Tuesday, December 21, 2004

 

Quoth the Sabean, "Never Mohr"

Well, I didn't expect that. The Giants have shown Dustan Mohr and Cody Ransom the door. I can hear the screaming already. Dustan Mohr is young, talented, and above all cheap. Why cut him loose now?

Well, this is one of those things that has absolutely nothing to do with statistics, salary, or things you can put into an Excel spreadsheet.

Both Mohr and Ransom committed the apparently unforgivable sin of botching defensive plays in the final days of the season. They have been found guilty of a 2nd-degree "Jose Cruz Jr. Act" violation. The penalty is getting kicked off the roster.

You might recall the little incident with Mohr and the bullpen mound in San Diego. Just about everyone wondered why Mohr didn't just drop the ball. It might have cost the Giants a game, and a game was all they needed. Similarly, Ransom committed a crucial error as a defensive replacement in that godawful ninth-inning meltdown in L.A. a few days later. Again, that play might have cost the Giants the division.

I don't think Brian Sabean has much patience for mistakes like that. You might hope that he's rational and looks at the sabermetric big picture, but he's a human being, and every human being has pet peeves. Hell, even Billy Beane has a doghouse. You can argue until you're black and blue in the face that mistakes in April count just as much as the ones in September. But you don't remember the mistakes back in April, and neither does Sabean. In your mind's eye, you can still see Mohr doing his Charlie Brown impersonation on that bullpen mound. So can Sabes. Ditto Ransom, and that roller under his glove.

So if you're looking for reasons for today's moves, don't. Just remember that, in the minds of baseball men, some games count a lot more than others, and some mistakes just don't get forgiven. In that regard, sometimes being a baseball player is just like having any other job. One big mistake, and you're fired.

What does this mean for the Giants outfield next year? It's too soon to say. Right now, your Giants outfield is Bonds, Grissom and Tucker, with Feliz as your fourth guy. The Giants have a few million to throw at another outfielder, but is there anyone left in their price range? Or will Tony Torcato ride the bench? I suspect the team is done making major moves, but you never know.

Jefferson 9:04 AM

|