Monthly Archives: March 2011

Mar 30

Getting To Know You: Your 2011 Giants

Opening Day is 48 hours away! Is anyone else finding this hard to believe? I’ve been giddy for days, especially after watching the Giants return to the Bay for their final spring training series against the A’s. Before the 2011 season kicks off, let’s take a look at some of the fresh faces we might be seeing around AT&T Park this year.

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Brandon Belt, 1B
If Posey was hyped up during last year’s spring training, he’s got nothing on Brandon Belt. In January, Belt ranked as the 3rd best first baseman prospect for 2011, and has been backing the enthusiasm this spring with 20 hits, 13 RBIs, and the Harry S. Jordan Award (an official vote of confidence from the Giants). Now, the question is whether he can use another season in the minors to sharpen his bat, or whether he’s ready to break into the big leagues. From the fan’s perspective, it would be nice to see Belt prove he can hit his way to fame in his first major league year, as he did when advancing through minor league levels last year. From the Giants’ perspective, it might be wiser to keep him locked in the minors for a while longer, if only to delay his free agent status an save a few (million) bucks in the long run. Either way, I’ll be holding my breath until we see the roster Opening Day.

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Miguel Tejada, SS
Miguel is coming off a season in San Diego, with 171 hits, 71 runs, and a batting average of .269. Not shabby for a 36-year-old infielder, although spring training has proved to be a mix of triumphs (20 triples in 64 at bats) and trials (3 errors in 21 games). All things considered, I’m thrilled to see him out on the field. The season is young and I’m fully confident he’ll only continue to improve over the next 162 games.

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Steve Edlefsen, P
I only caught a glimpse of Edlefsen during his solitary inning against Oakland this Monday, but I like what I see. He’s been cooped up in Fresno for the past two years, with 8 saves and a 12-2 record over 71 games. Last year, he shared the spotlight with Brock Bond as Giants reps in the 2010 PCL All-Star game. In spring training, he’s only played 11 games and a paltry 9.1 innings, but retains a strong WHIP of 0.75. The bullpen is already locked and loaded with Lincecum, Cain, Zito, Wilson and the rest, but it’d be fun to see Edlefsen try his hand at a few relief opportunities.
Whichever way the roster swings, I’m just happy to see the Giants out on the field again. It’s a fresh start, a new year, and anything is possible!
Photo credit: Ezra Shaw
Mar 9

Spring Training: Mariners Match-ups

One of the best aspects of spring training is the match-ups between teams that only have the chance to meet each other in the postseason. For instance, the Giants met the Rangers last night with a 4-1 victory, then fell to the Mariners this afternoon 1-0. On one hand, it’s great to see my two favorite teams duking it out, especially in spring training when winning matters a little less than in regular season. On the other hand, it’s also a confusing place to be as a fan, and I’m left both rejoicing and disappointed regardless of the outcome.

The Mariners seem to have adopted the Giants’ philosophy of showing up with a strong pitching rotation and getting just enough runs on the board to keep their opponents at bay. Today, starter Jason Vargas shone in his spring training debut, with three shutout innings and only 2 walks out of 45 pitches. Closer Fabio Castro was also impressive, throwing 10 strikes over 13 pitches in the ninth.
Although there were still no home runs for the M’s after a solid week of games, a nice bit of teamwork between Ryan Langerhans and Justin Smoak gave the Mariners their needed run in the fourth. If Seattle develops the kind of tight control on their pitching that we saw from the Giants last year, stacking up home runs won’t be too much of an issue.
Tomorrow the Mariners face the Dodgers, who currently hold a 5-7 record and just defeated the Rockies and the Brewers 7-1 this week. Thankfully, it won’t be hard to pick sides in this game! It’s the first game of three between L.A. and Seattle this year, and one that I hope will result in another sharp win by the Mariners.
23 days until baseball begins, and one month until Opening Night at Safeco Field!!
Mar 7

Spring Training: Catching Up with the Giants

For baseball fans, this is the best season of the year. Spring is right around the corner, teams are warming up in spring training, and Opening Day is less than a month away. I’m sitting at my computer watching the Giants and Rangers’ first game since the Series, and remembering how fun these teams are to watch. Do the Giants have a chance of repeating this year? It’s the question on everyone’s mind and still way too early to tell, but they’re definitely looking good.

Here’s what’s been going on in the first week or so of spring training games in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is San Francisco’s 12th game of the year, and they’re hoping to come out of it with a 9-3 record.
The good… With eight wins, five of them at home in Scottsdale Stadium, the Giants are definitely making their opponents work hard. Of course, pitching is always a key strength for San Francisco, but it’s nice to see the bats warming up, too. Seven of their eight wins were high scoring, with the Giants collecting five or more runs per game. Posey is leading the team with 6 runs and 7 RBIs in his 6 games, and Torres is close behind with 5 runs in 4 games, likely to pull out a few more tonight.
Shortstop Miguel Tejada is also proving his worth in the Giants camp, especially after he popped out a nice triple on Sunday afternoon, giving San Francisco a 3-run padding against the M’s.
The bad… Of the three losses the Giants have faced last week, only one was exceptionally painful, a 6-0 shutout by Oakland. As far as the A’s are concerned, it seems like what goes around comes around–the Giants beat the Mariners yesterday, 6-1, and the M’s did the same thing to Oakland this afternoon, with a 6-3 win. Like any loss in spring training, it’s a good chance to spot some possible inconsistencies in the team (4 errors in 7 innings) or simply dismiss it as a fluke.
Aside from the W-L record, injuries are also plaguing the team. Torres has a pulled muscle in his left side and is still unable to bat right-handed. Freddy Sanchez is working hard to get back to playing form after shoulder surgery. Brian Wilson’s stiff back kept him off the mound until Sunday. Still, Bochy is making sure everyone gets out there and shows their stuff, and even with a little stiffness and strained muscles, Torres and Sanchez and Wilson are all pulling their weight so far.
The ugly… Have you seen Brian Wilson’s beard? If you thought “Fear the Beard” was an anthem of days gone by, think again. The beard has had no relief in this offseason, and looks shaggier than ever. I’m just wondering if the furry menace that is Brian Wilson will be quite as imposing if he allows his locks to grow much longer.
Tomorrow we’ll check in with the M’s as they prepare to face the Giants for the last time this pre-season. Only 24 days left until Opening Day!