Giants Sign Rowand
December 13, 2007 by Geoff Young
Filed under Transactions
The San Francisco Giants have signed outfielder Aaron Rowand, previously with the Phillies, to a 5-year, $60 million deal. He’ll take over in center field for Dave Roberts, whom the Giants inked to a long-term contract last winter to play the position despite the fact that he wasn’t really a center fielder.
Rowand isn’t a bad ballplayer, but it seems to me that San Francisco is buying high. Rowand hit .309/.374/.515 in ‘07 while playing half his games in a bandbox. (His line was a brilliant .319/.380/.557 at home, and a merely respectable .299/.368/.475 on the road.)
The main problem I have with this deal is its length. Rowand is a guy coming off a great year, but before that, he’d had two underwhelming seasons. And he’s always getting hurt.
Like I said, Rowand isn’t bad. I just think that maybe if you’re going to lock someone up for five years, you’d like a little more consistency. His offensive numbers are likely to take a hit on moving out of Philly, he’ll have to cover more ground in the spacious NL West outfields, and he’ll be 34 at the end of the contract. Not a brutal signing, but not one I’d like to see my team make.
Other Voices
Wow what is the over under on Giant HR’s this year? Will it be more or less than Bonds single season record? They are going to be tough to get out though.