Before I start this hayride, I wanted to let you all know: I'm using AirmenSmith's 2007 MLB Roster, which is really well done, btw. I highly recommend it. It's available at the PadresFan OOTP Mod Site over
here.
Preseason Thoughts:
Bruce Bochy's a good manager and I have always appreciated the way he handles the ballclub he manages. After spring training was completed, I did notice quite a few pre-season moves and trade offers from several teams; most notably for Eliezer Alfonso. Now, I'm also carrying an injured Mike Matheny, who had to be released with full pay (just because I really liked him and thought he did a yeoman's job for the Giants in the first two years of his contract). Called up Alfonzo to back up Molina (just like Sabean did, in real life).
I called up Kevin Frandsen (whom I affectionately call, "The Ocho"*), who is a remarkably talented utility infielder who could be the next Ryan Freel/Craig Biggio, type. I had two fictionals in there who were one-stars, but I'm opting to stick with the real players right now.
Where's Tim Lincecum? He wasn't included in this roster. This makes me sad.
Preseason Movements:
Arizona took a serious interest in one of my prospect SS' out of double-AA Connecticut and offered my Jose Valverde and a five-star POT MR. Is that how hard up for shortstops they are? Valverde and Benitez are both in their final years of their contracts, and Valverde's cheaper. I'm hoping I can get him on an extension cheaper if he turns out to be better by the ASB. But sure, if they want this fictional SS so badly, I'll take Valverde and rookie fodder.
I sent over SS Marcus Sanders for CL Jose Valverde and MR Felipe Paulino del Guidice (I kid you not; that was his full name) on Opening Day.
[b]Active Roster[b]
So, following the trade, here's how the opening day active roster ended up:
SP Matt Cain
SP Brad Hennessey
SP Noah Lowry
SP Matt Morris
SP Barry Zito
MR Kevin Correia
MR David Cortes
MR Steve Kline
MR Scott Atchison
MR Jack Taschner
SU/CL Armando Benitez
CL Jose Valverde
C Bengie Molina
C Eliezer Alfonzo
1B Ryan Klesko
1B/3B Rich Aurilia
2B Ray Durham
3B Pedro Feliz
SS Omar Vizquel
UI Kevin Frandsen
LF Barry Bonds
LF Dan Ortmeier
UO Fred Lewis
CF Dave Roberts
UO Randy Winn
Next Up: Starting Lineups and Pitching Rotations
-- ZC
PS: I forgot I put a star after The Ocho. I guess this will need a bit of explanation, but the first year he got called up from Fresno, he wore the number 8 on his uniform. My friends and I immediately started in with the jokes about Dodgeball and ESPN8. To dampen this joke, though, his older brother, David Frandsen Jr. ("D.J."), died in 2004 from a 19-year battle with Wilms' Tumor, a mere three months after Frandsen was drafted. As a token of affection and remembrance, Giants pitching coach and long-time family friend Dave Righetti offered Frandsen his jersey number 19 knowing that D.J.'s favorite number was also 19, and that he was an admirer of Righetti as a child.