What the hell is Sabean doing?

[HoustonGM]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

The Giants called up their first round pick of this year's draft, Conor Gillaspie.

He hit .269/.352/.344 in ROOKIE ball in 24 games. He's 21 years old. He's a good prospect, but not major league ready. Why are the Giants wasting 40-man roster space on a player that is very unlikely to help them for at least a couple more years?

It's like Sabean went from having a fetish for "experienced veterans" to going crazy with calling up you guys you hit poorly in the low minors to the majors (see Brian Bocock).

I like this comment from the Baseball Think Factory thread on this:

- Brian Bocock was promoted for even less merit than Gillaspie.

- Bocock was only a little bit worse than a player they're paying $5.2 million.

- Gillaspie is better than Bocock.

- Therefore, Gillaspie will save the team at least $5 million in 2009.

- The $5 million that Gillaspie saves the team will enable the Giants to sign Cesar Izturis to a 3-year, $28 million contract.

- The Giants win the 2009 World Series.

[Arctic Blast]

Good grief, I've finally figured it out!

Brian Sabean learned roster management from the worst examples of bumbling roster AI in Baseball Mogul! It all makes sense, now! His rushing a youngster to the lineup just cements it!

[HoustonGM]

From Rotoworld:

However, adding him to the 40-man roster now is the height of foolishness. The team is up to 13 infielders on the 40-man roster (including Kevin Frandsen on the 60-day DL), 10 of whom are 26 or younger. That's a whole bunch of spots already spoken for next year, and the Giants are going to have a tough time improving their current roster without jettisoning young players to do it.

[dickay]

He hit .269/.352/.344 in ROOKIE ball in 24 games. He's 21 years old. He's a good prospect, but not major league ready. Why are the Giants wasting 40-man roster space on a player that is very unlikely to help them for at least a couple more years?

Is this REALLY that bad? The kids season in ROOKIE ball is over, and he wants to get him a small taste of where he needs to be professionally. If anything, it'll drive him more in my opinion. Do you think the Giants have 40 other candidates with more upside that deserve to be here instead? If Sabean thinks the kid is something special...and I'm 'ass'uming he does (frankly I know nothing of the kid) than I don't think it's such a bad idea. Maybe he's an innovator and using the last 4 or 5 roster spots on the Sept. 40 for young kids with egos is the wave of the future???

[boomboom]

Is this REALLY that bad? The kids season in ROOKIE ball is over, and he wants to get him a small taste of where he needs to be professionally. If anything, it'll drive him more in my opinion. Do you think the Giants have 40 other candidates with more upside that deserve to be here instead? If Sabean thinks the kid is something special...and I'm 'ass'uming he does (frankly I know nothing of the kid) than I don't think it's such a bad idea. Maybe he's an innovator and using the last 4 or 5 roster spots on the Sept. 40 for young kids with egos is the wave of the future???

it limits the possibilities of signing free agents next year...Now the clock for the 6 year window will start. He will be eligible in 3 more seasons for Arbitration. 6 more seasons for Major league Free Agency...

Same thing happened with Seattle in 1995, They brought up A-Rod who didn't do so well even thou he hit something like .360 in Triple A. He would be eligible in 2000 now instead of 2001. And get this, because of that, the Mariners had Carlos Guillen instead of A-Rod playing Shortstop in 2001 for your 116Win Seattle Mariners.

[rogue9]

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/n...t=.jsp&c_id=sf
that attempts to explain it. But good gosh, I would put Sandoval at 3rd before bringing a draft pick up prematurely.

[RedsoxRockies]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

The Giants called up their first round pick of this year's draft, Conor Gillaspie.

He hit .269/.352/.344 in ROOKIE ball in 24 games. He's 21 years old. He's a good prospect, but not major league ready. Why are the Giants wasting 40-man roster space on a player that is very unlikely to help them for at least a couple more years?

It's like Sabean went from having a fetish for "experienced veterans" to going crazy with calling up you guys you hit poorly in the low minors to the majors (see Brian Bocock).

I like this comment from the Baseball Think Factory thread on this:

You forgot Emmanuel Burriss

[dickay]

it limits the possibilities of signing free agents next year...Now the clock for the 6 year window will start. He will be eligible in 3 more seasons for Arbitration. 6 more seasons for Major league Free Agency...

Same thing happened with Seattle in 1995, They brought up A-Rod who didn't do so well even thou he hit something like .360 in Triple A. He would be eligible in 2000 now instead of 2001. And get this, because of that, the Mariners had Carlos Guillen instead of A-Rod playing Shortstop in 2001 for your 116Win Seattle Mariners.

See how greatt of a player AROD turned out to be?

I'm not saying he wouldn't have been great if they didn't do that...but who's to say he didn't greatly benefit from it?? Is a few years of eligibility and a cheap contract worth holding back or not helping a player become as good as he could be??

I'm playin devils advocate here....I"m not supporting the move, but am not attacking it either. I think it fair to say that there are some players that could greatly benefit from a taste in the show early in their development.

[rogue9]

You forgot Emmanuel Burriss

What about him? hes hitting .280ish. He'll easily be a starter next year barring some strange collapse.

[RedsoxRockies]

What about him? hes hitting .280ish. He'll easily be a starter next year barring some strange collapse.

No, but he had never played above A-Ball I believe.

[justanewguy]

I dunno... I don't think a GM of a losing team should be criticized for 40 man roster moves. The Giants are in huge trouble with their offense, so, something radical has to be done to shake things up. Gillaspie is supposed to be a great prospect, so, maybe giving him a little time with the team can give them a better idea of when he'll be ready. It's better than putting him on split squads and having him face AA pitchers in Spring Training.

Maybe they think he'll be ready in the second half of next season, or in 2010? Or even start on 2009 opening day? It's the Giants, after all. Again, they need a huge overhaul on offense. They don't have a 3B next season, and probably plan on using their money towards a star name. Manny, Teixeira? Not that they'll get either.

[HoustonGM]

I'm playin devils advocate here....I"m not supporting the move, but am not attacking it either. I think it fair to say that there are some players that could greatly benefit from a taste in the show early in their development.

Those players tend to be of the "super prospect" type, like Alex Rodriguez. Conor Gillaspie, while a solid prospect, is far from that level. If you look at the recent list of players that were called up the same year they were drafted, it's full mostly of players that crushed the ball in the minors, like Ryan Zimmerman and Rickie Weeks. Those players also had more of a "pedigree" so to speak, as they were FANTASTIC prospects, and not just very good ones.

And as boomboom said, it starts the arbitration/free agent clock too early, as well as taking up spots on the 40-man roster.

[dickay]

Those players tend to be of the "super prospect" type, like Alex Rodriguez. Conor Gillaspie, while a solid prospect, is far from that level. If you look at the recent list of players that were called up the same year they were drafted, it's full mostly of players that crushed the ball in the minors, like Ryan Zimmerman and Rickie Weeks. Those players also had more of a "pedigree" so to speak, as they were FANTASTIC prospects, and not just very good ones.

And as boomboom said, it starts the arbitration/free agent clock too early, as well as taking up spots on the 40-man roster.

Again, is this really that big of a deal?? Craig Hansen was one of those 'non-super prospects' called up the year he was drafted.

What is the difference between a 'super prospect'/FANTASTIC prospect and a 'solid prospect'? Interesting you can tell the difference because often the highest paid scouts cannot.

Seriously....they feel giving the kid a taste of what a pro level game is like will benefit him. They surely know more about the player than we do. Whether he makes it or not will more than likely have little to do with the early call up. Its the Giants for crying out loud.

[HoustonGM]

Again, is this really that big of a deal?? Craig Hansen was one of those 'non-super prospects' called up the year he was drafted.

Relievers are on a different scale than position players, and also, Hansen's another guy that tore through the minors, albeit in limited appearances. Gillaspie didn't hit well in the minors.

What is the difference between a 'super prospect'/FANTASTIC prospect and a 'solid prospect'? Interesting you can tell the difference because often the highest paid scouts cannot.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. There are clearly different levels of "prospectdom" and any scout will tell you that.

Its the Giants for crying out loud.

Which is precisely why I don't think that the possibility of it being some sort of "genius" move is all that high. Brian Sabean has demonstrated repeatedly that he cannot develop position players.

[dickay]

OK....so you win. Yes, this move is very alarming, definetly worth taking issue with in this forum...and likely to cost the Giants at least two postseason births and millions of dollars. Fire Sabean now!!!