Giants Never Fail to Amaze Me, Sign Renteria to $18.5 Million Deal

Instead of getting younger (which would have been prudent for the post-Bonds era), the Giants continue to throw millions at over-priced veterans. First, it was signing a 38-year old Omar Vizquel (though, to the Giants credit, $5 million for a gold glove isn't too much to spend). Then it was the Barry Zito abortion of a signing that paid him $14.5 million in 2008 - nearly $1 million for each of his 17 losses. At the end of the 2007 season, the Giants were so in awe of 30-year old Aaron Rowand's .309-27 HR-89 RBI season with the Phillies (who, by the way, play in a bandbox), they inked him to a 5 year deal worth $60 million. Their reward? A pedestrian line of .271-13 HR-70 RBI. So why should anyone be surprised the San Francisco Giants just brought in 33-year old free agent shortstop Edgar Renteria? It's become the Giants M.O. - sign players based on potential, notoriety, underachievement, and AARP membership. OK - maybe I'm being a little harsh here. It's not like Edgar Renteria is a terrible shortstop - he is a five-time all-star, after all. But still - the Giants - especially the Giants - shouldn't even be touching him when he's carrying an $18.5 million price tag for 2 years. Not when he managed just a .317 OBP last year in Detroit. If you must overspend on a veteran shortstop, at least take a sniff of Orlando Cabrera. At least he'll give you better defense than Renteria...and a better bat...and a better OBP. In fact, he's just better. And should come with a price tag much more attractive than Renteria's. Well, it should have been - but thanks to the Giants' free spending, expect Cabrera to be looking around for a better deal. And people wonder how someone of Matt Cain's caliber can manage to lose 30 games in the past 2 years.