[lex24]

Agree to disagree. Let him leave and use the bucks to sigh a FA first baseman.

Hmm, who do you have in mind?

There are only four other MLB first basemen scheduled to become free agents after this season who currently earn more $1,000,000 per year: Freddie Freeman, Anthony Rizzo, Mitch Moreland and Travis Shaw.

Obviously Moreland and Shaw would be massive downgrades.

Freeman would be a substantial upgrade (younger and far more productive) but would also represent a significantly higher salary (and years) commitment.

Rizzo is also younger than Belt and has had a more productive career, although more recently over last year's abbreviated season and the first three months of this year Belt has been better.

It's probable that Rizzo reaches free agency and possible that Freeman reaches free agency. If only Rizzo reaches free agency then SF would be investing substantial FA capital in a marginal (or possibly) no upgrade at the position. If Freeman also reaches free agency then SF would be investing enormous FA capital in upgrading a position which is already fairly strong. It's an illogical strategy given many other positions which are higher priorities.

Of course this also presumes that Rizzo and/or Freeman would be interesting in signing with SF. It could be that they would only choose to come to the SF if the Giants bid substantially more than other teams that are closer to home or have homer-friendlier home parks, or it could be that other suitors with similar offers will be preferred for the same reasons. Even worse, the scarcity of 1B free agent options means that Rizzo and/or Freeman are sure to be massively overpaid, moreso if only Rizzo becomes a free agent.

Letting Belt go seems like a case of "careful what you wish for" where SF ends up with a short term Mitch Moreland type "aggressively" hitting 238/286/388 instead of Belt looking at some third strikes while hitting 253/363/512.

What will Belt bring on the market?  Health is a big issue, given he’s reinjured  a knee that reduced his effectiveness for over a year.  So the Giants probably can sign him fairly cheaply. But of course they’ll also have concerns about his health.

Freeman would be the one guy out of the group of free agents that I go after hard. But I’ve read that he’s not likely to leave Atlanta. And the Giants have luxury liners full of money to spend next year. If they don’t shame on them. Obviously they need to do it wisely. But I trust Farhan to do that.

Phogge, you know I am not a fan of the style of play in today’s game. But the bottom line is the get deep into the count approach the Giants are taking has been very effective. And I don’t think it’s an accident that the only NL teams ahead of the Giants on things like walks and number of pitches seen are the Dodgers and the Padres.

What I don’t understand is why so many pitchers seem to try to nibble early in counts with nobody on base. Watching the Giants pitch to Max Muncy drove me nuts.  He leads the league in walks. And he almost never swings at a pitch outside the strike zone. So what do the Giants do - essentially they come out with offspeed stuff just outside the zone which he spits on, fall behind then groove  a fastball and he puts it in the stands. Or otherwise he walks. He’s more comfortable at the plate than I am sitting in my lazy boy with a beer in my hand. It’s absurd. Does anybody pitch inside with a purpose anymore? I’m not talking about throwing at a guys head but I am talking about backing a guy off the plate. And if you hit him in the ribs -  oh well.

If I were putting a game plan against the Giants as a pitching coach it would be attack the zone early don’t nibble. If they hit an occasional solo home run so be it. But you’re not gonna walk people. Because without walks they’re not gonna beat you. Obviously with men on base you have to be a little more careful. But until then - just attack attack attack.

I have the same plan against the Dodgers. Of course the problem is they can beat you with solo home runs because their pitching is so damn good. But they absolutely thrive on walks.

Pitchers  today have more “stuff” then at  any time. But half of them are afraid to throw the damn thing in the strike zone. Particularly a fastball. I understand trying to get hitters  to chase when ahead in the count. But against teams like the Dodgers, trying to get them to chase early in counts is futile. Because they won’t do it. Then they got you right where they want you.

[lex24]

Agree to disagree. Let him leave and use the bucks to sigh a FA first baseman.

Hmm, who do you have in mind?

There are only four other MLB first basemen scheduled to become free agents after this season who currently earn more $1,000,000 per year: Freddie Freeman, Anthony Rizzo, Mitch Moreland and Travis Shaw.

Obviously Moreland and Shaw would be massive downgrades.

Freeman would be a substantial upgrade (younger and far more productive) but would also represent a significantly higher salary (and years) commitment.

Rizzo is also younger than Belt and has had a more productive career, although more recently over last year's abbreviated season and the first three months of this year Belt has been better.

It's probable that Rizzo reaches free agency and possible that Freeman reaches free agency. If only Rizzo reaches free agency then SF would be investing substantial FA capital in a marginal (or possibly) no upgrade at the position. If Freeman also reaches free agency then SF would be investing enormous FA capital in upgrading a position which is already fairly strong. It's an illogical strategy given many other positions which are higher priorities.

Of course this also presumes that Rizzo and/or Freeman would be interesting in signing with SF. It could be that they would only choose to come to the SF if the Giants bid substantially more than other teams that are closer to home or have homer-friendlier home parks, or it could be that other suitors with similar offers will be preferred for the same reasons. Even worse, the scarcity of 1B free agent options means that Rizzo and/or Freeman are sure to be massively overpaid, moreso if only Rizzo becomes a free agent.

Letting Belt go seems like a case of "careful what you wish for" where SF ends up with a short term Mitch Moreland type "aggressively" hitting 238/286/388 instead of Belt looking at some third strikes while hitting 253/363/512.

What will Belt bring on the market?  Health is a big issue, given he’s reinjured  a knee that reduced his effectiveness for over a year.  So the Giants probably can sign him fairly cheaply. But of course they’ll also have concerns about his health.

Freeman would be the one guy out of the group of free agents that I go after hard. But I’ve read that he’s not likely to leave Atlanta. And the Giants have luxury liners full of money to spend next year. If they don’t shame on them. Obviously they need to do it wisely. But I trust Farhan to do that.

Phogge, you know I am not a fan of the style of play in today’s game. But the bottom line is the get deep into the count approach the Giants are taking has been very effective. And I don’t think it’s an accident that the only NL teams ahead of the Giants on things like walks and number of pitches seen are the Dodgers and the Padres.

What I don’t understand is why so many pitchers seem to try to nibble early in counts with nobody on base. Watching the Giants pitch to Max Muncy drove me nuts.  He leads the league in walks. And he almost never swings at a pitch outside the strike zone. So what do the Giants do - essentially they come out with offspeed stuff just outside the zone which he spits on, fall behind then groove  a fastball and he puts it in the stands. Or otherwise he walks. He’s more comfortable at the plate than I am sitting in my lazy boy with a beer in my hand. It’s absurd. Does anybody pitch inside with a purpose anymore? I’m not talking about throwing at a guys head but I am talking about backing a guy off the plate. And if you hit him in the ribs -  oh well.

If I were putting a game plan against the Giants as a pitching coach it would be attack the zone early don’t nibble. If they hit an occasional solo home run so be it. But you’re not gonna walk people. Because without walks they’re not gonna beat you. Obviously with men on base you have to be a little more careful. But until then - just attack attack attack.

I have the same plan against the Dodgers. Of course the problem is they can beat you with solo home runs because their pitching is so damn good. But they absolutely thrive on walks.

Pitchers  today have more “stuff” then at  any time. But half of them are afraid to throw the damn thing in the strike zone. Particularly a fastball. I understand trying to get hitters  to chase when ahead in the count. But against teams like the Dodgers, trying to get them to chase early in counts is futile. Because they won’t do it. Then they got you right where they want you.