Giants, Uribe Close on a 1-year Deal

First off, I wanted to wish all our readers here at The Giants Baseball Blog a merry Christmas, and a happy holiday season. I truly appreciate all of you that contribute to the site by adding comments and sending e-mails, and we hope to be even bigger and better here in 2010!

Now, back to baseball, the Giants are nearing a deal that would bring back their utility infielder that did so well for them in 2009, Juan Uribe. The exact terms of the deal haven't been reported yet, but apparently, the deal is a 1-year pact with an option for 2011. Uribe had a big 2009 season for the Giants, and especially thrived in the second half of the year when he worked his way into the everyday lineup. Uribe was among the team leaders in the major offensive categories and didn't even receive 400 at-bats. He hit .289 (2nd) with 16 hr (3rd), 55 RBI (4th) and an .824 OPS (2nd). And he really turned it on down the stretch for the Giants though hitting .347 in September with 7 bombs and 21 RBI. At that time, he had sort of taken over for Edgar Renteria on a daily basis at short as Renteria wasn't %100. That's a big reason why the Giants are intent on bringing him, insurance for the brittle Renteria. Actually, numbers would dictate that Uribe is the better option at short for the Giants anyway, but they're not about to sit Renteria and his $8.5 million salary on the bench, at least at the beginning of the year. However, I do think Uribe needs regular at-bats, and Renteria would be more effective if he received regular rest, like taking a game off per series type rest. A 60-40 PT-split, in favor of Renteria, at short would be a good idea if you ask me. Uribe would still get plenty of time filling in at the other infield spots as well, and just think that set-up, if Uribe's deal is finalized, would be something the Giants should apply.

Uribe's impending deal wasn't the only news regarding the Giants to surface on Christmas eve. According to Buster Olney's twitter page, Mark DeRosa is leaning towards accepting the Giants offer of 2 years and $12 million to come to San Francisco. I'm really hoping this is a negotiating ploy by DeRosa's agent to get the Cards or whoever is interested in DeRosa to up their anty. I have voiced my displeasure towards the Giants pursuit of DeRosa many times here over the last month as he really is the one guy, even more so than Adrian Beltre, that I really don't want to see in a Giants' uni. He struggled horribly for the Cardinals at the end of last season carrying and %OBP below .300 and OPS under .700 in his 2.5 months hitting in the same order as Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Ryan Ludwick. I just can't imagine what he'd do in San Francisco, in the spacious yard and in a lineup that was one of the worst in baseball last season. DeRosa isn't any upgrade to the offense with the way it is now. If this was 2000-2004, then yes, a guy like DeRosa would make some sense, but this is a much different Giants ballclub now, and these are the types of guys, and contracts that Sabean should be avoiding. DeRosa, on a 1 year, $4-5 million deal filling a role like Juan Uribe's would be just fine, but giving him 2 years to start would be identical to their mistake with Renteria. Don't do it Sabean!