The Giants have announced that they settled arbitration (or whatever) with outfielder Andres Torres. Torres, who had a career year and then some in 2010, was an enormous part of the Giants' world championship season, taking over as starting center fielder by mid-season after even Bruce Bochy could no longer ignore that he was knocking the cover off the ball, playing incredible defense, and was literally the only player on the Giants who was capable of stealing a base. By contrast, Aaron Rowand was too busy working on his MekaNeck impression and batting a cool .087, while insisting on playing every fly ball by crashing through the outfield wall, Kool-Aid Man style.
Rowand was paid $12 million last year, and this year he's going to be paid like 0.75 Barry Zitos worth of cash. Torres made $600,000 last year. This year, he'll make $2.1 million, which is more than he's made in his entire major league career combined. I'm happy for the dude, and I hope he continues being the glue that holds the Giants together, and their only bona fide leadoff man. He's no spring chicken, but he's a bargain and, even if his numbers dip, he's going to be worth more and see more playing time than Rowand, who will hopefully be jettisoned to the Diamondbacks mid-season, which is pretty much what he deserves.
- Hanstock
I read a dude somewhere saying that Sabean actually did kind of a terrible job in the 2009/2010 off-season, and then more than made up for it by doing and AMAZING job during the 2010 season. How does this sound to a guy who watched more Giants baseball than the playoffs?
ReplyDeleteYeah that's perfectly accurate. He was given a couple of gifts in Huff FAR exceeding expectations, Mark DeRosa's wrist tearing free of his body, and the spectacular crap solo of Rowand, but no one can say shit about his dealing Bengie so Bochy was forced to make Posey the everyday catcher, his signing of Burrell for two plug nickels and a pack of chewing gum, and his "FUCK YOU PADRES" acquisition of NLCS hero Cody "The Boss" Ross. Not to mention his dealing sabermetrician wet dream John Bowker for a pair of bullpen arms who proved indispensable down the home stretch.
ReplyDeleteLong story short, Sabean made shit move after shit move for the last six years or so but really redeemed himself during the 2010 season. That trend has continued in the offseason thus far, as he has (with the exception of picking up Tejada for the departed Uribe/Renteria platoon) stood pat. Given that the 2010 Giants were the most likable and cohesive team since the "Idiots" Red Sox of 2004, it's nice to see the band getting back together for 2011.