If only we could get Alex Rios, I could forget Bonds

Most off-seasons present a chance to be optimistic. Adding that new third starter or that guy for the fifth-slot to protect the core from last year is all it will take. Those young guys who came on like gangbusters in September will come into their own and rule the division.

But for the Giants the best thing that can happen is nothing. No free agent signings. No major trades. No discussions with Pedro Feliz. Not that losing Noah Lowry would be small, but it's not like auctioning off Johan Santana to the Evil Empires or the semi-annual Fish Swap Fire Sale.

All Brian Sabean needs to do to reclaim my and maybe many other fans' faith is not screw things up more than he already has. That's what was so reassuring about his statement that Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum were hanging around unless he was "shocked." And what makes things such as this so shocking.

Now, remember, the link above goes to a Canadian source. Who knows what kind of crazy things are going on up there.

But if Sabean is pulling out of the Miguel Cabrera talks over Cain and Lincecum but is simply waiting for Alex Rios to pull the trigger ... well, that is a world I no longer want to be a part of.

I have no faith in the rumor as reported (Troy Glaus is also mentioned). Sabean may be trying to pull that off but unless he has been flat out lying than Jonathan Sanchez is probably the target.

Either way it is just one more reminder that while these rumors are fun they are worth less than the stock of the newspapers that publish them.