And then the blogger woke up, poured a cup of coffee, and read the news that Chase Headley signed a four-year deal with the New York Yankees. He calmly switched over to an open tab, copied the pre-written "Giants finish second for free agent" template, and pasted it into the story editor. The rest of the day free, he read a book and caught up on some laundry.
It would be a fine way to spend the day, except the Giants are practically guaranteed to have an underwhelming lineup. At least, compared to what we were expecting five seconds after the parade. Pablo Sandoval returning would have been swell. He would have joined a healthy Brandon Belt and Angel Pagan to make the Giants lineup even better than the one that won the World Series. After he left, there were different permutations. Maybe Headley and Melky Cabrera? Maybe Yasmany Tomas. Hey, how about ...
Instead: nope. There's still a chance for a big trade, sure. But any chance to help the offense with money alone is almost completely gone. Headley is on the Yankees. Sandoval is on the Red Sox. The Giants have already admitted they're going outside the organization for third base help, but now they'll have to get creative. One rumor had them taking the poison contract of Chris Johnson just to get a year of Justin Upton. Another has them interested in Jung-Ho Kang.
They're coming away with Will Middlebrooks and Shane Victorino in a package deal from the Red Sox. Just watch.
Missing on Melky was a drag, especially since he went for just three years at relatively bargain prices, but the Giants get to hold onto their #19 (and rising!) first-round pick. I'm okay with that. Headley wasn't too expensive, though. The four years he was asking for wasn't a bad gamble. Alas. Alas.
I don't know how Headley would have fit in the clubhouse -- he seems like a surly mirror-kisser to me -- so maybe this is for the best. Maybe this is all for the best! When ... I don't know ... Danny Valencia hits .340 and Gregor Blanco steals 50 bases and the Giants draft a perennial All-Star next June, let's all remember this post. Ha ha, stupid people from the past, thinking that Headley was the right answer.
Except I wanted Headley on the Giants, and I wanted him at the price the Yankees got him. Instead, the Giants finished second. Again. Which ... the offseason doesn't work like that. Still, it's mighty frustrating to gorge on rumors without an actual transaction taking place.