Giantsblog

The Giants were unimpressive in their first Spring Training game against the Chicago Cubs, losing 12-6. They will have a lot to improve on over the next month. Noah Lowry started the game, and appeared to have control issues, hitting a batter, throwing a wild pitch, walking three, and giving up two earned runs in just an inning and a third. Many of the pitchers figured to be on the opening day pitching staff struggled, Kevin Correia pitched one inning, surrendering four runs on seven hits. Brian Wilson did pitch a perfect ninth inning though. Offensively, the Giants looked okay, Randy Winn went yard in his first at-bat, and Aaron Rowand went two-for-two. Shortstop, Omar Vizquel had surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his left knee and will miss opening day, but is expected to return during the second week of the regular season. In his absence, Kevin Frandsen will take over at shortstop, meaning Ray Durham will be the starting second baseman at the beginning of the season.

The 2008 Spring Training season is set to start tomorrow for several teams; however the Giants will play their first game on Thursday (2/28/08) against the Chicago Cubs. Projected opening day catcher, Bengie Molina is nursing a strained left quadriceps muscle that will likely keep him away from catching duties for the next few days, but will continue to take part in live batting practice and other batting drills. Molina, one of the slowest baserunners in baseball (if not the slowest) will hope to contribute defensively and build off a decent offensive season for an aging catcher (batting .276 with nineteen homeruns, and eighty-one runs batted in). The coaching staff has known of Dan Ortmeier’s potential to become a threat in the lineup as a switch-hitter and fill the hole at first base, but did not expect him to develop so quickly, he is certainly the front-runner for the position. In related Giants news, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are reportedly looking at signing Barry Bonds. The Rays would not become a contender, but the signing would certainly boost attendance and merchandise sales, not to mention offensive production as Bonds would fill the designated hitter spot in the lineup.

How the Giants will start the season defensively is a mystery, however there are several certainties. Bengie Molina is expected to be the Giants’ starting catcher, with either Eliezer Alfonzo or Guillermo Rodriguez backing him up. The thirty-three year old veteran, Molina is an excellent defensive catcher with a .994 career fielding percentage, however he does struggle throwing out baserunners. Other players guaranteed starting roles include forty year old shortstop Omar Vizquel (The Man With The Golden Glove), newcomer Aaron Rowand, and rightfielder Randy Winn. The remaining outfield and infield possibilities are endless as the team is stacked with solid outfielders and infielders that are capable of playing all around the diamond.

With only nine days left before the first spring training game, position players have begun to report to camp. As pitchers and catchers continue to get into shape, the rotation is nearly set in stone with Kevin Correia, and southpaws Jonathan Sanchez and Pat Misch fighting for the fifth spot. Correia appears to be the frontrunner for the job after posting a 4-7 record, 3.45 ERA, and striking out eighty batters in 101.2 innings of work. Sanchez and Misch will likely get plugged into the rotation in the event of an injury to one of the regular starters; Brad Hennessey is also capable of starting games, but has not started a game since the 2006 season and will probably be used to get left-handed batters out in the late innings. Another pitcher hoping to earn a spot on the roster is non-roster invitee Scott Williamson, former National Rookie of the Year in 1999 is looking to resurrect his career after a second Tommy John surgery.

On the eve of Spring Training 2008, five teams have already opened camp to pitchers and catchers, one of them being the Giants. The Giants will officially begin practicing tomorrow (14/2/08) at the Scottsdale Stadium complex in Scottsdale, Arizona. Their projected rotation this season will look something like this: Barry Zito, Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Noah Lowry, with the fifth spot open for competition. Zito, a target of many critics after having a down year last season (finished with a 11-13 record, 4.53 ERA, striking out only 131), will look to regain some dignity, return to the Barry Zito that pitched for the Oakland A’s, and start earning his paycheck. Vinnie Chulk will likely play a role in the bullpen as a right-handed specialist, and Brian Wilson will continue to close out games. As pitchers begin to to progress through camp, questions regarding the rest of the bullpen will be answered.

For those that attended, how was Giants FanFest? Apparently over twenty thousand Giants’ supporters attended, so I would like to get some feedback. Giants general manager Brian Sabean answered questions regarding the corner infield positions. He admitted that the front office considered adding first basemen Sean Casey or Tony Clark to the roster, but signing a veteran to back up young, switch-hitter Dan Ortmeier did not fit the organization’s philosophy of building a franchise around homegrown players. Both free agents ended up signing contracts last week, Casey with the Boston Red Sox, and Clark with division rivals, the San Diego Padres. Another rumor Sabean answered was the possibility of acquiring White Sox third baseman through a trade to fill the vacant hole in the line-up and on the field resulting from the departure of Pedro Feliz. However, trade talks seem to have died down once the White Sox claimed to be interested in left-handed starter Noah Lowry. The Giants have no interest in giving up young players, especially Lowry who figures to compete with Tim Lincecum for the third spot in the rotation.

To avoid salary arbitration, right-handed relief pitcher Vinnie Chulk agreed to a one-year contract worth $837,500. A fairly decent pitcher, Chulk posted a 5-4 record last season, striking out forty-one batters in fifty-three innings pitched with a 3.47 earned run average last season. Chulk was acquired through a trade during the ‘06 season and does an excellent job stranding baserunners. With his accuracy, Chulk features a fastball that ranges between ninety and ninety-five miles per hour, along with a curve, slider, and a change-up, all of which are nasty and opposing right-handed batters hate dealing with. However, Chulk has trouble handling left-handed hitters, and needs to figure out a way to cancel them out.

Now that football season is over, we can start looking forward to eight months of baseball again! After finishing last in the NL West, with a 71-91 record, the Giants will look to improve this year. However, competing in a division where any team is capable of winning will be a tough challenge. Not only does this season mark the Giants’ fiftieth season in San Francisco, but it also appears to be their first without Barry Bonds in leftfield. Filling the hole in outfield will be Aaron Rowand, who the Giants signed to a $60 million, five-year contract in the offseason. Defensively, the outfield should be pretty solid; Rowand is also a five tool player and should fill in nicely for Bonds. On another note, the Giants front office recently failed to re-sign third baseman, Pedro Feliz. It is possible that Kevin Frandsen might be able to take over for Feliz, although he has only played in nine games at third (55.2 errorless innings). It should be an interesting season; perhaps this will be the Giants’ year?

Giants’ fans: Be sure to check out Giants FanFest at AT&T Park on February 9, 2008. It runs from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.