Giants After Pierre

[love_that_reefer]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...PGLRMD0SF1.DTL

How much money must a team pay for a prodigious singles hitter with a great set of wheels, a decent center-field glove and a weak arm? The Giants soon could learn the answer as they pursue 29-year-old center fielder Juan Pierre.

Major-league sources said Tuesday the Giants are negotiating with Pierre, who had 204 hits, 156 of them singles, and stole 58 bases in 78 attempts for the Cubs in 2006. However, one source said it would be wrong to assume that Pierre is the Giants' primary free-agent target for center field, as an ESPN.com report suggested.

The club remains in contact with Gary Matthews Jr., Dave Roberts and Jay Payton as it tries to fill what it considers a pressing need: a leadoff-hitting center fielder.

Also, according to sources:

-- The Giants continue to talk to Rich Aurilia, whom they view as a potential third or first baseman. Aurilia is hearing from a lot of teams but is considering strongly a return to San Francisco and a reunion with manager Bruce Bochy, whom Aurilia admired during his brief 2004 stint in San Diego.

Aurilia could benefit from the three-year, $13 million deal the Cubs gave Mark DeRosa. DeRosa is younger but Aurilia is more versatile.

Negotiations to re-sign third baseman Pedro Feliz have slowed, with Giants officials said to be taken aback by the dollars and years Feliz's agent proposed. The club is investigating several possibilities for third and first base.

-- Rather than try to re-sign Ray Durham or another big-money free agent to play second base, the Giants might go with a tandem of Kevin Frandsen and an experienced backup -- Craig Counsell or someone similar. Frandsen hit .215 in 93 scattered at-bats as a rookie but is tearing up the Arizona Fall League.

-- The Giants have investigated relievers Justin Speier, Joe Borowski and others with late-inning experience as insurance for closer Armando Benitez. Speier was Toronto's setup man and Borowski Florida's closer in 2006, and both are said to be attracting a lot of interest as potential closers. Another option is re-signing Mike Stanton.

-- Although they have contacted the agent for 39-year-old left fielder Luis Gonzalez, the Giants do not view his signing as likely.

If we by some chance overpay for Pierre, he should play left field due to his weak arm. He would give us a great 1-2 combo with Vizquel hitting behind him. At the 3 yrs $30 mil he is asking, it isn't worth it.

I would like to have a guy like Speier and wouldn't mind resigning Stanton. Borowski had a great comeback year last year but he is too risky to go along with another risk like Benitez.

**** Feliz!

[Kingdom]

I can see Saber loving this move all the way.

[love_that_reefer]

Saber loves everyone's misery.

[GiantsFanatic]

Pierre huh? Im ok with this deal, nice 1-2 punch like reef said and it bonds comes back he might get a chance to hit with RISP more often.

Reminds me of mann-ram with the indians, when he had lofton, vizquel, and alomar in the 1-3 batting order.

[Saber]

It reminds me of that lineup too, except much older, much worse, much more expensive and somehow equating Kevin Frandsen with Robbie Alomar.

[love_that_reefer]

I doubt he was saying Frandsen is a #3 hitter because is far from it. I will take Matthews over Pierre which still isn;t saying much.

[GiantsFanatic]

Regardless of age or what not, Bonds still hit over 300 durring the second half of the year, and Vizquel was still productive on offense and defense.

The third guy I was thinking/reffering of was Winn.

You got Pierre, Vizquel and Winn your top 3 and Bonds batting clean up.

[love_that_reefer]

Holy moly! The Dodgers were dumb enough to get him and for a five year deal worth $45 million. Lofton has been better and wouldn't mind bringing him back for a year. Giants are still looking at Carlos Lee to play LF.