Fixing First Base

With the trade deadline approaching, some of my “colleagues” here in the Giant Blogosphere have been debating who Brian Sabean is going to seek to fill the first base hole. I’ve got the answer, but I’m going to make you read this thing first.

Despite his homerun tonight, I think we can all agree that Chad Santos is not likely the answer. Mike Sweeney is a good pinch hitter. There is some potential there in Lance Niekro, but it’s clear it will not be realized in time to save this season.

At the McCovey Chronicles, Grant had a detailed analysis of 7 possibilities that might not cost much in the way of prospects. By the way, if you missed it, you’ve got to read his piece of a couple of days ago entitled, “Casey at the Link.” Hilarious.

Today Grant was slobbering over Sean Casey. This simply proves Grant has never likely owned him in a fantasy league. Sorry, but he’s a pansy hitter, a lefty who might hit a few doubles in the gap, but might hit zero homers at Telephone Park.

He’s what we call a one category hitter. Last season, batting in the middle of the order all year, with 529 offical at bats he hit 9 homers and drove in only 58 runs while hitting .312. In Cincinnati! This season he’s got 3 homers and 26 RBI’s while hitting .305. So ya think that’s the answer?

The other cheapos Grant listed in his preference list were guys who prove that I watch absolutely no AL baseball: Shea Hillenbrand, Shane Andrews, Craig Paquette, Ray Jablonski, Jeff Ball and Javy Lopez. I remember Andrews and Lopez from their better days in the NL, am kind of familiar with Paquette, and have no idea who Jablonski or Ball are. Ray Jablonski sounds like a middle linebacker in Green Bay.

The only thing I can agree with Grant on these guys is that they will be cheap in terms of what Sabes will have to give up. “We’ll take those salaries off your hands and throw in an ice chest filled with frozen crab meat.”

Lefty wants a couple of guys who will cost a little more, Pat Burrell (can he play 1st? I don’t remember) or Craig Wilson. Burrell has two more huge years on his contract. Huge. When the Giants rebuild this team next season without a bunch of old guys, do you want to be committed to $13 million in 2007 and $14 million in 2008 for Pat Burrell? Wilson’s ok, but how much better will he be than Sweeney? I think a little.

Big D at Giants Win hasn’t actually joined the conversation on first base. He’s focused on Jose Vizcaino and Armando Benitez, and I certainly can’t blame him. But I wanted to mention his excellent work because quoted me at length today. As the Bruno Kirby character said in Billy Crystal's “City Slickers,” nobody’s ever quoted me to myself. Thanks for the plug.

So here is a name no one has mentioned yet because, frankly, everyone has forgotten about him. He’s been on the DL of his team and our fantasy team all season, but he’s supposed to be back in a couple of weeks. It’s a risk, but his team has indicated they don’t have a place for him when he comes back.

Ryan Klesko.

OK, it’s going to be tough to make a deal with the Padres, I get that, but Adrian Gonzalez is now the first baseman in San Diego. Klesko's rent is a little expensive, but he’s a free agent to come. He’s always been able to hit. He’s not exactly JT Snow in the field, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the seven hole behind Feliz.

Sorry, but that’s the best name I can think of. It’s a guy who might actually hit some homers in Telephone Park.

As I was typing this, I had the game on in the background. The Giants did some nifty run manufacturing. With one out, Winn stole third base and then scored on a suicide squeeze by Vizquel. On a hit and run play, Alou hit a single, Vizquel going to third. Then Barry hit a long sac fly to left center. Nice.

Has anyone noticed the DBacks are back in the NL West race? They looked on the verge of collapse, but suddenly they are at .500, in third place 3 games behind the Padres and only ½ game behind the Giants. And Brandon Webb has a 5-1 lead, oops make that 5-2 lead in the eighth innng. They brought up Carlos Quentin today, who has a homer in his first major league game. Quentin joins Stephen Drew, and a bunch of other young players (Chad Tracy, Connor Jackson and, of course, the 27 year old Webb) in a superb example of how to rebuild a team. That’s a team I’m looking forward to seeing next month.