Sports Radio Service


		Michael Duca on A's and Giants By Michael Duca July 29, 2011

	Sportstalk: With the addition of Carlos Beltran to the Giants what are some of the things that he brings to the club that you like? How much time do you have? He effectively replaces Buster Posey as the additional threat in the lineup. He's leading the NL in doubles and at or near the top in extra base hits, so he increases the likelihood that the team will score 3 or 4 runs most every night. And 4 runs a night should be enough to win about 70% of the time. I will settle for .700 ball from now to November. Sportstalk: In terms of brining Beltran to San Francisco it's been said that it was an ingenious move, who do you credit most with the move, Giants president Larry Baer, team managing general partner William Neukom, or Giants GM Brian Sabean? Sabean all the way. Oh, I know, the ownership has "given" Brian permission to expand payroll, but really, they only took on about $2 million with Beltran. The Mets pinned a big check, signed by Bernie Madoff, to Carlos' jersey when they put him on the big airplane. Seriously, while I was told by multiple scouts, including those of teams chasing the Giants directly, that Beltran should not cost a high-level prospect, but rather a mid-level prospect and the Giants should take on the salary because of the Mets' cash issues related to the Madoff scandal, the Mets seemed to think otherwise. We were told all along that the Giants were competing with the Phillies and the Braves for Beltran, when it turns out they were competing with the Indians, who settled for noted Japanese geographer Kosuke Fukudome ("Cleveland? It's on a lake so it looks just like Chicago, right?"). I'm not happy that the Giants gave up Wheeler, who I personally think has the makeup to be the next Matt Cain, but others point out that his "stuff", while live and powerful, is rather straight, and his upside with a changeup and breaking ball isn't that great. We will see. Sabean said exactly the right thing -- "our job is to find and develop two more Wheelers" -- which is, I think, an acknowledgement that Beltran, a Scott Boras client, is not going to sign for the $8-$9 million that he is worth when his new contract comes up next year, so the Giants will instead wind up with a pair of draft picks for what is surely a Class A free agent-to-be. Sportstalk: The A's got stopped by the Rays on Thursday 10-8 but before all that they've been doing some surprising things winning eight of their last 13 games, getting the hitting from Hideki Matsui, Jemile Weeks, Ryan Sweeney, and tallying up a whole lot of runs. Has the recent turn around been about their like and appreciation of manager Bob Melvin or has this line up jelled to no end and now the team is making their move out of the cellar? I suppose getting out of the cellar might matter to some people. Not the 5000 who actually pay to come see the Athletics play every day in Oakland, but someone, I'm sure. The A's have the leading offense in baseball since the break. Now THERE's something you don't hear every day. Or month. Or decade. Enjoy it while it lasts -- it's probably a bit of an aberration, just like their hideous first-half offense was an aberration in the other direction. They aren't THIS good, they weren't THAT bad, and I still think whoever is hitting right now is trade bait, big-time.