Renteria Signs

The Giants have inked Edgar Renteria to a two-year, $18.5 million deal with a $10.5 million club option for 2010.

If the strategy is that he's a placeholder until the Noonans, Frannys, Poseys, and Mannys develop, then so be it.  Let's just cross our fingers that he isn't keeping SS warm for Sabean's inevitable scramble to sign a 36 year old Derek Jeter to a five-year deal  in 2010.

Having already signed two free agents, Old Sabes was at the height of his myopic rhetoric during the announcement:

"He is a complete player on both sides of the ball, a clutch performer and a winner," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said in a statement Thursday announcing the deal. "He has the hardware to show it with the awards he has garnered and a World Series ring. We look forward to seeing him in a Giants uniform." 

It's a bit of a stretch to call him a complete player at this stage in his career, but here's to hoping that he can benefit both from a return to the National League and from leaving a team with as toxic a mentality as the 2008 Tigers.

Further Proof That We're All Banging Our Heads Against the Wall

Yahoo Sports's Tim Brown reports that the Giants are closing in on Edgar Renteria. Big whoop. The Giants requested his measurements as soon as the Tigers declined arbitration.

But there is some far juicier news within his piece:

Needing offense and an overhaul of the left side of their infield, the San Francisco Giants believe they are closing in on signing shortstop Edgar Renteria and have discussed a trade that would send left-handed starter Jonathan Sanchez to the Florida Marlins in exchange for third baseman Jorge Cantu.

Sanchez, 26, was promising but ever inconsistent in 29 starts in 2008 for the Giants, whose offseason strategy is to part with some young pitching to upgrade one of the worst offenses in baseball. Released by the Reds last December, Cantu, also 26, turned his career around with 29 home runs, 41 doubles and 95 RBI for the surprising Marlins last season.

Heading into the offseason, I would have much preferred to make a move for Dan Uggla, especially considering that a throng of Giants fans nearly stormed Willie Mays Plaza last offseason pretty much demanding the Giants sign Cantu.

Instead, as we all know, Kevin Frandsen's Achilles snapped and we were stuck with the unnamed loser of the Marlins third base competition.

That being said, Cantu is young, plays a position of need, albeit somewhat poorly, and had a had a solid power output in a pitcher's park. He's a hacker, but he's also heading into his prime, and has hit for power throughout his young career.

Comment! So do you trade Dirty for him?

Cyber Monday Deal on Edgar Renteria!

The Tigers decline to offer arbitration to Edgar Renteria, paving the way for Edgar to join the Giants without losing a second-rounder.

As long as it's a two year deal, and upon further reflection, I'm perfectly fine with the move. Although many fans are clamoring to see a youth movement, there is little else in the middle infield cupboard besides Manny Burriss, who, in spite of a nice rookie campaign, has a long ways to go as a major league hitter. Kevin Frandsen is coming off a big injury and isn't necessarily a guy you hand a starting position to, and Eugenio Velez is best-suited in a utility role, preferably one that doesn't require him to play defense.

And, even with Renteria on board, one will have to play second.

Two years of Renteria provides a bridge to the Nick Noonans and Charlie Culbersons of the world. Or perhaps even Buster Posey the shortstop, though I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.

And, even if Renteria succumbs to old age or a catastrophic injury, the length of the deal won't cripple the organization by any means. (Unlike some people.)

Sabean: Burriss Likely to Replace Vizquel at Short

There must have been something in the Colorado River Compact, because Brian Sabean came back from Denver displaying a bit more chutzpah than his usual listless self in his fireside chat on KNBR last night.

Among the revelations in Sabes's brief flirtation with candor:

- Manny Burriss is penciled in to start at shortstop next year and all indications are that he will be given every opportunity to be there long-term. Omar Vizquel will not be back.

Ivan Ochoa will compete to be the primary middle infield backup, but, in a miraculous moment of clarity, Sabean now does not view him as an everyday player.

- Pablo Sandoval is likely an everyday player next year. What position that may be at is anyone's guess, although, given that he seems to be unaffected by the position carousel he's riding thus far, the current setup may continue through 2009.

- Regarding the position prospects, Sabean seemed to be strikingly emboldened by the success of the youngsters this year, and said he's not constrained by anything but the player's ability to play at the big league level to promote him.

Taking into account the past production and polish of '08 draftees Buster Posey, who was just promoted again, and Conor Gillaspie, those guys should be in San Francisco in less than two years and maybe even in one.

- With respect to 18 year old wunderkind Angel Villalona's arrival at Pac Bell: "anything's possible."

- As for offseason plans, Brian sees third base as the position most likely to be upgraded with a power bat, given the current free agent landscape, although I'm not sure what landscape he's looking at. Suffice it to say, his past flirtations with the likes of Hank Blalock and Joe Crede renders this poseur beat writer nervous.

- Sabean said he's looking to move pitching for hitting help, and his third base evaluation may make more sense if you include possible trade targets, with names like Beltre, Atkins, and Kouzmanoff potentially available.

Other names I would throw out at third would include Brandon Wood, Jorge Cantu, and Dallas McPherson.

But despite reports of Tigers owner Mike Ilitch ordering an offseason slash in payroll, my personal white whale (no pun intended) Miguel Cabrera probably isn't going anywhere.

- Other nuggets Sabean peddled: Fred Lewis and his toe may be heading to surgery given the recent leveling off of his play, giving Nate Schierholtz an extended look; absent an outside addition, Kevin Frandsen and Eugenio Velez would compete for the job at second (no mention of Travis Denker, although I hope it's an oversight); and an extension for Randy Winn will be discussed this offseason.

Comment! You can make one move this offseason: what do you do?

Good Takeaways From A Bad Long Weekend

- Dirty returns and puts together a nice quality start; San Francisc still loses.

- Manny Burriss at shortstop. I'm not sure if Sabchy is grossly inept, doesn't care, or is pulling an Andy Kaufman on the Lunatic Fringe, but I guess it's better to have a completely obvious good idea later rather than never.

If Manny can hold down the position, and all indications are that he can, it frees up second base for a spring training competition between Kevin Frandsen (who's rehab from an Achilles rupture seems to be progressing), Travis Denker (who has put together a nice stat line since his demotion to Fresno), and Eugenio Velez.

- Yippee ki-yay, Scott McClain got called up!

Call me a sap, but I want this guy to get one good year in the majors. I can't think of a better team for him to do it than this rudderless ship. Do you have any better ideas for acquiring a dirt cheap power-hitting corner infielder?

- Speaking of power-hitting corner infielders, The One just had the best month of his pro career.

- The Franchise goes tonight. For those of you haven't noticed, NL Cy Young frontrunner Brandon Webb hasn't been all that in his past two starts.

Another dominant outing by Timmy and, at the outset of September, he could be in control of his Cy Young destiny.

Comment! Why will you watch the Giants this September? Or, perhaps, why won't you (you bandwagon fan)?

Optimists Need Not Apply

Rejected slogans for the 2008 Washington Nationals:

"The Nats: Good for What Ails Ya"

"Wily Mo Pena Is, Like, Really Strong - Strongman Strong"

"We're Going to Be Good...NAT!"

Whatever it ended up being, the Giants certainly don't seem to be fazed, taking their fifth straight from the woebegone Nationals. The Big Money that we enjoyed so much through May made his triumphant return with two (trade him now) homers, and Barry Zito improved his trade value to dizzying highs in running up his record to 5-12.

Duh: In an utterly shocking development, Bruce Bochy informed Omar Vizquel that he will not be the regular starter at short. But wait, there's more: that is effective post-trade deadline. In making that bit of news public, the Giants reinforce the notion that they have not one iota of knowledge as to how to effectively manage assets.

Sandoval Soon?: The esteemed Andrew Baggarly reports that Eliezer Alfonzo has been sent back to Fresno, closing the chapter on one of the more puzzling Giant callups of the 21st century.

But here's where it gets interesting. According to Baggs, Steve Holm would appear to be the beneficiary in the interim, but there's a chance that as early as next week (pending deadline deals), Pablo Sandoval, arguably the best hitter in the Giants system right now, could get the callup. The 21 year old catcher/corner infielder has followed up a stellar high A stint with an equally impressive line in about a month of AA ball.

After shellacking the rehabbing David Ortiz-led Portland SeaDogs last night, Sandoval is hitting .343 with 6 HRs and 27 RBIs in 110 ABs, all while hitting at notorious pitcher's park Dodd Stadium.

Roberts Activated: Um...did you know he stole second base in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS?

From within that piece, the would-be heir apparent to Ray Durham looks to make an early comeback.

Espineli Up: In my euphoria of being a Giants fan these days, I somehow overlooked that the Giants brought up right handed slop thrower Geno Espineli. In a hilariously tragic twist, the callup stripped Geno of his ability to pitch in the Olympics next month - you know, the last Olympics in which baseball will be played.

That's just cold, Sabes.

Ivan Ochoa, Come On Down!

Travis Denker has been a fairly head-scratching call-up.  He's an intriguing young player who should be playing every day as we move towards an all-out competition for the second base job next year, one that would include Denker, Manny Burriss, a presumably healthy Kevin Frandsen and, depending on off-season moves, a host of other potential candidates.

So instead of getting regular at-bats in Norwich or Fresno, Denker's been toiling on the bench, hardly playing at all in the big leagues, not to mention the fact that Brian Sabean, in all his perverse management glory, started Denker's service time clock way earlier than he needed to.

Bringing us to today: an obviously trigger-happy Sabean has sent Denker to Fresno in exchange for infielder Ivan Ochoa, who perhaps should have been the utility infielder the Giants should have called up in the first place.  Up until this season, Ochoa has had a lackluster career in the minors.  Now, entering his ninth season, the 25 year old is putting together a nice little campaign down in Fresno, going .318/.395/445 (with 20 steals) as the team's regular shortstop.

In my completely uninformed opinion, this may be a signal that a deal to swing Ray Durham to a contender may be coming into focus.  The callup of Ochoa would allow Manny Burriss to take over duties at second in the event of a Durham trade, while Ochoa could slide into Burriss's current role as the utility man. 

I'm not entirely sure where this leaves recent returnee Eugenio Velez, but my hope is that his inferior instincts spend less time in the infield and more in the outfield, where his speed and arm are much better served.

Moment of Zen

The shot of Matt Cain up top is absolutely classic.

Clockwise from bottom: Tim Lincecum (in glasses), Dave Roberts, Noah Lowry, Matt "Disco" Cain, Rich Aurilia, Omar Vizquel, Kevin Frandsen (with beard), and lost Kiss member Jack Taschner.

Props to Logan's Freedom Ride.