Giants - Looking for Finley-Dye-or Alou - Nen done

#1
Giants looking to land Finley

By Andrew Baggarly - STAFF WRITER

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants plan to sign Steve Finley to a contract this week or abandon the pursuit entirely.
Giants GM Brian Sabean said he prefers to complete all free-agent negotiations before the winter meetings begin Friday in Anaheim; Finley remains the team's top target, and the Giants appear to represent the best fit for the Gold Glove center fielder.

But the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday reportedly offered Finley a two-year contract worth $16 million -- a figure the Giants would not be expected to match.

"It comes down to what we want and how the player folds into the overall scheme of things," Sabean said. "I do know he has interest. We've pursued him as much as any player we possibly could in recent note. We hope it comes to a head in the next day or so."

And if it doesn't?

"We'll go on with Plan B, which is either another free agent possibility, or we'll jump into the trade market more extensively," Sabean said.

The Los Angeles Dodgers stepped out of the running when they declined to offer arbitration to Finley before Tuesday night's deadline. Sources say the Anaheim Angels remain in serious pursuit of Finley, who hit .271 with 36 home runs and 94 RBIs last year. Finley hit the grand slam on Oct. 2 that clinched the NL West for the Dodgers. It came off Giants left-hander Wayne Franklin.

The Giants would like to play Finley in center field and go with a platoon of Marquis Grissom and Michael Tucker in right. If Finley goes elsewhere, the Giants could keep Grissom in center and consider free agents Jermaine Dye and Moises Alou. The club might be more apt to pursue another center fielder in a trade.

"I'd like to think we'll know where we are at with the free-agent market before Anaheim," Sabean said. "You don't necessarily want to go down there having to do business with agents. I'd rather focus on trades. We've got a half-dozen possibilities on that front."

NEN, HERMANSON DECLINED: The Giants offered arbitration to left-hander Jason Christiansen and declined to make an offer to right-handers Robb Nen, Dustin Hermanson and Dave Burba and outfielder Ricky Ledee.

Players offered arbitration have until Dec. 19 to accept the offers and can re-sign through Jan. 8. Players not offered arbitration cannot re-sign a major league contract with their former teams until May 1.

The Giants still could sign Nen to a minor-league deal, though he could not appear in the majors before May 1. The Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs reportedly have shown some interest in Nen, who plans to ascend a mound later this month to test his surgically repaired shoulder. He hasn't thrown a competitive pitch since the 2002 World Series.

Giants trainer Stan Conte has kept in touch with Nen this winter. Conte said he still considers Nen's return an extreme longshot.

By declining arbitration to Hermanson, the Giants would receive no compensatory draft picks from any team that would sign him.

ONE-HOPPERS: The next deadline is Dec. 20, when teams must tender contracts to all players on the 40-man rosters -- including arbitration-eligible players like catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Giants assistant GM Ned Colletti said he had spoken to Pierzynski's agent, Steve Hillyer, several times over the past weeks, but nothing was imminent. The Giants figure to sign Pierzynski to a multiyear contract or cut ties with him, either in a trade or as a non-tendered free agent. ... Sabean said he had not spoken with Barry Bonds over the past few weeks. Sabean said his expectations for Bonds' performance in 2005 were not changed by reports of Bonds' grand jury testimony in the BALCO case.
 
#4
it's a nice move, but the age scares me. i think the giants are trying to have the oldest team *EVER*

well finely did have a career high in HR's and win a gold glove... but still.

ah well i can't really complain, the giants are *actually* trying to fix their weaknesses and go for it. GOOD!!

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#5
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!


Geez We need to quit with these over the hill players.. Its getting rediculous!! Most of these players were getting need their food cut and chewed for them for crying out loud!!(Ok I know a bit dramatic but you get the point:p )

What next....Franco, Orosco?:confused: :eek:
 
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#6
slug, i woudln't call finely over the hill. he did hit 36 HR's ( his career high) drove in 94 runs and won the gold glove. his age scares me too :D
 
#7
Guys, the Giants are done when Bonds is done. They're in it for the short term, and might as well pile on the proven veterans around Barry to make the last few runs.
 
#9
LPKingsFan said:
Guys, the Giants are done when Bonds is done. They're in it for the short term, and might as well pile on the proven veterans around Barry to make the last few runs.
that is for sure. sad but true. if only the CHEAPSKATES owning the team would spendjust a LITTLE MORE to sign beltran, well we wouldn't have to worry about life past bonds.


oh and BTW, steve finely reportedly is signing with the angels for 10 mil a year YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i heard this off the giants board i post at.
 
#10
Evenstar said:
slug, i woudln't call finely over the hill. he did hit 36 HR's ( his career high) drove in 94 runs and won the gold glove. his age scares me too :D
Ok not completely over it but hes definately going over it:p
 
#14
Nice call with the damn Finley, maybe its a good thing they dont get him.

Now, I dont know if we want the Alou connection (father and son) but wouldnt mind. I see Drew fitting in as a Giant, and the team spending the remaining $$ on a solid starter.
 
#15
sadly drew won't happen. the giants 1. won't spend money they have to get him 2. won't deal with borass, so it's not gonna happen.

what a bummer. i might scream if i see roberts in center. i can't stand that guy ( from his days as a BUM!) , he has a bad arm, and never gets on base, the giants don't steal bases in front on bonds, so he'd be rendered unless.

there were rumors of posdenik ( spelling) from the brewers, but apparently they wanted either williams or lowry. i'd obnly trade either of those 2 for either vernon wells ( not gonna happen) or toni hunter ( SO not going to happen)

this will be VERY intresting to see what the giants do for the OF. something badly needs to be done. grissom in center ain't gonna cut it. and a platoon in right isn't the answer. tucker is too streaky to be depended on ( plus the guy can't hit a changeup) mohr is an intresting idea since he makes the league minimim and give it his all all the time, i wouldn't mind seeing him being the starting RF. doubtful but who knows.
 
#16
Say no to Drew!!

Drew is the same punk who refused to play in Philly! I dont want a scumbag like that on my Giants(yes I own.. Want to see the paperwork?;) ). We have 1 and thats enough:p
 
#19
hudson would be intresting on the dodgers, but for edwin jackson thats a pretty bad deal for oakland. the kid had a terrible year last year, in all levels. they should demand for brazoban becuase he could really help the A's pen which was pretty bad.

the giants flirted with the idea of drew for ortiz 2 in the 02/03 offseason i remember. he'd be a great pic up, but he's been way too fragile over his career to justify the money BORASS wants. one healhty year isn't enough to convice me.

WOAH slugking, you own part of the giants???? that is SO COOL! how???
 
#22
I just heard it reported that the Giants signed Moises Alou to a 2-year - $ 13.5 million contract . He's good protection for Bonds (and I'm happy about that) but boy do they have an old OF core. He's gonna play RF? yikes.
 
#23
nebs said:
I just heard it reported that the Giants signed Moises Alou to a 2-year - $ 13.5 million contract . He's good protection for Bonds (and I'm happy about that) but boy do they have an old OF core. He's gonna play RF? yikes.
Just don't shake his hand.
 
#25
nebs said:
I just heard it reported that the Giants signed Moises Alou to a 2-year - $ 13.5 million contract . He's good protection for Bonds (and I'm happy about that) but boy do they have an old OF core. He's gonna play RF? yikes.
Is there a link anywhere? I wouldn't mind this if it's true, considering Finley's gone and there's no chance of Beltran.
 
#26
I heard it on 1140 earlier and it was on the ESPN Deportes website. There is also this..

Posted on Wed, Dec. 22, 2004
Click here to find out more!

S.F. reportedly agree to terms with Moises Alou

By Joe Roderick

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The Giants are on the verge of adding the final piece to their puzzle by signing outfielder Moises Alou to what is being reported as a two-year, $13.6 million contract, a source confirmed.

ESPN Deportes initially reported the story Wednesday afternoon, but the club wasn't confirming the report.

"I don't think that's accurate," Giants assistant general manager Ned Colletti said. "We've talked to his agent, but we've talked to a lot of agents. When a deal is done we'll announce it, like we always do.

"With the holidays coming up, I don't expect anything to change."

Alou would be reunited with his father, Felipe, who has managed the Giants the past two seasons. The two were in Montreal from 1992-96, where Felipe Alou previously managed.

Alou, 37, hit .293 with 39 home runs and 106 RBI for the Chicago Cubs last season.
 
#30
I can't believe the Giants got Alou! I'm so heartbroken, I don't know what to do now. I guess if we (the Cubs) get rid of Sosa, we can blame it all on being a rebuilding year. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that we can SOMEHOW get Beltran, but that seems to be a looooong shot.:(