The 2009 Giants: soon available with more veterans?

O-Dogg has spent a lot of time On the DL the past two years

Today’s special? Orlando Hudson, second baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks. This is a troubling sign to me. The Giants for the past two seasons have been talking the talk, but hardly walking the walk of developing young players.

 

The Hudson news comes on the heals of a report that CC Sabathia may be courted by the Giants, along with shortstops Rafael Furcal, Edgar Renteria, and Orlando Cabrera. 

 

Hudson is 31 and has been seeking a five-year deal worth $50 million. Furcal, also 31 according to his Dominican Republic birth certificate, is likely too seeking another big deal despite his errant defense, considerable lack of power and missing 150 games the past two years. Renteria is continuing his mission of playing for every major league team before he retires. The 33-year-old journeyman will sign with his fifth team in the past six seasons, and is coming off a lackluster year despite being surrounded by a lineup full of run producers in Detroit. Orlando Cabrera is 34 and even though he’s played in the hitter-friendly AL and the extremely hitter-affable US Cellular Field in 2008, his numbers in no way instill confidence that he would have any significant impact on the Giants lineup.

 

The Giants have traveled down this road of 30-something veterans before, and you’d think they’d be hesitant to revisit it.

 

In 2003 the Giants signed the then 30-year-old Edgardo Alfonzo, 32-year-old Ray Durham, 36-year-old Marquis Grissom, and 42-year-old Andres Galarraga. Now to be fair, that team went on to win 100 games and then broke hearts in rousing Giants fashion in October. But they also had a guy named Bonds in the middle of the lineup, who was still very much in his prime.

 

Adding pieces like Furcal or Renteria, Hudson or Cabrera make a lot of sense for some teams. But spending $50 million dollars on one of the aforementioned to set the table for Aaron Rowand and Randy Winn is a bit like putting lipstick on the pig.

 

Let’s close with a quick lesson. How do you define insanity? 1: a deranged state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder. 2: such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction. And, my favorite; 3: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.