According to ESPN, the Giants have agreed to terms with 16-year old Dominican outfielder Rafael Rodriguez.

ESPN Comment:

Comment: To many, he is a duplicate of Vladimir Guerrero because of his size and power with the bat. Rodriguez can work the entire outfield and drive the ball anywhere. He has reportedly accepted an offer from the San Francisco Giants worth $2.5 million.

Couple this with Keith Law's comment,

Kenny (Sacramento): After the last 2 drafts, which appeared to be solid, where would you rank the Giants farm system?

 Keith Law: Assuming they get these guys signed, which I assume they will, they're probably top five.

 

It seems amazing to me that the Giants, which had a very weak farm system just a few years ago, have brought their system back up this quickly.

Does anybody know anything more about Rafael Rodriguez?

Jim Callis has a mock 1-5 picks in his Ask BA column. He has Justin Smoak for us. Personally I rather have Yonder Alonso.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/askba/265478.html

Baseball America has their Giants Top Ten Prospects list up:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/265340.html
Big suprise for me Erik Threets having the best changeup. Very suprised.

On the opening page of baseball america they have a picture of Big V and Felipe Alou saying that Big V reminds him of Andres Galaragga.

I don't have a BA account so no chat transcript. (Poor college student). :(

The Giants Top Ten prospects plus various other rankings will be posted this Friday. There will also be a chat (probably Andrew Baggarly) where members can pose questions. So get your questions ready. I am very interested to see what they think of our low minor prospects

John Heyman is saying that Sanchez is the one for Matsui. Yanks might take on some salary.

Reds interested in Lincecum

Cincinnati is apparently interested in San Francisco right-hander Tim Lincecum, but if the Giants insist on Reds outfield prospect Jay Bruce as part of any deal, look for the Reds to back off.

Bruce, 20, hit a combined .319 with 26 homers and 89 RBIs in 133 games at three Minor League stops in 2007. The left-handed hitting Bruce is considered one of the team's cornerstones of the future.

http://www.wintermeetings.mlblogs.com/nashvilleconfidential/

According to SNY via Metsblog as well as WFAN, the Mets have traded Lastings Milledge to the Nationals for Brian Schneider and Ryan Church.  

WOW! Nationals got him for nothing.

Brian Barton, of, Indians

A five-tool player who can play all three outfield spots, Barton has been hampered by a lingering knee injury since his breakout year in 2006 when he hit .322 with 19 homers and swiped 41 bags in 49 attempts. Even with the knee problem, Barton still turned in a .305/.402/.420 season in 2007, finishing the year in Triple-A. Quiet and leading through example through his 2006 season, some scouts expressed concerns about Barton's demeanor. "I loved him that first year in Double-A," one scout from a National League club said. "But this past year, it was almost like he'd earned this elite status and you saw him have this lackadaisical approach to the game that wasn't there before. Where he was playing with chips on both shoulders with something to prove initially, that part of his game was replaced by some sort of false bravado. He's really tough to get a handle on, but the tools are very real."

I like this kid, even with the attitude. I know we don't need an another outfielder, but this kid seems to have all the stuff.

Baseball America's has a list of players it thinks have a chance at getting picked and doing well.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/news/265252.html

Buster Olney sums up the known Troy Percival suitors thusly: Yankees, Brewers, Giants, Astros, and Rays.  He obviously wouldn't close for the Yankees, but might be able to pitch the ninth for the other clubs Olney named.

The 38 year-old Percival is a fascinating story.  He missed all of 2006 and joined the Cardinals this year and posted phenomenal numbers - 1.80 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 3.6 K/BB.  Suddenly he's primed to snag a closer gig again, if he wants it.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/san_francisco_giants/index.html

What do you guys think? I am okay with it, if he comes cheap and is willing to be a set-up man to Wilson. I don't think he will be willing to be a set-up man, so I think he goes to the Brewers.