Transactions Report - 2/9/09

Los Angeles Dodgers: Agreed to terms with pitchers Jeff Weaver, Shawn Estes, Ronald Belisario, Charlie Haeger and Tanyon Sturtze on minor league deals. Eric Milton wasn't available.

Oakland Athletics: Agreed to terms with pitcher Edgar Gonzalez on a minor-league contract.

St. Louis Cardinals: Released second baseman Adam Kennedy. Who needs a second baseman? Or at least a cheap bench player. The team picking up Kennedy - who hit .280 in 2008 - will owe him only $400,000. Kennedy was on the bench quite a bit down the stretch as the Cards turned to Felipe Lopez, but Lopez won't be back in St. Louis, either. So who will play second for the Cards? Skip Schumaker is already in the Cardinals' camp working at second base. Schumaker batted .302 in 540 ABs in 2008, with a .359 OBP. But he's never played anywhere but the outfield.

San Francisco Giants: Signed infielder Rich Aurilia to a minor-league contract. Batted .283, 10 HR, 52 RBI in 2008. Solid choice for multi-position, off-the-bench player - especially coming cheap.

Bruce Bochy to Explain Vacuum in Giants Lineup

The front office will push catatonic manager Bruce Bochy out front on Feb 7 when he'll be forced to face down questioners at the team's annual fan fest in San Francisco, explaining why the Giants continue to feature a power vacuum in the middle of the batting order.

Though desperate for a power hitting corner infielder, management came away from Hot Stove League negotiations in Las Vegas with next to nothing accomplished offensively, leaving aging Rich Aurilia and untested youth Travis Ishikawa among leading candidates to platoon at first base.

Even if the Giants acquire former East Bay refugee Nick Swisher from the Yankees, the lineup looks more and more like the same old same old, with GM Brian Sabean's familiar, indecisive commitment to either invest significantly in a playoff push or begin a rebuilding program.

Giants Appear Ready to Deal

Shipping Ray Durham to the Brewers may have only been the start to a drastic remake of the Giants roster.  The Yankees are rumored to be interested in both Randy Winn and Bengie Molina due to the injuries to Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui.  Rich Aurilia and Tyler Walker have also been mentioned as possible trade bait as the July 31st trade deadline approaches.

It is anyone's guess as to why anyone in their right mind would be interested in acquiring Walker, but GM Brian Sabean could insist that he be included in any deal.  Patience with Walker is growing extremely thin, especially after blowing what would have been wunderkind Tim Lincecum's 12th win.  Lincecum struck out a career-high 13 without issuing a walk, exiting after the 7th inning with the Giants leading 3-2.