Lobster Harmonicas
by Grant Brisbee on Jul 21, 2008 12:36 PM PDT
Email
PrintRay Durham: Good Giant. He struggled with injuries in his first couple of seasons with the team, though he still managed over 400 at-bats, and he struggled with crippling suck last season, but he was a good Giant. There was a chance that the suck would leach into 2008, as was incorrectly forecast in this masterpiece of misplaced cynicism.
It didn’t, and the Giants were able to get actual players back for Durham. The organization is surprisingly thin with emergency starter-types after Pat Misch, and Steve Hammond gives a little bit more depth for the next couple of seasons. The organization is unsurprisingly thick with speedy, no-hit centerfield-types, and they’ll just add Darren Ford to the pile. For the next few seasons, the Giants will plunk a quarter in the organizational machine, move the claw around, and hope that they finally grab a speedy centerfield-type who starts to hit. It's better than nothing, though someone with just a touch of power would have made more sense.
Now we move on to the less-than-thrilling debate of What Now?: Second-Base Edition. The contenders:
Travis Denker
Pro:
He actually has a little power. Most of it is doubles power, but his isolated power numbers are still good. After 74 wretched AA at-bats, he’s hit wherever the Giants have stuck him, including the majors.
Con:
He wasn’t supposed to be in the majors this season, and he really isn’t a good enough prospect to rush past AAA. More at-bats in Fresno are what Denker needs. And it’s almost impossible to find someone who isn’t an improvement on Durham’s defense, but here he is. I mean, it’s like a million-to-one shot that one of the next players in line for the job would be just as bad. There’s no way that the Giants could find another player who is actually a downgrade to Durham, and….
Eugenio Velez
Pro:
Oh. Well, Velez brings blazing speed in addition to his fast times from home-to-first and first-to-third, and he wraps it all up with a certain je ne sai quick that is clinically proven to be 34% fastier than store-brand fast. And, don’t look now, but this speed demon was actually hitting in Fresno after his demotion. It would have been easy to pout in those circumstances, so bully for Eugenio.
Con:
He was a disaster in the bigs this year. Defensively, offensively, and on the basepaths, the guy was like the protagonist of some classic Greek myth that explains how the gods gave headaches to the world.
Jose Castillo
Pro:
404 not found.
Con:
Really, I can deal with the guy as a stopgap at third, as the Giants really don’t have a more appealing option, but putting Castillo at second just gets more at-bats for Rich Aurilia. That does nothing much for the present roster, modest power spike aside, and that does nothing for the evaluation of future rosters.
Manny Burriss
Pro:
It’s an absolute travesty that the Giants aren’t letting him get at-bats at any level. Pick an organization from Augusta to San Francisco, put him in the lineup, and let him face professional pitching. The way the Giants have mishandled Burriss and Bocock is worthy of a Bob Woodward exposé. Heck, it’s worthy of a Kitty Kelley exposé, as I’m sure that pill-popping had something to do with it all. Putting Burriss at second will get him some at-bats.
Con:
Burriss at second means Vizquel at short, which means zero home runs from 25% of the lineup. Like, a literal big fat zero. Power isn’t everything, but Vizquel and (probably) Burriss will also be in over their heads in every other offensive aspect. And this is all done to get Vizquel in the lineup? Vizquel has had 150+ at-bats of sub-Lincecum production with no signs of improvement. It’s amazing that he’s still a factor.
Ivan Ochoa
Pro:
Eh.
Con:
I dunno. Sure, he was having a nice season in Fresno, and he’s younger than Eugenio, but he’s still a career .255/.338/.324 hitter in the minors.
Give me a side of Eugenio at second, with a main course of more Burriss at short. I’m tempted to go with Denker, but Velez’s performance in AAA swings the vote his direction.
161 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I’ll take Travis, Denker very much.
Actually, that was just fun to say. I’m just glad that it will be any of those guys.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
Denker, definitely
Put Ochoa (“mini Vizquel”, as someone was calling him) at SS, and send Burriss back to the minors, please. I like Burriss, but I never expected to see him this early, and he needs to learn how to hit the ball a little harder, which will probably be easier against minor league pitching.
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
I’d like to see either Denker or Velez at second and Manny at short. If you held a gun to my head, I guess I’d choose Denker.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I pretty much agree with this except if someone puts a gum to jponry’s head, I’d say, “You don’t have the guts to pull the trigger!”
Adoptive father of howtheyscored. The beatings will begin momentarily.
If someone puts a gum to my head, it’ll just get in my hair. :(
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
You can get it out with peanut butter.
Just avoid Goofus’ other kind of butter.
Adopted brother of the AnVil / GIANTSPACE™ returns!
by SoFa King Mike on Jul 21, 2008 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions
To people who don't get this reference,
Don’t ask. Please.
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
for 2008 2B should be Velez or Denker ...
... whichever of the two happens to be hitting better.
But, this is all with the understanding that Kevin Frandsen still has the potential to emulate his hero, Robby Thompson, next season. Start Burriss more at shortstop and keep Castillo at third until we can find a bigger better bat for third.
I hate Velez.
There, I said it.
..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.
I have a feeling we could put together a really, really big support group for that.
I'm adopting a true Giant and an awe-inspring gamer: tk. "Atta babe."
by Mayor of 311 on Jul 21, 2008 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions
yah that damn throw to third base yesterday
is exactly why i cant watch the guy
Someone get Damon Minor's agent on the phone stat!
by fanofvanlandingham on Jul 21, 2008 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions
I thought that
masterpiece of misplace cynicism was me portending that the Giants infield could be one of the worst of ALL-TIME (offensively).
But it wasn’t. However, they are still horrible, even with Durham actually hitting his way out of here, their sOPS+ (OPS of infield compared to other ML infields) is 82. Compared to last years 81. Compared to 1985s 80. Which is all around 25th worst all time, so hey, not that bad amirite?
FIRE BRIAN SABEAN
Velez, I guess, with Ochoa at short. Best case, maybe Eugenio has overcome his all-encompassing awfulness. Worst case, we move up in the Strasburg lottery.
But then there’s this guy, whom I’m all sharksroggy over and who just got DFA’d again. He can’t hit much, but he’s a genius with the glove. Worst case, he shores up the terrible infield defense. Best case, he develops into Mark Ellis.
and also, actually
it looks like they DFAed him so he could qualify for the Olympic team. It would be pretty shady for someone to poach the kid now.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080719&content_id=3156954&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
"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 Jul 21, 2008 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Speedy McF*ckup now, Denker later
Ochoa seems to get a bad case of Eugenio when he plays second, and while Velez’s offense is frustrating. it’s frustrating because it has unrealized potential. Let’s just say that Ochoa doesn’t have much unrealize.
Let Denker have a go at it later this season.
you can't block the Bocock
This
while Velez’s offense is frustrating. it’s frustrating because it has unrealized potential
If he could just get it together, he could be really good.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 1:17 PM PDT up reply actions
It's Eugenio's Job to lose.
Of the available Candidates, Velez has outperformed all of them at the Minor League Level. He started off this season with a horrible performance which put a bad taste it a lot of peoples mouths, but the #’s suggest that he is not as bad as he looked. He got DAS BOOT after only ~ 120 AB’s, which is an impossibly small sample size. (and he still managed to flash some XB power and difference making speed in that short opportunity)
I am 100% behind giving Velez the rest of this season to determine if he has a career in professional baseball or not.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
Focus on the positive
Velez has yet to be picked off 1st base since he returned to the majors!
No, my Crazy Crab bobblehead is not for sale.
IMO that actually is a positive.
I have yet to catch a game w/ him playing at second tho to evaluate his defense.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions
It’s sub-par.
..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.
More like butchery.
Adopted brother of the AnVil / GIANTSPACE™ returns!
by SoFa King Mike on Jul 21, 2008 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Bad we can deal with
It was atrocious that was the deal breaker.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Another thing to point out.
Is if you look at his history, his performance in the first 120 AB’s of this year is a serious outlier. Nothing in his MiL performance suggests that he is anywhere near that bad.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Well, Duh.
But I also have a numbers oriented unbias, and that part of me suggests that Velez is not a .200/.250/<.400 hitter.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Didn't you start that anti-Velez thread that I posted in?
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
Eh, I say Burriss, only because I want to see him play regularly. I feel like he’s the Kevin Frandsen of 2008—a decent player who might actually get into a nice groove at the plate and in the field if they only gave him some goddamnmotherfucking playing time.
I’ve made my peace with Vizquel starting at SS every day the rest of the season. There’s actually an upside to it: it’s a daily advertisement for this organization’s incompetence in failing to develop an adequate backup for a 41-year old position player, and it’s a daily advertisement for Bochy’s moronic preference for veterans over young’uns during what should be a “rebuilding” year.
No, my Crazy Crab bobblehead is not for sale.
Problem With Buriss:
Is he is, IMO, a low upside player. AT BEST he is probably a ~.280 singles hitter with 30 SBs.
I believe Velez to be higher upside because of his XBH power. Velez is probably more of a wild card however.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions
You might be right
I may have been scarred by Velez’ defense (especially the poor communication with the outfielders on those 50/50 balls) during his first go-round. He certainly has more power than Burriss, though.
No, my Crazy Crab bobblehead is not for sale.
I voted for Burriss
only because I have accepted that fact that stupd head Bochy won’t take Vizquel out. It should be Burris as SS and Velez/Denker battle for 2nd.
Bochy/Sabean Logic
Castillo at 2B, Richie at 3B.
Sign Durham to a 4 year deal in the offseason.
Without killing anyone
We've won it 3 times
There actually is one upside for starting Castillo at 2nd
That means Aurilia plays 3rd regularly. The trade deadline is just a week and a half away. If Aurilia can string some hits together and show some productivity, we might be able to get rid of him, too. Then we can move Castillo back to 3rd and Ochoa/Velez/Burriss to 2nd more regularly.
Aurilia has been playing pretty regularly already until he got sick. This arrangement just means more Jose Castillo at bats. is that what you want? Is it?
you can't block the Bocock
Am not!
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions
I was actually hoping to settle it with fisticuffs. Either those or your preferred form of cuffs.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Then meet me behind the park at 5:30 tomorrow, and bring your fingercuffs! We’ll straighten this grammer crap out if it’s the last thing you do.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions
If oldjacket’s post was a Chasing Amy reference like I think it was, you’re in for a surprise.
Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com and on it I make jokes about things.
Ah, I’m not surprised I didn’t catch a Chasing Amy reference. I’m not a huge fan of that movie. Give me Dogma any day of the week, even with the awful Linda Fiorentino acting.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 3:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Mallrats is cool and all, but I can almost never watch the whole thing in one sitting. It’s more of a nibbling kind of movie for me.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Also, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back sucked.
..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.
Has Kevin Smith done anything remotely clever
besides Clerks?
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
I frankly enjoy the entire body of his work.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Dogma?
..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.
I suppose Dogma could be considered remotely clever. But he really needs to work with a real screenwriter. The guy’s scripts are trainwrecks.
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
I think Dogma is far more than remotely clever. “Buddy Jesus” and “make with the love” belong in the movie hall of fame.
Adoptive father of howtheyscored. The beatings will begin momentarily.
"It's a nice way of saying boning"
And it was Buddy Christ.
I like Kevin Smith’s films a great deal. Might help that I lived in Central Jersey for a number of years as a kid.
No.
And while I can appreciate the obstacles that Clerks went through to be mildly amusing on a $5 budget, it’s still just a mildly amusing movie.
by Grant Brisbee on Jul 21, 2008 4:38 PM PDT up reply actions
You obviously were never a stoned teenager.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I was exactly a stoned teenager. Clerks came out in, what, ‘94? My god, this goof and I were halfway to Neptune before that year ended. Clerks has its moments, but I wouldn’t put it above run-of-the-mill mildly amusing Hollywood movies like Along Came Polly or Fever Pitch. The dialog is clever in spots, but way too awkward in others.
by Grant Brisbee on Jul 21, 2008 5:21 PM PDT up reply actions
haha
To each his own, I guess.
Maybe I enjoyed them so much because a friend of mine was from Jersey…
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I kind of like all three of those movies, so I’m not totally excoriating Smith. It’s just that I’ve never understood its “new classic”-status.
by Grant Brisbee on Jul 22, 2008 12:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Everyone knows Bochy is going to put Castillo at 2nd, so I don’t see what the big discussion is about. I mean come on, we have watched the guy write a lineup card every day for the past 2 seasons and there is no way anyone can tell me Castillo will not get the majority of the starts at 2nd. Thats just how Bochy rolls. He can’t even bench Omar. Like boonitez said, best we can hope for is that Richie catches fire and we trade him, so Bochy’s hand is forced a bit.
Myself, I would go for Velez.. I would also put Burris full time at short (DUH). I really don’t think Burris is all that great but we might as well find out now when we are 15 games under 500.
another advantage to starting Velez
is that he’s absolutely hilarious.
If we’re going to be bad, we might as well get a few laughs out of it.
you can't block the Bocock
Which reminds me
You know what’s annoying? Last year, our .408 winning percentage would’ve been bad enough for the first or second pick (Rays got it with a .407 record). This year, if the season ended, we’d be #4.
Just another tiny little thing to remind us that the Baseball Gods are against us.
If only we could've had the 2nd pick..
We would’ve picked….Buster Posey. And the #4 pick next year isn’t so bad. There are usually 1-3 good hitting 1st/3rd baseman to choose from, so we’ll definitely get our pick.
Was there an indication that Posey was tops on our draft board, over Alvarez?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I read somewhere that it was Alvarez then Posey.
by Grant Brisbee on Jul 21, 2008 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Denker.
Most upside with the bat. Manny should be playing SS. Velez sucks and Ochoa shouldn’t start.
Anagram of "Eugenio Velez"
EULOGIZE EVEN
Um, I don’t his career is quite at THAT stage just yet…
Anagram of "Giants pitcher Matt Cain" = TRAGIC MAN, ISN'T PATHETIC
by Stuttering John Tamargo on Jul 21, 2008 2:00 PM PDT reply actions
well, if anagrams guide us...
Travis Denker = Streak Driven. Hell, I’ll take streaky. (also Sad River Kent, fwiw)
Jose Castillo = Ciao, Less Jolt. ‘Nuff said there.
Ivan Ochoa = Avian Coho. Makes as much sense as a salmon with wings.
Emmanuel Burriss = Baselines Murmur. Ooh, now that sounds kind of exciting.
Denker at 2B, Manny at SS, please.
Bengie: Like an Aurilia kidney stone, slow-moving and tough to get out.
First second and second second.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 2:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Where’s Barry gonna be?
Anagram of "Giants pitcher Matt Cain" = TRAGIC MAN, ISN'T PATHETIC
by Stuttering John Tamargo on Jul 21, 2008 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions
"Let's see what sticks"
Play all of these bums and let’s find out what they got. My personal favorite would be that Frandsen wins the 2009 2b job.
Let the remainder of the 2008 season be try-outs. Once it is determined that maybe there is no talent then GM Sabean can do his job and either trade, sign or steal some talent for 2009.
Remind me why people like Frandsen again?
Is it his grit? Or his 2.0 WARP?
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
gritty = white
amirite?
From his PECOTA card:
The Giants love Frandsen and it`s not just because he`s unfailingly polite and always remembers to bring enough chewing gum for everyone.
roffle
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
Pedroia, I think, is almost 2-years younger than Franny. It’s not a terrible comp but Frandsen will be 27-years-old next year and coming off an injury. I think his window got a lot smaller this year.
My concern with Frandsen in ‘07 was that he hit a ton of balls on the ground. 52.9% of his balls in play were on the ground and for a guy with average speed (maybe soon to get slower with his injury) it didn’t mix well. Ichiro has a career GB% of 55%. He was like a slower Ichiro, without the bat control!
I agree he deserves a shot
But it seems to me that some folks seem to remember him being a whole lot better than he actually is.
If he turns out to be Pedroia caliber, I’ll eat my hat. BP doesn’t think he’ll be Robby Thompson, much less Dustin Pedroia.
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
Can't speak for others....
...but I like him for his career .328/.393/.459 minor-league line, which is pretty decent considering he was rushed to AAA in his first full pro season. His horrible 2007 first half holds way too much weight with people around here, in my opinion. If he were a Met, he would have been traded for Erik Bedard in the offseason.
He is probably just a utility player, but there’s a decent chance he peaks at something like .290/.350/.400 with decent defense, and that’s a fine player to have.
by Grant Brisbee on Jul 21, 2008 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions
i'll take it
i don’t think he’ll put up those kinds of numbers, but I hope to be proven wrong.
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
His horrible 2007 first half holds way too much weight with people around here, in my opinion.
That’s how we roll at the MCC.
For reals, the McCoven is populated heavily by reactionaries.
Only 875 games until the end of Zito's contract
populated heavily by reactionaries.
Otherwise known as Sports Fans.
So what exactly have you done for me lately? huh?
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 22, 2008 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions
He’s a regular grit machine. He pees scrap and poos grit. Instead of melanin, his body colors itself with gritanin. He has grit coming out the wazoo, which is good because that is where it comes out of.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions
One for the road...
Durham? I hardly even knew him!
Adoptive father of howtheyscored. The beatings will begin momentarily.
Vizquelhammy!
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Doesn’t quite ring, does it?
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hammyton.
Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com and on it I make jokes about things.
I would have won a bunch of money because I knew that, but my mouth was full of brownie and I didn’t have any milk.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Out of Left Field
Sure Velez was hitting in Fresno, but he was also splitting playing Left and Second. He’ll get some looks at 2nd, but he needs to move beyond ‘atrocious’ defense to stick at Second – the Giants brass doesn’t trust him there. Until then I think he continues to get a couple starts/ABs/PinchRuns per week between OF and 2b, unless he gets on a real hot streak.
Denker wins by default.
Castillo hits doubles.
Other: Bonds/Rueter platoon. Yes, I know they’re both lefties, but Barry is just aching to play again, and who doesn’t love Kirk Rueter?
Actually, I voted for Denker, because me likey the bat, especially with so little offense on this team. So what about the defense? We can send him out there with two gloves and a bucket strapped to his head. He’s bound to catch something eventually. At the very least, he’ll get on SportsCenter.
Also, why isn’t Aurilia an option at 2nd? It may not be the greatest idea, but he did play there when he was with the Reds.
"Just another ahahahaha... laugher."
I'm not sure
Why people keep saying that Denker’s got such a great bat Vs. Velez.
.275/.376/.451
Vs.
.295/.342/.450
Both Career MiL. I’ll let you pick which is which.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions
This isn’t very hard.
..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.
That’s what she said!
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 21, 2008 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions
My Point is
It’s not exactly overwhelming.
Yes, Denker is younger and has a higher OBP.
He also has a lower average (which isn’t entirely worthless).
They are both worth an extended look.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 4:38 PM PDT up reply actions
he said
that his best position defensively was 2nd base.. so maybe. i dont like it though unless it bumps up his trade value
proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..
aurilia
I think we have more options at second than third, unless you want castillo and aurilia both playing every day while manny/ochoa/velez rot on the bench.
Less arm, more talk. Raisingcain is a GAMER.
Adopted Giant: Henry Sosa
Other
Brian Bocock.
I only have a signature because I recognize everyone else by their sigs, not their usernames..
I say Ochoa
because he hasn’t been with the team long enough to get me annoyed with him yet.
The All-Father is now a Giant!
That "no effort" drop on the liner behind 2b the other day
Pissed me off plenty.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 21, 2008 5:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Did I also mention
that I spent the last week out of range of all media?
The All-Father is now a Giant!
Burriss and Denker
Denkers got pop + he has patience. Burriss looks like he has good defense and he’s supposed to be a great base stealer.
OT – Villalona just went yard
Manny Burriss. So I’m biased, but I do want to see him get the playing time.
"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jul 21, 2008 6:54 PM PDT reply actions
Auditions
I would hold on-the-job auditions for second base. Same with shortstop, assuming Gary Radnich is right that the Omar Vizquel situation will come to a head in about a week resulting in trade, release or less playing time.
A longshot would be bringing up Ryan Rohlinger to play third and moving Jose Castillo to second. That would seem likely only if Rich Aurilia is traded and the Ochoa/Burriss/Velez/Denker options all fail.
I’m not sure, but I think Ivan Ochoa - the guy many of us wanted to play shortstop instead of Brian Bocock at the beginning of the season - may be the most ready.
I’d probably go with Ochoa at short, and Velez at second. Then stick Burriss and Denker in Fresno to play every day.
If that’s not an option, in more practical terms, I’d like to see Burriss play every day at second because he’s got the most upside and keeping him on the bunch is of no help to our future.
I’d like to see Velez at second and Burris at short as well, though I think Denker has more upside than Velez at this point. Still, give Velez a few weeks of consistent at-bats to see if he’s learned anything since the first time he was here, if he continues to struggle, call up Denker. I think it’s only a matter of time (maybe days) before Vizquel is traded, retires or is dfa’d so hopefully it will be a heavy dose of Burris at short over the last 2 months.
It looks like Frandsen wants back this year now that second has opened up too. He might still figure into the mix in September.
http://giantsbaseballblog.blogspot.com/
http://giantsbaseballblog.blogspot.com/
I would truly be happy with any of those options
As long as it’s someone on the happy side of 30 out there, I’m cool.
Only 875 games until the end of Zito's contract
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
