Giants Missing Swagger in Spring Debut

I listened to a decent chunk of today's Cactus League opener against the Cubs, and it resembled, well, a Cactus League opener. The first four innings, when the Cubs scored 10 of their 12 runs, were painful. Noah Lowry didn't do much to ease worries about his control or to raise his trade value, walking three, hitting one, and allowing three runs (two earned) in just an inning and a third. Fifth starter candidate Kevin Correia didn't help himself either, getting hammered for seven hits and five runs (four earned) in an inning. Jonathan Sanchez, who starts a split squad game tomorrow against the Cubs, certainly has a chance to take an early lead in the competition for the five spot.

The rest of the game didn't go quite as badly. Jack Taschner made a case for a spot in the crowded bullpen with two perfect innings. Brad Hennessey gave up a couple runs in two innings, but Brian Wilson followed with a perfect ninth.

There were some bright spots on the offensive front as well. Randy Winn homered in the first inning off Ryan Dempster, and Aaron Rowand, batting cleanup, singled in both of his plate appearances. Youngsters Eugenio Velez and Fred Lewis each had RBI triples.

Overall, I don't think there is too much to gather from this game. Only time will tell if Lowry and Correia's problems can be attributed to rustiness or some other cause. I think the only thing I'll take away is that it was good to hear Jon Miller and Duane Kuiper again.

Tomorrow: Split squad games against the Cubs and Mariners. For Chicago, Carlos Zambrano will oppose Sanchez, while Erik Bedard will make his Mariners' debut against Tim Lincecum.

Vizquel to Miss 4-5 Weeks

Omar Vizquel became the first major casualty of Spring Training Tuesday, as it was announced that the much-loved shortstop will have knee surgery and miss 4-5 weeks. Kevin Frandsen will likely see most of the playing time at short, which would appear to end the competition between him and Ray Durham at second base. Based on the timetable given, Omar should still be ready for opening day. However, this just underscores the point that, at nearly 41 years old, he's fragile. I'm not sure the Giants can count on Omar to play as consistently as he has over the past three seasons. Putting Frandsen at short also amplifies the need to acquire a third baseman, and I expect Brian Sabean to pull the trigger on a deal for Joe Crede shortly. This could also mean increased playing time for Eugenio Velez, who the Giants have envisioned as a super-utility man, but appeared likely to start the year in Fresno.

In other news:

• Baseball America released their annual list of the top 100 prospects in baseball. Not surprisingly, Reds outfielder Jay Bruce, Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, and Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz lead the pack. Angel Villalona (#33) and Tim Alderson (#84) represented the Giants on the list, with Madison Bumgarner, Nick Noonan, Nate Schierholtz, Henry Sosa, and Eugenio Velez falling short.
• Randy Winn wants to hit .300 again.
• Noah Lowry will start the Giants' first Cactus League game against the Cubs on Thursday.
  

San Francisco Has Barry Bonds Guilt

Today, Ray Ratto acknowledges, "I wish I knew how to quit Bonds stories." Regardless of where Bonds plays or doesn't play for the rest of his career, it's safe to say the city of San Francisco will be keeping an eye on him. After more than a decade of Bonds-worthy headlines, going cold turkey is proving rather difficult. Ratto writes:

Because playing or no, visible or not, in uniform or in a suit, Barry Bonds remains the gift that keeps on giving. Whatever moral issues you might or might not have with Bonds pursuing his career while he waits for a trial date, rest easy knowing that we have no issue with pursuing Bonds stories, even if all they are is someone saying his name in a meeting as part of some Bizarro World Jeopardy category - "I'll take Baseball Players in Their Mid-40s Who Need a Gig for $1,600, Alex."

We are quite hung up on where Bonds may end up - Tampa Bay? Japan? And the funny thing is, we're rooting for him to find a home.

Why is this? Because San Francisco has what I would call "Barry Bonds Guilt" - a syndrome quite unique to our city. It is all a part of the contradiction that is our relationship with Barry Bonds - we never liked his arrogance, but never wanted him to go. We didn't like his "me, me" attitude, but would defend him to anyone. We wanted the Giants to rebuild and we didn't want the team to sign him for 2007. That being said, we also wanted him to be able to break the home run record. We were happy when the Giants chose not to bring him back, yet we will be sad if he has no where to play. I know there is a part of every Giants fan that wants to bring Bonds back not because we actually want him on the team, but because we do not want to hurt his feelings. It is a strange situation indeed.

I Like Omar

The Splash aks, "Is Omar in the Way?" and wonders if best buds Brian Bocock and Emmanuel Burriss should be put in his place. Now, I acknowledge that we are trying to get younger and that Vizquel did not provide much in the way of offense last year. But I like Omar. He's one of the most likable guys on the team, he's dazzling defensively (no one one disputes this), and the one or two times he gets a big hit are really exciting. Besides, you can't get completely young all at once. It does help to have a quality vet or two around to teach a little bit, and Vizquel's been known to be a bit more nurturing than that Barry guy. So, let's reserve our hateration for the likes of Ray Durham and Dave Roberts.

There Will Be Blood

Just about every major media outlet has published an article in the last week about how the Giants are finally free from the chains of Barry Bonds, and that they will mesh together as a team much better without him. I'm not fooled. A week into Spring Training, the Giants seem to be taking this whole "Warrior Spirit" slogan a little too literally. Kevin Frandsen and Ray Durham have both come out and staked their claim on the second base job. Dave Roberts is saying "Hell No" to a platoon in left-field. Then comes the news that Rich Aurilia, Omar Vizquel, and Bengie Molina have already sustained minor injuries. Henry Schulman recently spotted a couple other examples:

There was more pain to go around. Vinnie Chulk got nicked in the upper arm by a Ray Durham line drive and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo took a fastball in the back of his left shoulder from nonroster pitcher Scott Williamson. Alfonzo gave Williamson the evil eye as he walked off the field, later saying he was upset his teammate didn't say, "Sorry."

Now I'm not suggesting the Giants are out to get one another. But if I were Fred Lewis, I would keep an eye on Nate Schierholtz. You never know what a guy might do to avoid going back to Triple-A.

Rocket Likes To Party

If you believe what you read in the New York Daily News, a photo exists proving Roger Clemens's presence at that infamous party at Jose Canseco's house that he so vehemently denied attending. Here at the Still Orange and Black offices, we scoured the internet in search of this photo. No luck, but we did find some other incriminating party shots...

Is Ortmeier Any Good?

When Dan Ortmeier's name is announced in opponents' ballparks (and maybe at AT&T Park) next year, a lot of people will probably say "Who?" The starting first base job seems to be his to lose, as the Giants passed up on veterans like Sean Casey and Tony Clark. But the question remains whether Ortmeier is really capable of being a starter at the big league level. Because of his performance in a part-time stint last year, when he had an OPS of .814, I think he at least deserves a shot to win the job in Spring Training. I, however, like many Giants fans, am skeptical of his ability to perform at that level for a whole season. Ortmeier proved that he has decent power from both sides of the plate and good speed for a big guy, and he certainly endeared himself to fans with his walk-off home run against the Dodgers in September. But his numbers were well above his minor league average, and a return to normalcy seems likely. Also, he struck out 41 times while only walking seven times. He will need to work on that if he wants to stick in the major leagues.

Ortmeier, an outfielder throughout his career, is being helped with the defensive aspect by none other than J.T. Snow. My question is, if the Giants think Ortmeier can make the transfer from the outfield to first base, why not Nate Schierholtz? Schierholtz is a much more highly regarded prospect with a better minor-league track record. He came up as a third baseman so the infield shouldn't be too much of a problem. He is also likely the odd man out in the outfield because he's the only one with any minor league options left. I think a battle for the first base spot could be healthy for the two young players. Someone needs to prove that they deserve to be in the lineup in Los Angeles on March 31.

Who Needs Home Runs? Um, Ray Durham Does

The Giants are doing all they can to make sure fans know what they are in for - this team isn't going to hit so much as its going to run ... and not stop running. That's what Roberto Kelly is preaching at Spring Training:

Speed is exciting. We're going to have to use it as much as we can. We're going to be more aggressive on the bases. The guys who didn't run as much or steal as much and know they can steal, they're going to be asked to steal more and get the offense going.

Kelly's even making sure the pitchers are ready to run - "don't use the excuse that 'I'm a pitcher and I'm not supposed to run the bases well" - and nothing puts fans in the seats like pitchers stealing bases.

Of course, while the running may be enough for the other 24 guys on the roster, Ray Durham is going to have to impress a little with the bat this Spring Training. A season removed from hitting .218, Durham arrives at camp with the knowledge that second is not his to lose. Newly muscular Kevin Frandsen has said some fighting words for Durham this offseason, but the vet seems unphased: "If he beats me out, he beats me out," Durham said of Frandsen. "Then again, nothing against him, I don't see myself losing this job. I've been around a long time. I know what I need to do, and I've got to go out and do it."

Who do you want to see at second?

The Best Rumor Ever

Andrew Baggarly has an article in today's Mercury News about Barry Bonds's continued inability to find a job in 2008. While agent Jeff Borris claims Bonds "is in game shape," one baseball executive says, "I don't hear any chatter, any rumors - anything." What stood out the most to me, however, was this:

Some baseball officials believe Bonds might seek a one-year contract in Japan, where he is beloved.

This seems like a great idea. I think Japan could become a haven for disgraced steroid users. Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro need jobs too. Why not?

Crowded Bullpen

One of the biggest stories to pay attention to during Spring Training is the competition in the Giants' bullpen. Bruce Bochy will have plenty of options to choose from. I imagine decisions will be made based on Spring performance, and it will be exciting to see how that plays out. Here's a breakdown of where the Giants stand.

Virtually guaranteed: Brian Wilson, Tyler Walker, Brad Hennessey.
The bullpen was at its best last year with Wilson closing and Walker and Hennessey setting up. Hennessey's name has been brought up in trade talks, but if he's still in a Giants uniform come March 31, he's in.

Back from last year (but not guaranteed): Vinnie Chulk, Randy Messenger, Steve Kline, Jack Taschner.
Chulk is almost guaranteed as well, but he needs to show that he's rebounded from his health problems at the end of last year. None of the rest of this group were particularly impressive last year. Messenger throws hard, but can't seem to strike many people out. Kline and Taschner both had the same problem: they're lefty specialists who couldn't get lefties out. I'm on the record saying the Giants should shop Kline for whatever they can get, or just release him.

If they don't make the rotation: Kevin Correia, Jonathan Sanchez, Pat Misch.
Correia is the frontrunner for the fifth starter spot, and the Giants aren't sure what they want to do with Sanchez yet. Out of the bullpen, I think he's worth a shot over Kline or Taschner. If the Giants decide to make him a starter, he will probably start the year in Fresno. Misch will only make it if a pitcher is traded, which isn't out of the question. Both Correia and Sanchez could be available.

Offseason acquisitions: Jose Capellan, Scott Williamson, Keiichi Yabu.
As a rule-five pick, Capellan has to make the team or else he'll be sent back to the Red Sox. He's never pitched above AA, but the Giants will pay close attention this spring. We'll have to wait and see if Williamson and Yabu have still got anything. If they show promise, I think they're worth a shot over one of the returning players.

Fresno: Erick Threets, Merkin Valdez.
Both these guys are once highly-touted prospects who have had injury problems and are looking to make a comeback. Again, I'd take a chance just to see what they've got.

The Giants' bullpen was a major reason the team was so bad in one-run games in 2007. For that reason, I would hate to see the team start 2008 with the same cast. There's plenty of options available. There's got to be some talent in there somewhere.

Really? (Part 2)

An update on yesterday's Byung-Hung Kim contract offer:

Byung-Hyun Kim's representatives said the pitcher is not interested in a minor-league deal.

Now, let's hope this is the last of the crazy talk.

Who Needs Home Runs?

Not Bengie Molina, apparently. Bruce Bochy announced last week that the hard-nosed catcher will be occupying the cleanup spot for the Giants at the start of the season. Molina is the one remaining bright spot in what was a dismal offensive season for the Giants in 2007. He did hit 19 homeruns, while driving in 81 runs - the majority of which seemed to come with either two strikes, two outs, or a one-run difference separating the two teams (some times all of the above).

But don't expect Molina to be swinging for the fences. He likened this Giants team to his 2002 World Champion Angels (gag!), who he claims did not win games through sheer power. "We killed people by getting a lot of base hits and stealing bases with all those speed guys. That's what we did. I'm expecting the same thing here. I think this is a major-league team, right? We all know that. These guys have to understand that we can do it by getting base hits."

Embodying the Giants new "Warrior Spirit" (more on that later), Molina also proclaimed, "We need to get to 95 wins this year. That's what's going to get us to the playoffs." Seems like a daunting task for a team projected to only score 3.99 runs a game. Yeah ... I'm still hoping the Giants add another bat.

Really?

Henry Schulman reports that the Giants offered pitcher Byung-Hung Kim a minor-league contract. The former closer is said to be waiting for someone to offer him a major-league deal. Kim doesn't make much sense in the bullpen, as the Giants seem to have plenty of arms available. Maybe this is a sign they are looking to trade a starter, in which case Kim could provide some depth to the rotation, or be a long reliever.

Photos and Recap: Fanfest 2008

It was a beautiful summer's day in San Francisco (in February) - perfect to attend KNBR's annual San Francisco Giants GeekFanfest ... which is how I decided to spend my Saturday. After getting my haircut, I headed over to AT&T Park in hopes of meeting my hero Barry Zito, as well as to get a feel for the Bonds-less 2008 Giants.

I started by just wandering through the stadium. There were players signing autographs, but the prospect of waiting upwards of an hour to meet Jack Taschner and Nate Schierholtz wasn't all that enticing.

The field is all tore up - as you can see - from a recent motorcross tournament, but the stadium still felt like home. Mostly I found myself stationed behind home plate, listening to the live KNBR broadcast that included interviews with Tim Lincecum, Rich Aurilla, Jon Miller, Duane Kuiper and Randy Winn.


What I learned is that everyone is really excited about this new pitch Lincecum will be adding to his repertoire. Also, Miller has been learning about the OPS stat and informed the crowd that Aaron Rowand's was exceptionally high last year. In more frivolous news, Gary Radnich considers Aurilla to be the best looking guy on the team this year.

Hitting up the concession stands, I realized that as much as I miss baseball in the off-season, I really miss garlic fries. It would appear I was not the only one.

Even though the Giants have said goodbye to the "Barry Bonds Era," they have not said goodbye to the "Barry Bonds 756 Merchandise Era." They're still milking the hell out of those t-shirts and pennants.

While I shopped around for merch (that's a music term, yo), I found myself tempted by the $20 mystery grab which seemed to include a DVD and bobblehead amongst other paraphernalia. I actually had my wallet out and was ready to ask for one when I heard a recent purchaser say, "Look, a Matt Morris bobblehead."

A Matt Morris bobblehead!

I was furious, and thought to myself, "This is how you treat loyal fans who are sticking through the steroid saga, the lack of exciting offseason deals, and this recent cockfighting controversy. You repay us with Matt Morris bobbleheads concealed in paper bags that sell for $20." I love you, Giants, but you are starting to make it very hard to.

So, no Zito sightings though it appears he was there. The closest I came was this dude in a Zito shirt.
Fun day nonetheless, and now it's time to get excited for baseball season.

Zito Gets the Call

Bruce Bochy announced today that Barry Zito will be on the mound in Los Angeles on March 31 to start his second straight opening day for the Giants. Don't get me wrong, Still Orange and Black makes no secret of its love for Barry Zito. But Matt Cain has earned this start. He not only had the better season. He's the better pitcher. Bochy probably feels he has to start Zito in deference to his seniority and (I hate to say it) his contract. If the Giants are truly serious about getting younger, the kid deserves a chance.

Awards From Yesterday's Congressional Hearing

Best Use of Racial Sensitivity: "This gave new meaning to the term, 'lynching.'" - Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) in reference to the hard questions Clemens had to face.

Best Use of Limited Time For Questioning: "A colleague of mine, Mr. Capuano of Massachusetts, wants to know what uniform you're going to wear to the Hall of Fame." - Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), and you can imagine who this question was directed towards.

Not As Cool As You Would Think Award: This party at Jose Canseco's house does not seem as awesome as the headlines would have you believe. I was predicting a real steroid orgy, but it seems like it was more of a G-Rated affair.

Most inappropriate time for joking in the Andy Pettite Affidavit: Pettite is asked whether he knew if Brian McNamee was receiving HGH from Mets attendant Kirk Radomski. "I know he didn't tell me he got it from a Mets clubhouse trainer," Pettite says. "Because I know if he had told me that, I would never have done it." Attorney Thomas J. Farrell responds, "Or a Red Sox trainer either." Pettite seems totally caught off-guard - "Right. Yeah," he says.

Best Use of Patriotism To Dodge A Question: "When the commissioner asked me to get myself together to go out there and the league asked me to put U.S.A. on my chest and represent my team, my country, I did everything I could to get ready. I pushed my date up, tried to get me ready sooner. I told them I could shake hands, wave flags and sell tickets for you if you want to do that. But if you want me on the field, it's gonna take me longer to get this body going. And I did it. I went out there and did the best I could possibly do and I was proud to have U.S.A. on my chest." - Roger Clemens, and I think the question was pertaining to whether he turned down the opportunity to respond to the allegations in the Mitchell report prior to its release. (Watch the video). I'm sure that played well with the Republicans.

Most Absolute Total Badass: Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Ca), who kept things on track, shut down Clemens' lawyers when they tried to speak, kept everyone to their time limits, and even told Clemens, "This is not your time to argue with me" during his closing remarks.

Spring Training Begins, Rowand Arrives Early

Aaron Rowand's work ethic (see above) is not something that really ever gets called into question. The center fielder showed off his commitment to his new team by showing up to camp a whopping six days early. "I've always liked to get to camp early," he says. The San Francisco Chronicle reports, "Rowand arrived Monday. On Tuesday, he was shagging flyballs with Nate Schierholtz. On Wednesday, he greeted the players who filtered into Scottsdale Stadium ahead of today's first workout." For a player of Rowand's magnitude this kind of attitude is a good sign for a team who seek to build a new atmosphere not centered around any one superstar.

"I just had some preliminary conversations with Randy Winn about keeping everyone on the same level," Tyler Walker said last week - possibly in reference the absence of Barry Bonds. "If stretching is at 4 o'clock, you're out there or it's a fine, so nobody feels like somebody's getting preferential treatment."

One dude not getting preferential treatment - despite his fat salary - is second baseman Ray Durham, who is going to have to compete with Kevin Frandsen for a starting job. Ever so confident, Frandsen seems poised for a little friendly competition: "As much as I love Ray - and everyone knows that - and everything that Ray's done for me, I want that job." Giants best writer Henry Schulman adds, "Kevin Frandsen is so pumped about his new, more muscular physique, he greeted a reporter Wednesday by yanking off his shirt to flaunt his concrete biceps."

He then echoes my thoughts by stating, "That might not be the shrewdest behavior as long as ex-Sen. George Mitchell still has his sniffer working." Agreed. We'll have to keep an eye on that kid.

The Roger Clemens Defense: Throw Everyone Under the Bus

This is supposed to be a Giants-centric blog that we are launching today, but this Clemens situation seems to trump everything that's going on with the orange and black today.

Roger Clemens made the most poignant description of his defense strategy - of anyone at today's congressional hearing - after reading a statement from his wife. You see, Debbie Clemens has come into the picture following testimony from Brian McNamee (the pitcher's former trainer - if you don't know already) that he also injected her with HGH. This is true, however, according to Debbie's statement, she was coaxed into it by the trainer, and later decided against further injections when her husband came home and instructed her it was not a good idea. "She told me she feels like a pawn in this game," Clemens said after reading a statement from Debbie. He's right about her being a pawn, but just whose game are we talking about?

Debbie's assertion is that she absentmindedly took HGH under the watch of an evil trainer, only to later be corrected by her holier-than-thou husband. It's indicative of the web Clemens has wound - a web that places fault strictly on everyone but himself. When testifying before congress today, Clemens spoke in abstracts. When asked questions about facts, he went into diatribes about his Cy Young awards, 20 strike out games, and how he wants to teach the youth about conditioning. At other points, he defended himself as simply being out of the loop - he wasn't in the house when his trainer injected his wife; his best friend didn't tell him about obtaining HGH from the same trainer; another teammate neglected to tell him about receiving HGH from the same trainer. And as for why Roger did not take his opportunity to sit down with Senator Mitchell prior to the release of the report ... well, no one told him about it. The players union knew, Bud Selig knew, and Clemens's agents knew, but they just decided to decline on his behalf. Is this sounding fishy to anyone?

Clemens by all means should have the opportunity to defend himself, but this whole "I'm just working so hard training to win more Cy Youngs and triple crown awards, that I guess everybody forgot to tell me what was going on" defense is about as solid as saying you thought it was flaxseed oil. And don't even get me started on this raging party at Jose Canseco's house that everyone wants to talk about ad nauseum.

OK ... hopefully we can start talking about the San Francisco Giants real soon. I'm sure commentary on the hearing will start rolling in any minute now at the major outlets. For insight into what was said, check out the transcript of Jayson Stark's live blogging.

Welcome to Still Orange and Black

Pitchers and catchers are reporting to Spring Training, and there are still many unanswered questions for the Giants...

... but right now, we've got questions to be answered in Washington. Roger Clemens and his former trainer Brian McNamee are testifying before congress regarding the former's alleged steroid use. Watch it at ESPN.

It's going to be an interesting season.