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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Vernon Wells a Possible Fit for Giants?

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, suggested on Monday that the Angels' Vernon Wells could be an option for the Giants on the waiver wire. The Giants, who just recently lost their star left fielder Melky Cabrera to suspension, could use some new blood in the outfield. 

Wells, 33, has a hefty contract for such little contributions over the past couple of seasons, however. This season, he's hitting just .222/260/.389 with only seven home runs. His MVP caliber years are likely numbered, but practically anything could bolster the Giants in left field at this point. The combination of Gregor Blanco and Justin Christian is one of the few options that the Giants currently have, making a proven veteran is seemingly a better route to take. 

For any deals to at least generate some interest from the Giants' side, the Angels will have to send a massive chunk of money to San Francisco in order to ship Wells out of the "Big A". However, the Angels, who spent hundreds of millions in the offseason, would love to let their struggling veteran loose. Simply, money is not an object for them. 

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