The Top 10 List of Non-Giants Who Should Be on Every Giants Fan’s Christmas Card List: No. 3, Larry Beinfest
Now, this was a tough one for More Splash Hits.
At first, I really wanted to pin this one on Jeffrey Loria, the frugal owner of the Florida Marlins.
Loria was the principal owner of the Montreal Expos from 1999-2002, when the regularly jettisoned good players and belly-ached about how he needed a new stadium to succeed. Finally, in 2002, he sold the Expos to the other 29 MLB clubs, and purchased the Marlins.
Loria won a World Series title with the Marlins in 2003, then got rid of key components of that team like Josh Beckett and Miguel Cabrera when their contracts became too big.
So when the Marlins decided to punt Cody Ross to the curb in 2010, More Splash Hits wanted to pin it on Loria.
But really the decision to get rid of Ross didn’t come down to finances — entirely. Ross didn’t figure into the Fish’s long-term plans and they had younger outfielders they wanted to play like Mike Stanton and Logan Morrison.
So the real person to blame — or thank — for Ross ending up in San Francisco is general manager Larry Beinfest.
After the Marlins decided that Ross would not be part of their future, they took bids on him from various teams before the July 31 trade deadline. One of these teams was the Giants.
But the Marlins didn’t get an offer to their liking, so the Giants went out and got Jose Guillen.
But late August, the Marlins’ season had officially unraveled and they again were looking to get rid of Ross and the remaining $1 million on his contract. So they ran him through waivers.
By this time, the Giants were heavy with outfielders. However, they did not want Ross going to the rival Padres, so they placed a bid on Ross.
The Marlins then said to the Giants: “You want him. You can have him.” And the Giants got him for nothing.
Ross played here and there after arriving in San Francisco. Then by mid-September, Andres Torres had an a
ppendectomy and Ross played a key role down the stretch. And then, of course, he was a monster in the postseason.
When they acquired Ross, I’m sure the Giants were thinking he would be a non-tender candidate come December. But with the adjustment he made at the plate and the huge contribution he made to the Giants’ first World Series title in 56 years, Ross will be back with the Giants in 2011.
So for not realizing that the Marlins’ season was over sooner than he did, for not finding another trade partner for Ross and for just giving him to the Giants for nothing, we say to Larry Beinfest “thank you for the early Christmas gift.”
The Top 10 List of Non-Giants Who Should Be on Every Giants Fans Christmas Card List:
No. 4, Cliff Lee
No. 5, Chase Utley
No. 6, Andrew Friedman and Neil Huntington
No. 7, Roy Oswalt
No. 8, Bud Black
No. 9, Paul Emmel
No. 10, Bengie Molina
More Splash Hits 