Giants Team Report

INSIDE PITCH

With Nick Johnson(notes) signing with the Yankees, the Giants must find a Plan B.

Maybe Mark DeRosa(notes). Maybe Adam LaRoche(notes). Maybe another corner infielder.

But it won’t be Johnson, who was believed to be the preferred choice among many Giants officials to play first base. Johnson signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Yankees, who plan to make him their designated hitter and No. 2 hitter—behind Derek Jeter(notes) and in front of Mark Teixeira(notes).

With the Giants, he would have been the first baseman and a No. 3, 4 or 5 hitter, a major addition to an anemic lineup.

Johnson broke into the majors as a Yankee and most recently played for Washington. His best year was 2006, when he hit .290 with 23 homers and 77 RBIs. But he’s injury-prone and a regular on the disabled list. He missed all of the 2007 season and all but 38 games in 2008.

Despite the drawbacks, the Giants were willing to take a chance with Johnson because he historically has a high on-base percentage (something the Giants as a team lack) and is considered above average defensively.

Now they must focus elsewhere. They reportedly offered DeRosa $12 million over two years, but DeRosa has been more heavily pursued by teams than Johnson because of his versatility and ample experience with playoff teams.

Unlike Johnson or LaRoche, DeRosa could play the outfield as well as be available as a corner infielder. He has the most experience at third base. If the Giants see him as an third baseman, they could move Pablo Sandoval(notes) to first to create a spot.

Or DeRosa could play left field.

Either way, both DeRosa and LaRoche are looking for a bigger contract than Johnson’s.

Then again, considering Johnson’s price tag, perhaps DeRosa and LaRoche shouldn’t shoot for the moon.

NOTES, QUOTES

• LF Fred Lewis’(notes) numbers in 2009 (four homers, 20 RBIs in 122 games) are the reason the Giants are looking for other options in left field. At the winter meetings, manager Bruce Bochy said it’s possible Eugenio Velez(notes) could play left and lead off, perhaps sharing time with Andres Torres(notes). But the Giants remain on the prowl for outside help in the outfield, too. OF/INF Mark DeRosa has been on their radar this winter.

• RHP Bobby Howry remains in the Giants’ sights. He joined the team as a free agent on Dec. 3, 2008, and GM Brian Sabean said he’d be interested in re-signing Howry—if the reliever is available later in the offseason—to complement RHP Sergio Romo(notes) in the relief corps. Howry, 36, had a 3.39 ERA in 63 outings, third most in the Giants bullpen. Howry originally was drafted by the Giants in 1994 but was traded as a minor-leaguer to the White Sox and broke in with Chicago in 1998.

• Former catcher Steve Decker, considered by the Giants as a big-league manager of the future, will manage Class AAA Fresno in 2010, getting promoted from Class AA Connecticut, where he led the team to the Eastern League finals. He previously managed with Class A San Jose and has a minor league record of 328-185. His hitting coach will be Ken Joyce, replacing Hensley Meulens, who was promoted to the parent club.

• C Eli Whiteside(notes), amid weeks of talk over who’ll be the opening-day catcher, is considered nothing more than a backup by the Giants. Then again, the team is pleased with his work as a reserve. He caught five of the Giants’ 18 shutouts, including LHP Jonathan Sanchez’s(notes) July 10 no-hitter. He started 33 games behind the plate and threw out eight of 28 potential base-stealers, 29 percent. He hit just .228.

• RHP Brian Wilson’s(notes) 2.74 ERA was lowest by a Giants closer since RHP Robb Nen’s 2.20 in 2002, the World Series year. It was Nen’s final season. Wilson appeared in a career-high 68 games. Of his 38 saves, eight required at least four outs, the most in the majors. Showing his effectiveness in longer outings, he posted a 0.84 ERA in those games.

By The Numbers:   22—Games won by the Giants when they scored three or fewer runs this year. The only other teams in the majors winning more games with so few runs were the Cardinals (25) and the Mariners (23). It speaks volumes about the Giants’ pitching. Their hitting, too.

Quote To Note:   “We’d hate to give up pitching unless it’s for a sure thing offensively.”—GM Brian Sabean, who repeatedly has said he wants to keep LHP Jonathan Sanchez, even when the Marlins are dangling 2B Dan Uggla(notes).

ROSTER REPORT

The Giants had a winning record after four consecutive losing seasons, and the next step is to contend for a division title. They have one of the deepest rotations in the majors but one of the weakest offenses despite the emergence of INF Pablo Sandoval.

Biggest Needs:   The Giants, last in the NL in walks and on-base percentage, 15th in homers and 14th in slugging percentage, need a major boost offensively. An improved 3-4-5 alignment—the season ended with Pablo Sandoval, Bengie Molina(notes) and Juan Uribe(notes), all free-swingers—is necessary. The Giants’ situational hitting was sub-par, and many hitters didn’t get bunt signs because they couldn’t be relied on to put one down.

Departures:   RHP Brad Penny(notes) (free agent, signed with Cardinals), RHP Justin Miller(notes) (free agent, signed minor league deal with Dodgers).

Free Agents:   C Bengie Molina, INF Juan Uribe, INF Rich Aurilia(notes), OF Randy Winn(notes), LHP Randy Johnson(notes), RHP Bobby Howry, LHP Noah Lowry(notes).

The biggest decision is whether to bring back Molina, the cleanup hitter the past three years. He’s 35, and the Giants have C Buster Posey(notes) waiting in the wings. It might work out if Molina agrees to a one-year deal. Uribe, who arrived last winter on a minor league contract, was a valuable addition and will cost more than his $1 million salary to be retained. Aurilia and Johnson might retire. Miller and Lowry became free agents after being outrighted off the 40-man roster.

Arbitration-eligible:   RHP Tim Lincecum(notes), RHP Brandon Medders(notes), LHP Jonathan Sanchez, RHP Brian Wilson.

Lincecum is due a major raise, perhaps breaking Jonathan Pabelbon’s record for highest salary for a pitcher eligible for arbitration for the first time ($6.25 million). The record for a hitter was Ryan Howard’s(notes) $10 million. The Giants might prefer to negotiate a long-term deal while trying to keep the 2010 salary down. The Giants want to keep Wilson and Sanchez, though Sanchez might be trade bait.

In Limbo:   As the Giants pursue a hitter or two, they’ll likely dangle pitching, including LHP Jonathan Sanchez. Teams might prefer RHP Matt Cain(notes), which would be a blockbuster, but the Giants are hesitant to break up the top end of their rotation.

Medical Watch:  

2B Freddy Sanchez(notes) (arthroscopic left knee surgery in September 2009) is expected to be fully recovered by spring training.

RHP Brandon Medders (arthroscopic left knee surgery in October 2009) is expected to be fully recovered by spring training.