by shlepcar
Burly is on vacation for a few weeks. When he goes on vacation, he tends to go all out. He’s likely in some jungle somewhere, hacking his way through very tall, razorblade-leafed undergrowth. So, until he gets back, I’ll be sitting in for a few posts.
I’ve been a friend of Burly’s for going on 20 years now and have always turned to him for his take on all things baseball related. I am a big Twins fan, and so I suppose I’m one of the reasons that there is so much Twins content on this site. I am actually in Minnesota right now for the sole purpose of attending a game at the new stadium this coming Sunday, which I plan to write about.
I know about one-tenth as much about baseball as Burly does, but hopefully if I stick with what I know, I might present a few things that will be of interest. And blah blah blah, I’ll get on with it.
In a move that Burly dreaded, the Giants did indeed acquire Jose Guillen today for cash considerations and a player to be named later. Guillen had been designated for assignment by the Royals after they could find no takers by the trade deadline.
After a hot June, he’d been on an 0-for-21 skid, hitting just .207 in July. The 34-year-old is in the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract, and the Royals are on the hook for three million of the remaining $3.75 million owed to him this year. So, the good news is that Guillen isn’t coming at too high of a price. I know that isn’t exactly great news, but it beats a repeat of the Shea Hillenbrand deal a few years ago.
There is always a chance that Guillen could go on a Randy Winn-like tear for a few months and make Sabean seem like a genius, but until that happens, I’m not thrilled with the deal. Bochy has already said that he plans on starting him in right field.
That means that Huff will be the primary first baseman and Ishikawa will have to go back to proving himself again as a pinch-hitter. Of course, it is likely that everyone in the outfield will see fewer at-bats. The Giants have been playing pretty well lately, and Burrell has been doing really well.
It’d be easier to damn Sabean for messing with the chemistry of a team that is beginning to gel if it weren’t for the fact that the Giants lost tonight to the first-place Padres (so, what, does Sanchez have to eat his hat? What happens with that guarantee stuff? I guess I’m not taking any stock tips from him). Guillen wasn’t in uniform yet, but he will be starting tomorrow.
I don’t like it. I don’t like Guillen. In the article posted by the Giants San Francisco Chronicle writers, Guillen is quoted as saying that he didn’t even want to come to San Francisco: “I talked to Sabean for an hour. (San Francisco) was not my favorite choice, but he convinced me. In the AL, I knew I’d be able to DH more, but now I’m totally healthy.”
Great, Mr. 0-for-21 has decided to grace us with his presence. The Giants are the 11th team to take a chance on him (Colorado signed him but he never played a game for them…smart).
I don’t get Sabean. Guillen is 34, he’s been linked to the Mitchell report, he’s got a reputation for hustling only when he feels like it, and when he was offered the job, he didn’t want it! Sabean had to talk him into it! I feel like Charlie Brown when he missed the football—“AUGH!”
I hope it works out, but I ain’t holdin’ my breath.
Eugenio Velez came off the DL—he had taken a foul ball to the face off the bat of Burrell. As a warm welcome back, they optioned him to Fresno.
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