Bumgarner Struggles as Giants Fall to Cubs

The "friendly confines" weren't exactly kind to Madison Bumgarner, who allowed five runs on six hits in just four innings pitched as the Giants fell 6-4 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field,

Alfonso Soriano, who rejected a trade to the Giants earlier this year, did much of the damage for Chicago with an RBI double in the first and a two-run home run in the third.

The Cubs would lead 5-0 after three innings, as Wellington Castillo's double brought in two more runs.

San Francisco would rally to close it to a 6-4 deficit in the eighth, thanks to RBIs by Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, and Hunter Pence, but Cubs close Carlos Marmol would finish them off in the top of the ninth to secure the win for Chicago.

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8/21: Giants Trade Options, Cabrera Associate Banned, Bochy on Left Field

 One of Melky Cabrera's associates, Juan Nunez, is being implicated as the sole conspirator, and, pending official word from the Commissioner's Office, has such been banned from all Major League club-houses.

Ah, glad all that's out of the way.  Now we can focus on the issue at hand:  What are the Giants going to do in left field?

Personally, I think it's Gregor Blanco's job to lose, but with Justin Christian getting almost equal playing time, there's no room for further regression.  Bruce Bochy implied that they are in fact looking for some help in left field:


ESPN Senior Baseball analyst Jim Bowden reports:

"Bochy told us that it is 'Fair to say we're looking for help in LF. Brian is working on it now," via his Sirius XM Inside Pitch radio show.

So who is Sabean eyeing?  Most are reporting that former Dodger/Angels out-fielder Vernon Wells might be a good fit, but I am going to have to venture off the reservation and give that idea a big no, as aging production-less veteran out-fielders are not something the Giants brass or fans are looking to try out again.  Remember Aaron Rowand?  I thought so.

Another option (apparently) is Alfonso Soriano, the 36 year old leftfield and 2nd basemen for the Chicago Cubs.  I really don't see this happening, because all season we've been hearing rumblings of bringing in the aging vet, who has publicly stated that he does not want to join the San Francisco Giants.

That's fine Alfonso, we don't want your wheel-chair to disrupt all the speed we have in our outfield, sorry.

My money is on Jeff Francoeur, Kansas City leftfielder, who isn't having the best year, but has respectable numbers so far this season for Kansas City (hitting just .240, but does have eleven homers, thirty-three RBI and has scored forty-three runs).  He's only owed another $7.5 million, and is signed through next year.  Seems similar to the Hunter Pence deal, just not as costly, as the Giants would surely only have to pick-up MAYBE half of his salary, and send a Dan Otero or someone of the sort.  They wont miss him, as he's currently in a platoon role with fellow outfielder Jarrod Dyson.

Who knows what Sabean has up his sleeve this time.  Whether a deal gets done or not, though, it will be interesting to see how the front office handles the situation.

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Alfonso Soriano's Ridiculous Explanation of Why He Doesn't Want to Come to San Francisco

With the 50 game suspension to Melky Cabrera, the Giants are presumably in active search for an outfielder to replace him.

Alfonso Soriano is the right fit as of now, having cleared waivers with the Cubs. He is having a pretty decent year, hitting .264 with 21 home runs and 71 RBI. Granted, those aren't Melky-type numbers, but he would be a savior for a power-deprived offense.

The only problem? He doesn't want to come here, and would use his rights as a ten-and-five player to veto a trade to San Francisco, but I have a hard time believing his explanation:

"I don't think so," he said when asked whether the Giants would be a good fit for him. "San Francisco is not good weather to play in. It's on the West Coast and I've never played on the West Coast. We'll see what happens if they call. I'll talk to my family then and see. It's not my call. I know it's 50 percent of my call, but it's my family's (call) too. I'd talk to my family and see what happens."

Wait what? "San Francisco is not good weather to play in". 

Oh, so you mean that this would not qualify as "good weather"? 

And it's not like the weather in Chicago is that good either, given its name "The Windy City". Wrigley Field has had its fair share of rain delay's, such as this one.  

When's the last time there was a rain delay at AT&T Park? And for that matter, when's the last time there was rain in the Bay Area?

I understand that Soriano has never played on the West Coast before and that his family would impact his decision, but seriously, weather cannot be a deciding factor in this situation,

Maybe Brian Sabean will have to show up on Soriano's doorstep in a Moneyball-esque style to convince him to come to San Francisco.

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