Friday Baseball Post

Well, the Giants are playing extremely well -- 15-6 over the last three weeks -- and they need to, because every time you turn around the Dodgers have added someone else. Tonight, the news is that the Bums are making a blockbuster trade with the Red Sox, although it's really just adding one famous pitcher who hasn't been very good and one very good 1B, which is actually a big deal since they've had a black hole there.

I'm sure I should be upset and worried, but really, I'm mostly not. Sure: the Giants could easily wind up falling short in September, and had the Dodgers played the rest of the season with the roster they had before this, it would be pretty much all over by now, at least assuming that the Giants played the same either way. But I'm just not convinced that the Dodgers really know what they're doing over the longer run. Sure, they're clearly in much better shape now than they were when their ownership was a major problem. So far, however, I'm really not convinced they're building any kind of long-term, or even medium-term, winner. We'll see, I guess.

And I hate to say anything too positive because I'm worried about a jinx, but the Giants really are a pretty well-run team right now. Granted, some of Brian Sabean's weaknesses are still with us, but others have proved to be just circumstances (yes, he can draft and develop hitters) or have just got better -- he's now willing to make use of free talent. I would like to see him go out and get a LF, though.

If you want more, see Dave Cameron at Fangraphs on the big Dodgers/Red Sox trade.