Giants to announce Melky Cabrera's absence on postseason roster Wednesday

The San Francisco Giants will announce that Melky Cabrera will be left off the postseason roster on Wednesday, according to report.

Melky Cabrera to be left off Giants playoff roster, according to report

San Francisco is not including suspended outfielder in postseason plans, according to a report.

Melky Cabrera Ruled Ineligible to Win NL Batting Title, According To Report

Suspended San Francisco Giants slugger Melky Cabrera has been ruled ineligible to win the National League batting tittle, according to a report from CSN Bay Area.

Sources told CSN Bay Area that Cabrera himself asked to be kept from the running after his representatives sent a letter to union officials. The Player's association made a one-time amendment to Rule 10.22(a), which permits a player to be recognized as the official winner if hitless at-bats are added to their average while staying higher than any other qualified player. Cabrera was one short of the 502 plate appearances necessary to win the batting title. Under this new one-time agreement, suspended players will be removed from consideration.

This is likely a move by Cabrera to repair the public image he damaged with his 50-game suspension and attempted cover up by making a fake website to show he took a banned substance without his knowledge.

Cabrera said in a statement that he had "no wish to win an award that would be tainted," and that he felt "it would be far better for someone more deserving to win."

The race for the NL batting title now becomes a two-man battle between Buster Posey and his .335 average and the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen, currently batting .339. Cabrera was hitting .346 when he got suspended on Aug. 15.

Barry Bonds was the last Giants player to win a batting title after he hit .362 back in 2004.

For more on Cabrera and the rest of the Giants, head over to McCovey Chronicles.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: MLB Won't Ban Giants Slugger From NL Batting Title

Major League Baseball will not interfere with San Francisco Giants slugger Melky Cabrera and his high possibility of winning the NL Batting Title as he serves his 50-game suspension for testing positive for PEDs.

Cabrera owns a .346 batting average, seven points higher than Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen on 501 plate appearances on the year. That's one fewer than the required amount, but under section 10.22(a) of the Official Baseball Rules, he would be eligible to win the batting title with an extra at-bat added to his average as long as it remained higher than any other qualified batter.

Giants catcher Buster Posey is currently third in the race with a .333 average.

Commisioner Bud Selig was rather nonchalant about it, considering that MLB has no say in the matter, as it is based upon stats instead of votes:

"We'll see how it all plays out," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Wednesday after taping an episode of "CenterStage" for the YES Network. "We generally don't interfere in that process. We'll take a look at it at the end of the year."

One thing MLB could during the offseason is change the requirements so something like this doesn't happen again. The league won't be able to change the outcome this year, at least not at this point in the season, but would likely want to avoid this fiasco in the future.

Cabrera finished the regular season with a .390 OBP along with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs. He was also the All-Star Game MVP.

For more on Cabrera and the rest of the San Francisco Giants, make sure that you check out McCovey Chronicles.

Melky Cabrera Reaches Out To Giants Regarding Spot On Playoff Roster

San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera reached out to the San Francisco Giants to see when he should report to the team's minor league complex in preparation for a potential postseason roster spot.

The Giants front office isn't commenting on Cabrera's involvement with the team but speculation is that the front office has no interest in the disgraced outfielder rejoining the team, CSN Bay Area is reporting.

The All Star Game MVP had been enjoying a career year until he tested positive for testeroine on Aug. 15. Cabrera was hit with a 50-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy for the first time.

The Giants had 45 games remaining at the day of Cabrera's suspension and wouldn't be able to join the team if the Giants played more than five games in the playoffs. He can report to the Giants' complex in Arizona but cannot participate in any formal activities until he has served 40 games of his suspension.

That would leave the Giants with someone on their postseason roster who has seen live pitching for only 10 days.

For more on the San Francisco Giants, join the discussion over at McCovey Chronicles. You can also check out everything we have to offer at Baseball Nation.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Giants Cancel Planned Cabrera T-Shirt Giveaway

The San Francisco Giants were planning on giving away 20,000 Melky Cabrera T-shirts to fans attending their September 8 game, but following Cabrera's suspension for a positive testosterone test, the team canceled the T-shirt order.

Instead of giving away Cabrera T-shirts, the Giants switched the giveaway to Angel Pagan T-shirts. Luckily, for the Giants, they were able to cancel the original order for Cabrera T-shirts before the supplier began production.

"We were able to cancel the order in time and we're happy that fans will receive a T-shirt as scheduled," said Giants vice president Staci Slaughter, according to CSNBayArea.com.

The cancelled giveaway comes less than a week after Cabrera was suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance.

the first 20,000 fans will now be given a T-shirt with the "Gigantes" logo on the front and Pagan's name and No. 16 on the back.

For more news and analysis on the Giants, check out McCovey Chronicles.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Bruce Bochy Concerned With Outside Influences

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy voiced his concern to the media before the Giants' game against the San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon about the negative effect that outside influences might have on his players.

From Andrew Baggarly, the Giants beat reporter for Comcast SportsNet BayArea:

Bochy "concerned" players like Melky Cabrera are getting bad advice from handlers. Undoing the work of MLB and clubs to educate about PEDs.

— Andrew Baggarly (@CSNBaggs) August 19, 2012

Bochy: "We can't follow these guys 24/7. It comes down to choices. These are grown men."

— Andrew Baggarly (@CSNBaggs) August 19, 2012

Bochy added that Giants do not allow any non-credentialed people in clubhouse, nor any supplement not approved by MLB.

— Andrew Baggarly (@CSNBaggs) August 19, 2012

Bochy's comments come in response to recent reports of Giants star outfielder Melky Cabrera's attempt to create a fake website to help him avoid a 50-game drug suspension.

The Giants are in first place in the NL West, but take a huge hit with the absence of Cabrera in their lineup. Prior to his suspension, the left fielder led his team in batting average and hits.

For more news and analysis on the Giants, check out McCovey Chronicles.

Melky Cabrera Attempted To Use Fake Website To Avoid Suspension, According To Report

San Francisco Giants star Melky Cabrera created a fake website and a nonexistent product in an attempt to prove he did not knowingly take the banned substance for which he recently tested positive under Major League Baseball's drug program, according to the New York Daily News.

Cabrera will now serve a 50-game suspension for testing positive for testosterone, and his recent history surrounding the use of the banned substance is being investigated further than it would have been without the discovery of the fake website.

Federal investigators, along with MLB, have started to look into Cabrera's inner circle in a search to find out where the synthetic testosterone came from.

A season that started as a bid for National League MVP is now an investigation into the dealings of Cabrera and his associates, leaving Cabrera's teammates alone to pick up the slack until his return.

For more on the Giants, head to McCovey Chronicles.

Giants Facing Limited Options Following Melky Cabrera Suspension

The San Francisco Giants were delivered a tough blow this week when they learned of a positive PED test from Melky Cabrera. The club is now without their leading hitter and corner outfielder, leaving a huge hole in their lineup. With the July 31 trade deadline passed and all deals required to pass through waivers first, the Giants are facing limited options.

As Ken Rosenthal notes in his latest column, a player such as Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs could be a fit, but his no-trade clause could block any deal to San Francisco.

Scott Hairston of the Mets or Juan Pierre of the Phillies would be a fit, but it would be just about impossible to get either player through waivers. A team such as the Diamondbacks or Cardinals would almost surely block any deal as they battle the Giants for a playoff spot.

There really aren't any in-house options to replace Melky in the outfield. Moving Brandon Belt to left field and finding a new first baseman does not seem like a viable option, either.

Simply put, the positive test from Cabrera really put the Giants into a bind. And with no real options out there on the trade market, they're going to have to finish out the 2012 season with their current crop of players.

For more on the Giants, head to McCovey Chronicles.

Giants GM Brian Sabean Discusses Melky Cabrera, Team's 'Survival Instinct'

San Francisco Giants GM spoke to the media during Thursday's off day, discussion the team's options now that Melky Cabrera is suspended, prospect Gary Brown as the possibility of a call-up, as well as the team's survival instinct moving forward this season.

When learning about Cabrera's suspension on Wednesday, Sabean told it just like it is:

"It was deflating," he said. "I didn't see something like this coming. We've all been around this game a long time and you're used to making changes and adjustments. But you get punched in the stomach and you've got no choice but to figure out how to move on."

Sabean also mentioned that is is too early to know if the Giants have soured on Melky.

As for the team that's left, Sabean noted that it's going to take a team effort the rest of the season:

"It's going to take everybody's help," he said. "It's greater than the lineup, we've got to pitch better than we did yesterday and win at home."

"If you had told me we could lose Wilson and Panda twice and Mota, now lose Cabrera... We've got a survival instinct, seemingly. It's a good group, they've got enough character."

In regards to prospect Gary Brown getting called up to the majors, Sabean wasn't very optimistic about it:

"He's still learning," Sabean said. "He's more proficient against left-handed pitchers and we also know he's a center fielder at this time. I don't see that (move) as a possibility...It's not on the front burner of our thinking."

As for having two of the four MLB suspensions on his club this year due to PED's, Sabean didn't beat around that bush either:

"You have two veteran players that should know better and evidently don't," he said.

For more on the Giants, head to McCovey Chronicles.

Giants Recall Eric Hacker, Justin Christian From Triple-A Fresno

The San Francisco Giants announced a pair of roster moves on Thursday, recalling pitcher Eric Hacker and outfielder Justin Christian from Triple-A Fresno to fill the void left by Melky Cabrera and Brad Penny on their roster.

Hacker will serve as the long reliever out of the bullpen, taking the place of Penny who is currently on the DL. Hacker owns a 12-6 record with a 3.95 ERA for the Grizzlies this season in 24 starts with a 42/99 BB/K ratio this year.

As for Christian, he is batting .343 with a .409 OBP in 72 games for Fresno this season, hitting seven homers, 35 RBI's, and stealing 12 bags along the way. He also played in 22 games for the Black and Orange this season already, batting .158 with one RBI in 41 plate appearances.

For more discussion and analysis of the San Francisco Giants, make sure to head over to McCovey Chronicles.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Can The Giants Survive Without Him?

Can the Giants survive without the Melkman?

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Reaction To Punishment Of Giants Outfielder

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Will Giants Outfielder Win NL Batting Title?

Even though San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera is out for the rest of the year, he still has a shot at winning the NL batting title despite being an at bat shy of meeting qualifications.

Cabrera will effectively end his season with 501 plate appearances, leaving the ALL-Star game MVP one at bat shy of the necessary 502 to be considered. Luckily MLB will give him a fake at bat, receiving a theoretical 0-for-1, pushing his batting average to .34562, effectively leaving him as the leader in the clubhouse if you will. He'll also bring his 159 hits and 84 runs along with him as well.

There are a number of other players that are contending for the batting title, like the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen, who currently leads the NL with a .358 batting average, the Dodgers Matt Kemp, who may not qualify himself because of lack of plate apperances, and the Reds Joey Votto, who currently owns a .342/.465/.604 slash line this year.

I'm not sure how his suspension affects the voters opinion, but just by the numbers, Melky could be the winner come season's end.

Baseball. Gotta love it.

For more on the Giants, make sure to check out McCovey Chronicles.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: How Does The Jonathan Sanchez Trade Look Now?

Melky Cabrera Suspension: The 5 Stages Of Grief

For more on the Giants head over to McCovey Chronicles.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Are The Giants Sunk Without Their All-Star Outfielder?

What will the San Francisco Giants do without Melky Cabrera? There are a number of questions now regarding this playoff contender that were not previously an issue, and offensive production will now be a huge issue going forward.

For example, the Giants now have to find out who ends up starting in left field. Hunter Pence will now have to start producing at a much higher rate to make up for the loss of Cabrera. Gregor Blanco is likely Cabrera's replacement, and the offensive drop-off will be significant. Considering how locked in step the Giants are with the Dodgers, that drop-off could make all the difference.

Rob Neyer of Baseball Nation had this report on how the Giants will end up missing Cabrera, and how it a lot of San Francisco's success going forward could rely on how Pence steps up now.

And speaking of Hunter Pence, now it makes a lot more sense, doesn't it? Before the Giants traded for Hunter Pence, they had four useful outfielders: Cabrera, Pagan, and occasional platoon mates Nate Schierholtz and Gregor Blanco. Absent Pence, platooning Schierholtz and Blanco seemed perfectly sensible, with those two providing roughly the same production that Pence might, in a full-time role.

Nevertheless, the Giants traded for Pence, sending Schierholtz (and others) off to Philadelphia in the deal.

Which now makes a certain amount of sense. Without Pence or Cabrera, the Giants would have been reduced to playing Blanco and Schierholtz nearly every day. Which wouldn't have been good for anyone except the Dodgers. Still, they could really use Schierholtz right now ... did the Phillies really want him so badly?

If Pence can start producing better, that can ease the loss of Cabrera. But it won't be easy in any case.

For more on the San Francisco Giants, join the discussion over at McCovey Chronicles. You can also check out everything we have to offer at Baseball Nation.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Justin Christian A Likely Call-Up?

The San Francisco Giants now have a vacancy in their 40-man roster that can now be filled for the rest of the regular season and potentially the start of the playoffs. They won't be replacing anyone today as San Francisco is currently participating in a day game with the Washington Nationals.

Alex Pavlovic of the Bay Area News Group fills us in on the current possibilities for replacing Cabrera from their farm system.

• In terms of immediate replacements, Gregor Blanco might work, although he hasn't been hitting at all. Brett Pill and Marco Scutaro are better offensively, but neither has played much in left.
• Gary Brown is a possibility, but he's still in Double-A and has had his ups and downs. The Giants apparently do not want to rush him from that spot.
  
• Xavier Nady doesn't sound like a good possibility at all, as he's been hitting .139 with the Fresno Grizzlies.

That leaves Justin Christian as the likeliest option. Christian's splits in 38 at-bats have not been that great for San Francisco. But he's been performing well at Fresno, batting .348 with an OBP of .414 and slugging percentage of .515. He might be the type of player the Giants need.

For more on the San Francisco Giants, join the discussion over at McCovey Chronicles. You can also check out everything we have to offer at Baseball Nation.

Melky Cabrera, Giants Release Statements Following Suspension

The San Francisco Giants got their lineup together in a spot where all the main guys were finally healthy for what seemed like a matter of minutes. Then Melky Cabrera went and failed a drug test.

Cabrera has been one of San Francisco's best hitters all season, putting up splits of a .346 batting average, .390 OBP and .516 OPS while hitting 11 home runs and 60 RBIs for the Giants. San Francisco's power hitting figures to greatly suffer as the Giants organization tries to find the best possible replacement at the position (most likely either Hunter Pence or Gregor Blanco).

The Giants have released a statement on the situation.

"We were extremely disappointed to learn of the suspension of Melky Cabrera for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention & Treatment Program. We fully support Major League Baseball's policy and its efforts to eliminate performance enhancing drugs from our game. Per the protocol outlined by Major League Baseball's Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Giants will not comment further on this matter."

Cabrera has released a statement as well.

"My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used. I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and will try to move on with my life. I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down."

Currently the Giants are tied with the Dodgers in first place with 45 games left, meaning that Cabrera would be available after six games of playoff action if San Francisco managed to get that far. Their chances of getting that far have probably dropped quite a bit after today's news though.

For more on the San Francisco Giants, join the discussion over at McCovey Chronicles. You can also check out everything we have to offer at Baseball Nation.

Melky Cabrera Suspension Will Include MLB Playoff Games, According To Report

With the news that Melky Cabrera has been suspended 50 games for testosterone and the San Francisco Giants having just 45 games remaining this season, the question of Cabrera's status come playoff time comes into question.

According to Andrew Baggarly of Comcast SportsNet, the outfielder's suspension will continue into the playoffs. Cabrera will have to sit out five games in the postseason to finish up the 50-game punishment. The suspension is effective immediately.

Now, Baggarly asks whether San Francisco and manager Bruce Bochy will want their star hitter back in the playoffs.

Melky would have to sit out first 5 games of playoffs, not 4. Miscounted...Giants have 45 games left. Whether they want him is another thing

— Andrew Baggarly (@CSNBaggs) August 15, 2012

And that's assuming the Giants keep their top spot in the NL West, as they currently are tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the division lead. The two clubs have identical 64-53 records.

Check out McCovey Chronicles for updates about the Giants and be sure to follow more MLB coverage at Baseball Nation.

Melky Cabrera Suspension: Giants Fans Get Brief Tease Of True Lineup

Just when the San Francisco Giants were getting their lineup to 100%, they lose one of their best hitters to a 50-game suspension for PED's. Cabrera was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball "for testosterone," presumably meaning that his levels were artificially increased. It's effective immediately, and the Giants are reeling. So are their fans.

Over at McCovey Chronicles, Grant Brisbee talks about the frustrations Giants fans are feeling right now:

For the second season in a row, the Giants lose one of their best hitters for the rest of the year in the middle of a pennant race. Last year was a freak injury. This year is freak stupidity or ... hell, I don't know what. I'm not sure if Melky would be the Melky we know if it's not for the extra testosterone. Maybe we should just be thankful for the illicit wins we already nabbed! Cough.

I have no words right now. Anger, denial, bargaining, midday drinking ... all of the classic signs of grief are wrestling around in my head. Just as the lineup was whole again, just as everything was about to click ... jeez.

Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey and Melky Cabrera have played a grand total of one game together this season, a number that won't increase unless the Giants make a deep run into the 2012 playoffs.

Of course, Cabrera's suspension is going to make that a lot harder to accomplish than it already was.

Check out McCovey Chronicles for updates about the Giants and be sure to follow more MLB coverage at Baseball Nation.

Giants' Melky Cabrera Suspended 50 Games For Performance Enhancing Substance

San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera has been suspended 50 games "for testosterone," MLB announced Tuesday. Cabrera will be eligible to play five games into the postseason.