DeRosa ---> Giants

[B-Chad]

Don't love or hate the deal. I do love the flexibility that DeRosa offers the Giants, but I am concerned that Sabean may be delusional enough to think this is a "big splash," signing for an offense that still needs a lot more. Personally I'd hit Mark DeRosa leadoff. He doesn't have great speed, but he runs well enough that combined with his OBP (.370+ in 2007 and 2008) he's probably the best in house candidate (not named Fred Lewis against righties). The longer Holliday stays on the market... the more I think the Giants creep in and make a large offer. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll sign in SF as I believe there is still a misconception that AT&T is a pitchers park as opposed to the neutral park it was last year. I'd be happy with a signing of Beltre/Delgado/Branyan at this point and playing DeRosa in left as long as a deal is 1 year or 1 year plus an option.

[GiantsFan14]

Yeah, who else would bat there?

Pablo Sandoval... I'd bat DeRosa 2nd probably.

I don't hate the deal as long as they put DeRosa in LF which assures Velez isn't a starter. It does give us quite a bit of flexibility to work with the rest of the roster (can still sign or trade for a LF/1B/3B) and he can fill in at 2B if/when Freddy Sanchez gets injured.

I assumed Pablo bats 3rd as he's their best hitter by a mile.

your 4th or 5th best hitter belongs in the 3-hole, your 3 best hitters bat 1st, 2nd, 4th.

[Grounded Polo]

Yeah but how many teams actually do it that way and will SF be one of them?

[GiantsFan14]

Yeah but how many teams actually do it that way and will SF be one of them?

not many, i do think it's pretty likely that they do bat pablo 4th though.

[sportsaddict]

Don't love or hate the deal. I do love the flexibility that DeRosa offers the Giants, but I am concerned that Sabean may be delusional enough to think this is a "big splash," signing for an offense that still needs a lot more.

This was exactly my reaction when the Cardinals traded for DeRosa last season. Luckily, the organization recognized that it needed to do more and added Holliday as well. DeRosa is a great complimentary player and a respected clubhouse leader, and I think he's a great bargain at such a low price for the Giants. As long as they realize that SF's lineup needs more than just Mark DeRosa.

But as a Cards fan it's a shame to see DeRosa get away. He was the perfect fit for Tony La Russa.

[APAP]

your 4th or 5th best hitter belongs in the 3-hole, your 3 best hitters bat 1st, 2nd, 4th.

what?

[DaSh 1s]

your 4th or 5th best hitter belongs in the 3-hole, your 3 best hitters bat 1st, 2nd, 4th.

what?

lol, thats what I said, too.

[kab21]

I don't see how anyone could be against this deal unless a team was so tight for cash that they mhad to dump a decent player to sign him. The Giants don't. The one concern that I see is that he may not recover from his injury but I haven't seen much speculation regarding this type of injury. I know that some will point to his declining numbers but most of that decline was actually due to injury last season since he was putting up his usual .800 OPS in the first half with Cleveland.

In the end getting a startable player for 2/12M that can post a .775-.800 OPS and play 3B or LF (and maybe 2B in a pinch) is a pretty good value in FA.

[Neato Torpedo]

Don't love or hate the deal. I do love the flexibility that DeRosa offers the Giants, but I am concerned that Sabean may be delusional enough to think this is a "big splash," signing for an offense that still needs a lot more.

Sabean, delusional? Nah.

[GotowarMissAgnes]

your 4th or 5th best hitter belongs in the 3-hole, your 3 best hitters bat 1st, 2nd, 4th.

what?

lol, thats what I said, too.

Yeah, if you go by sabrmetric wisdom, you bat your best hitter first. If you go by conventional baseball wisdom, you always batted your best hitter third.