Giants' Brass Gets Back to Work

The Giants have only been World Series Champs for a little over a week, but the front office has already gotten back into work mode and have plenty of big decisions looming.

Brian Sabean and Co. have a handful of players, many of which were very key in their championship run this year, who are set for free agency, or due hefty raises in arbitration, they now need to focus on. None bigger than the red-thong totting first basemen that really took to this team and carried it on his back all year long, Aubrey Huff. Also facing unsure futures are shortstops Juan Uribe, Edgar Renteria and left fielder Pat Burrell. Then there is postseason hero Cody Ross, who's in for a hefty raise on his $4.5 million paycheck in 2010, probably upwards of $7-8 million in '11. I'd like to see the Giants just ink him to a 2 year deal and get it done with. He's got the versatility to play all over the outfield and we've seen what he does in the clutch, he's a keeper. Also do for hefty raises in 2010 will be Javier Lopez, Santiago Casilla and Andres Torres. As far as the potential free agents go, I think Huff returning on a 2-year deal in the neighborhood of $12-15 million sounds pretty reasonable. I also think the Giants will really push to bring back Juan Uribe, and he's a fan favorite here and really likes it here, so I have a good feeling about that happening as well. Uribe very well could end up the Giants starting shortstop on opening day 2011 if that is indeed the case. As much as we all love Renteria for what he did in the playoffs, he's just no longer cut out to play shortstop 150 times a summer. If he took a part-time, bench/mentor job kinda like Omar Vizquel is doing in Chicago, then he definitely could have some value, it's just a question of whether or not he'd want to do that.

The Giants also have a big piece returning to their infield/outfield mix next year that they have to keep in mind as well. Mark DeRosa should be back to %100, and will likely be as hungry as ever in a contract year and after missing out on the majority of a championship season. I know many Giants fans weren't too thrilled with what he did up until his injury, but I'm telling you, I think this guy is in for a big 2011. My guess right now is the Giants let Burrell walk, let DeRosa take over in left, keep Torres in center and Ross in right with Schierholtz, and the very expensive Aaron Rowand as your 4th and 5th guys. Again, this is way early and all, but I think that could be a realistic, financially stable move. If DeRosa comes back to his career norm of 18-20 hr, .275 avg and 85 RBI, then the Giants would actually be getting an improvement over Burrell in the lineup and the field. The outfield market this winter isn't too deep, with Carl Crawford (who's well out of the Giants price range) and Jayson Werth (who's a Boras client, and really not much better than Cody Ross at about double cost). The Giants just don't have a whole lot of places to stick players right now if they do want to try keep their 2010 team intact and possibly add offense to it.

The one guy who's now available again, who always intrigues me because of the power and the willingness to take 1-2 year deal, is Adam Dunn. Yes, he's not a defensive player, but neither was Burrell, and we made it through a postseason with him out there. If they were to upgrade, just imagine adding Dunn to this lineup, that's if of course he'd come here. In that crazy scenario, they could put DeRosa back into his super-sub role that he's been so good at, allowing DeRosa to do what Uribe has done the last few years here. What makes that idea even more ideal is that DeRosa has the flexibility to play the outfield as well. Boch has no problems finding at bats for hitters who are hitting, so I know he'd figure out a way to get DeRosa his 500 ab's, even as a super-sub. Then you throw Dunn in between Torres, Sanchez, Posey, Huff, Ross, Sandoval and Uribe and now your talking some thump. Very similar to the lineup the Giants won the Series with, except Dunn is much, much more dangerous than Burrell and would really change the dynamic of the Giants lineup. Not married to the idea, as I've heard some un-pleasant things about Dunn's attitude in the past, but things like that don't tend to show up in San Francisco. Again, it's early in the offseason, so our brainstorming on the making of the 2011 Giants are still in the early stages. The great part about it this year though, is we get to talk about what they need to repeat and carry a dynasty, rather than what they need to win the measly old NL West. Giants fans expectations have risen, and the Giants' brass know it!