too often.

People are souring on Young for different reasons. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is poor. His power is nonexistent. His defense is poor. His attitude is bad. To which I respond: He’s 22, he’s 22, I can live with it, and he’s 22. Young was rushed through the minors, and his K/BB ratio was never sterling, but he always showed an ability to hit for average and power. He has two seasons of empty batting averages at the major league level, but his walk rate and strikeout rate are both moving in the right direction.

The problem: Even if the Giants wanted to trade Jonathan Sanchez, he wouldn't be enough, especially since the Twins’ problem isn’t really a dearth of young starting pitchers. The Twins need a shortstop, a third baseman, and a power hitter or two. Between the two teams, there are a lot of square holes and few square pegs. So while Young is my white whale, I’m not holding my breath, even though I have an inside source claiming a deal is imminent.

Why doesn’t anyone want to just give a young, undervalued hitter to the Giants? I’ll tell you why: conspiracy. Barry Bonds…wild card playoffs after 1993…reverse vampires…I’ll give you the .PDF if you want it.

Comment starter: Delmon Young if you want to, but you might have already commented on the Delmon FanPost. So give us your white whale. Chris Davis? Andy Laroche? Adrian Beltre? Here’s a dumping ground for your best argument.

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Comments

Yes on Delmon

My white whale: Ben Zobrist

I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Oct 15, 2008 11:55 AM PDT 0 recs

1st

Wladamir Balentien – always has been for some reason

Do you Wazzel?

by NeifiChicken on Oct 15, 2008 11:55 AM PDT 0 recs

Dmitiri Young. And Kyle Farnsworth. And Papelbon.

So the Giants will have lots and lots and ots of Dugout Chats written about them.

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Oct 15, 2008 11:56 AM PDT 0 recs

Travis Denker

Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com. It's not being updated right now. Hope for more at your own risk.

by groug on Oct 15, 2008 11:58 AM PDT 0 recs

Beat me to it.

Neglectful father of David Quinowski

by marcello on Oct 15, 2008 12:25 PM PDT up 0 recs

No on Delmon: mostly because we already have a full outfield and it would cost too much to get him, and I’m not a believer in his power potential because of his approach at the plate.

But also you can’t dismiss his bad attitude. Tampa couldn’t wait to get rid of the guy. After one year, the Twins can’t wait to get rid of the guy? that’s not a coincidence. They guy has Milton Bradley written all over him.

Oh, and still Joey Votto.

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 15, 2008 12:00 PM PDT 0 recs

Milton Bradley written all over him....

that sounds like a good endorsement to me

Do you Wazzel?

by NeifiChicken on Oct 15, 2008 12:02 PM PDT up 0 recs

although as players, they don’t have much in common, it’s mainly their reputations

Do you Wazzel?

by NeifiChicken on Oct 15, 2008 12:02 PM PDT up 0 recs

right. I wasn’t talking on field production.

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 15, 2008 12:21 PM PDT up 0 recs

My white whale is Jonathan Sanchez.

by rotorueter on Oct 15, 2008 12:06 PM PDT 0 recs

Jeff Kent

Oh…this is 2008, you say?

Then…um…Vladamir Guererro. Always will be.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Oct 15, 2008 12:07 PM PDT 0 recs

I’ve liked him in the past but I’m not as high as on him as I once was. If you examined him just by plate discipline, he’s a Bengie Molina clone. Swings at everything, even outside of the zone. His defense is horrible and I’m wondering if his power will ever develop.

I think a potentially good player comp for him is Jose Gullien (career line of: .273/.323/.446) with maybe even worse defense. Does anyone drool over a Jose Guillen? Probably not.

His age is the best thing going for him but his age alone isn’t some guarantee that he’ll develop into something more and it shouldn’t be treated as such.

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Oct 15, 2008 12:08 PM PDT 0 recs

And my white whale is probably a young power hitting 3B like Ryan Zimmerman or Evan Longoria.

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Oct 15, 2008 12:10 PM PDT up 0 recs

I also really like Troy Tulowitzki.

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Oct 15, 2008 1:14 PM PDT up 0 recs

kicks xanthan in the nutz

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Oct 15, 2008 1:21 PM PDT up 0 recs

I KNOW, he’s kinda douchey or whatever but I have dreams of a Giants SS that can hit AND field.

CRAZY AWESOME DREAMS, MAN.

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Oct 15, 2008 1:29 PM PDT up 0 recs

Nah, i feel ya

He’s not quite in the same league as Victorino to me, but he seems like a smug fucker. The kind of smug fucker I would love if he were in a Giants uni, or in another division.

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Oct 15, 2008 1:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

Tulo’s my boy from high school. He can be a douche bag to people that don’t know him.

Too bad he’s an A’s fan.

Sergio Romo will gladly hand you a bench to sit on / GIANTSPACE™ / Adopted brother of the AnVil

by SoFa King Mike on Oct 15, 2008 3:02 PM PDT up 0 recs

I used to like Tulo. Now I don’t.

There amass been plenty of articles written this spring about the stud shortstop Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum , as well as the fluid young outfielders and thirteen basemen Kevin Frandsen.
comics | cartoons | Nattowear | McFAQ I & II

by Natto on Oct 15, 2008 3:09 PM PDT up 0 recs

He's a Giants hating A's fan.

A gamer does NOT wear a foam finger, a dork does.

by SFGuy on Oct 15, 2008 4:42 PM PDT up 0 recs

Too bad he’s an ~~A’s fan.~~ domestic terrorist

Charlie Hayes ate my homework

by glenallen hill's waterpipe on Oct 15, 2008 5:02 PM PDT up 0 recs

I thought of Guillen too, but looking at their numbers,

I’m not sure Guillen is all that good a comp, considering age to level. Guillen struggled to be even close to an MLB average hitter for years; granted, he often was jerked around, but given how mediocre his MLB performances were, it wasn’t surprising that his teams were having him a on a short leash.

Off the top of my head, I can’t really think of anyone all that comparable to Young. Well, Sosa maybe, but Sosa is probably the max possible upside for Young.

ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524

by rfloh on Oct 16, 2008 2:03 AM PDT up 0 recs

Why trade when you can just pay cash?

Mark Teixeira

by Lars The Wanderer on Oct 15, 2008 12:09 PM PDT 0 recs

My white whale?

Barry Bonds. Do the 4 outfield rotation thing and give him 450 PA. And then make the big move of trade/signing of Uggla/Tex/CC/whatever tickles your fancy. Dave Roberts can play the role of Jason Ellison.

I’m actually really surprised this hasn’t been brought up yet this offseason…

Brad Hennessey: the next Kevin Correia
Kevin Correia: the next Brad Hennessey

by stealth snail on Oct 15, 2008 12:17 PM PDT 0 recs

It hasn’t been brought up because there is a 0% chance of it happening. If the Giants wanted to do this, they would have done it last year, before Fred Lewis was a sure thing.

by rotorueter on Oct 15, 2008 12:24 PM PDT up 0 recs

or jason ellison can play the role of jason ellison?

Also known to haunt as theghostoftravisdenker and theaccidentalghostofsergioromo.

by theghostofjasonellison on Oct 15, 2008 2:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

My white whale is Tyler Walker. (rimshot)

No, my Crazy Crab bobblehead is not for sale.

by Kitspool on Oct 15, 2008 12:28 PM PDT 0 recs

SF Giants 2009 SS Rafael Furcal

SF needs a starting SS in 2009. Not yet sold on Manny Burriss as a ML starting SS. Furcal is listed as a Type B FA so the Giants would not lose a draft pick.

by wilriv21 on Oct 15, 2008 12:29 PM PDT 0 recs

Yes the Giants would lose a draft pick if the Dodgers offered Furcal compensation, and they most absolutely will. It will be their 2nd round draft choice.

by The MLBeat on Oct 15, 2008 12:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

Say the Dodgers offer Furcal arbitration and he declines and then signs with the Giants. The Giants would not give up any draft picks, but the Dodgers would get an extra pick between the first and second round (sandwich pick).

Another case is Dodgers can receive draft pick compensation without offering arbitration if Furcal is signed before December 1st. Obviously Sabean must realize Furcal is not Tucker and sign the deal after December 1st.

by wilriv21 on Oct 15, 2008 12:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

NO!

Step away…from…the Furcal!

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Oct 15, 2008 2:01 PM PDT up 1 recs

My White Whales are Andy LaRoche and Asdrubal Cabrera.

Proud adoptive parent of Tim Alderson.

by Anticon23 on Oct 15, 2008 12:29 PM PDT 0 recs

For years, it was Vladimir Guerrero – I was always fond of Les Expos, so I got on that bandwagon pretty early.

Now? Hmm. I guess I don’t have one. My hopes for the Giants are more modest, like that maybe they’ll sign Mark Ellis, or that Nick Noonan will learn to take a walk.

What man? Which man? Who’s the man? When’s a man a man? What makes a man a man? Am I a man? Yes. Technically I am. - FotC

by jcb9 on Oct 15, 2008 12:29 PM PDT 0 recs

Nate the Great

Poor Nate. Will Giants fans ever give him a chance? If they let him go he will be legit with another team, and give the SF fans new material to whine about for a few years.

My White Whale is Robinson Cano.

by The MLBeat on Oct 15, 2008 12:30 PM PDT 0 recs

Yeah, Nate Bump is totally underrated.

What man? Which man? Who’s the man? When’s a man a man? What makes a man a man? Am I a man? Yes. Technically I am. - FotC

by jcb9 on Oct 15, 2008 12:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

white whale

steve balboni

im adopting "insert 37th pick's name here"

by Headhunter Rollins on Oct 15, 2008 12:37 PM PDT 0 recs

Pete Incaviglia?

What man? Which man? Who’s the man? When’s a man a man? What makes a man a man? Am I a man? Yes. Technically I am. - FotC

by jcb9 on Oct 15, 2008 12:41 PM PDT up 0 recs

My white whale is nobody and by that I mean that my white whale is Travis Ishikawa.

It doesn’t really look like he’s going to get much of a shot next year as Sabean is looking for third basemen and penciling in Sandoval at first, but I keep hoping that something goes awry and that he does. (But not atPablito’s expense).

The Denker bus is now bound for San Diego. Those who were passengers on it are now angrily stranded at a gas station in Modesto, CA. Not much about baseball here .

by oldjacket on Oct 15, 2008 12:40 PM PDT 0 recs

Call me Ishikawa.

The Examined Life
"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK

by Josh from Hollywood on Oct 15, 2008 12:51 PM PDT up 0 recs

Some seasons ago – nevermind how many precisely – having little or no playing time in my future and nothing particular to interest me in Fresno…

by Lars The Wanderer on Oct 15, 2008 12:54 PM PDT up 0 recs

I’m so glad nobody has mentioned Prince Fielder…oops

by The MLBeat on Oct 15, 2008 12:41 PM PDT 0 recs

THAR SHE BLOWS!

QUICK, TRADE MATT CAIN FOR IT!

The Denker bus is now bound for San Diego. Those who were passengers on it are now angrily stranded at a gas station in Modesto, CA. Not much about baseball here .

by oldjacket on Oct 15, 2008 12:55 PM PDT up 0 recs

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 15, 2008 12:57 PM PDT 0 recs

by Lars The Wanderer on Oct 15, 2008 12:58 PM PDT up 0 recs

Chubby drummers are awesome.

..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.

by Cookyman on Oct 15, 2008 1:05 PM PDT up 0 recs

isn’t Moby related to Herman Melville?

The Denker bus is now bound for San Diego. Those who were passengers on it are now angrily stranded at a gas station in Modesto, CA. Not much about baseball here .

by oldjacket on Oct 15, 2008 12:58 PM PDT up 0 recs

Yeah

Melville is his great-great-great-granduncle. His real name is Richard Melville Hall.

by Natto on Oct 15, 2008 1:11 PM PDT up 0 recs

Andy is a dick!

by Natto on Oct 15, 2008 1:13 PM PDT up 0 recs

Space Ghost Space Ghost
Clickity Click

by Lars The Wanderer on Oct 15, 2008 1:14 PM PDT up 0 recs

Matt Antonelli

I would be happy to get Uggla. But if not, it would be so nice to have a real prospect at 2B rather than some velez/frandsen/not-denker mess.

by Scottsdale on Oct 15, 2008 1:00 PM PDT 0 recs

White Whale(s)

Chris Davis and Elvis Andrus

I see the future, and it is Pablo

by CB30 on Oct 15, 2008 1:11 PM PDT 0 recs

Ian Kinsler. Has been for years.

Adopted Son: Brad Hennessey. Beloved for a stolen base much like Dave Roberts

by AndYourBirdCanSing on Oct 15, 2008 1:18 PM PDT 0 recs

nelson cruz…

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081010&content_id=3610350&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf

by cazzuno on Oct 15, 2008 1:19 PM PDT 0 recs

J.J. Hardy — the rare underrated whiteboy, who’d single-handedly make our infield something other than completely gross.

by onlxn on Oct 15, 2008 1:32 PM PDT 0 recs

Wright and Reyes

kidding…. it would take an insane package to pick up those two

Adopted Giant: Aaron King

Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat

P.S. I Love Matt Cain. but only hetero-ly

by baetown415 on Oct 15, 2008 1:39 PM PDT 0 recs

There's almost no package able to get those two

at least not from one team.

Can't get enough of the Oakland A's or Golden State Warriors? Visit Oaktown Awesomer's and Golden Stat Hoops

by iamawesomer on Oct 15, 2008 1:41 PM PDT up 0 recs

no reasonable package anyway…

Adopted Giant: Aaron King

Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat

P.S. I Love Matt Cain. but only hetero-ly

by baetown415 on Oct 15, 2008 1:48 PM PDT up 0 recs

Prioritize

Which one would you go after first?

by wilriv21 on Oct 15, 2008 1:50 PM PDT up 0 recs

probably Wright

not that I wouldn’t mind Jose

Adopted Giant: Aaron King

Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat

P.S. I Love Matt Cain. but only hetero-ly

by baetown415 on Oct 15, 2008 1:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

NY Mets

After missing playoffs again the Mets will probably have some activity this winter. The Mets could use a closer (Wilson?) and an OF (Schierholtz, Lewis or Winn?) Maybe a young arm?

by wilriv21 on Oct 15, 2008 2:01 PM PDT up 0 recs

i think it’ll take at least your A and B (Winn most likely), plus a premium young arm, whether established (~~cain or~~ sanchez blah blah blah) or young (Sosa, MadBum, Tim 2.0; please no) and maybe a young 2B like Denker. oh wait

Adopted Giant: Aaron King

Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat

P.S. I Love Matt Cain. but only hetero-ly

by baetown415 on Oct 15, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up 0 recs