What's The Matter With Magic?

Everybody now: HE'S A BUM!

That's right Giants fans. Start drinking your Haterade, and next time you get the chance, regurgitate it all over Magic Johnson, who is leading a group to buy the Dodgers for...(Dr. Evil voice)...Two Billion Dollars.

I never minded Magic too much in the past. A bit too cheery for my tastes, but he sure was exciting on the basketball court. A shame that he'll be bringing some of that excitement to the front office of the Dodgers. Anything that makes Dodger fans happy can be regarded as a shit sandwich to all of us up here by The Bay. I've thoroughly enjoyed the misfortunes of the Dodgers and their ownership for a few years now--  maybe a little too much*. But all good things must come to an end, I suppose.

What does it mean for the true heroes in this long-standing rivalry? Well, now the Giants are up against what has to be regarded as a powerhouse ownership group looking to make a splash. As Buster Olney said, the price they're reported to be paying for the team is more than double what has ever been paid for a baseball franchise. Their fans will be looking for a savior or two, and I'm not sure you pay $2 Billion for anything just to let it sit there.

Frankly, I'm a bit scared. Magic Johnson is an immensely successful business man, and no doubt he'll turn on the charm to be a star recruiter. We can dance around it for days, but there's no point in ignoring the elephant in the room. Let's talk about Matt Cain. I've been cynical all Spring, clamoring for the Giants to pony up and lock Matt Cain down for the long term. However, I heard Giants beat writer Henry Schulman on the radio the other day, and he talked me down from the ledge with a couple of good points. First off, there is still time. Not a whole lot of time, but that's why deadlines exist. As the season opener gets closer, one or both sides is likely to get antsy. Secondly, one reason for what could be a large difference in the figures that Cain's people and the Giants are exchanging might be this: Matt Cain wants to get paid like a free agent; the problem is, he's not a free agent. There's a lot of talk about fair market value for Cain. But we're not in an open market right now. What I'm hoping is that the Giants are saying something like "Okay, you want 6 years at 20 million per. That's fine. Give us one more Cain-like year to end your current contract, and we'll re-up you at your suggested rate no questions asked." Otherwise they are the ones taking all the risk of an injury or poor performance. The idea of extending a player before he hits the market is that it comes with at least a bit of a discount. There's little incentive otherwise.

But with tonight's news, well, they may have just got some more incentive. New Bigtime Dodger ownership gives the Cain camp more leverage, and I wonder how much of an effect it will have on the negotiations. I think it's time for the Giants to get antsy. Who knows--I wonder if it's possible Cain could receive an offer of 7 years at $25 million apiece. That's probably a bit much, but I think it's a safe bet to say this new Dodger ownership will make the next offseason unpredictable, if nothing else. If that's the case, well, the smart move would probably be to say good bye. Still, I'll circle back to my previous attitude: just get it done, Sabean. Long contracts for pitchers are always scary. But there's really no other choice. The offense isn't good enough to carry the team, and the Minor League system isn't exactly bursting with talent (something tells me Eric Surkamp is not going to give us 5 straight years of 200+ innings). And of all the pitchers out there, Matt Cain certainly has to be one of the least scary to give a long-term deal to.

But I digress. Let's not harp on the Giants' brass when there's perfectly new, outspoken Dodgers to hate. Evil has a new face, folks.

*which is exactly the right amount