By Dalton Del Don
When I first heard of my Giants trading Tim Alderson for Freddy Sanchez, my blood immediately started to boil. I let the expletives fly. I then decided to give up on the team until Brian Sabean is gone. I’ve since tried to talk myself into it, and while I’ll acknowledge the team is better today than they were before the deal, the more I think about it, this trade was indefensible and terrible.
The Giants’ second baseman have accumulated a .603 OPS this season, which ranks 27th in the league (and close to 29th), so that position clearly required addressing. However, what the team needed more was a batter who hits home runs and gets on base, something Sanchez does neither of. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a nice player with a 6.3 UZR/150 and a solid .296/.334/.442 line. But he’s also not cheap, and if he reaches 600 plate appearances this season, won’t be cheap in 2010 either. In fact, because of his contract, the Pirates were actively trying to get rid of him. Sanchez’s strikeouts are way up this year, and his .343 BABIP suggests a BA decline is in store, which is a problem for someone who rarely walks. It’s never a good sign when the general manager defends a trade by talking about batting average, team chemistry and being a “professional hitter.” I’m sick to my stomach.
Alderson’s numbers have really declined since his move to Double-A, and I can appreciate a good TINSTAAPP philosophy. However, he is just 20 years old, making him extremely young for that league, and the big decrease in strikeouts, while worrisome, can be attributed to him working on developing a changeup and also the organization instructing him to “just getting ground balls and staying in the game longer.” That’s right. The Giants actively teach their minor league pitchers to avoid strikeouts. Alderson may never be an ace with his lack of fastball velocity, but his curveball and command are already major league quality.
The trade itself was maddening, but what really kills me was the context behind it. The Brewers just recently traded for a similar (and much cheaper) player in Felipe Lopez and gave up FAR less. In fact, there’s an argument Alderson is a better pitching prospect than any arm included in the Cliff Lee deal. The Giants are delusional if they think they are a better team than the Cardinals or Cubs, and the outlook should have always been long-term, despite the surprising play of 2009. Moreover, Sanchez is currently INJURED. With a sore shoulder and banged up knee, I doubt it’s a coincidence he’s batting .128 (with a 13:1 K:BB ratio) since the All-Star break. His knee is still so sore, there’s a chance he won’t make his SF debut until next week. I’d bet even money Sabean would finish dead last if he played in my home fantasy league – he’s the master of buying-high.
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