The Giants are still an abysmal offensive team. This 1-run performance puts them at exactly 4 runs per game on the season. By a quirk of fate, there are actually two significantly worse offenses in the NL this season, the Nats and Pads. Historically speaking, however, 4 runs per game is a rancid performance. It’s notably worse than last year (4.22 R/G), and right on par with nearly Bondless 2005 season (4.01 R/G). I don’t see how they’re going to improve much on this front over the course of the season. Molina and Rowand have already seen significant dropoffs from their hot Mays, and I suspect that the former in particular still has alot more dropping to do. I also think that most would be disappointed if Winn weren’t moved by the deadline, which certainly wouldn’t help the offense in the second half.

I’m also strongly opposed to any sort of suggestion that the Giants are contenders. They aren’t.. This is a woeful team. They’re on pace to lose 92 games, and their run differential suggest that they’re actually a bit worse than that. We’ve fallen into this trap before: Just because the division is bad doesn’t mean a 90+ loss team is a contender. And 6 out at the halfway point isn’t “within reach”, it’s just on pace finish the season 12 back.

Just for funsies, I did a search to see if anybody ever suggested Lewis and Sanchez for Crede. Nobody ever did on this website, but BruteSentiment (in March 2007) did suggest Lewis and Sanchez for Josh Fields. Over a year later, and that trade would only be marginally more difficult to turn down…

I think your expectations for Lewis are pretty optimistic. He’s not likely to ever consistently hit for average much better than he is right now, he’s probably at best on the fringes of 15-20 power (which confuses me to no end because dude has a good body for power), and the numbers he has this year are buffered by what seems to be a very friendly platoon. Don’t get me wrong. I loves me some Lew, but he’d have some major growing to do to be the player you describe (in my personal opinion).

I think Sanchez has turned a lot of heads, not only with how little time it took him to lock in (which was great), but particularly (and perhaps this is again just a personal thing) with his health. He hasn’t missed a start. He hasn’t been on any short pitch counts. He hasn’t had any soreness. There’s still half a season to go, and the health of his arm will probably always scare me, but with each week the “predictions” of doom and gloom that I was bandying about pre-season become and less and less relevant. I’ll take two full consecutive seasons of generally good health before I let him fall off of my “don’t be surprised when his arm falls off” list, but he’s gotten to the point where I’m not surprised that his arm ISN’T falling off, and that’s something.

I’m not sure that most people here ever thought it would be reasonable to give up that much for a guy like Crede. Like I said, the closest I found was over a year ago and instead of Crede, we were asking for Josh Fields (a MIGHTY bounty). I also saw one person in early 2008 suggest that Bocock for Crede straight up would have been a fair deal. Sure, it was a joke, but… lol.

But I agree. I’m extremely glad that nothing like these trades ever happened. Crede makes me crINGE a little, even when he’s hitting well. Could we have signed an extension? How long will that back hold up? Back problems don’t just go away. I believe they run a pretty high risk of being chronic. How do we expect a guy with these question marks to be a good bet to be either with the team or effective in three years? Now, Josh Fields… Yum.

And Rios for Lincecum. Many laughed in the face of that at the time. Regardless of whether I was among that brood, I join you in laughing in the face of it now.

The Giants did make one lousy move this offseason, though. They signed a contract with NBC.

Supposing Lincecum got traded for Rios and Sanchez/Lewis was traded for Crede, let’s see what the team looks like:

LF – Winn
2B – Durham
RF – Rios
C – Molina
CF – Rowand
3B – Crede
1B – Aurilia
SS – Vizquel/Burris

Rotation:
Cain
Zito
Correia
Misch
Someone…

While the lineup sort of looks semi-okay, with legitimate hitter types in the middle, that rotation makes me feel ill.

No need to trade for Crede, we can sign him for $18M/year after the season.
I think people were willing to trade Sanchez for a solid hitting prospect… but people were more than a little queasy about it.

Lincecum for Rios would have probably been the worst second-worst trade of all time.

Jonathan Sanchez has come along much faster than anyone could have anticipated. There was a lot of hype around him last season but no one could seem to understand why. All that was ever said about was that he “has a live arm, and a lot of potential.” After finishing 2007 with a record of 1-5 and an ERA close to 6.00. It’s a wonder no one wanted him. However, he has quickly become the Giants best pitcher next to Lincecum. .

There are a few of us here who have always believed in Jonathan Sanchez. We believed he was a special talent. The concern was that we saw him as a starting pitcher and thought the SF Giants needed to stop jerking the kid around. FINALLY the Giants are reaping the rewards of Jonathan Sanchez – the starting pitcher.

I still doubt Sabean even considered this deal. I remember him saying that they had to listen to offers for he and Cain but I also distinctly remember it being discussed here and many coming to the conclusion, perhaps rightfully so, that the Giants never intended to include Lincecum in that deal but because Sabean said Cain and Lincecum were “almost untouchable” teams went there immediately while someone like Rios really would have only commanded a Sanchez and change in Sabean’s eyes. I tend to believe this to be true and therefore do not wake up in the morning thanking my lucky stars that a deal which I believe never had a chance of getting done didnt happen. Say what you want about Sabean but there is no way that deal was happening.

Lastings Milledge
Edwin Encarnacion
Asdrubal Cabrera
Steven Pearce

Piece of evidence #2432 that I should never be allowed near the front office of a baseball team. I’d hang up on a GM who tried to offer me those players now. Maybe not Cabrera. He’ll still be a stud.