Giants Inquiring About Uggla

According to Juan Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel, the Giants have made inquiries about Marlins 2B Dan Uggla. They could do worse.

Uggla has two years left after this one before he becomes a free agent, and he’s a right-handed hitter with power. 

On the down side, Uggla is 29 this year and having his worst season.  He’s only hitting .208, although he has eight HR, and his .753 OPS is the lowest of his career, although still pretty good for a second baseman.

My guess is that the Marlins would want current Giant second baseman, 24-year-old Emmanuel Burriss, who’s a former first-round draft pick, and pitching. 

Assuming that the Giants won’t trade former first round picks Tim Alderson or Madison Bumgarner, and that Matt Cain, in his fourth year like Uggla, is too expensive for the Marlins, my guess is that they would want Burriss and Jonathan Sanchez. 

The Marlins may ask for a throw-in minor leaguer, but given the year Uggla is having, I can’t see the Giants giving up more than Burriss and Sanchez, if that.

If I was an opposing GM looking to choose Giants’ minor league pitchers not named Bumgarner and Alderson, I think I would most strongly consider 23-year-old Ben Snyder, who has a 1.15 ERA in 31.1 innings at AA Connecticut with 16 hits allowed, 11 BB, and 31 K. 

Connecticut starters Henry Sosa and Daryl Maday also look good.  Both are 23 this year, too. 

Sosa has a 1.85 ERA in 39 IP with 35 hits, 12 walks, and 26 K. Maday has a 2.40 ERA in 41.1 IP with 35 hits, 9 BB, and 23 K. 

Reliever Joe Paterson, who’s also 23, has a 1.06 ERA in 17 IP with 10 hits, 6 BB and 20 K.

At the AAA level, I think I like Osiris Matos the most.  He’s 24 this year, has 26 innings of major league experience, and a 1.38 ERA in 13 IP with two BB, and 12 K. 

Last year his minor league ERA was 0.97 in 46.1 IP with 30 hits, 13 BB, and 50 K, mostly at AA Connecticut. If the Giants trade Matos, I think they’d regret it.

Teams might also be interested in Sergio Romo, who’s 26 this year and coming off an injury that has limited him to three innings at Fresno so far this year.  He had a 2.12 ERA in 34 IP with 16 hits, eight walks and 33 K for the Giants last year. 

He hasn’t allowed a run or a walk in this three AAA inings this year and has three Ks.

Teams might also have some interest in 26-year-old Gino Espinelli.  He had a fine year at Fresno last year, finishing with a 2.66 ERA, and he pitched 16 major league innings with an ERA of 5.06. 

This year, his ERA is 2.70 in 20 IP at Fresno with 20 hits, two BB and 14 K.

Billy Sadler and Alex Hinshaw still have great arms, but Hinshaw has regressed this year at age 26, and Sadler hasn’t gotten any better at age 27.  They both have more upside than Espinelli, but they are only mediocre AAA pitchers right now.

At A+ San Jose, I like 21-year-old starter Clayton Tanner and 22-year-old relievers Daniel Turpin and Edwin Quirarte.  At A Augusta, I like 21-year-old Eric Surkamp.