Giants Trade Rumors: Updating All of San Francisco's Hottest Waiver Rumors

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While adding Hunter Pence at the trade deadline certainly pads the impact the Giants felt from the loss of Melky Cabrera, GM Brian Sabean isn't going to sit on his hands and hope for the best.

 

 

#SFGiants seeking OF help, planning to promote Justin Christian. Story on obstacles they face, with other waiver news. msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/san-…

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 16, 2012

 

 

With less than two weeks of shopping left before players become ineligible to be included on the Giants' postseason roster, Sabean is sure to be working the phones at a feverish pace as he tries to bolster the club for the stretch run.

How is a Giants' fan supposed to keep up with all of the waiver-wire chatter?

That's where B/R comes is. Stay with us for the latest chatter and analysis from the rumor mill as the battle for NL West supremacy rages on.

So without further ado, lets take a look at the latest chatter by the bay.

 

*This will be updated on a regular basis—often multiple times per day—so while the post date will always show as August 20, simply click to the next slide to see the latest rumors and rumblings about the Giants efforts to shore up the roster.*

Scott Hairston, OF, New York Mets

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Update August 27th, 6:10 PM ET:

It sure doesn't sound like the Scott Hairston made it to the Giants. Jon Heyman confirms what he speculated earlier today:

 

 

Source: Claim of #Mets’ Scott Hairston is a block. Unlikely to be moved. Claiming team unknown. Claim first reported by @jonheymancbs.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 27, 2012

 

 

 

Update August 27th:

 

scott hairston has been claimed on trade waivers. #SFGiants could use him, but #dodgers, others coulda blocked. #mets

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) August 27, 2012

 

It's not like the Dodgers really have a need for him, but Heyman makes a great point—they will do everything in their power to keep the Giants from acquiring any reinforcements.

Claiming Hairston simply to keep him from heading to San Francisco is a brilliant move by the Dodgers, if that's who ultimately put in the claim.

Of course, one can hope that Ned Colletti and the Dodgers' front office is still excited about the new toys that they acquired over the weekend and were asleep at the wheel when Hairston's name came across his desk—but that's highly unlikely.

 

August 20th:

Scott Hairston would be one of the more inexpensive players the Giants could have interest in, financially speaking. The 32-year-old is owed only a portion of the $1.1 million salary the Mets are paying him in 2012.

But as Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal notes, Hairston has yet to be put on trade waivers by the disappointing club in Flushing and there are no guarantees that he will be. Rosenthal also mentions that were he to hit waivers, the Diamondbacks would likely put in a claim to block Hairston from reaching San Francisco.

In 98 games, Hairston has posted a .277/.318/.528 batting line with 14 home runs and 44 RBI.

He'd be a great fit in San Francisco, but as Rosenthal notes, there's little chance that he'd go unclaimed before reaching the Giants.

Steve Pearce: 1B/RF, Houston Astros

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August 27th Update:

Pearce was sold to the Yankees—OK, technically he was "traded" for cash considerations, but let's call it what it is. The Yankees bought Steve Pearce from the Astros.

So, we can cross him off of the Giants list of potential acquisitions.

And the search continues...

 

August 25th Update:

Steve Pearce, a 29-year-old journeyman is the latest player to interest the Giants, according to ESPN's Buster Olney:

 

 

Astros outfielder Steve Pearce is drawing interest from the Giants, who are looking for someone who hits left-handed hitting.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 25, 2012

 

 

Pearce has spent time with four teams in 2012, though he's only appeared in the majors with the Astros and Orioles.

A career .237/.310/.373 hitter, Pearce could be effective if only used against left-handed pitching. For his career, he's put up a .277/.347/.484 batting line against southpaws.

He isn't likely to cost much in the way of prospects to acquire and with no long-term commitment, he could be the kind of player that Brian Sabean targets.

Of course, the problem could be the Arizona Diamondbacks, who could put in a waiver claim for Pearce simply to block him from reaching San Francisco.

Is Heath Bell an Option for the Bullpen?

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Update July 21:

I personally don't see a need for it, but Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says that it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Giants could make a move for embattled Marlins' closer Heath Bell:

 

Likely? No. Possible? Yes. RT @sfgigantewill:Do u really see a possibility of Heath Bell in a Giants uniform before September?

— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) August 21, 2012

 

Bell, 34, has struggled mightily in his first year with the Marlins, blowing six of his 25 save chances and is currently setting up Steve Cishek who has replaced Bell in the ninth inning.

Due approximately $19 million over the next two years, adding Bell to the mix in San Francisco makes little sense given the solid seasons that both Jeremy Affeldt and Sergio Romo have put together as they replaced injured closer Brian Wilson.

Left Field Is Where the Giants Are Focused

Neither Gregor Blanco or Justin Christian makes the Giants comfortable in left field.
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Update, August 21:

According to ESPN's Jim Bowden, Giants' manager Bruce Bochy acknowledged on Sirius Satellite Radio that the Giants are actively pursuing options for left field:

 

 

Bochy told us that it is "Fair to say we're looking for help in LF. Brian is working on it now"....Sirius 209 and XM 89

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) August 21, 2012

 

 

While the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo refutes Bowden's report, there's no reason to expect that Bochy is lying—thus leading us to believe that another outfielder will be bought into the fold sooner rather than later.

Whether it's someone that we've previously looked at or a name nobody's thought of yet, one thing is clear—the Giants are not comfortable with Gregor Blanco, Justin Christian, or Xavier Nady as options down the stretch.

Jeff Francoeur, RF, Kansas City Royals

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With the Royals going nowhere in 2012 and über-prospect Wil Myers ready to explode onto the major league scene, 28-year-old Jeff Francoeur has become expendable in Kansas City.

 

 

Another thought for #SFGiants: Jeff Francoeur. LIkely would clear waivers; signed for $6.75M in '13. But wouldn't be giveaway for #Royals.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 16, 2012

 

 

As Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal opines, the Royals wouldn't move the man known as "Frenchy" just for the sake of moving him—and what they'd ask the Giants for in return remains to be seen—though it isn't likely to be a huge asking price, given his season to date.

Francoeur has put together a relatively underwhelming campaign in Kansas City, posting a .240/.287/.374 batting line, with 11 home runs and 33 RBI over 113 games played.

That being said, he's far from an automatic out and still has one of the strongest and most accurate outfield throwing arms in the game.

Even if they acquired him with the thought of using him as part of a platoon or as a late-inning defensive replacement, the Giants could do worse than adding Francoeur to the mix.

Juan Pierre, LF, Philadelphia Phillies

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Another veteran outfielder from a struggling NL East club, 35-year-old Juan Pierre falls into the same category as the aforementioned Hairston. According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports: he's yet to have been placed on trade waivers and he'd likely be claimed before the Giants had a chance to act.

Pierre is more of a table-setter than a run producer, but has put together a solid season for the Phillies with a .306/.346/.371 batting line with a home run, 21 RBI and 29 stolen bases.

He'd be another inexpensive addition, due only the remainder of his $800,000 salary, but isn't a realistic option for the Giants as long as the Diamondbacks remain in contention.

Alfonso Soriano, LF, Chicago Cubs

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CBS Sports' Danny Knobler doesn't think that Alfonso Soriano is someone that the Giants have legitimate interest in:

 

 

Brian Sabean has not loved Alfonso Soriano in the past. Seems unlikely (but perhaps not impossible) that he would want him now.

— DKnobler (@DKnobler) August 16, 2012

 

 

Not so fast, says Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, who reports that the Giants tried to acquire Soriano before the non-waiver trade deadline only to be rebuffed by the 36-year-old left fielder. Reportedly, Soriano told Cubs president Theo Epstein that he would not waive his 10-and-five rights to accept a trade to the Giants.

Sullivan asked Soriano last week if he would change his mind, and Soriano's response was telling:

I don't think so. San Francisco is not good weather to play in. It's on the West Coast and I've never played on the West Coast. We'll see what happens if they call. I'll talk to my family then and see. It's not my call. i know it's 50 percent of my call, but it's my family's (call) too. I'd talk to my family and see what happens.

That being the case, Soriano didn't entirely rule out a move to the West Coast—and his powerful swing from the right side of the plate would be a welcome addition to a lineup that can always use another run producer.

Vernon Wells, OF, Los Angeles Angels

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders whether the Giants would be interested in the Angels' fifth outfielder, 33-year-old Vernon Wells.

Wells, a former All-Star, has been an unmitigated disaster since joining the Angels in 2011, posting a .219/.251/.406 batting line with 32 home runs and 84 RBI over 181 games played.

He's owed $42 million through the 2014 season, but Cafardo says that the Angels have let it be known that they are willing to pick up a significant portion of his contract to facilitate a trade.

If I'm the Giants, I'd pass on Wells—unless the Angels picked up nearly all of the $42 million remaining on his deal and were willing to take a package of unimpressive prospects in return.

Otherwise, Brian Sabean should focus his efforts elsewhere.