Sabean must come through...

Hey look, a 17th thread on trading the vets.

Is like a stock market panic and has as much thought and planning as well. Yes, it could be wise to do some selling, but only if we get something we want in return.

The Giants have already placed thier arbitration eligable middle relievers on the market. (Hennessey, Walker, and Chulk). I believe the Giants will also place their expiring contracts infielders on the market (Durham, Vizquel, and Aurilia) once they conclude that they will definately be both below .500 and more the 5 games out at the trade deadline and therefore not in a postion to compete for the division championship.

I do not see the Giants putting Bengie Molina on the market under any circumstances this year. I see the Giants planning on Bengie being their catcher in 2009 and again trying to compete in 2009. We simply do not have an in house option that will be ready next year and with Posey and Sandoval in the pipeline for 2010 is makes no sense to move Molina and then try and find someone else for 2009.

Finally I have come to the conclusion that the Giants are not likely to trade Winn just to unblock Schierholtz. The Giants will only make this trade if they get someone of they believe is of equal value and ready to play every day at the MLB level. The Giants will trade the above middle relievers and infielders for non top tier prospects but they will not trade Randy this cheaply. I only see Randy going if say a quality ready to start at the MLB level SS comes back in return.

I support as much as anyone the idea of moving veterans at the deadline. Durham and Winn’s trade value, and perhaps Molina’s may never be higher than they’ll be between now and the end of July. That being said, several of the kids quoted in the papers over the weekend have mentioned how much they’ve learned about situational hitting from watching the vets.

While I think we can all agree that it would be great for Sabean to get something for guys like Winn, Aurilia, Durham etc, I think it might also be unrealistic to expect for him to be able to trade them.

Sure they are performing right now, but they are also older, and in Durham’s case not producing in key situations. His splits with men on base are terrible. I can see us getting someone possibly decent for Winn, but as for Aurilia, Durham, Vizquel and Roberts, I really don’t seem them getting anything. Unless the Pirates want to pull another Matt Morris type of trade….but they seem to be heading in a new direction where they actually think before they make a move.

Now granted the market hasn’t really been set yet, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up at them being dealt, purely because of the money and age of the latter four. The off-season is a much more likely time for us to acquire people of talent, but that would require us trading away some of our pitching depth. Since luckily Durham, Aurilia and Vizquel will be gone after this year anyway. Hopefully whenever Roberts comes back he could play well enough to be dealt, since leadoff men with SB ability are always in demand at the deadline. Just look at how often Lofton has been traded.