brandon lyon would be an interesting sign, as long as it’s not too expensive. I don’t think he was a Type A or B free agent (though admittedly too lazy to look it up), and he had a nice 2007, consistently posts good walk numbers though I’d like to see a few more strikeouts. Guillermo Mota would be interesting, as long as his Dodger days are behind him. We don’t need the dodger version of agent ned over here. Cordero would be cool too, though I’m sure a lot of teams will be on him. Just please, sabean, stay away from players that require picks. We need all the picks we can get

Cordero jumps out at me as a guy who could come relatively cheap. An incentive laden deal might be the way to go with him and his recent track record of injuries may scare away some teams .

Juan Cruz would be nice as well but I have a sneaking suspicion that someone will severely overpay him and I really do not want that to be us. I feel like he may be this off season’s Scott Eyre. As good as Scott Eyre was for us, I could not have been happier to let him go sign with the Cubs for big money.

I think Beimel may be too expensive as well which leads me to believe that either targeting relievers as add ins to any trades we make or trying to solve the problem internally may be a better bet. None of the other names on that list excite me. If we have $20 million to spend that is OK but I would rather not spend it on uninspiring relievers. If the names I mentioned don’t come cheap, then why not up the international signing and draft budgets?

Lets not make the mistake of spending just to spend and throwing good money after bad.

would be to sign CC. In the extra 30-40 innings he would pitch compared to a typical fifth starter his improvement over the lesser bullpen guys that would typically be pitching in the sixth and seventh innings would be substantial. Add that to the huge improvement he would be over the fifth starter and that makes him the best use of the $20M.

Plus the ability to later trade pitching (Cain or Sanchez when/if Bumgardner and/or Alderson make it up) for the hitter that can step in at the position we weren’t able to fill internally out of 1B, 3B, 2B or SS, whichever that ends up being. At this point there is so much uncertainty over which of the prospects will become ML players that signing a free agent position player could end up blocking one of the few players that would have actually panned out and forcing wasted spending on another position.

What do I think the Giants will do? Sign Brandon Lyon and Joe Crede.

I really, really, really wouldn’t spend the money on a reliever. I mean sure, if Sabes wants to pick up some low risk scrubs to give them a tryout, whatever. But I don’t want to be giving anyone 30+ millions of dollars to pitch for us for a couple of years. Frankly, no matter who we sign, I’m resistant to the notion that we’ll be competitive next year.

What I think Sabean will do: Trevor Hoffman and David Weathers. Veteran leadership scrappy gamerness FTW!

Difficult to say really, i’m not a fan of spending much money on relief pitchers, so it’d probably depend largely on their price & whether you could pick them up on a cheap, low risk deal. To be honest i’d rather pick up a handful of Justin Miller types, than spend much.

Obviously there’s the issue of draft pick compensation as well, i don’t think it’s much of an issue when you’re talking about signing a Teixeira or Sabathia type, but if you’re signing a mediocre reliever then giving up a 2nd round pick is an issue.

Looking at your list there seems to be Cruz, Hoffman, Howry, Springer & Marte that’ll be type A free agents & may require picks, although of course it depends on whether they’re offered arbitration.

Twenty million? Well, get the collared shirt out of the wash, and take me to Red Robin. We’re big spenders now.

Really? Red Robin? When the Dennys ‘Grand Slam Breakfast’ Reyes jokes were just sitting there waiting to be used?

I’m so disappointed.

Make it happen, Sabes!

Cordero is hurt and probably won’t be ready to start the season. He’s one of the those injured guys that gets signed by big market teams who are able to take the risk. That’s probably the Mets, as he has ties to Omar Minaya from their Montreal days. As for who the Giants WILL sign, the one clue we already have is that he was seen talking to Bobby Howry’s agent at the GM meetings. He also has to land at least one lefthander, because all he has now is Taschner who can’t even get lefties out, and Hinshaw, who has been terrible in the Fall League. Marte is currently negotiating a multi year deal with the Yankees, we won’t get in a spending war with the Dodgers for Beimel, so that leaves guys like Ohman and Affeldt. Last year Affeldt signed with a team that promised him a shot at starting, so he’s liable to look at that again, so my predictions are Will Ohman and Bobby Howry.

This quote from mlb.com made me frightened:

They’ve acquired at least one significant free agent in each of the last eight offseasons, including Aaron Rowand (before the 2008 season); Rich Aurilia, Bengie Molina, Dave Roberts and Barry Zito (2007); Matt Morris (2006); Armando Benitez, Mike Matheny and Omar Vizquel (2005); Brett Tomko and Michael Tucker (2004); Edgardo Alfonzo, Ray Durham and Marquis Grissom (2003); Reggie Sanders (2002) and Eric Davis and Shawon Dunston (2001).

That’s a whole lot of suck.

Giants enter offseason thinking title

Who is the defending champions of the thinking title? I am sure we can think better than anyone! Don’t make me get all existential!

If the team really has 20 million, use it to fill 1B or 3B. Throwing money at FA pen help will ultimately end up in disappointment. If I absolutely had to pay a upper-shelf FA reliever, it would be Beimel.

What I’d do: I’m opposed to spending big on the bullpen, given the unpredictability of relievers with small sample sizes each year. If forced to pick one from the list above, I’d go with Dennys Reyes.

What the Giant will do: I fully expect us to pay top dollar for Juan Cruz, who will have a Rowand-like year – mostly okay, but not nearly worth the money.

After Brian Wilson and Sergio Romo, there really isn’t anyone to get excited about.

I’m still liking Hinshaw and Valdez…. certainly, both are far from a sure thing though (especially Merkin with his health issues).

I would go Affeldt and then work to fill the other voids with the Justin Millers and Geno Espinellis of the world. Building a bullpen seems to be a crapshoot and one FA pickup and the rest being from within the org or waiver wire pickups seems just as good of a plan as any, IMO

SF has Sergio Romo for the 8th inning and Brian Wilson for the 9th. A return to health of Merkin Valdez would make an excellent 7th inning guy. Shades of FRod, Worrell and Nen.

Do not spend on relievers. If want a reliever then obtain through trade. Spend the monies on Sabathia, Teixiera or Furcal.

a FA reliever is a good idea… looking at 1 year of stats is certainly a bad idea.

after wilson, romo and hinshaw, i didn’t even know we had a bullpen. what is this bullpen you speak of? are they behind the people warming up in the giants uniforms?

While I’m not exactly excited about Yabu, the dude pitched well. If he returns, I’m cool with that, especially if it’s not for a lot of money.

My personal plan would be to not spend big money on the bullpen. It’s typically a wasted notion, unless you’re willing to pay top dollar for a top bullpen arm. So while the general consensus on the site is that Hinshaw walks too many and Valdez needs to not be injured, I think a ’pen with Wilson, Romo, Hinshaw, Valdez, and Yabu can be just fine. Then supplement with whomever from the minors that pitches better than okay.

I do suspect we’ll be bidders on a few FA bullpen arms, and I’m going to be pissed about it.

Give me Cordero, Cruz, or Ohman assuming none are expensive (may be a big assumption with Cruz). Otherwise, throw Hedrick into the pen and save the money for hitters.

What the Giants will do with relievers? Something dumb. Hopefully its not a long term liability. If one of the above relievers are available for cheap ( money with no picks) and little commitment I am fine with it otherwise I am squarely in the "Don’t spend to import non elite relievers camp." Especially with so many holes and question marks else were. You are familiar with our options at first to third on the field? You have seen our batting line ups right? So if said reliever works well just what have we gained here 1-2 wins on ’09. Its debatable if they keep those 1-2 wins in 2010. Compared to what the cost are I am not real keen on the risk vs. reward ratio here.

My wish: The bottom of the rotation market baby! They are there in decent numbers for a change. Before someone blows a fuse over spending 8-10MM per year answer me this. If you are willing to spend 4-5MM for 70 -80 IP what is wrong with 8-10MM for 170-200 IP? And you don’t need to tie a second roster slot to get the "bonus" innings.

20 million (per year) + some deffered cash could probably net C.C. or Texiera. That’s how I’d spend it…then I’d try to dump Rowand on the Yankees to clear up some more cash.

As for the relievers listed I would agree that Howry on an incentive deal would probably make the most sense. I also like Beimel’s 0 HR’s allowed but he’s going to get a stupid contract for his shiny ERA.

Pretty minor here in San Jose.

No details yet.

I’m LOLing that Mota blew 75% of his save opportunities last season.

David Weathers has never played for the Giants.

of spending on a starter who takes innings away from the bullpen is the wily counterintuitive way to go. Let me offer my own spin. Instead of $140 M/7 years for CC, how about $36 M/3 yrs for Derek Lowe? He averaged more than 6 IP per start in his four Dodger years. He throws ground balls galore, a real plus when pitching in Arizona and Coors. And he wouldn’t require the same long term commitment.

That’s my vote. Affeldt is going to cost some money, but he’s a legit set-up man. Could allow the Giants to start the season with three lefties in the pen. Uehara will probably have the most immediate impact of any of the three big-name Japanese transfers this year. He was a starter on the last WBC team, and converted to the bullpen two years ago.

i may get punched in the face for saying this, but Trevor Hoffman? check out those component stats though!!! minus that ridiculous home run rate, that tRA would look mighty pretty.