I've been unhappy that Sabean's chosen to make the team over time into a collection of really old dudes. His decisions over the last couple of years have put the Giants in this position; many of his decisions have concerned me. If we want to discuss that--many have...at length--fine. But, where the Giants are now is where the Giants are now. And, while I've been very critical of Sabean in the past, I'm happy that he's refrained from (or been unlucky in) NOT signing Soriano, Matthews Jr., Pierre, El Globo Lee, etc.

In my view, the Giants don't have much of a choice but to sign/bring back guys like Durham and Richie. So, in a way, I'm okay with these signings. Why? Sabean didn't overpay; the market's gone nuts; Durham did have a good year; Frandsen hasn't proven himself and these signings will give him a year or two as a utility guy; and, I would much rather that they have a crappy year and prepare for next off-season vs. leveraging the team for five to seven YEARS with suspect signing now.

Which young guys would Sabean have signed this off-season? Oh yeah, and bring back Bonds. Mr. Anti-Christ (all the vitriol against him to the contrary) is still one hell of a hitter.

Have a nice weekend everybody.

Chron beat writer Bruce Jenkins weighs in.

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So Very Bleak

From the standpoint of player movement, this may be the Giants' most lamentable offseason since they moved to San Francisco. They are about to sign Rich Aurilia, Dave Roberts and Bengie Molina, three aging and painfully inadequate players when measured against the major free-agent signings around the game. They can't merely cut ties with Barry Bonds, after watching him suck the life out of the organization for two years, instead dropping hints of change with marketplace offers that fall flat. The remaining available power hitters (Andruw Jones, Vernon Wells, Manny Ramirez, perhaps Miguel Cabrera) could only be acquired in trade -- and the Giants need to keep their two players (Omar Vizquel and Matt Cain) who really matter. It seems almost certain that they will be a struggling, second-rate team, which raises the question: If Bonds is so intent on winning a championship, why would he even consider the Giants?

First: Bruce Jenkins is a moron whom no one should not waste their time reading or quoting.

Second: Giants didn't really have an opportunity to remake the organization. The free agent market did not have very many good players. They don't have any prospects to trade. It will take a long time to develop prospects. They shouldn't sign Roberts, though it looks like they will, as a light-hitting oft-injured CF isn't worth the draft pick expense of a team that won't be good for 3 years.

Third: Durham was good and I'm sure could have gotten more on the open market and I'm sure there was interest. Feliz, well, he's not. I think Durham's willingness to sign is an indicator that Bonds will be signed soon.

Feliz would have been a good signing at about $3 mill, as that would mean he wouldn't be a starter.

2 years and 8 million for Aurilia, ouch... wait until he plays all those games in those west coast parks in the cool evenings, his power should wane... and well that's about all the game he has.

I agree with all of the above with the exception of the Durham signing being an indicator of an imminent (or very likely) Bonds signing. Durham is Sabean's insurance policy - if Bonds does not sign Durham slots into left and Frandsen plays second and they still have at least some deniability when they are accused of not signing any power. The Feliz signing is just hugely unfortunate and means I will need to purchase a case of pepto before April '07.

Well, this is nice for Bochy. He prefers to play recycled veterans over young guys anyway.

Hey.... at least your team is doing something besides letting everyone worth the powder to blow 'em to hell, go.
Alderson and cheapskate Moores sit idly by and sell the farm for unprovens who look great in the minors and on paper, but I doubt will translate that "greatnees"to the bigs.I don't see the winter meetings producing anything that we can get without having to further deplete our already depleted ranks.
You need to tell your team to learn to pull to left, we have no one there in the infield OR outfield.
Tell Bruce Bochy,Dave Roberts, and Tim Flannery we already miss them down here and wish them the best.

Thank God our other cheapskate Spanos, has allowed AJ Smith to build a winner in the Chargers, or else this might be one of the bleakest winters in memory.

As a Padre fan, I'd like to say that I don't miss Bochy or Flannery and that I don't expect to miss Dave Roberts and his below average offensive output in left field.

Also, how can you call Moores or Spanos cheapskates?

A complete remake of the team was never in the cards, because it's not how Sabean rolls. Throughout his tenure, he's consistently downplayed the value of prospects. He's been more than happy to lose draft picks in order to sign mediocre free-agent veterans. At best, it's a treadmill strategy: you're constantly patching holes and compensating for moves that didn't work out. (Also, given the wacky economics of this offseason, it's a really bad time to depend on veteran free agents.)

The Giants could succeed with this strategy as long as they had the Barry Bonds of the early 2000s: he was enough to keep the team in contention in a weak division. Even if he returns to the Giants, he's no longer capable of carrying a team.

Sabean's a smart guy, he's pulled off some creative trades. But he faces a big challenge that may force him to rethink how he does business.

Well...it's easy...c-h-e-a-p-s-k-a-t-e.
When Moores bought the club, I was one of the backers of his "spend prudently" theory of running the club. I posted so often on the Padres board agreeing with it, that I was accused of actually working for the club.lololol.
Every off season, we watched and waited while other teams ponied up for impact guys that could immediately help their clubs, while we were relegated to watching to see if Towers could once again dig up some diamond in the rough that would be happy for the San Diego discount and somehow have a career year.
So this year we wait again as the Padres throw their name in the ring for a crop of overpriced free agents, only to have them say,"just kidding" and sit back on their haunches. What they have done thus far is get rid of Josh Barfield, the up and coming second baseman,for 2 minor leaguers. Kousmanoff, who has power (in the minors), is defensively nothing to write home about, and has a bad back. The other, Brown,a pitcher, supposedly throws in the mid to high 90's, but can't locate. Now we have a hole at second(which might be easier to fill than 3rd, but not if you don't do anything)
We also re-signed Russel Branyan to a one year contract to vie for the hot corner. Still a question at third.
Johnson and Adkins were swapped for 2 relievers named Ring and Bell,both of whom came from the Mets. From the stats I see they were avg at best but could help setting up Trevor(Ring...Bell.....Hells Bells)
Hated to see Johnson go, especially in light of the fact that Dave Roberts allowed to walk away thus creating a hole in left.....after having a career year here.
Also allowed to go was Woody Williams(Astros), who, in the 5th spot, gives you a viable 5-6 inning guy who on accasion will get a gem.
So far, our biggest signing has been utility man Geoff Blum, who filled in admirably for Khalil, who was hurt (again)last year.
Bud Black, I'm sure, has a great baseball mind, but I see his signing as a cost move also, $400,00 compared to $1.9million(or more) for Bochy.
I will miss Bochy and Flannery and the talent that was let go this off season......and hope against hope that we have some kind of blockbuster(s) in the works that will ably fill any and all holes created by management in their zeal to get low dollar guys to make a championship team (moneyball).
So, as I sit back and review the NFL scores of today, I can reflect and look at the big picture of what's transpired for the Padres thus far.

They're cheap