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.