Posey's Loss Hurts, but Truth Hurts More: Sabean's Decisions Haunting Giants

From a blog named "ThankYouBrianSabean": ON NOVEMBER 14, 2003, THE MINNESOTA TWINS TRADED A.J. PIERZYNSKI TO THE SF GIANTS FOR JOE NATHAN, FRANCISCO LIRIANO, AND BOOF BONSER. TWINS FANS EVERYWHERE WOULD LIKE TO THANK BRIAN SABEAN.

Authored by a Twins fan, this is an epitaph of sorts to one of San Francisco Giants G.M. Brian Sabean's most infamous deals. 

You have to wonder if somewhere soon a new blog will spring up. Authored by a dispirited Giants fan, it might be called, "Brian Sabean, Please Stop Giving Big Contracts to Veteran Free Agents." 

(For the uninitiated, Pierzynski spent 2004 in San Francisco, where he led the NL in one offensive stat—double plays grounded into. He then fled to the White Sox, where he's stayed seven years. Liriano has had a so-so career, although he tossed a no-hitter on May 3. Nathan saved 246 games for the Twins between 2004 and 2009.)

Sabean took considerable (deserved) flack for that rotten deal, but it unfairly cast a shadow on many other personnel moves that have worked out far better for the Giants. (His official bio includes two lengthy paragraphs detailing them.)

In the afterglow of last season's World Series title, you wouldn't expect to be questioning Sabean's personnel moves. But a few are becoming harder to ignore.

This exercise actually occurred to me while glancing at the box score from Thursday's 1-0 loss to Florida. I've got to stop reading box scores.

The first three in Bruce Bochy's order—Andres Torres, Manny Burriss and Freddie Sanchez—reached base four times in 11 plate appearances and had three of the team's five hits. Not bad as table-setters.

The next four—Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross, Aaron Rowand and Miguel Tejada—were a combined 1-14, with five strikeouts. This from the supposed run producers.

Huff had an especially inglorious afternoon, striking out twice and hitting into a double play. He's now batting .215. Making (can't bring myself to write "earning") $22 million for 2011-12.

Rowand, batting .246 after doubling in three at bats, is in the fourth year of a five-year, $60 million deal signed in 2008.

Tejada, hitting .221 after going 0-3 today, is being paid $6.5 million this year.

Ross is being paid $6.3 million for 2011. His season was delayed by a spring injury; he's hitting .245 after an 0-4 day today. 

Mark DeRosa is in the second year of a two-year, $12 million deal signed in late 2009. He contributed 13 RBI over portions of two seasons before suffering another wrist injury that may be career-ending.

Barry Zito—almost done here, I promise—is 40-58 with the Giants in the fifth year of a seven-year, $126 million deal signed in 2007. 

What do these deals say about Sabean? I honestly don't know. He constructed a world champion; he inarguably rebuilt a farm system that delivered what likely is the best home-grown starting staff in baseball. 

Without Cody Ross, the Giants may not have made it to last year's World Series. No matter what he produces in 2011, I can't argue that Sabean shouldn't have re-signed him.

Pat Burrell got a $1 million deal for 2011 after contributing immeasurably to the Giants 2010 NL West title. I can't argue with that decision, either.

But it's becoming difficult to justify the contracts Sabean offered Huff, and DeRosa, and Tejada, and Zito, and Rowand.

Those are, as financial folks say, sunk costs. 

You just hope they don't sink the Giants' 2011 hopes with them.