FanHouse Brian Sabean

MLB Power Rankings: Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.

So, quick apology on my part: the Power Rankings were supposed to go live Wednesday, but things happened, I'm a jerkstore, excuses, etc., and here we are. It's not Wednesday! So please note that the records reflect Wednesday -- not Thursday, not Friday, not Saturday. Don't freak out in the comments and call me names. Please. I can't take that in my fragile emotional state right now. I might turn into Raul Ibanez, at which point I would yell at you and then strain my groin. And that wouldn't be good for anyone.

Giants general manager Brian Sabean has apparently come to the conclusion that he might have to trade one of his team's talented young pitchers to get a bat.

"If the bat per se is talented and hopefully not a free agent to be, you pay the market price, whatever that is," Sabean said.

And...

"We've got a pretty narrow list and we've had some discussions," Sabean said. "Wherever we can find a bat, we'll make the adjustment positionally."

What all that means is that Sabean is willing to listen for anyone, presumably other than Tim Lincecum or minor-league super-prospect Madison Bumgarner. It means that Matt Cain could be the guy the Giants have to move if they want to upgrade their offense.

As Fletch reported yesterday, Noah Lowry's agent contends that the Giants misdiagnosed Lowry's arm issues, put him under the knife for the wrong surgery, assigned him the wrong rehab program, and jeopardized his career. The Giants are denying this. From Calvin and Hobbes, November 18, 1990:

CALVIN. Your foot hurts? What kind of stupid problem is that?
SUSIE. You're the doctor! You're supposed to find out what's wrong with it.
CALVIN. It's psychosomatic. You need a lobotomy. I'll get a saw.

This morning's Dugout is after the jump.

Noah Lowry, once one of the more promising young pitchers in the majors, had surgery on Tuesday to correct a circulatory problem that his agent claims the Giants misdiagnosed 14 months ago.

General manager Brian Sabean did not immediately return a call to FanHouse, but the Giants issued a statement denying any wrongdoing or negligence.

The surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that afflicted Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman, likely means the end of Lowry's tenure with the Giants.

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the San Francisco Giants.

Scoff all you want, but a youth movement is in full effect in San Francisco. No longer shackled by the compulsion to build a winner now around one of the greatest hitters of all time (Barry Bonds), general manager Brian Sabean has begun to turn over the Giants' roster and turn the organization's focus to player development.

It's no secret that the Giants need offensive help. They've finished 15th in the National League in scoring two years running. It's also become abundantly clear that they're gearing up for a run at the NL West crown in 2009, having signed Randy Johnson, Edgar Renteria, Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry this offseason.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise then, that San Francisco is making a run at the biggest and best bat still available.

The Giants, the NL West's most active team this winter, are quietly making an aggressive play for free agent Manny Ramirez, according to a major-league source.

Acquiring Ramirez would come with a number of headaches -- from simply having the mercurial slugger on their roster to likely having to trade one of their incumbent outfielders (Randy Winn, Aaron Rowand, Dave Roberts). But all in all, he'd probably be worth it for a team that isn't all that far from seriously contending. They play in a soft division where 85 wins could easily equal a playoff berth.

That's especially true when you consider three factors: (1) the market for Ramirez is severely depressed because of the number of all-hit, no-field corner bats on the market, (2) signing him would simultaneously improve the Giants' offense and weaken the rival Dodgers and (3) it would save GM Brian Sabean from having to engineer a complex trade for a bat that would cost him one of his top young pitchers like Jonathan Sanchez.

Sign Manny? Sure, why not? It's not like folks in San Francisco aren't used to having a sometimes-surly, Hall of Fame slugger prowling around in left field after all.

Lost in the radical makeover under way in the Bronx this winter is the similarly stark turnover taking place in San Francisco. No, the Giants haven't spent 10 times the Opening Day payroll of the Tampa Bay Rays on a handful of players, but they have added shortstop Edgar Renteria, pitcher Randy Johnson and relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry.

With Johnson, reigning Cy Young Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, they've got the starting rotation to win the NL West, but probably not the offensive firepower just yet.

In fact, the signing of Johnson might serve another purpose besides bolstering an already strong rotation, it might allow GM Brian Sabean to deal some of his pitching depth -- namely Jonathan Sanchez -- to give San Francisco's lineup more punch.

Having resisted offers of corner infielders for Jonathan Sanchez, general manager Brian Sabean hinted that he might at least listen to trade proposals involving the left-hander, now that Johnson's aboard. "We're going to have to be open-minded," Sabean said, although he repeated that he wouldn't obtain a player who's eligible for free agency after 2009.

There's hardly a more valuable commodity in baseball than cost-controlled starting pitching, but the Giants have that in spades, especially if you factor in high-upside prospects Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson.

They say the week between Christmas and New Year's Day is just about the slowest week of the year for baseball news, but Randy Johnson and the Giants apparently bucked that trend when Johnson agreed to a one-year deal with San Francisco yesterday. MLB.com says the deal is worth at least $8 million with the potential for $2.5 million in performance bonuses and $2.5 million in awards bonuses.

This deal means a couple of things. First off, it means that we're all in the clear to keep on making "Brian Sabean loves signing old players" jokes because Johnson is 45 years old. That makes him older than everyone in the league not named Jamie Moyer. Secondly, it means that the Giants have some impressive pitching depth with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Barry Zito already on the roster. Finally, it means that teams will likely be calling Sabean incessantly, inquiring about the availability of the guys I just named in a trade, with Sanchez and Cain likely drawing the most interest.

For Johnson, it means he can pursue his 300th win (he's at 295) without leaving the NL West. He was pretty good with the Diamondbacks last year and if Sabean doesn't do something stupid with the pitching surplus he has, I guess it's possible the Giants could be sleeper contenders in what's been generally the worst division in the NL the past few years. Of course, all this is predicated on Johnson staying healthy, which is no sure thing for a 45-year-old with his history of back injuries.

San Francisco Giants' general manager Brian Sabean has reportedly told season ticket holders that he's working hard to sign Randy Johnson to a one-year contract. The Giants are likely attractive to Big Unit on one front, while slightly unattractive on another.

Johnson grew up in Livermore and might want to come home. He has also said he wants to play for a contender.

The addition of Johnson to the Giants rotation would make it a very solid starting group. Of course, they are still quite offensively-challenged. The writer in the above link speculates that the addition of Johnson would enable Sabean to deal Jonathan Sanchez for offense.

You know, there are still some free agent bats out there -- Adam Dunn, Pat Burrell, Milton Bradley, to name a few -- so I'd hold onto the pitching and try to sign someone. With Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Randy Johnson, and Jonathan Sanchez in the rotation, the Giants would only need a minimal amount of offense to be somewhat competitive in what is sure to be a weak NL West this season.

From the Windup is FanHouse's extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.

The 2009 Hall of Fame ballot was released Monday, and with it is certain to come heated debate right up until and after the voting results are revealed on Jan. 12, 2009. This year's class of candidates is similar to last year's, in that it's a shallow group.

There is only one sure-fire Hall of Famer among the 23 candidates, which means this is a critical vote for the borderline players who have been up for election on multiple occasions. Now is the time for those borderline guys to get over the top or make a big push to lay the groundwork for election in future years.

After the jump is a breakdown of the ballot, complete with what I think will happen and what should happen with this year's class of Cooperstown contenders.