The Giants pitchers and catchers aren't scheduled to have their first full squad workout until Thursday, but Armondo Benitez has already been in Scottsdale a week for some much needed extra conditioning. He also is trying to prove to the Giants (and Marlins) that his knee is fully recovered from last years injury. Benitez's name has been floated in the sports sections' as being "on the move" all winter long, but nothing ever materialized. The Giants were in talks, and still may be, about sending Benitez to back Florida, but they couldn't come to an agreement with the Marlins on which player they'd receive in exchange for Benitez. I have already said in various posts that I don't think the Giants should get rid of Benitez just for the sake of getting him off the team. He is in his contract year, and if he wants to keep earning big money, he is going to have to turn in one helluva season to cover himself for the last 2. For this reason, I expect a determined Armondo Benitez this season. Don't get me wrong, I have read the reports about how bad of a teammate he is, and how he is overweight and doesn't wants to be back in Florida, and if the Giants could get a solid young arm in return for him, then I'd deal him. However, the Giants bullpen has so many question marks as it is, if they loose Benitez, not only will they not have a clear cut set-up man, but they also won't have a closer. So either way you look at it, Benitez is more of a value to this team than some are giving him credit for. Whether it's for their own bullpen, or for a trading chip, the Giants' need this dude healthy.
On Saturday, the Giants finalized a 2 year contract extension with Freddy Sanchez, who they acquired in July for Tim Alderson. The new deal for Sanchez will pay him 12 million over the next 2 seasons instead of 8.5 million for just 2010, which was his option for 2010. I've voiced my disappointment in Sanchez a few times here since the Giants dealt for him over the summer. He wasn't able to stay on the field full time to help this club with their run at the NL Wild Card, and even when he was in there, he didn't seem to make much of an impact in th e lineup. Now, I wasn't necessarily hoping the Giants would cut ties with Sanchez (they probably would have had to pay 4 million or so to buy him out), just didn't think he was worth upwards of 10 million dollars, and would have liked to see the Giants pursue someone like Orlando Hudson with that money. The Giants already have an infielder who's being paid about 3-4 times what his play over the last 2 seasons would indi...
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