Tim Lincecum = available

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Holy ****!

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7400932?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49

The Giants have even let it be known that Tim Lincecum, their No. 1 pick in 2006, can be had for a quality bat.

Lincecum's stuff is so ridiculous.  I'd package up Nick Johnson, Austin Kearns, and Felipe Lopez and trade them for him in a heartbeat.

[spidernat]

  I'd package up Nick Johnson, Austin Kearns, and Felipe Lopez and trade them for him in a heartbeat.

People must think other teams are dumb  :stupid:

I have a better idea, let's package Nick Johnson, John Patterson and Alex Escobar for Lincecum or better yet, let's just sweeten the deal and add Ryan Church, Mike Bacsik and Billy Traber and send them to Minnesota for Santana and Liriano.

[tomterp]

People must think other teams are dumb  :stupid:

LOL, gotta think the Giants rank in the top 5 in "dumb".  Im thinking they might sign A-Rod as part of a youth movement, replacing Bonds in the lineup.  Hope it works out for them.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

People must think other teams are dumb  :stupid:

I have a better idea, let's package Nick Johnson, John Patterson and Alex Escobar for Lincecum or better yet, let's just sweeten the deal and add Ryan Church, Mike Bacsik and Billy Traber and send them to Minnesota for Santana and Liriano.

Those deals aren't even comparable to what I proposed.  I have no idea what it'd take to land Lincecum, but the Nats should basically give up anybody but Zimmerman or their SP prospects.

As Tomterp stated, the Giants aren't exactly known for making the smartest deals, anyway.  This is the team that gave up Shairon Martis for Mike Stanton.

[mikehughes]

Those deals aren't even comparable to what I proposed.  I have no idea what it'd take to land Lincecum, but the Nats should basically give up anybody but Zimmerman or their SP prospects.

As Tomterp stated, the Giants aren't exactly known for making the smartest deals, anyway.  This is the team that gave up Shairon Martis for Mike Stanton.

Dont forget about the deal they made with Twins, sending Liriano and some other good players away for Pierinzsky however its spelled. Had to be one of stupidest deals ever.

[spidernat]

Those deals aren't even comparable to what I proposed.  I have no idea what it'd take to land Lincecum, but the Nats should basically give up anybody but Zimmerman or their SP prospects.

I think it made my point though. Which one of the guys you proposed is a quality bat? And if any, why would we consider trading them 

[KnorrForYourMoney]

You must be joking.  Nick Johnson's a great bat.  Unfortunately, he's hurt too much, but he's far and away better than any hitter on the Giants' roster right now.

Kearns seems mediocre at the dish, but he's also easily better than any position player on the Giants besides maybe Randy Winn when you mesh his offense and defense.

Lopez had a down year, but a team may be willing to go for him if they believe this year to be an anomaly.

The main reason I'd agree that this wouldn't really be a viable trade is that the Giants are probably looking for younger players with more upside.  My point was that the Nats should be willing to give up a good chunk of their position players, sans Zimmerman, to get Lincecum.

[spidernat]

You must be joking.  Nick Johnson's a great bat.  Unfortunately, he's hurt too much, but he's far and away better than any hitter on the Giants' roster right now.

   

 We have another candidate for the "When Healthy" moniker. Nick Johnson When Healthy. Maybe they can change the name of the team to the Washington When Healthy's. 

  My point was that the Nats should be willing to give up a good chunk of their position players, sans Zimmerman, to get Lincecum.

Sure give away all your position players for a player that plays once every 5 games. No worries Zimmerman will score all the runs necessary.

[kimnat]

Wow, spidey.  You don't think that was funny do ya'? 

[NatsAddict]

Both the SF Gazette and SF Examiner essentially refute the FOX story regarding Lincecum. 

The priority this offseason is improving an offense that finished last in the majors in slugging percentage with a .387 mark and second-worst with 693 runs scored. That will have to be done without Bonds. Sabean reiterated the team's stance that it will not bring him back despite recent comments by the slugger that suggested there was still a chance he could return to San Francisco.

With a thin free-agent pool, Sabean said upgrades might require trading some of the club's young pitchers.

Rookie Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are expected to stay in San Francisco, but the team could entertain deals for Noah Lowry or Jonathan Sanchez.

SF Examiner

Upon Googling "Lincecum available" it turns out the only source for the story in the first 20 hits is the FOX story itself.  Like many baseball writers, including the one for the SF Examiner (who says it's "expected" and why?), Ringolsby (the FOX writer) has likely stated his own speculation in a way that is is easily misinterpreted as fact.

The Giants need to do something before Geritol takes over stadium naming rights; but to get rid of their best & youngest pitching prospects probably isn't the answer.  The pitching will likely be even more difficult to replace than bats.  Zito has a no-trade clause.  Having 3 starting LHP would further compound the foolishness of trading Lincecum.  If I were to speculate, I'd agree with the SF Examiner that it is Lowry and Sanchez openly on the block.  The only way I foresee a Lincecum trade is the Giants being  approached with an irresistible offer. 

[spidernat]

The only way I foresee a Lincecum trade is the Giants being  approached with an irresistible offer. 

Enter Jim Bowden with his magnanimous offer of Nick Johnson When Healthy (walker included), Felipe Lopez, and Austin Kearns!


All right all joking aside, I suppose if the Giants were stupid enough to sign off on that trade you do it. I just don't believe they're that dumb. It wasn't that long ago that Lopez and Kearns (with Wagner included) yielded the following: Bray, Majewski (), Harris, Clayton and I think one other bum. And that trade was widely considered a fleecing of the Reds by Bowden so why would someone be dumb enough to let him turn that trade into something even sweeter?

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Sure give away all your position players for a player that plays once every 5 games. No worries Zimmerman will score all the runs necessary.

We can throw this season away while Marrero, Maxwell, Burgess, and any other prospects develop.  I wouldn't mind signing a few stopgaps if we could get Lincecum.  It's not like any of these position players, aside from Zimmerman, are going to be MAJOR contributors on a contending Nationals team.

[spidernat]

Whoa! I'm not willing to "throw" another season down the drain for anyone. I'm expecting the Nats to be above .500 in '08, anything short of that would be a major disappointment as far as I'm concerned.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Maybe it'd "disappoint", but what's the difference between, say, and 86-76 season this year and a 76-86 season?  Does it even matter?

I'd be willing to make that kind of trade-off if it means having a rotation with Lincecum for the next 5 years.

[spidernat]

Huge difference. I prefer to win more often than lose. For that matter then, why don't we just settle for below .500 seasons from now on since there is no difference.

[Kenz aFan]

We can throw this season away while Marrero, Maxwell, Burgess, and any other prospects develop.  I wouldn't mind signing a few stopgaps if we could get Lincecum.  It's not like any of these position players, aside from Zimmerman, are going to be MAJOR contributors on a contending Nationals team.

Stopgaps are what the Nats have been signing or acquiring even when they were in Montreal. The Nats need to stop thinking that way and press forward with signings or acquisitions that are more substantial, or cut the crap and go with youth 100% and starting now. What the Nats will do, is continue to use stopgap players until a few players in the minors are ready to become Major League regulars and NOT Minor League stars, because Minor League star players too often don't pan out at the Major League level.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Well that's what getting Lincecum would do.  If you make your already mediocre line-up slightly weaker for one year, it's worth it if you have a guy with ace stuff for years to come.  I'd count that as a "substantial" acquisition.

But really, I was trying to demonstrate my willingness to give up almost anything to get Lincecum.  In reality, I'd like to see the Nats trade Kearns and get a major outfield signing to more than make up for the loss.

I know the idea of trading Nick Johnson was half-assed considering his injury history, but I do wonder if the Giants would be interested in Josh Whitesell.  He's Nick Johnson in the making without the injury history, and he's about 4 years younger.

[Kenz aFan]

Well that's what getting Lincecum would do.  If you make your already mediocre line-up slightly weaker for one year, it's worth it if you have a guy with ace stuff for years to come.  I'd count that as a "substantial" acquisition.

I'm not saying acquiring Lincecum wouldn't be a good thing, it would be great, but 2007 was the year to take 2 steps back. To do it two years in a row, is cheating (and lying to in a way) the fans. With where the Nats farm system is right now, there's no need to give up 2 or 3 regulars to get a potential ace, we have some in the making already. Let them develop and acquire players that can 1) get the job done now 2) lead by example 3) have the ability to help/teach younger players. It's very rare that a stopgap player can do any of those 3 things.

But really, I was trying to demonstrate my willingness to give up almost anything to get Lincecum.  In reality, I'd like to see the Nats trade Kearns and get a major outfield signing to more than make up for the loss.

I'm just as up to getting Lincecum as anyone, but I'm not willing to "pay the price" by taking those steps back "2 years in a row" The best thing that could happen in the way of signings, is that the Nats sign someone significant, so that other better quality free agents start looking towards Washington DC and a potential place to play.

I know the idea of trading Nick Johnson was half-assed considering his injury history, but I do wonder if the Giants would be interested in Josh Whitesell.  He's Nick Johnson in the making without the injury history, and he's about 4 years younger.

If Josh Whitesell doesn't figure in the plans of the Nats (a 4th place team) why would be interest other teams, unless it was to help file their minor league rosters. There's no guarantee Johnson will even be ready when the season opens, but I think fans wouldn't protest all that loudly if he was traded.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I think it has more to do with the Nats' positional depth at 1B than it does with any lack of talent in Whitesell.  He seems to possess everything one would want in a first baseman, but with Dmitri, Nick, Marrero, and Rhinehart in the Nationals' system, Whitesell is expendable.  The Giants are so barren all over the field that Whitesell would likely be a welcome addition.

But anyway, my guess would be that the only person they'd trade Lincecum to acquire would be Miguel Cabrera.