Surgery For Vizquel

[love_that_reefer]

Omar Vizquel will undergo surgery this week on his sore left knee and miss 4-5 weeks.
Vizquel said the soreness was of no concern when he began having problems last week, but he obviously doesn't bounce back like he used to. Since medicare is covering it, he figured he might as well go ahead and have the operation. There's still a chance that he'll be ready for Opening Day, but odds are that Kevin Frandsen will have to cover shortstop for the first couple of weeks. That might put him at a bit of a disadvantage in the second-base competition with Ray Durham, though at least the two will be able to continue fighting for at-bats into the regular season now.

Not good news for Giants fans and especially Giants pitchers. Vizquel was brought back for one reason and that was his defense. This wasn't a good signing by the Giants but Omar does bring intangibles to the team. He's a great leader and teacher of the game and always has a smile in his face. Vizqule missing all of ST won;t help his offense which didn't get better in winter ball. One good thing that might come of it is he misses enough games to where his option doesn't get picked up. He has to play 140 games in order for it to be guaranteed.

[ljshorty89]

Omar is a great player, but was definitely not what this Giants team needed. The Giants are going to be awful either way. Good luck to him coming back healthy, and maybe having a decent season, but it seems to me that the team should have known that an injury such as this was much more likely in Vizquel then one of their younger options.

[love_that_reefer]

We didn't really have any in house options at SS. Burriss isn't ready yet so they thought Vizquel around for a year and in that post-Bonds clubhouse would be good for the team. I think we should have made a serious play for Renteria.

[jpants10]

sorry reefer, i gotta disagree with you for the first time here. we're paying durham waaaaay too much to sit him at 2b. so he's gonna have to be SERIOUSLY outperformed in order to lose his spot. McGowan may be an idiot at times, but surely there has to be some continuity between the payroll and starting lineup. This is the PERFECT opportunity for Frandsen to get his shot. I'm loving this. We're doing away with futility in an aging Vizquel, but still retain him for his clubhouse leadership. This could possibly be the most fortuitous injury for the giants this season.

[love_that_reefer]

I understand what you are saying but Frandsen was going to get a lot of ABs this season no matter what. Durham might be getting paid a lot but if he isn't producing, why play him? Let's say he has another 07 season. What good is it for the Giants future to keep playing him? Frandsen should get the third base job if the Giants don't get Inge or Crede. Bochy has even said second base is an open competition. Burriss and Velez are better suited for SS. But hey, I am all for Frandsen getting whatever comes his way. He is going to be apart of this team's future infield and I'm glad. If Durham starts out hot, Giants need to do everything to trade him since his stock wouldn't get any higher. Didn't know you were a Giants fan. Welcome