Go To The Corner Store!!

[love_that_reefer]

The Giants are in dire need of help at both first and third base. Dan Ortmeier has not had a good spring hitting .212 with a .305 OBP, no homeruns and just two RBI. I usually don't pay attention to spring stats......unless you are fighting for a position and have the second most at bats!! It looks like he needs more seasoning at the position and Rich Aurilia will be the Opening Day first baseman. Is that it? How long can Aurilia stay healthy? A week? Two tops? We have got to get someone more reliable and used to the playing first base. Now if Aurilia plays first, who plays third? Kevin Frandsen is the likely candidate but he too has struggled this spring vying for a everyday position. Frandsen is hitting .235 with no homeruns and just two RBI. He does possess a .395 OBP which is the only good thing he has shown. His defense has been shaky which might be affecting his offense. Eugenio Velez is another option at third but he isn't defensively sound at third either and is better suited for second base. Velez is having a good spring though hitting .298 with a .344 OBP, 1 HR, 7 RBI and 11 stolen bases. His speed is welcome, his defense is not. Frandsen and Velez, like Ortmeier and Aurilia, are playing out of position So this leaves us with what? GET SOME REAL HELP!!! GET ANY HELP!! JUST DO SOMETHING!! Here are a few players that I think are available and can help.

Brandon Inge-3b: Inge is a great defensive third baseman which our pitching staff will love. Inge is 30 years old and averages 16 HRs, 66 RBI and a .241 BA to go along with his .304 OBP. Not exactly impressive but his defense and potential power can make this team better. His strikeouts are a big problem which would make him hit lower in the lineup. 16 HRs coming from the #7 hole in the lineup would help a lot. Inge is owed $19.1 million over the next three years.

Dmitri Young-1b/OF: With the emergence of Nick Johnson, Young is likely to be traded. Young plays both first and outfield but we have enough OFers but I guess an emergency OFer never hurt. Young is coming off an All Star season with the Nats in which he hit .320/.378/.491 with 13 HRs and 74 RBI. He's a switch hitter who seems to have found his stroke again. His numbers are encouraging since he would be hitting in a lineup much like the one he did last year. Of course he is likely to decline a little but that will still be better than what we have now. Young would be the everyday first baseman with Aurilia backing him up. If Young does well, he could be traded again to get some much needed pieces then Ortmeier could be called up. Young will make $5 mil this season and the next so he wouldn't be breaking the bank. What to give up for a 300lb first baseman is the question though.

Ian Stewart-3b: Stewart plays for the Rockies so we would be trading within our own division. I am fine with this. The Giants are rebuilding and will not be contending for a while so it won't hurt as bad. Stewart is a 23 year old prospect and hit .304/.379/.478 with 15 HRs and 65 RBI in his first year at AAA last season. He's a good but not great fielder but the man can hit. With Garrett Atkins blocking him at third, he is a possible trade candidate. He isn't going to win the open second base job with the Rockies so why not get something for him? He's worth traded something good for him. Teammate Jeff Baker is also worth looking at.

Mark Loretta-3b/1b/SS/2b: Loretta is the ultimate utility guy but would be asked to mainly play 3b. That he can play everywhere on the infield helps and is much more reliable than Aurilia. Having two utility guys like Aurilia and Loretta might not sound ideal but it will give the Giants a chance to let Ortmeier get more reps in AAA and Velez some much needed seasoning in the minors too. A possible triangulation crossfire going on between Aurilia, Frandsen and Loretta. Loretta hit .287 with a .352 OBP in 133 for Houston last year. He might not have power but the guy can hit and get on base which leads to runs I heard.

Richie Sexson-1b: Why the hell not? He is only under contract for one year at $14 mil and provides an actual power threat. Sexson would not cost a lot in terms of prospects if we eat a lot of the contract. it would be like the Bobby Abreu trade to the Yankees. A return the NL might do him some good be he too strikes out a lot. I'll take the 30+ HRs with the 100+ K's because this team has to provide some kind of offense. One year of Sexson might turn his career around and put us in a position to re-sign him. Hey, its better than Shea Hillebrand!

[jpants10]

di-meat hook? looking fatter than ever? no thanks
richie sexon? no. the last thing we need is the lesser, second coming of omar vizquel.
ian stewart would be cool, esp given his age. and the fact that we need to take some gambles on some youngsters. maybe then the guys at bp would stop using "sabean" as a verb.
personally, i'm all about brandon inge. he's indescribably discontent with his situation in detroit, and so probably would not take much to move.

[love_that_reefer]

Omar Vizquel can't drive in runs, Rickie Sexson can. Vizquel can barely get the ball out of the infield, Sexson can. I just don't want Matt Cain to go through another year like he did last year.

[love_that_reefer]

Manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that Kevin Frandsen could begin the season on the disabled list because of a sore Achilles tendon. We have to pick up somebdo and need to do it wuickly so that person can get some reps in with the team.

[love_that_reefer]

Giants claimed infielder Jose Castillo off waivers from the Marlins.
The Giants are taking on Castillo's $850,000 salary. It looks like more bad news for Kevin Frandsen owners. Castillo could be an option at shortstop with Omar Vizquel out, but like Frandsen, he's best at second base and third. The Giants could play him at third, move Rich Aurilia to first and cut Dan Ortmeier, or they could opt to make him a utilityman. Either way, it would to make it less likely that Eugenio Velez will have a roster spot.

This isn't what I was talking about!! Castillo has only played 34 games at third and 10 games at SS. We have enough second basemen already! Plus he's a career .256 hitter with a OBP of .297. We have got to do better than this.