Sabean disappointed with Grizzlies record
I called San Francisco Giants General Manager Brian Sabean this morning to set up an editorial board meeting with him to discuss the Giants' Player Development Contract with the Fresno Grizzlies. The contract expires at the end of the season. The public policy question that we have is the publicly funded downtown stadium must be successful, and the Giants sending a losing team to its Triple-A affliate isn't helping put butts in seats.
"No one is more disappointed than us in the eight losing seasons in Fresno," Sabean said. He said the Giants want to continue the arrangement with the Grizzlies, and the big club understands the impact that its player development philosophy has had on the Fresno organization.
The main reason the Grizzlies aren't competitive is the Giants have traded away prospects and signed free agents in an attempt to win a World Series with a team built around Barry Bonds. This is likely Bonds' last year and the Giants are in for an extreme makeover. That could be good for the Grizzlies if the philosophy for the Giants becomes one of developing a stronger farm system.
Sabean said he needs to schedule a trip to Fresno to discuss the Player Developement Contract and other issues with the Grizzlies' owners. He said he would meet with The Bee's editorial board during that visit to Fresno.
Here's a Bee story from last Sunday by Bryant-Jon Anteola laying out the issues in renewing the contract with the Giants.