Marty Lurie Talks San Francisco Giants Baseball
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Batter Up September 18th, 2004


If your favorite team is in the mood to spend some dough this winter there are free agents ready and willing to open new bank accounts.

Some may actually make a difference with their new teams.

You can’t win without pitching and the smart GM’s build their pitching staffs from the back forward. The way the game is played today, the key pitchers in the pen are the set up men.

Here’s some thoughts on this winter’s potential free agents.

Click below for more!The A’s have coveted reliever Scott Williamson from his days in Cincinnati, even considering at one point trading Mark Mulder for the hard throwing righty. If Boston doesn’t make an effort to resign Williamson, he would be a welcome addition to the A’s bull pen.

Armando Benitez has regained top closer status. Cleveland should look at Benitez or Troy Percival, who will be replaced by Frankie Rodriguez in Anaheim next season.

Padre Trevor Hoffman could close or set up next season. The Yankees are riding relievers Tom Gordon and Paul Quantrill to exhaustion. Hoffman could be used in the same way and would add a nice veteran touch to the NY pen.

The Angels need a legit third baseman next season. If they are hesitant to throw millions at the brittle Troy Glaus, how about stealing Adrian Beltre from the Dodgers. If the Dodgers would stop crying poor mouth, get smart and resign the 26 year old MVP candidate Beltre, then the Angels could look towards Jeff Kent, Vinny Castilla, or Cory Koskie at the far turn.

Seattle will have some money to spend this off season. The Mariners need to get some offense. Ichiro is a potential Hall of Famer, but his 200 singles per year aren’t enough to carry this team.

How about Carlos Delgado and Magglio Ordonez for Seattle. For both (8- 9 mil each), the price could be a total of 16 to 18 million per season, but with them, the M’s are back in the race.

The A’s can use a big bat plus a veteran second baseman just in case Mark Ellis isn’t ready to return next year. Mark Grudzielanek could be next year’s Mark McLemore and left fielder Moises Alou sure would look good hitting fourth behind Eric Chavez.

The Giants missed out on Richie Sexson last time around when he was dealt to the Diamondbacks. Sexson has crushed the ball at SBC Park and would give the Giants the needed long ball threat to back up Barry Bonds.

Texas needs starting pitching. Carl Pavano, Eric Milton, Brad Radke, Matt Morris, Russ Ortiz, Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe will be available. Trouble is the Yankees need pitching too and at least one or two on the list will be in the Bronx next season.

If center fielder Carlos Beltran can put up with being hailed as the next Mickey Mantle in NY, then he too will be playing for The Boss in 2005, without a doubt.

Where will Nomar go? The Angels want to upgrade at short, David Eckstein will find a new home while Garciaparra settles in Anaheim. The deep pocket Angels will take a chance on the injury riddled shortstop, the Cubs won’t.

So who goes to the Cubs to play short? How about Edgar Renteria or Boston’s Orlando Cabrera, if the Red Sox decide they would rather have Renteria. For some strange reason the Cards are lukewarm on resigning Renteria who would crush the ball in Wrigley or Fenway, if given the chance.

Outfielder JD Drew stays in Atlanta with pitcher Jaret Wright. Both have flourished with the Braves, resurrecting early career success in the game, and manager Bobby Cox wants them back.

If the A’s don’t resign catcher Damian Miller, then St. Louis catcher Mike Matheny, credited by many for the success of the Cards pitchers this year, would be an excellent choice to pursue.

A’s manager Ken Macha has always marveled at the way catcher Jason Varitek plays the game, but no way Varitek, the unsung leader of the Sox, leaves Boston.

After losing over 100 games this year, Arizona needs pitchers badly. Second tier starters Shawn Estes, Paul Wilson, Odalis Perez, David Wells, or Matt Clement would make life tolerable for Randy Johnson, if Arizona brings Johnson back in 2005.

Even if Johnson wins the Cy Young award this year, which he should, I say Arizona trades him over the winter.

Unfortunately Jermaine Dye’s injury plagued career in Oakland will force his departure from the Bay Area, but don’t despair, he will be happy playing in his new home in Phoenix. Dye can still hit the ball and play a decent right field.

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