NewsWinn's future with Giants uncertain
Veteran outfielder will be free agent for first time
By Chris Haft / MLB.com
10/18/09 7:18 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- The offseason has barely begun, but Randy Winn already knows that it could be extremely different from any of the previous winters he has experienced. Winn will be a free agent due to the expiration of his three-year, $23.25 million deal. This will be his first encounter in 11 Major League seasons with such independence -- and uncertainty. It's easy to surmise that the Giants won't re-sign Winn, 35. San Francisco hopes to upgrade its offense, which sagged along with Winn's 2009 performance. After hitting .298 in his previous three-plus seasons with the Giants, he dipped to .262 with only two home runs and 51 RBIs in 149 games. Playing mostly right field, a position where at least some power is expected, Winn didn't hit a home run in his final 477 at-bats. His slugging percentage of .353 fell 56 points below the National League average. But until the Giants definitively inform Winn or his agent, Craig Landis, that they're seeking other alternatives, he won't assume anything. "It would be different if I knew 100 percent -- if they said, 'We're going to go in another direction,'" Winn said recently. "We'll see what happens." If the Giants were to express any interest in Winn, he'd certainly pay attention. "I love it here," he said. "I love playing here. I love my teammates. This organization has treated me great." Scouts have said that Winn, a switch-hitter who can play all three outfield spots, would be an ideal fourth outfielder for a contending team. That would be a new role for Winn, who has averaged 152 games played in the past eight years. Despite his overall offensive statistics, his .370 batting average with two outs and runners in scoring position ranked fourth in the NL, and he has played 208 consecutive games without committing an error. Whatever happens with Winn, he'll cherish this season with the Giants, who remained in the postseason hunt for 158 games. "It's so much more fun to play when you win," said Winn. "That's what I'm going to remember. It's night and day."Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
