GIANTS FLINCH

In one of the lamer post season award moves the San Francisco Giants Brian Sabean was named Executive of the year by the Sporting News (does anyone read that piece of crap rag, anymore?). Let's just say that any GM that has Neifi Perez on his roster should automatically be considered exempt from that 'honor'. Throw in the Sidney Ponson deal and you have to wonder what exactly the criteria is for 'winning'.

In a move that can only be considered stupid on a large scale - the Giants traded for A.J. Pierzynski and a player to be named for Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser (another blog to be renamed?) and Francisco Liriano. The Giants will either get a player or cash in the deal.

The deal is perplexing on a number of levels:

The Giants are going to weaken their pitching staff to bulk up on a third catcher? The Giants gave up Kurt Ainsworth to get Ponson and now are giving up Bonser and Nathan for a catcher when Pierzynski is eligible for arbitration - the Giants were supposed to be cutting payroll. Pierzynski could get into the $2-3 million range depending on who he tables in the arbitration hearing.

Reality TV - Barry Bonds and AJ Pierzynski in the same locker room. You thought Jeff Kent was fun?

Yorvit Torrealba essentially inherited the starting catcher's duties late into the 2003 season. Alberto Castillo moved into the backup role as Benito Santiago takes his bitching and moaning travelling show to free agency. Torrealba is average whereas Castillo is avergae for a backup. What do you do with Castillo? Try and trade him or hide him in AAA when he has already been signed to a major league deal, not a minor league deal?

The only way this makes sense is if the Giants move one of the catchers in an attempt to land much ballyhooed trade bait Richie Sexson. Of course Sabean will possibly blow that and get Geoff Jenkins instead of Sexson and make excuses he's a cheap replacement part for rightfield. Jenkins is worthy, if he's healthy. He's never been healthy.

In other news that makes us incredibly giddy; the Giants have signed Greg Papa.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Papa is going to be filling in for Jon Miller and will be on the radio and TV.

Krukow, Kupier and Papa. Thank you KNBR and the Giants, that's the only reason we need to never listen or watch a Giants broadcast.

MORE BAD JOUNALISM

Do we really need to point out how hollow this 'story' rings? This is from an LA Times article. Gee, LA Times, LA Dodgers, Evans on the way out, best looking GM in baseball rumored to be taking his job despite all signs pointing he doesn't want it...think it was a planted story?

Evans Confronts Beane Over Rumors

Dodger general manager speaks to Oakland's GM amid speculation that Beane wants his job.
"Unfortunately, rumor and speculation have a tendency to create insecurities. I'm not sure I was the best therapist."
-- Billy Beane, on his talk with Dan Evans


By Ross Newhan and Jason Reid, Times Staff Writers
PHOENIX — Apparently fed up over speculation that Billy Beane has been campaigning for his job, Dodger General Manager Dan Evans confronted his Oakland A's counterpart during a phone call last week, a baseball official said Wednesday.


Asked about the call, Beane aimed a pointed response in Evans' direction after initially saying he wasn't sure if it was appropriate to comment on a private call. "Unfortunately," he said, "rumor and speculation have a tendency to create insecurities. I'm not sure I was the best therapist."


According to the baseball official, Beane had initially called Evans to ask for permission to interview Rick Honeycutt, one of the Dodger minor league pitching coordinators and a former A's pitcher, for the position of Oakland pitching coach, vacated when Rick Peterson accepted a similar position with the New York Mets.


Evans eventually returned the call, ostensibly to grant permission, but took advantage of that pretext to question Beane on whether he has been campaigning for his job, the official said.


Said Evans, when asked about it Wednesday: "Billy called me about 10 days ago to discuss a potential employment opportunity for one of our staff members. The content of that conversation, as with any conversations I have with general managers or Major League Baseball employees, is something I consider confidential, and I'll leave it at that."


According to the official, Beane assured Evans during the call that he hasn't been campaigning for the job, and Evans supposedly accepted that answer. The two have had trade discussions during the general manager meetings here this week.


Nevertheless, sources said Evans has also expressed concerns about Beane's campaigning to other baseball people.


It is known to have become something of a hot button issue for him, fueled by the uncertainty of the Dodger ownership situation and his job status, and compounded by media speculation regarding Beane that began as soon as Boston real estate developer Frank McCourt reached an agreement in principle with News Corp. to buy the Dodgers.


Although McCourt has not commented, it is generally assumed that there will be significant personnel turnover if the sale is finalized.


Beane rejected an opportunity to become the Red Sox general manager a year ago to stay on the West Coast, and he has told more than one person that he would love to have the Dodger job to live closer to his parents, who reside in the San Diego area, and his Orange County based daughter from a previous marriage.


The speculation has also been triggered by the fact that, despite his success in building a team that has overcome payroll and revenue deficiencies to reach the playoffs for five straight years, his relationship with A's owner Steve Schott has become shaky.


In addition, Beane's frustration with the economics and constant turnover — shortstop Miguel Tejada and closer Keith Foulke could leave as free agents this winter — has become more visible.


After his A's blew a two-game lead in the best-of-five division series with the Red Sox, Beane snapped, "If you want to give me $50 million more, I'll promise you we won't blow the 2-0 lead."


All of this has been chronicled, and the beleaguered Evans has apparently been reading between the lines. It is not known how heated their phone conversation was, but the baseball official said there was more to it than an exchange of pleasantries.

OFFICE SPACE

The A's added another Vice President to the front office, Lewis Wolff. Wolff's position is VP for Venue Development. Basically, a move to try and make it look like Schott and Hoffman are doing everythig possible to find a place to build a stadium in the Bay Area. In the mean time, giving a real estate mogul a free pay check, expense account, an opportunity to buy into the team and scout real estate for personal and business opportunities for the three of them.

At least that's what it looks like.

Who wants to be VP of VD anyway?