--RHP Matt Cain could be trade bait as the Giants seek to upgrade their punchless lineup. Cain has been a hard-luck pitcher, posting respectable ERAs but showing little in the win column. Last winter, GM Brian Sabean considered trading RHP Tim Lincecum for Toronto OF Alex Rios, which would have been a drastic mistake. Would Sabean now consider a move for Cain? For now, he suggests he wouldn't. But if he's unable to find a big hitter another way, he may change his mind.
--LHP Jack Taschner is the Giants' only arbitration-eligible player, and the Giants haven't said whether they'll pursue him for 2009 or possibly trade him. He had a 4.88 ERA, his lowest in three years, and hardly was solid in a setup role. His only lower ERA came in 2005 (1.59 in 24 games). --RHP Keiichi Yabu will be welcomed back to the Giants, though he turned 40 one day after the season finale. Yabu has two things the Giants like -- experience and a low salary. The Japanese pitcher has just two years of service time in the majors, so he could be re-signed for something close to the minimum salary. He was 3-6 with a 3.57 ERA in 60 appearances and had a 1.83 ERA before June 22. He was especially effective at home, posting a 2.74 ERA in San Francisco and a 5.53 ERA on the road.
--INFs Omar Vizquel and Rich Aurilia will be filing for free agency, which will reduce the number of players on the 40-man roster to 31. Two weeks after their season ended, the Giants cleared roster space when they removed seven players from the 40-man roster, including RHPs Tyler Walker, Brad Hennessey and Kevin Correia, all of whom will be free agents.
--LHP Scott Eyre would be a nice acquisition for the Giants. He's familiar with the team, having pitched in San Francisco through the 2005 season (when he posted a 2.63 ERA), and will be a free agent after helping the champion Phillies down the stretch. But Eyre said he wants to sign with a team closer to his family in Florida.
BY THE NUMBERS: 652 -- Walks issued by Giants pitchers, second most in the league.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't know that that guy out there is going to exist. We have to have one or two guys on this team who can hit a three-run homer." -- GM Brian Sabean, on whether he can acquire a hitter who would provide 30 homers and 100 RBIs.
