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MLB WINTER MEETINGSDecember 6, 2010Bob GerenLAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA BOB GEREN: Be happy to talk about anything as far as the club goes, as far as free agents. Obviously, we have a pretty strict policy about discussing free agents and negotiations, dealings with them. Hate to use -- I can't comment on free agents, so I'll just do it first so I don't have to do it ten more times. But other than that, I'd be happy to discuss anything else. Q. How do you feel about what the team has done so far this winter? BOB GEREN: I think that we had a very good finish to our season, very strong. We just needed a few extra pieces to get us right into contention, and we're on our way to doing that. Big one obviously David DeJesus coming over. Just adding another top of the lineup, middle lineup type hitter to our team that is fundamentally a sound player on every phase of the game, which is important to us. Our defense was so good last year, that it really solidified our pitching staff. So when we had players to be able to do what he can do as far as defensively along with the added offense, and he's also a very good base runner too. So we've got an all around, well-rounded player to add to our lineup. Q. He was primarily a top-of-the-lineup guy with the Royals. They've got two top guys in the top of your lineup. Do you see him batting somewhere else? BOB GEREN: You know, just because it's still December, I haven't thought about it too much, but if the roster was exactly current, the current roster was exactly opening day's. You have to look at whether Barton could slide to 3 or he would slide to 3 or something like that, leave Coco at 1, just because we're here talking about it for fun. But things can change a lot, obviously, until February. But there are a lot of candidates. Q. You see Coco as your guy? BOB GEREN: Yes. What he did, his stolen base rate, his on base, and he showed some power. I want him up to the plate as much as possible. Q. I know you can't talk about specific free agents, but when you look at getting a power bat in the middle of your lineup, do you prefer whether he's left-handed or right-handed? BOB GEREN: If we were to add a power bat, to me it's more important that he's just a good hitter, period. It wouldn't matter if he's right or left. We do have quite a few left-handed hitters in the lineup, but we also have some switch hitters now too. Obviously we have Coco and Penny. There's not a real preference, no. Just as long as whoever it is fits into what we're trying to do. Q. Would you say you are just looking to get a good hitter, even if they don't have power, just a good hitter in general? BOB GEREN: Yeah, I think power, depends on what you classify as power. If you're just looking at home runs or kind of a slugging percentage. Sometimes the power can be misinterpreted. A player might not be a 30- or 40-home run guy, but he hits a lot of doubles and his slugging percentage is higher. Just a good hitter period will get those RBIs. Q. I know you're not talking about specific free agents, but in general it sounds as if this is the second year in a row you've had some difficulty getting some free agents that have been targeted and there is a strong feeling that maybe the coliseum is a reason. Is that disappointing to see that as sort of a recurring problem now? BOB GEREN: I wouldn't say it's a recurring problem. I know last year we had some opportunities that we didn't land a player. Whether that is the exact reason or not, that is only determined by the players. As far as this year, it's still December. So to make any judgments on who we get or not get is not fair at this time. I'm just trying to make our team the best we can, and we're in pursuit of who we want. Q. To the extent that you can comment, what are your thoughts on Hideki Matsui? BOB GEREN: He's a free agent, and he's out there, probably best not to comment much on him, really. Q. Would you be comfortable with your rotation with the guys you have now? BOB GEREN: Would I be? Sure, yes, very much so. If we added more depth in that department, it would just make us better. But comfortable with the four we have, and we have plenty of good candidates for the fifth. Q. (Indiscernible)? BOB GEREN: You know the list right now. We have obviously Cramer finishing in that spot. You know, you have Josh Outman coming back, we'll see where he's at, whether he's a starter or a reliever. We groomed him through his rehab to be a starter. We have -- Tyson Ross is another candidate that's got a clean bill of health recently. On the last medical report, it said he was feeling great. Then there is still the opportunity of potentially adding somebody else. Q. Billy said that Outman pitched pretty well? BOB GEREN: In the instructional league? Yes, yes, he did. He was the furthest along for sure. We had Divine down there too, and he was coming along, too. So we have both in the mix again next year, which strengthens either our rotation and/or our bullpen or both. Q. What was it that made Curt Young such a good pitching coach while you were working with him? BOB GEREN: He's been in our system for a long time. He understands what we look for in pitchers and getting the most out of it. He has good personality, the pitchers liked him, they trusted him. He did a good job, a real good job. Q. As you know him, how do you see him potentially adapting to a new system and new pitchers since that was his strength? BOB GEREN: He's a personable guy. I think that he's had a pretty good experience working with both ends of the spectrum, veteran guys and with young players. He's had a mix of both. So he's going to be working with a lot more veterans where he's at now. He'll do just fine. Q. You guys have developed so many good young pitchers. On the offensive side is there a player or two that in your mind through spring training could conceivably win a job and fill one of those bat needs? BOB GEREN: Well, Carter at the end of the year was our main guy that came up that has the most potential high ceiling. He had one stint where he struggled and then came back the second time and he looked pretty good towards the end of the year. So that would probably be the number one guy that could make the biggest impact the soonest. Q. With the acquisition of DeJesus, and you have Crisp in center and Sweeney in right, and then how does he -- and Barton at first. How does he find a spot? BOB GEREN: He just has to kind of create his own spot, come in and show that he's ready and create something. Q. Even though he's young, would you consider him for DHing? BOB GEREN: Yeah, we need somebody in that spot that's going to create some power and he's a good hitter. If he lands in that spot, that's a possibility. But having some flexibility where he can play the outfield first and do some DHing just makes his opportunities greater. Q. As far as that DH option is concerned, are you looking outside the organization or are you looking primarily within? BOB GEREN: I think we're exploring every option at this point, and whatever is going to help us win the most games is the way we'll go. Q. What has Billy Beane told you about negotiations with Iwakuma? Have you heard anything? BOB GEREN: He told me -- it's what I said earlier. I was going to make a joke, but it's probably not a good idea. No, none of us will comment on any kind of free agents at this point. We never have and we won't until there is something to talk about. Q. Do you think there is a flaw in the posting system and the way it's restricted to both sides possibly? BOB GEREN: It's a little out of my scope. I just do the best I can to manage the players that I have, and let people in baseball figure those things out. It is relatively new, and I'm sure there's some talk about the pros and cons of it. I'm sure it will be revisited from time to time. But I don't have any specific comment on it as far as my knowledge of it or the way it should be or shouldn't be. I don't concern myself with that. Q. Are you hopeful that something can be worked out in the 11th hour? BOB GEREN: You're trying to get me to comment on a free agent and I can't do that. I wish I could, really. But it's just the way we do it. Q. Then let me ask you this: How disappointing would it be if you aren't able to land the player that you seem like was within your grasp? BOB GEREN: That's kind of the same question. I love it though, you're good. Q. I've got to ask. BOB GEREN: I understand. I don't get frustrated with it. It's just -- well, I'll stick with our team right now. Q. Is there any worry about Pennington being ready for the season? BOB GEREN: No. The latest medical update on him was everything is going right on schedule. He feels great. Q. What about Sweeney? BOB GEREN: Same. He's actually starting to run, which is great. Actually following all of the protocol from post-surgery, and he's right on, if not even ahead. He's feeling pretty good. Q. You expect him to be 100% by spring? BOB GEREN: Yeah, I do. All the reports indicate that unless he has some kind of setback. But we're not anticipating anything but him being ready 100%. They did it early enough and gave him enough time. Q. I know injuries are part of the game, and you don't want to get caught up in what was made, but don't you kind of feel like you're due for a healthy season? BOB GEREN: Yeah, well, I've been healthy. I'm due for a healthy season (laughing)? Yeah, I really believe that we're going in the right direction as far as with the players. Their off-season conditioning and different follow-up visits that we're getting, we're staying on top of things to the point where we're giving them every opportunity to be as strong and healthy as possible. We're doing everything we can control, I guess I should say. The rest will be a matter of luck. So hopefully. We've had some unfortunate luck with injuries the last few years. Every team goes through them. We've been on the high end, so hopefully we'll be on the low end next year and you'll see a difference in the win-loss column because of it. Q. Anything you can do with Anderson to maybe prevent what happened last year or is that -- BOB GEREN: We monitored and changed his in between start routines a little bit with limiting certain pitches that he throws on the side, and throwing a few less, working on some of the other pitches. It seemed to work. They're doing everything they can from the training room end of it to keep him as strong and flexible as possible in those areas. His innings have been monitored so we're doing everything we can at this point, yeah. So he looked good to us. Saw him a couple nights ago at Danville at an event, and he looks great. Him and Cahill were there. Both look like they're working hard in the weight room. They both look strong and in good shape, attitudes are good, so as they should be, 22 years old with that kind of future, I'm sure I'd be in a good mood too. Q. Do you see any similarities between your team in 2010 to the Giants of 2009, a team that was on the brink of great pitching, needed a little help offensively and did it all with pitching which you guys seemed to have going into next year? BOB GEREN: I'm running it through my mind. I haven't thought of it that way, but that's a good point. When we played San Francisco halfway through the year through last year, and just with the few additions to their offense, picking up a player like a Burrell and a Posey coming up and helping them turn them into champions, it shows you that if you have good pitching, a few more guys on the offensive side that can get you over the edge. Without a doubt that's good. That's why you work in the industry. You're good. Q. Was there a time during the World Series where you thought that could be us next year? BOB GEREN: Yeah, especially because of the two teams that were there, one that we play so much and we know so much about, and the other one's right across the bay, and we saw them. Was it like a month between the two times? Was it a month? It seems like it. We came in the second time with a few additions and it seemed like they were a much stronger team on the offensive side anyway. Q. They'd added Posey by then? BOB GEREN: Yes, and Burrell. The centerfielder, Torres, was playing more. He's doing well. Q. Would it be fair to say that the missing ingredient for you was one or two at-bats? BOB GEREN: The first thing would be a healthy team. Then, anything on top of that. The health costs us some wins, without a doubt, so if we were a healthier group going forward, and we had a little bit more offense to keep pace with how well our pitching did, it would make a big difference, sure. Our pitching, I think, will continue to get better too. Look where -- you could take each one of them case by case. You look at Dallas Braden two or three years ago and where he's come. And we tend to talk about the other guys and look at the improvement he's made. He's outstanding. And Gio Gonzalez a couple years ago until now. Obviously Cahill, just from '09 to '10 is huge. Anderson has been consistent all the way through. He just had a couple of bumps with the DL. Q. How about Bailey? BOB GEREN: He's doing well. He's doing fine, yeah. No problems at all. He should be good to go. His surgery was successful, and he's rehabbing. He feels good. Q. How important is it eventually to get a new stadium so you can get revenues to the point where Billy can kind of do what Sabean did, which, as the season progresses, just bring guys in and be able to write some checks? BOB GEREN: Any time you could, you know, upgrade your facilities it would benefit everybody, I think. They really do. I think the fans would enjoy a new venue, the players would. But it's one of those things that's ongoing. We're trying and it will eventually happen. End of FastScripts |
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