Giants in danger of entering the Tucker Zone
by baseballjunkie on Sep 18, 2009 11:16 AM PDT
55 comments
As the Giants' postseason aspirations become less and less realistic a frightening possibility becomes more and more likely. The Giants are in danger of being sent to Draft Purgatory... not good enough to enjoy a taste of the postseason but not bad enough to have their first round draft pick of 2010 protected in case they sign a Type A free agent in the off season. For Giants fans, this cursed existence is known as the Tucker Zone, not to dishonor Michael Tucker, but to mark the painful memory of Brian Sabean intentionally forfeiting a first round draft pick by signing Tucker. For some organizations living in the Tucker Zone would certainly be better than a perpetual existence in Draft Hades (that's you, Pittsburgh Pirates), but with Sabean being the overlord of the Tucker Zone we Giants fans might be facing an offseason of "Hello, LaTroy Hawkins" or "Welcome to SF, Magglio Ordonez", and "Goodbye, First Round Draft Pick."
So my question to you McCoven is that if the Giants are clearly not going to make the postseason would any of you be disappointed if the Giants totally tanked down the stretch (in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year anyway) and ended up with a protected first round pick in 2010 or would you rather see the Giants finish strong to build some momentum and warm fuzzies for 2010? As much of a longtime fan I've been (since the early 70's), I am actually leaning towards the former scenario.
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I would be pretty angry if they tanked the rest of the season.
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory
by Natto on Sep 18, 2009 11:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Tanking =/= acceptable, EVER!
"The BB's are out. The BB's are being arseholes to me." - Brian Wilson.
by hairball on Sep 18, 2009 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know
It looks acceptable to me.
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Sep 20, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
OH Yes.
/ snags pic
That’s it! Katie bar the door for this 79 win team is star crossed! And I am loving it.
by daveinexile on Sep 20, 2009 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
G’s are too classy to tank it.
/adjusts spats
"The dreams ain't broken down here now, they're walking with a limp" --TW
by bgunn on Sep 18, 2009 11:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
/strokes handlebar mustache
Utter frustration and futility.
by Johnny Disaster on Sep 18, 2009 5:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
/checks pocketwatch
/returns to vest pocket
Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti. "I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."
Nobody puts Bengie in a corner!
by natteringnabob on Sep 18, 2009 11:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
/summons randy winn
"Snow woulda had it!!!"
Would really appreciate someone informing him whether or not we're in this. The media says we are. The sensibilities say otherwise.
by beat_la_25 on Sep 18, 2009 11:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Go go gadget top hat!
Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti. "I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."
Nobody puts Bengie in a corner!
by natteringnabob on Sep 19, 2009 5:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Never tank it. I don’t even know why someone would consider it. Can you imagine someone telling Juan Uribe or Brad Penny, “eh, screw it, we’re just gonna play all the scrubs the rest of the year.” They’d lead a bloody revolution!
No, play like you mean it. Only give up the first round pick if you’re signing a major stud. Give the fans something to look forward to next year instead of making them think the team was totally overachieving this season.
No, really, I have updated my blog this year: http://skaldheim.livejournal.com/tag/baseball
by Skaldheim on Sep 18, 2009 11:32 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Brad Penny opens his mouth once – cut his ass without a seconds delay. Same with Uribe actually.
I’m not saying tank, but the thought that the giants should have to worry more about what the crappy veterans think than what the young stars and future stars think really sums this whole Giants leadership debacle up in a nutshell.
Giant season effort summary:
Was just enough ensure the Dodgers won the division.
Was just little enough to ensure the Giants lost the wild card.
by cybermaldonado on Sep 20, 2009 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
/ stamped agreed
That’s it! Katie bar the door for this 79 win team is star crossed! And I am loving it.
by daveinexile on Sep 20, 2009 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry, perhaps "tank" was the wrong word
I definitely did not mean to imply intentionally tossing the rest of the season. What I meant was that if the Giants hit a major losing streak and somehow ended up with a record poor enough to have a protected draft pick I would not be too disappointed in their season.
by baseballjunkie on Sep 18, 2009 11:39 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I think that would suck balls, pick be damned
I want to have good baseball.
"The BB's are out. The BB's are being arseholes to me." - Brian Wilson.
by hairball on Sep 18, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
A losing streak would not only improve draft position, but it could also mean the ending of the Sabean/Bochy era. So if they’re not going to be in the playoffs, I would prefer that scenario.
Although I’d admittedly be pissed all the way through the losing.
by Fresburg on Sep 19, 2009 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
No tanks in MLB
I don’t think current ML players or managers care where their organization drafts in the first round.
El Presidente Larry Baer's epitaph
"Nothing important ever happened without me."
by ResDog on Sep 18, 2009 11:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Not only do I not want them to tank...
…it’s essentially impossible that they crack the bottom 10 anyway. If they lose every game they finish 79-83. There are already seven teams with 83 or more losses, followed by San Diego at 81, Toronto with 80, Cincy with 79, and Oakland with 78.
So in addition to the Giants losing every game, at least two of those teams would have to go on a flaming hot streak: the A’s would need to go 12-4, the Reds 12-3, the Jays 14-2, and/or the Padres 14-1 for the Giants to have a record worse than two of them. As Kruk would say, none chance.
Meet my new son: Sundrendy Windster, on the Curacao-SF express (via Arizona).
by EliminateMe on Sep 18, 2009 11:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Well, I’m not advocating it, but it’s actually the bottom 15 where the picks are protected.
GROUGTHINK ALERT
The first Chester Arthur fanboy ever.
by groug on Sep 18, 2009 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh fine, make me look like an idiot.
In that case the Rays (74-73) are the team currently in the magical 15th worst spot, and if the Giants lost every game the Rays would only have to go 6-9 or better (and Minnesota, Seattle, and the Cubs would all have to avoid crashing and burning as spectacularly as the Giants).
I still don’t want it, though.
Meet my new son: Sundrendy Windster, on the Curacao-SF express (via Arizona).
by EliminateMe on Sep 18, 2009 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think 1-15 would probably give us a decent shot at it.
I’m not in favor of the Giants going 1-15 from here on out.
by pantalones on Sep 18, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You play to win the game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMk5sMHj58I"
Why isn't Sabean held accountable for leading the Giants into many years of mediocrity???
by oldrips on Sep 18, 2009 12:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Wow.
Hell no.
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
by satyricrash on Sep 18, 2009 12:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The Giants’ probably won’t be big players in the off season anyway in free agency. Just don’t sign any type A FA’s offered arbitration and you don’t have to worry about forfeiting your draft pick.
No Edgar, it's not your fault, it's the fault of the idiot that plays you
by rxmeister on Sep 18, 2009 12:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
or go ahead and sign one if it’s a good move and let’s not worry about the loss of the 22nd pick ruining the franchise
by FluLikeSymptoms on Sep 18, 2009 9:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Obviously any links in the above post are probably NSFW
by jctGamer on Sep 18, 2009 12:31 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
It might suck not having a first round pick (I wholy expect the Giants to sign a Type A Free Agent, or at least pursue it), but that’s the way things go.
There’s a decent chance the Giants might get one back with Molina, if he signs elsewhere. Molina would easily be the best catcher on the market, offensively speaking, and an AL team may even consider DHing him.
But yea, no tanking. Play the kids, but no tanking.
"The knowledge of the game is inversely proportional to the price of the seat." ---Bill Veeck. •Now you can follow SFDugout.com on Twitter and Facebook!•
by BruteSentiment on Sep 18, 2009 12:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Fat Papi
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory
by Natto on Sep 18, 2009 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My hunch is that teams will continue to be reluctant to offer arbitration to players for fear that they’ll accept after last year’s “market correction.” Molina may or may not be the best catcher on the market, but given his age and the market, the 1-yr, $8M+ that an arbitrator gives him may be the best he can do. (Molina may be too proud to realize this now, of course.)
But if for some reason we do lose a mid-to-late 1st rounder, they should just bring that Round 1 money to Latin America or Asia and nab a top prospect or two that way. As opposed to, you know, spending it on Michael Tucker.
by pantalones on Sep 18, 2009 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My first thought:
Highway to the Tucker Zone
Gonna take you
Right into the Tucker Zone
My second thought:
I always prefer seeing the Giants win, so given the choice, I’ll take the momentum and warm fuzzies option.
I still believe in Bowkermania.
by rightcenterfielder on Sep 18, 2009 2:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Gotta have a first verse....
Revvin’ up your draft board
Listen to the scouts regret;
Sabes under tension
Beggin’ you to grab a vet.
Highway to the Tucker Zone
Gonna take you
Right into the Tucker Zone
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Sep 20, 2009 4:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I withhold my decision until the offseason.
If the Giants spend their pick on Holliday, I don’t care. If the Giants spend it on Johnny Damon… TANK!!!!
VAE PVTO DEVS FIO
by Bhaakon on Sep 18, 2009 2:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree with this statement, losing a pick for Matt Holliday is fine, but losing it for almost anyone else would not be ok.
Congrats to my soul mate and birth brother Zach Wheeler on being drafted into greatness. Should I just buy my Wheeler jersey now, or wait till my next birthday?
by TexasRanger on Sep 18, 2009 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can agree with that.
That leads be to wonder how many non scrub veterans that might be useful to the 2010 yet not worth a pick. That requires more thaught then I have to give right now though.
That’s it! Katie bar the door for this 79 win team is star crossed! And I am loving it.
by daveinexile on Sep 20, 2009 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jason Bay? Carl Crawford?
STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.
by UnleashTheGore on Sep 21, 2009 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I actually like Bay more than Holliday. He won’t be as expensive. Crawford’s option is going to get picked up; the guy is worth waaay more than $8M a year. The Rays either trade him or Upton and bring in Desmond Jennings; chances are it’s Crawford.
by quincy0191 on Sep 24, 2009 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
they should tank
by playing john bowker, nate schierholtz, kevin frandsen and buster posey the rest of the year.
Brian Sabean figures that if he buys enough bottles, one of them is bound to have lightning in it.
by jasomack on Sep 18, 2009 6:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
haven't most of their hitters tanked it for much of the season?
They need a tank to wake up their bats on the road.
by bradleybear on Sep 18, 2009 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Seriously, if tanking means replacing the likes of Molina, Winn, Ishikawa, and Rowand with the kids then let’s fucking tank.
by helloooonoonan on Sep 19, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You tank with the team that got you here.
by Rorsavelt on Sep 23, 2009 4:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fixed
byplayingletting john bowker, nate schierholtz, kevin frandsen and buster posey pitch the rest of the year.
I mean, the offense couldn’t get much worse, so if you wanna blow things up, blow up the pitching.
Meet my new son: Sundrendy Windster, on the Curacao-SF express (via Arizona).
by EliminateMe on Sep 21, 2009 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Harper Zone
is the only acceptable zone that involves protected draft choices
by positiveuphemism on Sep 19, 2009 9:32 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Merkin Valdez? Manuel Mateo? A rose by any other name...
by rotorueter on Sep 19, 2009 11:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Tucker is one of my least favorite Giants of all time.
I like cats. Wings is the greatest show of all time.
Tyler Graham is my favorite San Jose Giant because he has smart balls.
by Norm Median on Sep 21, 2009 9:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
He's cool with me
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory
by Natto on Sep 21, 2009 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gagne on roids would have whooped his scrawny ass!
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 Sep 21, 2009 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
His arm would snap in half when he throws a punch.
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory
by Natto on Sep 21, 2009 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Orodnez will not cost a draft pick
I R 5
by say hey nation on Sep 23, 2009 10:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Ordonez is not a FA.
His option vested a week or so ago, so signed for $18M next season. He also has a fairly easily attainable $15M vesting option for 2011.
VAE PVTO DEVS FIO
by Bhaakon on Sep 23, 2009 5:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
“Hello, LaTroy Hawkins” or “Welcome to SF, Magglio Ordonez”, and “Goodbye, First Round Draft Pick.”
I R 5
by say hey nation on Sep 24, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
2010 draft class isn’t anywhere near good enough to justify tanking the rest of the season. After Harper there aren’t any super-exciting prospects, most of the high choices will be pitchers, and TINSTAPP so there’s really very little to be gained by losing down the stretch.
by quincy0191 on Sep 24, 2009 2:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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