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S(O)S

Thumb_tiny by Grant on

From Andrew Baggarly’s blog:

(Bruce Bochy) said (Emmanuel) Burriss will get occasional starts at shortstop, but the organization sees him as a potential standout defender at second base and wants him to get comfortable at the position.

Got it. So for future second base options, the organization has:

  • A 23-year-old in Fresno who has a little pop, and who currently has a .400 on-base percentage in AAA
  • A 26-year-old, currently on the DL, who sports a career .327/.391/.458 minor league line even though he was moved quickly through the high minors
  • A 27-year-old with game-changing speed and atheism-inducing defense who responded to a much-deserved demotion by putting up the best numbers of his minor league career

And the future options at shortstop:

  • A 25-year-old minor league free agent with a career minor league line of .255/.331/.325, who was so far off the Giants’ organizational depth chart at the beginning of the year that the club preferred to rush two shortstops from A-ball rather than play him
  • Approximately 28 players who have never hit at any level of professional baseball

Obviously, the Giants’ first priority should be to test Burriss out at second base. Really, I can’t see anything wrong with that idea. Why have three question marks vying for the second base job when you can have four? Why have minimal depth at shortstop when you can have no depth? My revised depth chart for 2009:

Kevin Frandsen, vice-second base
Eugenio Velez, lieutenant second base
Travis Denker, center-right second base
Emmanuel Burriss, second base general
Jose Castillo, trans-positional infield specialist

Ivan Ochoa, back-up shortstop
Orlando Cabrera, starting shortstop (4 yr./$30M)

Wait, no. Maybe Vizquel comes back. Wait, no. Maybe Ochoa hits .270 for the rest of this season and is handed the job next year. Wait, no. Maybe it’s David Eckstein who gets the big money deal. Wait, no. Maybe the Giants trade a top-ten prospect for Edgar Renteria after the Tigers pick up his option.

When you look at it like that, you can see why the Giants are reluctant to try Burriss out at short for the rest of the year. There are just too many good options for the shortstop position next year. The good options are just leaking out of the organization. Here’s a popular joke going around the Giants’ front office:

Person A: Knock knock

Person B: Who’s there?

A: A good option for the shortstop job in 2009!

B: Aiiiiieeeee! Not another one! Oh god, no!

A: I’ve become one of them! Barricade the doors! Save yourself, youafargengggrrrreeaackccccckkkk (note: Person A’s skull was crushed when was overrun by a stampede of good shortstop options)

B: I’ll never forget you, Person A. I’ll nevafurrggggrrrrraaaall (note: several good shortstop options came in through the front window and killed Person B for sustenance, as there are just too many of them to feed using typical resources)

It’s all in the timing, that joke. So I, for one, whole-heartedly approve with the Giants’ plan for Emmanuel Burriss:

  1. Bring Burriss up after 62 at-bats above A-ball, and sit him on the bench for most of the entire season.
  2. Make him learn a new position at the major league level, just to make sure he doesn’t get a whole lot of defensive innings at shortstop. Make sure the new position is crowded, too, just so he doesn't really play a whole lot.
  3. Order red, white, and blue bunting for playoffs.

I’m in. The handling of Emmanuel Burriss proves that the Giants have a plan, and it all fills me with just gallons of liquid confidence.

4 recs | Comment 109 comments

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Heeeeeeeey… are you being sarcastic?

Farewell, Ray. We'll miss your smile and your sugar. Welcome, Steve Hammond "Eggs". Throw strikes.
comics | cartoons | Nattowear

by Natto on Aug 4, 2008 1:04 PM PDT   0 recs

I thought so too...

isn’t he?

Fairley odd parent to Wendell

by WTF on Aug 4, 2008 1:05 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

that was my first question

proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..

by Azmanz on Aug 4, 2008 1:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Burriss only really works at SS, not a fan of him trying to be a 2B, even with his good D.

So, yeah, the Giants have plan. It’s bad.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Aug 4, 2008 1:05 PM PDT   0 recs

This

"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 Aug 4, 2008 1:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Clearly, now that we’ve adequately filled the major league roster with center fielders, they’re now working on second base. Shortstop has to wait its turn.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.

by jponry on Aug 4, 2008 1:07 PM PDT   0 recs

*spit*

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Aug 4, 2008 1:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

In 7 more years, we might have an actual team!

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Aug 4, 2008 1:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I guess they’d also have to expand the rosters to 80 men, we could have like 8 players per position!

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Aug 4, 2008 1:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

So

does that go on record as the most sarcastic piece of journalistic work of all time?

Proud pappa of....STEVE HOLM!!

by UnleashTheGore on Aug 4, 2008 1:08 PM PDT   0 recs

Yeah, right.

No, my Crazy Crab bobblehead is not for sale.

by Kitspool on Aug 4, 2008 1:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Teen 1: Are you being ironic?

Teen 2: I don’t even know anymore.

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Aug 4, 2008 1:10 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Since they don't have

confidence in anyone from within for SS, doesn’t this confirm they’re going the FA route in the offseason to do this?

Meet my three little friends: Timmy, Dirty, and Cain

by Buck Henry on Aug 4, 2008 1:10 PM PDT   0 recs

You're joking, right?

The big offseason FA signing will be another center fielder.

The All-Father is now a Giant!

by EliminateMe on Aug 4, 2008 1:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

PROVEN SET-UP MAN

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Aug 4, 2008 1:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Ivan Ochoa

The other thing that baffled me from that article:

Bochy also said Friday’s alignment makes the Giants the best possible defensive team.

In other words, the team considers Ochoa a better defensive SS than Burriss. Which makes it all the more inexplicable that they didn’t bring him up either at the start of the season (instead of Bocock) or after Bocock flailed (instead of Burriss).

The All-Father is now a Giant!

by EliminateMe on Aug 4, 2008 1:11 PM PDT   0 recs

The Giants: I can haz logic?

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Aug 4, 2008 1:13 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

This is not the logic you are looking for. Move along to some garlic fries.

Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!

by daveinexile on Aug 5, 2008 6:55 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I am amazed by the genius that is the Giants front office

by CB30 on Aug 4, 2008 1:14 PM PDT   0 recs

If I read 1 more sentence that has the words “Jose Castillo” and “2nd base” again I’m a’goin on a tri-state murder spree…

Or “Jose Castillo” and “3rd base”...

Or just “Jose Castillo”.

What was the topic again?

Patron saint of pesky hitters.

by younghutch on Aug 4, 2008 1:17 PM PDT   0 recs

Can you make it 3 of the sucky states?

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Aug 4, 2008 1:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Take your pick:

Patron saint of pesky hitters.

by younghutch on Aug 4, 2008 1:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

baseball is a relgion.

Worship all you Heathen Fools!!

Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!

by daveinexile on Aug 5, 2008 6:56 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

wow

that’s incredibly accurate, although one could extend the texas color into the pinkish area.

Proud pappa of....STEVE HOLM!!

by UnleashTheGore on Aug 4, 2008 2:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

You might as well change SoCal to Mexico…

by giants9107 on Aug 4, 2008 2:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

This would tie into my opinion that, when the cameras pan the crowd at Dodger Stadium, all Dodger fans look like Cheech.

Even the women.

Patron saint of pesky hitters.

by younghutch on Aug 4, 2008 3:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

why not, it use to be

by timmeh on Aug 4, 2008 6:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

What's on second...

and I Don’t Know is on 3rd.

I’m concerned about Frandsen even coming back from that injury. Everything I’ve heard / read about recovery is “you’re never the same again.” Now granted, the few people I know personally who have had this injury were soccer players and I’m sure the Achilles takes a bigger beating running around a soccer field, but having to pivot, turn, and jump at 2nd base might present quite a challenge.

Then again KF is probably getting much better care and therapy than what my weekend warrior friends get at Kaiser.

by Merope on Aug 4, 2008 1:17 PM PDT   0 recs

Actually, I interviewed Will Carroll before the season started and asked him about the achilles. Here’s his response.

Bay City Ball: The news is out that 2B Kevin Frandsen has ruptured his achillies and could miss the entire season. Now, I’m not a doctor but that sounds extremely painful. Anytime I hear the word "rupture" I squirm. What are the implications of such an injury? Both in a recovery time frame and how it effects a player’s ability to play the game — field, run, hit, etc.? Any good historical precedents for a baseball player rupturing his achilles and making a successful comeback?

Will Carroll: He’s done for the year, sadly. "Rupture" just means that it’s a complete tear. It will be surgically reattached and he’ll be fine. Most come back normally, a bit less speed. I can name a lot more football players, but Gabe Kapler comes to mind.

It sounds recoverable, but I worry about his age and how missing an entire year will affect his development. The Giants have had a pretty good medical staff over the past few years, too.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Aug 4, 2008 1:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Franny is shooting for a September return. Would be great to see him back on the field for some games this season.

by wilriv21 on Aug 4, 2008 1:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Javon Walker

Came back with the Broncos and had a career year, but now he’s trash…

by giants9107 on Aug 4, 2008 2:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Speaking of foot issues

Can anyone tell me why they don’t just take Freddie out right now and get him his foot surgery? They talk about how painful it is for him all the time, and it can’t help playing on it. Apparently, there’s something like an 8-month recovery time, and they’ve got a) nothing to play for this year, and b) any number of folks who could take his place while he heals.

Isn’t a healthy Fred Lewis at the start of ‘09 a higher priority than any potential ‘08 production?

¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!

by hairball on Aug 4, 2008 3:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Agree

He has proven himself as a MLer this season. Get the surgery and rehab. In the meantime an OF spot could be opened up for Bowker and then promote Ishikawa to play 1b.

by wilriv21 on Aug 4, 2008 3:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Trade Winn

Outfield spots for Bowker AND Schierholtz.

¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!

by hairball on Aug 4, 2008 4:01 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Question:

If Winn is claimed on waivers and if the claiming team and Giants cannot agree on a deal should the Giants just let the claiming team assume the contract?

by wilriv21 on Aug 4, 2008 4:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yes.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.

by jponry on Aug 4, 2008 4:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Is rain wet?
Is Beer good?

Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!

by daveinexile on Aug 5, 2008 6:58 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Nate is playing in the Olympics..

not sure if that has an impact on his readiness..

by bondslegend on Aug 4, 2008 4:41 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Your views intrigue me. Might I subscribe to your news letter?

Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!

by daveinexile on Aug 5, 2008 7:00 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Even if Frandsen comes back 100% healthy

I’m not convinced he’s the answer either. I are skeptical.

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Aug 4, 2008 1:26 PM PDT   0 recs

skeptical-cat-is-fraught-with-skepticism.jpg

The All-Father is now a Giant!

by EliminateMe on Aug 4, 2008 1:32 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

sarcasm aside

velez isnt that good, and i cant see him being that good and frandsen and denker could always be tried out at 3rd until we find some pop to go there

proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..

by Azmanz on Aug 4, 2008 1:33 PM PDT   0 recs

Question:

Using only inhouse 3b talent (Castillo, Denker, Frandsen and Rohlinger) who:

a) plays the best defense?
b) would help the line-up the best?

by wilriv21 on Aug 4, 2008 1:38 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought we were trying to get away from old players.

by Merope on Aug 4, 2008 1:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Anagram of "Who should play shortstop?"

SHHH! SLOPPY, DOLOROUS TWAT

No, we are not bringing back Neifi Perez.

Anagram of "Giants pitcher Matt Cain" = TRAGIC MAN, ISN'T PATHETIC

by Stuttering John Tamargo on Aug 4, 2008 1:38 PM PDT   0 recs

So, Dolorous Ed gets the job, then?

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Aug 4, 2008 1:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I would expect a lesser sarchastic piece the day after a weekend where we 1) win 2 of 3 on the road and 2) Barry Zito actually pitches like he deserves the contract he got. There is no pleasing some people

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

by WilliamVanLandingham on Aug 4, 2008 1:39 PM PDT   0 recs

Re:

1) they’re the padres.
2) they’re the padres.

If my head is full of white hairs by the end of this season.. I blame Brian Wilson. (I'm only 22, dammit!)

by GiNgiNxbOi on Aug 4, 2008 1:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yay! We won a series! The season is all better now!

Sorry, but those two things you bring up don’t make this season less worth being sarcastic about. Even in the short-term.

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Aug 4, 2008 1:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

But but but

the post is undeniably right on the mark.

Maybe you’re the one who can’t be pleased?

Eh, druze moj….

bringing you moral turpitude since 1963

by Idaho Nick on Aug 4, 2008 1:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The Giants are playing .000 ball over the past one day.

by Grant on Aug 4, 2008 2:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

and that hack Matt Cain starts tonight

about to go 0 for the last 2

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Aug 4, 2008 2:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The handling of Emmanuel Burriss proves that the Giants have a plan, and it all fills me with just gallons of liquid confidence

See also: Brian Bocock, Travis Denker, Nate Schierholtz (2007), Kevin Frandsen (2007), Jonathan Sanchez (2005-2007), etc. ad infinitum.

Only 865 games until the end of Zito's contract

by thehavenot on Aug 4, 2008 1:43 PM PDT   0 recs

How long has it been

since someone told you that you’re fucking awesome?

It could just be that the Gigantes provide so much material, but I doubt it.

bringing you moral turpitude since 1963

by Idaho Nick on Aug 4, 2008 1:45 PM PDT   0 recs

I count on the Giants to do the exact opposite of correct. This is just the latest installment of the opposite of correct. This is how they got a messed up roster of seventh and eight place hitters up and down the order.

by out machine on Aug 4, 2008 1:54 PM PDT   0 recs

Don't worry...

they’re just showcasing Burriss before the trade deadline!

(That’s my new answer for all the Giants’ frustrating personnel moves.)

Disfrute Los Gigantes every day at www.leftymalo.com

by leftymalo on Aug 4, 2008 1:54 PM PDT   1 recs

Thoughts

I too was surprised that the Giants didn’t play Manny Burriss and Ivan Ochoa at the opposite positions of which they have chosen. That said, I DO agree that Manny could become one of the best defensive second basemen in the game (although I also think he could become a very good defensive shortstop). But while Manny intersperses great plays with a few foibles at shortstop, he seems to be a flat-out NATURAL at second, even including the pivot.

Looking at the bigger picture (not that you could pin me down to saying I’m sure the Giants actually do so), if the Giants truly become the very good-to-great team I think they can, Manny likely would become a utility infielder.

Assuming Angel Villalona returns to third base, I like both Conor Gillaspie and Nick Noonan better at second than Manny. There really isn’t anyone I like much better at shortstop than Manny, but perhaps this is an indication that the Giants will either draft a shortstop next season, sign Rafael Furcall as a free agent this winter or trade for a very good shortstop prospect.

Perhaps the move of Manny to second is because the Giants truly do believe he has the potential to become a Gold Glove-type defender there and are just praying that he will be able to bunt, poke and prod his way on base often enough to be an acceptable hitter there (although shortstop is actually the lesser-hitting position).

I guess what I’m saying is that I can see some reasons the Giants might actually be doing the right thing here. Since I don’t really know their thinking but do like the overall direction they are going with their draft choices and other young player acquisitions, I am willing to cut them a little slack with regard to this move.

I think working on Manny’s hitting - especially from the left side - is a higher priority than which middle infield position he plays.

by sharksrog on Aug 4, 2008 1:55 PM PDT   0 recs

V at Third

Don’t see this is as a good idea. Even if he is young he was still averaging about three errors per week last year and he’s supposed to get bigger. Third base requires excellent footwork. I believe most MLB third baseman are guys who were shortstops when younger.

While anything is possible, I would say that V’s chances of playing 3B as good as a hack like Braun are on the order of 1 in 10. And the chance of being an average 3B is about as likely as Matt Morris winning another Cy Young award.

I think we’re much more likely to see Gillaspie work out at 3rd.

by Change Up on Aug 4, 2008 2:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh come on!
and he’s supposed to get bigger.

According to what? Sure, he might get taller, but where is it written that you automatically get fatter as you get older? I’m tired of hearing this baseless critique.

Third base requires excellent footwork.

And V has actually received a number of kudos for his footwork.

I would say that V’s chances of playing 3B as good as a hack like Braun are on the order of 1 in 10.

The guy is, like, 7 years younger than Braun. He’s just learning the position. Judging him on errors at this point is silly.

¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!

by hairball on Aug 4, 2008 2:41 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I smell

a Sabean solution to SS that is going to be outside of the farm system currently, and i think it is going to be a FA. Some money is cleared and it looks destined to happen, man i’d prefer to trade for one with some room to grow as opposed to Furcal’s sewn together body for 1-3 games a year.

by Giant Voodoo on Aug 4, 2008 2:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

there don’t seem to be a lot of likely targets, as described, to go get.

Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!

by daveinexile on Aug 5, 2008 7:05 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I know

which further confuses me and puts us in a bad position for getting someone at a good price.

by Giant Voodoo on Aug 5, 2008 11:16 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

thus i say the team should take the same attitude as smart clubs do towards “run of the mill” free agent middle relieavers. which is to say, ” If it aint Cheep or good I don’t want it.” Then lay down an outlaw Josey Wales spit at the agents feet.

Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!

by daveinexile on Aug 5, 2008 1:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Grant ruuuules, assist from eliminateme

several of us brought up Ochoa’s name during the Bockock Experimenticock. IvanO, during ST, was told to be a utility IF, put all over the infield, and looked dumb a few times. So his stock kind of dropped. And some Fresno watchers say he is not real consistent in the field. So….Bochy is bringing Ochoa bouquets this wee, let’s see if this Experimentchoa succeeds.

adopter/sponsor of "Go, Antoan" Richardson

by foothillsfan on Aug 4, 2008 1:55 PM PDT   0 recs

this wee?

Which (whose?) wee are you talking about here? Does this have anything to do with Goofus and his silly hat?

¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!

by hairball on Aug 4, 2008 2:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Regarding

Regarding the plan or lack thereof for Manny, I probably would have started him out in Connecticut this season, based on his good performance in the AzFL. I would have started the season with Ivan Ochoa at shortstop for the Giants, and allowed Brian Burriss a chance to further prove himself in San Jose. I’m not sure exactly whom that would have left to play shortstop for Fresno, but someone would have been able to do so.

Whatever happened to the minor league Rule 5 shortstop the Giants drafted in the minor league portion of last year’s draft?

by sharksrog on Aug 4, 2008 2:00 PM PDT   0 recs

Ciriaco?

lousy hitter, I don’t know why he was picked up. Now playing both IF and OF in Augusta methinks.
Your plan makes sense, and is a plan. Wald and Haines were available to pick it in Fresno, a slight stretch offensively, tho Wald reached the PCL recently. Julio Cordido came up as a SS, then gained weight.

adopter/sponsor of "Go, Antoan" Richardson

by foothillsfan on Aug 4, 2008 2:13 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hmmm.... let's see...

Loud?
Check.
Bloviating?
Check.
Righteous Indignation?
Checkerino.

At least grant knows how to keep his promises. Bochy & Sabes, I’m looking at you.

"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"

by The Gene Hackman on Aug 4, 2008 2:06 PM PDT   0 recs

Making Manny Comfortable (and Grant Squirm)

My mind might be fried from giving my daughter her first parallel parking lesson, but I read the initial statement as “Manny is a shortstop but he has extra value as a potentially really great defensive 2B so we want to play him there too so he’ll be comfortable and we’ll have more flexibility.” I think they expect Manny to compete with Ochoa and anyone they pick up in free agency and that the second base battle next year is between KFran, Denker, Castillo and Velez with the hope that Noonan begins to make enough noise next year to make it clear he is the obvious long-range solution.

by NearestNorwich on Aug 4, 2008 2:35 PM PDT   0 recs

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Aug 4, 2008 3:09 PM PDT   0 recs

:-D

spectacular

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Aug 4, 2008 3:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs