Thursday, January 29, 2009

Giants sign Juan Uribe

.......Did I just read my own title correctly???

.......The Giants just signed Juan Uribe to a minor league deal that could earn him $1 million dollars this season if he makes the team.........

...WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, swore I wouldn't drop the F bomb on here...I guess I slipped....

...On second thought, I'M STILL MAD. What the.... is Brian Sabean doing??? Nice youth movement we have going here...

All right, I calmed down...a little...I mean, it is ONLY a minor league deal right? He MAY not make the team right? If not, the Giants aren't actually out the money right? So why the big deal then anyway? I mean, he has to bring something right? What does he bring?

Let's see:
He's an infielder(supersub)-check
He can play Short Stop- check
We need a backup shortstop- check
He can hit- (crickets)
He can run- (more crickets)
He has good plate discipline- ...........
Well, he has power- 20, 21, and 23 homeruns isn't exactly power, but i'll give you that he has hit a few homeruns in his past.

Seriously, check out his line, he's no upgrade.

OK, lets try to look at this objectively. Why really did the Giants feel the need to sign Uribe? The IF is not set in any way, but does have personnel with claims. Uribe can play 2B, SS, and 3B. Of the players most likely to make the team, only Emmanuel Burriss and Edgar Renteria can play SS so it is nice to see someone who can play there. Speaking of Burriss, this move all but seals his fate of playing in Fresno this season, even though this is a minor league deal. Back on track though, why else does Uribe make sense??? I can't find another reason.

Did I say he can't hit. He doesn't see a pitch he doesn't like and unlike Pablo Sandoval, Uribe can't hit those pitches either. He is 30 so he should still be in the prime of his career, not coming in on a minor league deal. He owns a career .253 average and spent last season backing up Joe Crede at 3B for the White Sox...Wait...How did...Ohhhhhhh, now I get it...

Joe Crede, that's it right there. Somehow, I knew Crede's name couldn't stay away from this. Uribe is a good option to back up Renteria, an aging SS who is hoping for a bounce back year, a good option to back up an inexperienced 2B (Frandsen, Burriss, Velez) who may falter and need to be benched, and a good option to back up 3B. Third Base, where the heir is supposed to be Sandoval, a converted catcher with 12 career games there, someone who GM Brian Sabean touted as the 3B next year. Because he has never changed his mind there (see Manny Burriss next years starter equals Edgar Renteria's 2/$18 contract). So maybe Uribe could make a good backup to say, a FA 3B who the Giants have been monitoring for 2 years now, who just worked out yesterday for Giants scouts, who buddy Aaron Rowand has been politicing over for a year now, who could mean the Giants move Pablo Sandoval to 1B to platoon with Travis Ishikawa. Enter Joe Crede.

It may may seem upsurd to get this worked up over a backup bench warmer but it's gonna cost something.
First, this almost guarentee's no Richie Aurulia this season. I'm OK with that in some respect, but not this one.
Second, This absolutely means Manny Burriss is in AAA ball this season learning the finer points of SS and trying to develop a little pop in his bat. Again, I'm OK with that as he needs to play, but I would have liked to have seen him get a chance to actually earn a job at 2B even though he should concentrate at SS.
Third, WHEN, not IF, he makes the team, who's left off the 25 man roster? Lets assume the Giants carry 12 pitchers, Lewis, Rowand, Winn, Molina, Renteria, and Sandoval. Also a backup catcher (Holm), 2 OF in Roberts (bad contract) and Schierholtz (Out of Options), Frandsen and Ishikawa as the penciled in starters at 2B and 1B. That leaves 2 spots open. Velez is supposed to be there and showed enough promise in the second half last year to warrant a job. 1 to go...Bowker and Burriss seem the most likely odd men out. Not that both couldn't use every day AB's this season but both showed enough promise to potentially be useful. Certainly better than Uribe. And don't forget about Josh Phelps. He who has arguably the most power of everyone going to camp this year, also on a minor league deal. As a first baseman, his opportunity seems to be down to having to beat out Ishikawa, it's one or the other maybe.
Fourth, this signing is a prelude. Prelude to the old ways. Aging vets coming off injuries and poor years seem to be the way to go now. Preview to the new ways, which are the old ways. Next up, signing Crede. It's going to happen in the next few days probably, maybe tomorrow. So then who goes? Velez? Ishikawa? Schierholtz? Frandsen? None can go back to the minors, they would have to be released if not traded. Is that what we want? We just got these kids here and now we are jettisoning them like a life raft on the Titanic...

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUTH MOVEMENT???

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