Operation Orange & Black Attack; Subj: Edgar Rent-an-Error

Last night's game is all you need to know about Edgar Enrique Renteria.

Let's recap, shall we...

First inning on a pickoff attempt by pitcher Madison Bumgarner to first-baseman Aubrey Huff, the runner (Dexter Fowler) decided to take off for second base. Huff stepped inside the baseline and threw to the person covering second, which was Edgar Enrique. When the throw got to Edgar instead of slapping the glove onto second base he just held it there awaiting the arrival of the base stealer. Only the base stealer's foot clearly hit the base before his leg ran into Edgar's glove. (Fowler would go on to score. Had Rent-an-Error slapped the tag the ump would have no choice but to call the runner out but Edgar was so deliberate in his holding the glove steady I'm sure the ump saw exactly what the slowed instant replay showed, that Edgar never tagged the runner. He just waited for the runner to slide into him.)

Later in the game after the first two batters hit routine grounders to Edgar Enrique he would get yet another. Only this time Rent-an-Error bobbled the initial catch and tossed it errantly to Huff at first base. The next batter walked and the following batter then grounded one up the middle that Juan Uribe snagged but when he looked to flip the ball to second for the force Rent-an-Error was lost in his own version of the Bermuda Triangle.

As a fielder, Edgar Rent-an-error can only handle balls hit right at him. If he has to move laterally it's darn near a hit every time. When the Giants acquired him after he played in Detroit word on the streets was that he had no range and his fielding led to many defeats in a season when there were high hopes for the Tigers. Jimmy Leyland had deduced that it was their inconsistent defense that led to many defeats and at the root of said evil was Edgar Enrique.

I recall Mike Krukow's scathing analysis of Edgar at the beginning of last season and a little birdie tells me someone in the Giants organization told Krukow to tone it down or else. You don't hear ole "Ride Some Pine Meat" speak badly of Rent-an-error any more, do you?

Brian Sabean totally overlooked this fact and didn't do the necessary homework to see that Rent-an-error was damaged goods as he ended up missing a good portion of the season due to injury.

When your position is shortstop you MUST have range along with a strong and accurate throwing arm. Rent-an-error has neither.

Last, but not least is his offensive game. When he's on, he's a tough out. But more often than not he seems disinterested and that bothers me and anyone else rooting for the orange and black.
He has proven to be a clutch hitter at times in his big league career it's just that he doesn't appear to giving it his all day in and day out. People who are satisfied with "just showing up" as opposed to putting forth their best effort every day they are scheduled to work just rub me the wrong way.

Athletes can always say they were injured as the reason you didn't see them busting hump. I'm not buying what they're selling. Or Edgar Rent-an-error's game, for that matter.

Kevin Marquez