I'm torn on the Joe Crede issue. First, let's assume that the White Sox are giving him to the Giants for a Scott Munter-quality arm. Munter isn't around anymore, so they'll have re-sign Doug Creek to include him in a deal. Crede for Doug Creek? I'm not so sure.
Positives:
- There's a chance that his value goes up by the trading deadline and he'll become the first position player during Brian Sabean's career to be traded away in a rebuilding move. I guess there's a chance, at least.
- He is just two years removed from a .500 slugging season. Comiskey helped a little, but he still slugged .485 on the road. On a powerless team, it'd be a huge help if he bounced back to 2006 form.
- He's only on a one-year deal, and he could probably net the Giants a second-round pick after the season is over.
- Bengie Molina wouldn't be the clean-up hitter. Now, I know that Crede isn't guaranteed to improve on his injury-riddled performance from last season, but it would be humiliating to have Bengie Molina as a clean-up hitter. If the Giants aren't going to win, the least they could do is humiliate us less. Molina the Cleanup Hitter is a punch line, not a strategy.
- If Ray Durham has a fluky-hot March or April, a Crede acquisition means that Frandsen sits. I read that Sabean was quoted as saying the young players will get more playing time. I'm often quoted as saying that I need to exercise more. We'll see which one happens first. Over/under on games started by Frandsen in April if Crede is acquired: 10.
- The Giants could get goofy and try and lock Crede up.
If the Giants trade away anything more valuable than Doug Creek to get Crede, I'll finally snap, and I'll sneak into Mays Field, live in a secret room in the bowels of the park, and haunt the crap out of the place like the Phantom of the Opera. But that's not going to happen, right? Because I'll need to give my landlord a 30-day notice if that's the case....
Hennessey is far too much to deal, and I'm not the biggest believer in Hennessey's ability to be a successful reliever. Any player under 30 is far too much to deal. But I'm sure that Sabean knows that, too. Right? Right?
Right?