The “Kevin Frandsen should play every day in Fresno if he’s not starting” argument makes no sense to me. He’s not some kid who needs some paprika/oregano/garam masala/other seasoning. He’s 27 and, at this point, he is what he is. Spending time on the bench won’t hurt him. What’s more, I (and I know I’m not alone in this) always saw him as a backup/utility infielder in the long term.

Zenbitz is April Fooling us!

Enter Velez. He’s only going to play 2B if 2 of Burriss/Renteria/Uribe are down

Aurilia could still play 2B in an emergency. Holm >>> Velez, at least for the purposes of this team.

It’s really not as bad as the outrage around these parts would lead you to think. Because, regardless of any of these moves:

THE. GIANTS. ARE. NOT. GOING. TO. COMPETE. IN. 2009.

Anyone who really thinks otherwise is either extremely optimistic (kudos to them), or utterly delusional. So, why not make these moves?

Velez stinks and we all know it. But you know what? A competent super-sub is very valuable on a championship-caliber team. Maybe, by the time we’re to that point, Velez has become a poor man’s Chone Figgans. Ok, maybe a destitute man’s version. Whatever.

Steve Holm is a journeyman catcher who is realistically never going to be an impact player. I love him too, but guys like this are meant to be jerked around and serve as emergency insurance. Don’t feel too bad for him, he still probably makes more money than you do. And if the Pablitio as a backup catcher thing fails, Holm is only a bus ride away. Plus, it gives us a chance to check out….

Torres. Again, unlikely to make any sort of long-term impact. But clearly, he raised a lot of eyebrows this Spring, and stranger things have happened than someone like him turning into bottled lightning. Maybe he’s the newest Jack Cust or Josh Hamilton. This at least buys us more time to find out.

There is at least a little something to be said for keeping both Richie and Uribe on the team for now. Experience counts for something, and we do have a mostly younger team this year, particularly the pitchers. Were I Sanchez/Cain/Lincecum/Wilson/etc., I’d feel more comfortable with Uribe behind me at short than Burriss, Frandsen, or (god forbid) Velez.

I hope it’s only a matter of time until Frandsen is part of the team for good. He could be a great utility guy, or he could surprise most of us and end up being some cross between Pedroia and Bill Mueller. But if the only thing we’re hurting by sending him down is his feelings, then great. Even if a longer look at Velez and Torres doesn’t pay any dividends, we’ve still got Frandsen.

Are they the moves I would have made? Hell no. I want Velez, Uribe, and Torres to have never been part of any Giants team. But is it worth freaking out about and changing my name to Duke Lacross? Nope.

..with the 25 man roster. My main concern is the Frandsen over Uribe decision, and that’s frankly a little sentimentality on my part. I like Sandoval as a back up catcher. I think his value goes way up there. The caveat is, Bochy has to use him there. He’s never been afraid of a double switch, but getting the veterans a day off another story.

Keeping Torres I think is good thing. I value defense, he’s a guy who’s never been healthy and is in his prime. I think we steal a career year. Most importantly, I suspect Rowand is going to shit the bed and be benched by July.

…is carved into stone tablets by rabbis raised in strict isolation and rendered deaf during a sacred ceremony passed down on scrolls made of human flesh and stored, along with the tablets, in Xanadu with an honor guard of evil pixies who will guarantee that, should any change every be made to it at any point during the course of eternity, all puppies everywhere will die.

They aren’t supposed to play. That’s why a back bench of Holm, Aurilia and Torres is an okay way to go. One RH pinch hitter for the Left handed club, one speedy PR and defensive replacement (if Aurilia bats for Fred or Nate), and one back-up catcher. Between the three they get 4-5 innings a week.

Giving Bochy a back bench of Aurila, Uribe, Velez and Torres is going to be a double-switching nightmare. Boch thinks he has to over-manage to wring every drop of vet savvy from his gamers. Flexibility and interchangeability will mean we’ll see ridiculous subs early, often and dumber and dumber. It will start with a 3 run lead in the 3rd, and a Torres defensive sub for Nate. It will be Ishi out in the fourth inning to be replaced by Richie or Uribe. It will be Velez at 2nd, Center and Third in one game. There will no rhythm except for Rowand bashing his forehead into the wall and sailing throws miles wide from cut-off men. Just let the starting 8 get their at bats. Lets see Pablo, Travis, Nate and Fred swing against left-handers and play 5-6 days a week.

The giants have three days off between 4/7-4/23. So realistically, Pablo will probably only get one start at catcher during that time, if that. And god forbid he has to catch a few innings at the end of ballgames.

We all know that AT LEAST one of these fringe roster guys is going to either get hurt and land on the DL, or suck real bad and be sent down by then.

Things happen in baseball…we will see Holm and Frandsen back in the bigs real soon. No reason to lose sleep over roster moves before the season even starts

Today’s game has 1) relief pitchers designated for only one inning of work 2) relief pitchers used for the purpose of getting one type of hitter out (LOOGY) and 3) the five man starting rotation. Most (All?) ML teams need to carry 12 man pitching staffs to keep up with today’s game.

Bench players have to serve multiple positions in order to make the cut. There are a lot of older players who are getting squeezed out of baseball. They aren’t versatile enough to be used as a bench player, even though they can still hit enough to serve a purpose (Sheffield).

Isn’t it time MLB increases the roster size? Wouldn’t this be a huge chip for owners when the CBA expires?

I’m not sure that Bochy’s fondness for pinch running will really work with this roster, though. I’m pretty sure that it won’t last past April.

I am disappointed that what I thought was a roster spot either Uribe or Aurilia turned into a pair of roster spots for Aurilia and Uribe.

In Grant’s original 25 man roster post someone in there was blasting the 6 OF decision and was nervous about the use of Velez as a late inning defensive replacement (I think we all are). However, let’s say Holm was on the roster and Bochy pinch runs late in the game for Bengie. Isn’t Holm behind the plate just as scary a late inning defensive replacement as Velez? How many opposing managers would run wild on Giants in the 9th inning of a tight game? Didn’t Holm really stink at throwing out baserunners last year? I mean really stink? Who do you trust more in late innings behind the plate, Pablo or Holm? I know Pablo isn’t the greatest defensive catcher, but it’s not like Holm fills that void also.

I also love how so many people are freaking out about Pablo’s lack of innings behind the plate this spring. Kid’s caught a bunch his entire life and he’s 22. It’s not like it’s gonna take long to knock off the rust. Sometimes folks can analzye themselves into a frenzy. Yes it would have been ideal to get some innings for him with this year’s staff in spring training. But I believe he can’t do any more damage in the field behind the plate late in games that what he might do at third base!

I’m on board with zenbitz on this post. For the first month or so, Bengie can handle it just fine. In fact, he’s publicly stated how he absolutely hates not being in the lineup (I think in his blog last year). It’s a long season and at some point I’m sure Holm will be in SF to give some rest to Bengie when he’ll need it later on.

Out of the box, yes. Out of their minds, no. Bochy not dumb like people say Bochy dumb.

Plus, 6 OF ain’t so bad when one of your OF is Aaron Rowand. I know that spring stats are meaningless but in his case I don’t think they are! Gotta wonder how patient they’ll be if he enters May around the Mendoza line…. All I know is that if Zito emerges as a solid #4 starter his contract will suddenly look wonderful compared to Rowand’s (and by wonderful I mean a lesser level of suck).

Nah.