From S.I.:
I've detected slight trade rumor fatigue around these parts, but I can't sympathize. The offseason is made for dumping out the box of puzzle pieces, getting a cup o' joe, and finding the corner pieces to start things off. Of course, when the Giants dump out their box of puzzle pieces, they'll find two legit pieces, three Parcheesi pieces, a 12-sided die, a bent Professor Plum card, a piece of chewed bubble gum, a rubber band, four Garbage Pail kids, a hair follicle of unknown origin, and a broken Gobot. They probably should have checked the box before they left the garage sale.
I forgot what I was writing about. Point is, I like trade speculation and rumors. Maybe a little too much. I'm still dwelling on Noah Lowry proposals from last offseason. The Giants missed a chance, I'm sure.
The problem with this offseason is that anything the Giants could trade for value is something the Giants would like to keep. It isn't a situation like that of the Rangers, who have 3,253 good catching prospects available in trade. If the Giants trade a pitcher for a hitter, then they'd need to get another pitcher; it's a little Gift of the Magi.
There are two players, though, whom the Giants could trade while retaining a viable backup plan: Bengie Molina and Randy Winn. If the Giants trade Molina, then Pablo Sandoval would start. If the Giants trade Winn, then Nate Schierholtz would start. Neither option is really compelling enough to just donate the veterans for a tax deduction, so there would have to be some value coming back. According to Rotoworld...
Niese is an upper-level starting pitcher, which the Giants could really use, and Murphy is a toolsy, low-strikeout outfielder, which might be a little redundant for the Giants. But I'd take either for Molina. Of course, Rotoworld also wrote this...
...so take whatever they write with a grain or two.
But this all leads to a comment starter: In terms of Giants prospects, what would you expect back for Randy Winn or Bengie Molina? As in, "If the Giants could get back a Nick Noonan-caliber prospect for Molina or Winn..." or, "If it isn't a major league ready power hitter like Pablo Sandoval, forget it..." Have at it.