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.
