Friday, November 13, 2009

Uggla rumors

Acording to "major-league sources" the Giants are pursuing Dan Uggla. We've heard this before, of course. Uggla sports a career OPS+ of 114 and a career slash line of .257/.344/.482 (.354 w OBA). In his four full ML seasons, all with Florida, he's been worth 4.1, 2.7, 4.7, and 2.9 WAR. He's considered a defensive liability, and would have to play third on the Giants (moving Pablo Sandoval to first). He's a legit power threat, racking up 121 HR and 139 2B in 617 games. He made over $5 M last season, his first arbitration-eligible year. HE'S NOT A FREE AGENT. We would have to make a trade (that scares me). He turns 30 in March.

Assuming we don't chase Matt Holliday with 6 years and $100 million, would you pursue Uggla? He's never had a season below .800 OPS (.826 career), but also never reached .900 (Sandoval was .943 last year). He's a cut above Aaron Rowand (.788), but that's not saying much. For the record, Juan Uribe gave us .824 in 2009. Uggla would be a temporary piece, adding some much-needed pop but not much else. He walks a fair bit, which is nice, but doesn't hit much for average, and strikes out a lot. He's a bit too one-dimensional for me. I suppose it would come down to what we'd have to give up. At this point, we don't have much in the way of surplus, and I've no idea what the FloMars are looking for. You can bet they'll sell high and dazzle poor Sabes with "All-Star" and "RBI-man."

I think we'd be better off chasing a free agent, at least then all we'd lose is money, and your San Francisco Giants have never had issues about throwing money on the ground. Barry Zito will be paid $18.5 M in both 2010 and 2011, and $19 M in 2012. Add in Aaron Rowand at $12 M per year over the same span, and you've got over 1/3 of a $90 M payroll spent on two spectacular mediocrities. Unless the team is willing to jack up the cost of doing business, those two contracts may doom us. The Lincecum-Cain-Sanchez triumvirate will only get spendier, and the window of opportunity to win big with them will close quickly. You see why I get depressed thinking about next year? Tell me, O My Brothers, that I'm wrong. Maybe I'll just have to start gobbling Zoloft.

9 comments:

Ron said...

Blcccchla to Uggggla! Everything you write makes me convinced even more. As a Free Agent, maybe. As a trade, no way.

Let's get down to business in the Free Agent market. Even if Holliday or Bay don't come our way, there are a few other interesting OF's.

Zo said...

The Flomars are always looking for cheap to replace more expensive. That means that they probably would consider minor league talent. Considering that they do as well as they do, including a world series title in 2003 (and discounting the heavily free-agent 1997 title), one has to assume that they are sharp evaluators of talent. It might almost be worth talking to them to see who our valuable players are.

But seriously, we don't have a lot of minor league top notch talent on the hitting side, and want to hang on to what we do have. We do have a lot of pitching. If they would take minor league pitching (not including Madison Bum), then it might be worth considering, opening the question, where to put the guy? Pablo has shown an excellent defensive ability at third. Uggla is a second baseman, and, as I understand it, rates just barely below average defensively. We might assume he would be worse at third. So we would be playing him in the outfield, or first base.

Ron, whom did you have in mind as an interesting outfielder, if that is where the guy would end up anyway?

Ron said...

Interesting OF Free Agents (in order of preference):

Bay
Holliday
Vlad
Figgins
Damon
Nady

Brother Bob said...

Happy birthday Mark! I wouldn't have known that without Facebook.

JC Parsons said...

Mark is FIFTY today!!!!

I am sure he is currently having a grand time drinking beer with friends at the pub. Cheers!

Zo Loft said...

It is your birthday!?!

I should have known. Have a zoloft on me.

Zo said...

Ron,
Assuming that we can't get Bay, Holliday or Figgins, Vlad is intriguing, but the question is how much and for how long. He will be 35 at season start, made $15 mil last year, and you have to wonder if he is past his prime. He only hit 15 hr last year, in 100 games. He is more of an imposing presence than anyone we have, though. I don't find Damon very intriguing. Nady is a possibility. He's 31 tomorrow, and was out most of the year with TJ surgery. Cal man. He would have to come cheap, and may not offer much more than we in Lewis/Schierholtz/Bowker. Allegedly has some interest from other teams, too. He has less power than Uggla, but hits for a better average. Their obp are close.

Ron said...

Happy 50th Birthday a day late Mark, from all of us here!

M.C. O'Connor said...

Thanks guys, it has been a great birthday, and it ain't quite over! Sue and I get Robyn's home-rolled sushi tomorrow!!!