5 Reasons Jose Reyes Won't Be Acquired by the San Francisco Giants
The Jose Reyes talk continues.
Since it became very clear that Miguel Tejada wasn't going to pan out at shortstop for the defending champion San Francisco Giants, the trade speculation heated up and hasn't relented.
Here are five reasons why the Giants will not make a move to acquire the Mets shortstop before the July 31 trade deadline.
1. The Giants Have a Solid Shortstop in Brandon Crawford
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Since being called up late last month, Brandon Crawford has proven to be a sure-handed shortstop who has the ability to hit major league pitching.
His first big league hit was a grand slam that propelled the Giants to a much-needed first victory following the season-ending injury to Buster Posey.
While his batting average has dropped recently, ups and downs at the plate are not a terribly uncommon or foreboding sign. Buster Posey had the same issues when he was first called up and turned out to be a fantastic presence at the plate for San Francisco.
Crawford has struck out only eight times in 62 at-bats, showing that he puts the ball in play regularly and can handle the bat well.
Defensively, he's been good, making several difficult plays that Miguel Tejada couldn't and shoring up the San Francisco middle infield.
2. The Giants Need a Catcher
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After Buster Posey was lost for the season following a May 25 home-plate collision, Eli Whiteside became the everyday backstop for the Giants.
It's been a rough going for Eli so far.
Whiteside has already had three passed balls, and 21 out of 27 base-stealers have swiped their bags successfully against him.
Whiteside's backup, Chris Stewart, has very little major league catching experience and is a light hitter.
Needless to say, the Giants need help at the catcher's position, not at short. If there's going to be a deal made at the deadline, it'll have to be for a catcher.
3. The Giants Are in First Place in What Has so Far Been a Weak Division
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The defending world champions are in first place in the NL West.
With all they've gone through this season, the Giants really shouldn't be there, but the fact that they are shows just how gritty and talented this club really is.
Since the Giants are nine games over .500 and in first place in what thus far has proven to be a relatively weak division, there's no need to press the panic button. (The Giants already pressed the "Panik" button, but that's another matter.)
San Francisco's current situation doesn't call for a blockbuster move, just a reasonable one to plug certain holes that need to be filled for the stretch run.
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4. Jose Reyes Would Be Way Too Expensive
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Jose Reyes is a fantastic talent, and if his services came cheap, he'd be a great pickup.
But they don't, so he wouldn't.
The acquisition of Reyes would cost the Giants too much young talent—think Wheeler, Brown, etc.—that they can't afford to give up.
Getting Reyes would mean getting a three- or four-month rental that would bolt as soon as the season ends to look for a contract with a value of over $100 million.
5. Brian Sabean Doesn't Make Big Splashes at the Deadline
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Over the past five seasons, Brian Sabean trade deadline acquisitions are as follows:
2006: Shea Hillenbrand, Vinnie Chulk, Mike Stanton
2007: Rajai Davis, Stephen MacFarland
2009: Freddy Sanchez, Ryan Garko
2010: Javier Lopez, Ramon Ramirez
Don't hold your breath if you're hoping to see Jose Reyes don the orange and black anytime soon.
The Giants Can Win Without Jose Reyes
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The Giants have proven that they are a winning ball club. They are currently 39-30 and in first place in the NL West. They have the second best record in the league behind the Phillies and the fourth best record in all of baseball.
Jose Reyes is not a "must-acquire" prospect—he isn't even a "should-acquire" prospect, given the cost.
General Manager Brian Sabean will likely target a sturdy catcher or another reliable role player to bolster the Giants' chances at repeating as the champions of baseball in 2011.
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