Baseball: Giants skipper Bochy, GM Sabean look toward 2010

SAN FRANCISCO - Now this could have been considered just a tad bit awkward: Giants general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy publicly discussing the 2009 season and looking ahead to next year before they even have new contracts.

Except for the fact that everybody on both sides realizes getting the deals done is just a formality.

While both men expect to be back running the Giants and acted Monday like they will, neither wants to overstep the authority or be disrespectful of managing partner Bill Neukom before they've all sat down together.

Both Neukom and team president Larry Baer are out of town and Sabean didn't plan to meet with Neukom to debrief or begin negotiations on a new contract until sometime next week. Sabean just finished his 13th season and is the longest-tenured GM in the majors after the San Diego Padres fired Kevin Towers on Friday.

"I've been in all the right meetings, put it that way," Sabean said of his future Monday following an hourlong news conference at the ballpark. "I can definitively say this: There are no contracts in place. There weren't any commitments to have any contracts in place. Bill's been true to his word and we've been fine with the repeated schedule that it was going to happen in due course. Quite frankly, we're both still under contract. This will take care of itself. In this case you have to have three parties agree - the organization, myself and Boch."

If Sabean stays, so will Bochy. Both are looking for multiyear deals.

"We sure look forward to next year," Bochy said as he wrapped up his opening remarks about the season.

At 88-74, the Giants won 16 more games than last season and were in the playoff chase well into September - one of Neukom's primary objectives since taking over for Peter Magowan one year ago. San Francisco hasn't reached the playoffs since 2003, but both Bochy and Sabean believe the club took all the right steps toward ending that drought soon.

There were other significant highlights, too, most notably Jonathan Sanchez's improbable no-hitter against San Diego on July 10 and lefty Randy Johnson joining the 300-win club in June.

Sabean received a two-year extension in 2007 that took him through this year and the Giants have a club option for 2010. Bochy's three-year contract worth roughly $6 million was due to expire at the end of this season.

"We'll report to Bill. In that session there will be some sharing and caring," Sabean said. "Within Bill's timetable, there's a process. The process is, I've done this awhile, he's done this awhile. While Bill's new to his position he's been in the organization for a long time involved in major decisions.

Everybody has the right, kind of a football term, to share and see what we can decide not only what's happened but where we're going. Until that actually happens - and again there are three parties involved here - it's not my place to comment."

Bochy said he spoke with his coaching staff Sunday and told them decisions hadn't yet been made on who would stay. That was one topic on the to-do list for Sabean and Bochy during their meetings this week.

This team's future lies with All-Star starters Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain and free-swinging slugger Pablo Sandoval, who will be put on a conditioning program and asked to improve his diet this winter. Sandoval hit a team-leading 25 home runs and drove in 90 runs in his first full major league season.

Sabean knows the Giants could be headed for a complicated, expensive arbitration process with Lincecum, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner who went 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA in 32 starts and 225 1-3 innings.

"It's one I have not been through," Sabean said of first-time arbitration with such a talented young player. The GM comparedLincecum to Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, who won $10 million in an arbitration hearing for the 2008 season.

While Sabean has vowed not to trade Lincecum or Cain, he said he might consider dealing a pitcher to acquire a powerful bat.

San Francisco hopes to bring back second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who was acquired in a trade with the Pirates on July 29 but was limited to 25 games because of injuries. The 31-year-old Sanchez was hindered by a shoulder injury then underwent surgery last week to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Bochy knows a lot can be built from this year's success with a young roster, even if there are many changes this winter. Infielder Rich Aurilia and right fielder Randy Winn aren't likely to return and catcher Bengie Molina appeared headed for free agency.

"We got close. It makes you hungrier," the skipper said. "Sometimes you have to take it a step at a time. For these guys to experience this it's going to help them next year. We're in a win mode now. There's a difference."