Tagged: Rich Aurilia

Key Additions and Key Losses

Hey Giants fans, and non Giants fans. I guess I’m just saying hey to who ever is reading this. Just wanted to put up a quick post today. I will be adding more insight on these players in the next couple of posts here and at SF Giants Rumors.

 

Key Additions

 

  • Aubrey Huff
  • Mark DeRosa
  • Bengie Molina
  • Juan Uribe

 

Key Losses

 

  • Randy Winn (New York Yankees)
  • Brad Penny (ST. Louis Cardinals)
  • Bob Howry (Arizona Diamondbacks)
  • Randy Johnson (Retired)
  • Rich Aurilia (Free Agent)
  • Ryan Garko (Seattle Mariners)

 

Just wanted to pass on this information for the Giants fans that wanted to know who is where right now, and so you can see who’s in and who’s out.

 

Click here for the latest Tim Lincecum Arbitration update. 

 

~King of Cali

Let’s Sweep The D-Backs! – Random Giants Thoughts

If you would have asked any Giants fan at the start of the road trip if you would be happy with a 6-4 road trip. Everyone would have said yesss! I would have too, but now I’m getting greedy and want the 7-3 road trip. We can get that today if the Giants can close out the sweep of the D-Backs. Jonathan Sanchez gets the start (12:40pm Pacific) today to see if he can end this road trip on a positive note.
 
Is it just me or does it seem like Pablo Sandoval makes this Giants team fun? I’m always checking to see what this guy is doing. Seems like he always has a smile on his face. He’s just out there playing hard and having fun. This guy can flat out hit too. Giants fans got to love him. The good thing is he’s only 22 years old. He’s only going to get better and I’m sure he will be a Giant for a long time. Sandoval is the only guy since Bonds left that gets me excited to see his every AB. He’s not blasting balls out of the park like Bonds, but he is getting hits. I’m sure he would have more RBI’s if he didn’t bat behind Molina. The Giants signed Sandoval as an undrafted free agent in 2002.
 
Incase you guys don’t know but the Giants are in the Wild Card hunt. They are currently 1/2 a game back right now. The trading deadline is 50 days away, so wouldn’t it make sense for the Giants to make a trade now and be part of the Wild Card chase. Why wait 50 more days and give yourself a chance to fall out because of a lacking offense. We have plenty of holes to fill in this lineup, so lets do something now. Ever since the Giants have moved Sandoval to 1st and Uribe to 3rd. They have been scoring. Uribe isn’t anything sexy to talk about but he’s a decent hitter. This also took Ishikawa’s slumping bat out of the lineup.
 
Kevin Frandsen is more than likely going to start today at short stop. This is so Frandsen can get another game under his belt and Burriss can go back to 2nd base. I really think Frandsen is the better player right now over Burriss. Giants staff thinks really highly of Burriss. He’s got a good glove and a lot of speed. He just needs to get more consistent with the bat. He also has a lot of speed so he needs to work on his bunting for a hit. That could help his AVG in a hurry if he can get down decent bunts and beat them out. Frandsen can’t move like that but has worked on his “D”. He’s not bad with the glove, and he’s a good hitter. He hasn’t really showed that since he’s been brought up and down a few times this season. He’s pressing a little to much. This guy has shown it with his minor league stats that he can hit. If I were the Giants I would find a spot for him. I would even consider releasing Rich Aurilia but before that I would just send down Ishikawa. He’s not pulling his weight in the pro’s, so let him go down and get his swing going again.
 
~ King of Cali

Double Header With Nats – Giants/Braves Trigger Finger

Good news Giants fans. The Giants didn’t lose on the road last night. Well they actually didn’t even play. They waited over 3 hrs at the field to see if they can get the game in, but Mother Nature had other plans. Which means Randy Johnson has to wait another day to go for win #300. Johnson will take the mound today if the rain clears up. He will be pitching game 1 of the double header. Game 1 will be at 1:30pm pacific time. Game 2 will follow that with Matt Cain on the mound.
 
The Giants have been pretty much hopeless on the road. They have the 2nd best home record in the National League, but can’t seem to win on the road to save their lives. We probably have had the easiest road games possible to win so far this year, and we can’t even take advantage of that. I’m sure a lot of people don’t know this, but the Giants actually have the 2nd best home record in the National League. We are 2nd to the hated Dodgers!
 
Thoughts about Glavine/Braves and Giants non moves.
 
In recent news I’m sure that everyone has heard about Glavine getting released by the Braves. This is a guy that will be in the Hall of Fame for sure. This guy has had so many big games for the Braves. Do you think it was right that they released him? Well that all depends on how you look at the situation. The Braves look at it like a business. They want to win and will release a player like Glavine if they think they have someone better to fill his spot. They even went out and made a trade to get Nate McLouth. Now lets step back and look at the Giants. The Giants have a tough time in even thinking about releasing Rich Aurilia. He’s still on the team with a .200 Avg. He did actually get hot to get his Avg. up to .200 and he did hit his first home run last week. Giants can’t even release a fallen star when the Braves can release a future Hall of Famer. The Giants are just dangling Jonathan Sanchez and the Braves are out there making trades. Just shows you which team wants to win and pull the trigger on moves and which team just wants to dangle a player.
 
~ King of Cali

Giants vs. Indians Recap – Today in Baseball History!

Giants send Sanchez to the mound against Lee for the Indians. After 1 inning it’s the Giants 3 and the Indians 0. The Giants scored 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 errors in the bottom of the 1st inning. In the 2nd Velez hit a 2 run triple to give the Giants a 5-0 lead. Sandoval hit a sacrifice fly to score Velez. The Giants get another 3 run inning off of Lee. Make it a 4 run inning now. Rich Aurilia just hit a solo home run. The Giants hit for the cycle this inning. They got a single, double, triple and a home run. After 2 innings it’s the Giants 7 and the Indians 0. The Indians get on the board in the top of the 4th inning on a home run by Peralta. The Giants answer back in the bottom of the 4th. Uribe hits a RBI double to score Aurilia. The Giants now have a 8-1 lead. The Indians get back on the board in the top of the 6th. Nate Schierholtz hits a RBI double to score Velez in the bottom of the 5th. The Giants end up adding 2 runs in the 6th. After 6 innings it’s the Giants 10 and the Indians 2. The 7th and 8th innings went by pretty fast. The game is now in the 9th inning. Which means the Indians are down to their final 3 outs. The first Indian up hits a triple. He scores on a sacrifice fly. Indians are down to their final 2 outs. The Giants get the final out and get a cactus league win.
 
The Giants get 10 runs on 14 hits and 1 error. The Indians get 3 runs on 9 hits and 2 errors.
 
Highlights
 
  • The Giants have 5 players that have a multi hit game. 
  • Torres goes 2-5 scoring 2 runs.
  • Velez goes 3-5, 2 RBI’s and scored 3 runs.
  • Schierholtz goes 2-4, 2 RBI’s and scored 3 runs.
  • Aurilia goes 2-3, 1 RBI and scored 1 run.
  • Uribe goes 2-4 with 3 RBI’s.
  • Every Giants starter got a hit today including starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez.
 
Side Notes
 
The Giants had to stop the game last night vs. the Cubs. It was really windy and I think at the start of the game the wind was blowing 25-30mph. I watched some of the game on TV and was amazed at how they could even play. Zito got the start for the Giants. He pitched 5 innings giving up 3 runs and getting 7 strike outs. That’s a decent start for Zito. Giants got the win 5-3 over the Cubs.
 
Jesus Guzman didn’t get the off day like the rest of the Giants on Wednesday. He played a minor league game, so he can work on playing 1st base. This guy has been on fire with his bat, but the Giants don’t know where to put him on defense. They have him trying to play more first base.
 
Today in Baseball History
 
1989 – Sports Illustrated exposes Pete Rose’s gambling activities. The article alleges ‘Charlie Hustle’ bet from the Riverfront dugout using hand gestures with an associate.
 
~ King of Cali

Angels vs. Giants recap….Today in Baseball History…

Tim Lincecum is scratched from making the start. He has the flu, so Jeremy Affeldt gets the start. He’s not a starting pitcher. He’s going to be a reliever this season for the Giants. Figgins did lead the game off with a hit. Affeldt then struck out Kendrick. The next hitter is Matthews.  Figgins then stole 2nd base and then stole 3rd base. Matthews then walks to make it 1st and 3rd with one out. Torii Hunter then hit a double to get 2 RBI’s. Kendry Morales (who also is on my fantasy team) then hit a double to get an RBI. Juan Rivera grounds out to end the inning. Eugenio Velez starts the Giants first off with a single. Rich Aurilia then walked setting up 1st and 2nd. Bengie Molina then hit a 2 run double. The guys on the radio said if anyone else would have been running for Molina it would have been an in the park home run. Everyone knows Bengie is the slowest guy in baseball. He still did his job driving runs in though. After 1 inning it’s the Angels 3 and the Giants 2. The 2nd inning was 3 up for the Angels and 3 up for the Giants.
 
No scoring in the 3rd inning for either team. The Angels also didn’t score in the top of the 4th. Nate Schierholtz strikes out swinging but gets to first on the wild pitch. Juan Uribe then gets an RBI double to tie the game at 3. Kevin Frandsen gets a RBI single up the middle to score Juan Uribe. This giving the Giants a 4-3 lead. The Angels answer right back in the top of the 5th by score 2 runs off of Bob Howry. Bengie Molina gets an RBI single in the bottom of the 5th inning to tie the game up at 5. Nothing exciting in the 6th inning offensively for either the Giants or Angels. No runs scored in the 7th inning either.
 
The Angels take the lead in the top of the 8th inning by scoring 2 runs. Then two wild pitches by Luis Perdomo scores another Angels player giving the Angels a 3 run lead. On Perdomo’s 2nd wild pitch he walked the batter and the batter ran all the way to 2nd base. Perdomo then tried to pick him off and threw it wild again. This allowing the runner to get to 3rd base. The Angels end up with 3 runs in the top of the 8th and the Giants have no answer back this time and go scoreless in the 8th. Now it’s the 9th inning. If we (Giants) were up. I would call this the Nenth inning. I always called it the Nenth inning for Rob Nen. Man this guy was a great Giant closer. Well the game is now over and the Giants wouldn’t get another run. Out of the last 9 Giants to bat there was 5 strike outs.
 
Angels get 8 runs, 10 hits and 1 error. Giants get 5 runs, 8 hits and 2 errors.
 
There was only two Giants players with multiple hits. Rich Aurilia went 2-2 with a walk and scored 1 run. Bengie Molina went 2-3 with 3 RBI’s.
 
 
Today In Baseball History
 
After watching Ty Cobb quarrel with a black grounds keeper and with teammate Charlie Schmidt, Tiger manager Hugh Jennings tries to deal him to the Indians for outfielder Elmer Flick. The Tribe’s manager Napoleon Lajoie turns down the deal for the ‘Georgia Peach’.
 
~ King of Cali

Rich Aurilia on the radio, Dunn signs 2 year deal

Today I was listening to Gary Radnich on KNBR the Giants flagship station. He did an interview with Rich Aurilia. Rich just signed a minor league deal with the Giants. Rich said he knows he’s not the big bat that the Giants needed to get. He said he knows his role on the team and is very happy to be
RichA.jpgback. Gary asked him if he thought about retiring since the offers aren’t really there. He said he did not consider retiring and wants to play a few more years.
 
Rich Aurilia was the first player to hit a grand slam in interleague play. His bat was sent to the Hall of Fame. He was asked if he thought Randy Johnson can still pitch. Aurilia said he thinks Randy still has some stuff left in the tank. He has always had good success against Johnson and said he thinks it was easier to hit off him when Randy was younger. He said Johnson now doesn’t throw as hard but he has more pitches that he throws now so it’s not just the fast ball. He plans to get to know Johnson really good during spring training cause he found out that their lockers are right next to each other.
 
Aurilia likes the core that the Giants have with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Emmanuel Burriss and Kevin Frandsen. Gary also asked him about Bonds. He said Bonds soften up as his last couple years with the Giants. Said Bonds has been nothing but nice to him and his family. He played with Bonds for 11 years and has nothing but nice experiences with him. He said Bonds had a lot to live up to. He had a lot of pressure cause of his dad being Bobby Bonds and his godfather Willie Mays. Bonds was a fun guy to be around when you got to know him and spend time with him one on one.
 
He was asked about Manny Ramirez. He hopes the Dodgers don’t get Manny Ramirez. Aurilia said his buddy Adam Dunn is still sitting at home not knowing where he’s going. He thinks the economy is holding players back from signing. He thinks these free agents will sign a one year deal like Abreu and hope the economy picks back up next off-season.
 
 
Side note: Dunn has signed a 2 year deal today with the Nationals worth $20 million
 
~King of Cali

Update on Crede and Aurilia’s status with the Giants

Henry Schulman from the San Francisco Chronicle has said that he was told the
Thumbnail image for JoeCrede.jpgGiants are not counting on a deal with Crede and expect to move forward with Travis Ishikawa or John Bowker at first base and Pablo Sandoval at third. He also said that Brian Sabean was exploring some trades last week but they didn’t go anywhere.

 

With the recent signings of Juan Uribe and Rich Aurilia. The Giants have a lot of infielders. Which has me to believe that Sabean must really be trying to work a trade somewhere. I just cant see how they can have Frandsen, Velez and Burriss trying to win the 2nd base job. Then already having Uribe and Aurilia coming off the bench. That’s not even counting the back up outfielders. Schulman doesn’t think the Giants expect to make a deal with Joe Crede.

 

Schulman also said that if the Giants do get another infielder, Aurilia’s deal contains an “out” clause that would allow him to find another job before spring training is over.

 

~King of Cali

This weekends Hot Stove

A-Rod

Alex Rodriguez is the only name to be released from the ’03 steroid testing. He is on a list of
104 players to have tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. A-Rod was approached by an SI reporter on Thursday. A-Rod did not want to discuss the test results. He would not say if he tested positive or not for performance enhancing drugs. A-Rod said “You’ll have to talk to the union.” He was asked if there was an expanation for his positive test, and he said “I’m not saying anything.” There were no penalties for positive tests in 2003. I’m sure we will get a lot more information on this in the next couple of days. I will try to keep you updated with information as  I get it.

 

Gordon signs a 1 year contract with the D-Backs

Tom Gordon has signed a 1 year contract with the Arizona. It’s reported that he will earn $500,000 and with bonuses can earn him up to $2.5 million. Gordon hasn’t pitched in a game since July 5th of last season with the Phillies.

 

Andruw Jones hopes to resurrect his career with the Rangers

SI.com has confirmed that Andruw Jones has signed a 1 year minor league contract with the Rangers. Jones was released by the Dodgers this offseason. He worked out a deal so the Dodgers will release him and still pay him his contract over time. The Rangers signed him for $500,000 plus $1 million in incentives. I really like Jones and hope he has a bounce back year. He’s to young to be on that big of a decline.

 

Ryan Howard signs a 3 year contract with the Phillies

Thumbnail image for RyanHoward.jpgWell now the Phillies and Ryan Howard can stop all the arbitration stuff. I think this is a great move for the Phillies. They have a legit power hitter locked up with a contract he’s going to be happy with. If he can cut down a lot of his strike out’s, he’s going to be an even better player. He will earn $15 million this season, $19 million next year and $20 million in 2011.

 

 

Giants have an offer on the table for Crede and Aurilia

It’s been reported that CBS television on Saturday that the Giants have made an offer to Joe Crede. No specifics on the contract offer have been reported. Crede isn’t that big bat that the Giants need but he’s a good 3rd baseman and has a little pop. It’s just a question if he can stay healthy or not. Maybe that’s what the Giants signed Juan Uribe to back him up like he did last year for the White Sox. The only other team that has been talking about trying to sign Crede has been the Twins.

 

The Giants have also made an offer to Rich Aurilia for a minor league contract. Aurilia has spent 10 of his 13 big league seasons with the Giants. Brian Sabea said “I think he’s taking the weekend to decide. We hope he comes back.”

 

I did go to the Giants Fan Fest this weekend and will be blogging about it this week. I also will have pictures of the event in the Fan Fest blog.

 

~King of Cali

Juan Uribe a Giant?

News on the street is the Giants have signed Juan Uribe to a minor league contract. Uribe will
JuanUribe.jpgmake $1 million if he makes the Giants team. The Giants should have just signed Rich Aurilia who really wants to come back to San Francisco. Uribe can play 2nd, 3rd and shortstop. He hit .247 with 7 home runs for the White Sox in 110 games. This doesn’t mean the Giants will stop concidering Joe Crede as their 3rd base options. Just means it’s more than likely Richie will not be back to the Giants.  I can only see the Giants making this move to save like 3 million to use that money elsewhere. Maybe Manny? 

~King of Cali