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.