Randy Winn

Well, that's one more issue resolved. See ya later Randy Winn - the softest number three hitter in the history of the game! I don't even know WHY he batted third for the Giants even once this season. He hit two homers the entire year! Granted, a descent number two guy when hot (or even better: number-seven or -eight), but that just didn't seem to materialize for very long stretches this year. Everyone in the Giants' organization seemed to think (or convince themselves) that Winn would recapture that initial magic when he was first acquired at the 2005 trade deadline from Seattle. I mean the guy was raking for a month straight, and had some real cartoon-like numbers as I recall. He never got back to that level for any sustainable length of time, but was able to parlay six incredible weeks of hitting into a three year deal with San Francisco.  Thankfully, that contract has now expired.  His average dropped more than forty points from 2008 (.306 down to .262), and his on-base percentage was horrid (a very flimsy .318). That's just weak. In fact, his numbers were down across the board in 2009: 65 runs, 141 hits, 33 doubles, 51 RBI's, and 16 stolen bases. The only numbers that went up were triples (up to five) and strikeouts (93 k's).  I think Bruce Bochy was counting on more production out of Winn, and stubbornly kept trotting him out there instead of giving Nate Schierholtz a reasonable number of at-bats. If you look at some of Winn's numbers from 2008, there was reason for some optimism: 183 hits, 84 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases. All very good numbers. All of which tanked this year. I don't think 35 is the end of the road, but Winn will be hard pressed to find full-time employment elsewhere. He would be an ideal fourth outfielder/late-inning defensive replacement on a really good team. I imagine the A's would be the first call on his agent's list. He is an East Bay kid, and probably wants to stay in the area. Maybe back to Seattle? Anyway, good luck in where ever you land

Continue reading ""Goodbye Randy Winn""

  I don't know about you, but I'm proud of the Giants' progress in 2009, and look forward to better things in 2010.  Did anyone have ANY expectations this team would remain compet

Continue reading ""Let's Talk About Next Year's Giants""

de Jonathan Sanchez or, gulp, Matt Cain, for a legit bat?  Goodbye to weak-hitting outfielders Randy Winn and "Fresno" Freddy Lewis?  I'm liking this direction.    

Continue reading ""Giants Limp out of L.A., Dropping ..."

 A two-out rally that started with a walk to Renteria, and a clutch base hit for Randy Winn spelled the end of the night for Davis, despite throwing only 98 pitches.  Enter Chad Qualls, and enter Molina as a pinch-hitter for the number four hitter Ryan Garko.  Maybe a surprise that Bochy would make such a move in that situation, and we would all certainly be second-guessing had Molina grounded-out weekly to short.  As for Jonathan Sanchez, he pitched well enough to win (three runs on six hits and 9 k's over seven-innings), but got a really bad break on the catcher's interference call. against Whiteside in the 6th-inning.  That play ultimately led to a bottom-of-the-order rally, plating two runs off Sanchez. 

Continue reading ""Giants Go for the Sweep Over Arizona""

 Randy Winn may also be awakening from his deep freeze, collecting two more hits (five in the last two games), and two more RBI's. Juan Uribe, who has been hobbled by injury in recent days, smacked a home run early in the game off Homer Bailey. Bailey pitched great through five-innings, but lost it in the sixth, surrendering four more runs. San Francisco also broke through against Reds' closer Francisco Cordero, touching him up for three runs - and the loss.  Two more games against Cincinnati with Barry Zito and Matt Cain scheduled to pitch Wednesday and Thursday.  Then, it's the big finale of the road trip with four games in Coors Field against the front-running, wild-card-leading Rockies.  

Continue reading ""Will The Hits Keep Coming for the Giants?""

irst time this season...John Bowker smacked a grand slam on Saturday, hit a two run sot on Sunday...Randy Winn continued his hot hitting to keep his average over .300...Now what I really think: Getting

Continue reading "Four in a Row! Break up the Giants!"

Funny what a half a dozen runs before you throw a pitch can do for you!  Ask JONATHAN SANCHEZ about it, as that is what took place on a cool, breezy evening at AT &T Park as the Gia

Continue reading "Half Dozen Runs in First as Gianrs sink Mets"

Randy Winn had a lot to say about the outcome of tonight's game against the Western Division leading Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix...He clubbed two solo homers to left fie

Continue reading "Giants sweep the Diamondbacks; Big ..."