Do we want a 45 year old backup shortstop?

by leftyodoul on Dec 17, 2011 10:35 AM PST

Perhaps the Giant's search for a veteran backup shortstop to spell Brandon Crawford is complete with the re-signing of Fontenot. He doesn't really strike me as a shortstop, though he did show last season that he can cover the position and not look completely out of place.

Yesterday, I came across something that gave me pause, and is potentially a very interesting scenario. The veritable and ancient Omar Enrique Vizquel, who does intend to play next year, was asked (on his twitter page) about his interest in playing for the Giants. He responded that, offered a contract, he would go right now.

Now, I haven't watched Omar play in a few seasons, really since he left the Giants, and I'd assumed he was done after that point. But he found some new life as a utility guy for the Rangers and then White Sox, and granted he's played mostly third the last two years, but this still is something to ponder. I'm sure he's lost a step or three, he has to be quite limited offensively, and his WAR as per Baseball Reference is a cumulative -0.9 the last two years.

On the flip side, I'd rather have him as my backup shortstop than Orlando Cabrera or Miguel Tejada, or for that matter, Mike Fontenot. As the best defensive shortstop of his generation, and by all accounts a great guy, he could provide invaluable help to Crawford and improve the clubhouse vibe. And though his OPS was a dismal .592 last year, that was still 28 points higher than the Giants' collective shortstop debacle. Beyond any rational considerations, I have fond memories of Omar as a Giant, and feel like this would be a good thing for the team.

So what do we say? Would you offer Omar the Pat Burrell one million a year veteran sentimental contract? Any interest?

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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i do not want to go to there

by Nick Cerami on Dec 17, 2011 11:53 AM PST reply actions

Sure, what the hell.

Carter Jurica!
"Has anyone really been for even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?"

by GrahamCrakalaka on Dec 17, 2011 12:14 PM PST reply actions

Can’t be much worse than Burriss and he’s be a lot more fun to have around.

Thing A

by sam23 on Dec 17, 2011 12:27 PM PST reply actions

This is what I'm thinking

If it keeps Burriss out of the lineup, sure. Vizquel may or may not have anything left, but if it turns out he doesn’t, Burriss is still there. If Burriss somehow cannot hit or field enough to justify being the RH portion of a SS platoon (which would be an absolute shocker), Vizquel may not be there. I don’t see the risk in getting him on a super-cheap contract – maybe he’s worth it, if not you lose nothing.

Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on Dec 17, 2011 12:54 PM PST up reply actions

It is worth noting, though

That over the last two years he’s been horrible vs. LHP and over his career been non-trivially worse vs. LHP.

Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on Dec 17, 2011 12:57 PM PST up reply actions

By "backup" you mean "starting," right?

Because that’s the only outcome I can imagine with Crawford, Fontenot, and Vizquel as this team’s shortstops.

VAE PVTO DEVS FIO

by Bhaakon on Dec 17, 2011 12:42 PM PST reply actions

I'd do it.

I don’t think Bochy’s gritty veteran fetish would extend to a guy who has spent the last 3 seasons backing up young’uns

by 24 Willie Mays Plaza on Dec 17, 2011 1:08 PM PST reply actions

You underestimate La Grande Tête.

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of Cabrera.

by Lyle on Dec 17, 2011 1:35 PM PST up reply actions

Bring all the old SS back.

In 2010 with 391 PA’s Vizquel put up an OBP of .341. I bet he could still play just as good a SS as Burriss, and would be way funner to watch. I’d actually love to start the season with a Renteria/Vizquel platoon and Crawford in AAA ready to come up if he puts together a good first half with the bat.

by sil lum panda on Dec 17, 2011 1:19 PM PST reply actions

If it’s a question of Manny or Omar, then I pick Omar.

Cash rules everything around me
C.R.E.A.M.
Get the money
Dollar dollar bill y'all

by El Person on Dec 17, 2011 1:25 PM PST reply actions

Bring him back

As a coach.

Proud owner of over 20,000 comments. (most of them in the wrong place) Oh yeah, and Buster Posey

by rxmeister on Dec 17, 2011 3:47 PM PST via mobile reply actions

Never

The last thing we need is a roving instructor telling our minor leaguers to sacrifice in the first inning and slide head first in to 1B. Between him and Dunston’s “you’re not a mailman” routine, we’d never develop another hitter.

VAE PVTO DEVS FIO

by Bhaakon on Dec 17, 2011 5:08 PM PST up reply actions

So you’re saying Omar Vizquel is not a smart baseball player? Were you saying that when he got that slow grounder up the middle, turned completely around and caught the base runner off of third base? Omar’s sliding head first into 1B was not based on whether it got you there quicker, but he said he did it because he knew the umpire would often blow that call. That’s smart, that’s not bad baseball.

Proud owner of over 20,000 comments. (most of them in the wrong place) Oh yeah, and Buster Posey

by rxmeister on Dec 17, 2011 6:37 PM PST up reply actions

Yes,I’m saying that he wasn’t a smart baseball player. His situational awareness and acrobatics were fantastic, but an individual talent that simply cannot be taught. His predilection for those slides and sac bunts were stupid and precisely the type of thing he’d be teaching.

And even if sliding into first is to fool the umpire, you’re still opening yourself up to hand injuries. Even ignoring the injury potential, I don’t think the deception angle is a reasonable one, though. If you were going to be safe, you want the ump to hear your foot clearly, if and if you only slide when you are out, then eventually umpires will pick up on that and call you out when you slide. So either you slide on all close plays and turn an uncertain situation into a coin flip (which has no value, on the balance) or you slide when you think you’re out, which telegraphs the fact that you’re out to the umpire. So where are you picking up value there? Much like Omar’s over-use of the sac bunt, his slide rational is a classic case of over-thinking.

VAE PVTO DEVS FIO

by Bhaakon on Dec 17, 2011 7:15 PM PST up reply actions

I don’t know if Omar would make a good coach or not, but he wasn’t a reckless player and is still playing in his 40’s. You just admitted his situational awareness was fantastic. So I’m not exactly sure what your point is.

by sil lum panda on Dec 17, 2011 7:36 PM PST up reply actions

You just admitted his situational awareness was fantastic

And that it’s not something he can teach, any more than he could teach someone to have soft hands and good range. The things Omar was best at as a ball player are not things that can be taught. While many of the things he can teach, like his philosophy on sac bunts and sliding into first, aren’t something you want him teaching younger players.

VAE PVTO DEVS FIO

by Bhaakon on Dec 17, 2011 8:01 PM PST up reply actions

The only time I want a player sliding into first is if the player is certain the ball is being thrown off line and the 1st baseman has to swipe tag to try and get an out.

Still the father of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.
"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." - John Wooden

by SFGuy on Dec 17, 2011 8:39 PM PST up reply actions

Were you saying that when he got that slow grounder up the middle, turned completely around and caught the base runner off of third base?

Anyone remember who that base runner was? This might help jog your memories:

http://www.leftymalo.com/2006/04/omar_fu_ii.php

Disfrute Los Gigantes every day at www.leftymalo.com

by leftymalo on Dec 18, 2011 9:50 PM PST up reply actions

That’s awesome! Ah, Cody, always ready to give us Giants fans a thrill!

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Dec 19, 2011 11:01 AM PST up reply actions

500,000 and he is in.

by bradleybear on Dec 17, 2011 4:03 PM PST reply actions

I was about to post the same thing. $500k and give him his old locker back. 20-30 starts at SS, a few mixed in at 2B and 3B, and lots of late inning defensive replacement work at a mix of those positions. I’m all for it

by m34josh on Dec 18, 2011 1:46 AM PST up reply actions

Sorry

Money is tapped out. They spent the $500,000 on Eli Whiteside.

Still the father of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.
"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." - John Wooden

by SFGuy on Dec 18, 2011 6:25 PM PST up reply actions

Maybe Poopin Rowand will make the Marlins and save them another $480k?

by m34josh on Dec 18, 2011 9:33 PM PST up reply actions

Is Royce Clayton still available?

by txgiant on Dec 17, 2011 6:52 PM PST reply actions

You must be thinking of Miguel Tejada.

Where have you gone John Johnstone?

by glenallen hill's waterpipe on Dec 17, 2011 7:12 PM PST up reply actions

Any 45 year old shortstop immediately becomes the starter on this team.

Ross on Halladay: "I’d tried everything against him…going the other way, taking pitches, trying to walk…and nothing worked. I’d never tried going up there and just trying to hit a home run off him."
My boy has mad hops
I rant on Twitter

by scout6 on Dec 17, 2011 10:09 PM PST reply actions

I just love the idea of having him around.

I say give him a minor league deal — and include language in the contract that states they’ll pay him ‘x’ amount as a roving fielding instructor should he not make the team. He may not be ready for the latter, but when he is, I would hope the Giants are his first choice.

by MiGigantes on Dec 18, 2011 5:25 AM PST reply actions