Balk!

The Giants lost on a balk yesterday - a controversial balk at that. I hate writing about things like this, so please read El Lefty Malo's breakdown. The Giants were not at their best offensively - why was Randy Winn swinging 3-0(?!?) - but Lincecum didn't deserve his first loss of the year.

Alfonso Busted

Giants catcher Eliezer Alfonzo - currently with Triple-A Fresno - has received a 50 game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Alfonso played in the minors for ten years, before hitting the majors with the Giants in 2006. He showed serious promise, taking over after Mike Matheny went down. He hit Spring Training this year ready to take the backup catcher spot, after being named MVP of the Venezuelan winter league. He struggled and began the season in Triple-A.

**UPDATE**
The Giants have released a statement:

The Giants were disappointed to learn that one of our players, Eliezer Alfonzo, has failed a test for a performance enhancing drug. Our organization fully supports Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

As an organization, we will continue to work with our players, Major League Baseball and the Players Association to do what we can do to eliminate these performance enhancing substances from our game.

We will continue to support and counsel Eliezer during his suspension.

Sanchez ... !

There's been a lot of negativity spewed about one Giants' lefty - so let's take a moment to appreciate another who is showing some serious promise in the back of the rotation. Get ready to add Jonathan Sanchez's name to the list of exciting young arms in the Giants rotation. Sanchez was light's out in last Friday's start against the Reds, taking a shutout into the ninth, before allowing a homer and a single. Sanchez comes into today's game boasting a 2-1 record with a 3.54 ERA. His 26 strikeouts are good for fifth in the National League. With Sanchez pitching like this, the Giants now have three really good reasons to follow this team. While this team will still make mistakes, with the young talent of Sanchez, Cain and Lincecum, I feel as though the Giants have a shot at winning every game. Let's hope today is one of those games.

Zito Begins a New Day

Opinions about Barry Zito are like an asshole - everybody's got one. It didn't take long for the Giants to become national news with some guy named Barry. The Giants are, in fact, doomed to always have a Barry Curse. That being said, Jayson Stark still thinks the Mike Hampton signing was worse. Take that Jim "Worst signing in history" Rome!

Regardless of what people are saying, the big question is - what are Zito and the Giants doing? Pitching coach Dave Righetti is going to work hard with him in the bullpen and says, "I told him, 'I don't care if you fly to Africa between starts. If you get somebody out, I'll pay for it." Careful with your words - Zito might take you up on it.

Righetti also added, "A positive attitude when you're out there carries you through a lot of things."

Finally, Some Good Roger Clemens News

Can we stop talking about Barry Zito for a minute? Let's talk about something lighter - like Roger Clemens. It's been a while since we had some good Roger Clemens news to report, but this new tidbit does not disappoint. While we're still not sure what he was injected with, it looks like Clemens might not quite be the family man he makes himself out to be. The New York Daily News is reporting the Clemens had a 10-year long affair with country singer Mindy McCready. Of course, Clemens was in full denial mode. His lawyer Rusty Hardin released a statement:

Mindy McCready is a longtime family friend of Roger Clemens and the Clemens family. At no time did Roger engage in any kind of inappropriate or improper relationship with her. It is unfortunate that the Daily News has chosen to report anonymous allegations that are completely unfounded, have no basis in fact, and have nothing to do with Roger's baseball career or the issue of steroid use in baseball.

But McCready did say, "I cannot refute anything in the story."

Apparently, "She was 15 when he noticed her at a Fort Myers, Fla., bar while out with his Red Sox teammates, according to the Daily News." 15? Look out, Miley Cyrus.

Roger, if your wife has any questions, I suggest you take some advice from Shaggy.

Bonds Update: Kayak Rentals, Rubber Chicken Sales Down

An article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal notes how sales of rubber chickens, and kayak rentals have been affected in and around AT&T Park in Barry Bonds's absence. The rubber chickens that were oh-so-popular while Bonds was setting records for intentional walks don't draw much interest from fans these days; Bengie Molina just isn't getting intentionally walked that much.

Ballpark vendor Bob Rosenthal says rubber-chicken sales used to account for as much as 20% of his booth's sales. Vendor William Kopcyk says he used to sell 25 or so a day at $10 a pop, contributing as much as 10% of his booth's sales. Now demand is so low neither of those booths stock them. At one souvenir store in the ballpark, an entire bin of the birds has sat almost untouched since the start of the season.

As for those kayaks that fans used to park themselves in, hoping to catch a Bonds home run that landed McCovey Cove - those aren't as much of a presence either.

That's bad news for Ted Choi, a 44-year-old Korean immigrant who has rented kayaks to baseball fans for five years here. Game-related rentals used to account for as much as a third of his business, persuading a stable of advertisers to pay roughly $20,000 each to put their brands on his kayaks. This year, he has just two advertisers, and game rentals are scarce most days. "I will be happy if I can break even," he says.

Fred Lewis did knock one in the Cove this past weekend, so maybe the tide is turning.

Buster Olney on Zito

Baseball Tonight Discusses Zito

Gwenn Knapp says, "Forget the Money"

When thinking about Barry Zito, we all need to forget about the $126 million contract. "He has an 0-6 record and a 7.53 ERA, yet the numbers, as hideous as they are, only begin to explain the problem," Knapp writes.

Zito is fast becoming the pitcher's answer to Chuck Knoblauch and Steve Sax, second basemen who unaccountably lost the ability to throw to first base. Whatever it is that made him a major-league athlete has gone missing.

She later reiterates a good point that I've heard a few times this week.

The upper-level brass gave Zito an extravagant contract to prove a point. They wanted to appease fans who thought that the club had sold out the future when it invested another wad of cash in Barry Bonds. The $126 million was pure showboating.

Let's hope that Zito can work out the psychological kinks and at least return to some semblance of decency. Meanwhile, you should look on the bright side - Jason Schmidt will receive more money from the Dodgers this year, and he hasn't started a game in a year.

Cain Wins

Matt Cain wasn't at his best Monday night, but he was good enough for his first win of the year. Cain's had some hard luck this year, but his problem's have had more to do with general ineffectiveness and poor command. He still wasn't quite right tonight, throwing 108 pitches in just 5.1 innings and walking five. But he managed to get himself out of trouble against the slumping Rockies' offense. Vinnie Chulk, Tyler Walker, and Brian Wilson combined to finish off the Giants' fourth shutout of the year.

The Giants, on the other hand, were able to capitalize on gifts from Rockies' pitching. Starter Franklin Morales balked in the first inning, which helped set up a Ray Durham RBI single. In the fifth, Morales and Kip Wells combined for five walks, leading to two runs. Giants' baserunners also stole four bases. With 31 steals, the Giants lead the majors, and have also set a San Francisco franchise record for the month of the April. There might actually be something to this whole "small ball" thing.

Giants Win One For Us

I was out of a computer for a few days, so I wasn't able to blog about Still Orange & Black's first game of the year, last Thursday in San Diego. I went to two games at Petco Park last year. In the first, Matt Cain took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, only to give up a run and lose 1-0. Two nights later, Greg Maddux silenced the Giants' bats for a 4-0 win. So going into Thursday's game, I was really only hoping for a run.

This was my first time seeing Tim Lincecum live in action, and he did not disappoint, striking out the side in the first inning. He was not always sharp, walking five and throwing 122 pitches in 6.1 innings. But Lincecum proving that he doesn't always need great command to be successful, as he didn't allow a run and finished with nine strikeouts. The bullpen did great work, especially Jack Taschner, who got out of a bases load, one-out jam to preserve a lead.

We have started to doubt whether Rich Aurilia belongs in a major league lineup, even this one. But we have made no secret of our loyalty to him, so it was a thrill to see him hit his first home run of the year, which turned out to be the only run of the game. It reminded me of a game I went to in 2000, when Aurilia hit a 2-run homer off Greg Maddux and the Giants beat the Braves 2-0 behind a Livan Hernandez shutout.

I was somewhat surprised with the attendance in San Diego, which came in at just around 26,000. I guess they really miss Barry Bonds. In addition, their garlic fries are not nearly as good as the ones at AT&T Park. But in the end, I got my run, and better yet, I got a win.

To the 'Pen

In an effort to help Barry Zito, the Giants have decided to temporarily move him to the bullpen. Not sure how I feel about this. "We'll watch and see how things go," Bruce Bochy said. "Right now, we're going to leave it at that, that he's going to be helping us in the bullpen."

Correia on the DL, Misch In

Kevin Correia has been placed on the 15-day DL, with Bruce Bochy expecting the number five starter to be out at least a month, with a left intercostal strain. Correia managed nine pitches on Saturday, before having to exit the Giants 10-9 loss to the Reds.

"This really is a blow to the team because the starters have been doing so well," Bochy said. "I think Kevin has been throwing the ball well, so that's a pretty big hit."

Patrick Misch will take Correia's spot on the roster, and shined yesterday, pitching the final six innings, sparing an overworked bullpen.

Zito ... ?

Regardless of how exciting Fred Lewis is to watch, the topic of conversation amongst Giants fans today is undoubtedly Barry Zito. Or more specifically, like we asked last week, what do we do with Zito. Much has been made about Giants fans booing the pitcher, but yesterday - with the bases loaded in the first - the crowd was behind Zito trying to will him to success. It was actually a nice moment. These fans will be polite, but - with a record at 0-6 and nothing positive to take from it, everyone is wondering what to do with this guy.

"We're going to get together here," said Bruce Bochy of a meeting that will take place with Brian Sabean and Peter McGowan. "We've got to do something different. There's no doubt about that. We can't keep doing what we're doing. We need to get together and get a game plan on what we think is best." The bullpen is an option.

I am listening to Gary Radnich on KNBR, and an astrologist named Andrea just called in to let us know that Zito is in a bad astrological cycle right now. He will snap out of it, though, he says.

"Obviously it's hurting the team right now," Zito said. "It's not a good place to be personally, but those guys make the decisions and we always trust what they want us to do. They know how to manage teams and ballclubs. I've brought it on myself. It's not that they're acting rash in a situation that wouldn't call for it."

Zito got rocked yesterday in the Giants 10-1 loss to Cincinnati yesterday. The defense wasn't great behind him and the offense there, but Zito wasn't fooling anybody. I feel like his issues are mostly centered around confidence, but I don't know how he can snap out of it.

What do you think?

The Splash is asking the same question, while also calling him, "Just Awful."

Tim Kawakami calls him the "new Matt Morris."

Giants Win says this is "As ugly as it gets."

Bay City Ball gives many reasons not to be optimistic.

What Do You Do With Zito?

He struggles while the rest of the staff flourishes or at least shows promise. They say his velocity is down, that he can't locate the fastball, and he's not feeling confident. You won't release him, can't trade him, and can't convert him to a hitter a la Rick Ankiel. So ... what do you do?

Skip a start: This is the option I would be leaning towards. Give him some time to breathe and move him to the back of the rotation. Dave Righetti disagrees. "Who the hell is going to pitch? We're not that deep in starting pitching. Noah Lowry is hurting now and we're not that deep in Triple-A. We need (Zito) to pitch."

Move him to the 'Pen: Well, if the Giants need him to start, than this option doesn't even make sense anyway. Regardless, even if it could happen, something tells me Zito wouldn't be getting called in in the sixth with the bases loaded, one out, and Prince Fielder at the plate.

I like Zito, but this is becoming very frustrating. Scott Olster put it very well today when he wrote:

You can't blame him for taking all that money. I know what I'll say if my agent asks me, "Would you rather sign for $126 million or $50 million?"

Making matters worse, manager Bruce Bochy designated Zito the staff ace coming out of spring training, thus ensuring Zito would start the season dueling some of the best pitchers in baseball. Result: 0-5.

It's so much more satisfying when you can put your heart into booing a guy. Zito denies you that joy. He works his fanny off, and he's an interesting, thoughtful, well-rounded young man who gives money and time to wounded U.S. soldiers.

Yet every fifth day, fans treat him as if he just shot up a strip club with an Uzi, set it ablaze then beat out the fire with his dog.

Rajai Shines in A's Debut

Today, the addition of Frank Thomas made headlines around Oakland, but he was outshone today by the team's other new acquisition, Rajai Davis - whom the Giants designated for assignment last week. He went 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored, making his AL batting average .750.

What a Turn of Events

Last night's Giants/Padres 13-inning battle seems symbolic of the strides this team has made since last year. For the first 8 1/3 innings of this game, it played out like many Giants games have played before - Matt Cain pitches brilliantly only allowing his opponents to scratch one run across, only to have his team not match that. The way things seemed to be heading, as Bengie Molina had an 0-2 count with one out against Trevor Hoffman, I already had a title for this game's blog - "I could have written this without watching the game."

But then something magical happened - Bengie Molina launched a game-tying homer against Hoffman, and the praise-worthy bullpen carried through extra innings. It got quite nerve-wracking when San Diego threatened to overtake our two run lead in the 13th - but Brian Wilson hung on just long enough to seal the win.

The bright spots of tonight's game are not necessarily a surprise - you expect Matt Cain to pitch brilliantly, you expect Molina to come up with a big hit if anyone is going to. Maybe this lights-out bullpen is a surprise, but it is not going to be a secret for long. The fact is - this is a game the Giants would have lost last year.

Johnson Available Again

Just days after being claimed off waivers from the A's, first basemen Dan Johnson was designated for assignment by the Rays. The Giants have said publicly that they are not interested in Johnson, and that's probably even more true with the emergence of John Bowker. However, I still think Johnson is worth a look. Brian Sabean claims to be looking for a left-handed power hitter, and I can't think of too many available, except for Johnson and some guy named Bonds. With Johnson at first, the Giants could move Bowker back to the outfield, and try to trade Randy Winn. There are always teams in need of an additional outfielder, and Winn probably has more value than most of the players on this team. Trading Winn would also make some room for Nate Schierholtz, who has been tearing it up in Triple-A. Seems like a pretty low-risk move.

LA Media Nicknames Jones "Tubbo"

The grass isn't always greener on the other side. While fans in San Francisco are steadfastly losing faith in 2007's prized signing, Barry Zito, the Dodger fans and media have grown tired with Andruw Jones's slow start. LA Times columnist T.J. Simers has nicknamed him "Tubbo":

I wanted to know if the tubbo thought he could maybe hit his weight at some point this season.

He said he's not fat and doing just fine, apparently envisioning himself as some sort of supermodel and weighing in with a .105 batting average.

But wait ... it gets better.

Manager Joe Torre, a former tubbo who dropped 20 pounds as a player and then went on to hit .325 and .363, said he could talk until blue in the face, but if Jones isn't buying it, it's not going to make a difference.

The Dodgers, though, have paid Torre to make a difference.

Jones said it doesn't matter what Torre thinks, and I guess that's what happens when a team agrees to pay you $36.2 million over two years.

And this is amusing too:

The fans in Dodger Stadium, catching the tubbo's act for only the fourth time at home in a Dodgers uniform, booed Jones on Friday night after another wretched performance.

They even booed him in pregame introductions Saturday night, and with runners on first and third in the first, he struck out -- the fans letting him have it again.

In the third, with runners on first and second, he walked, a Dodgers highlight so far this season.

Thanks Simers, you made me forget Zito was 0-5.

The Kids Are Alright

The Giants just lost two games to Arizona, but there is much to smile about. No, not the fact that Barry Zito only pitched 3 2/3, couldn't hold a three run lead, and is now 0-5; I don't know what the fuck to do about that. But let's reserve Zito-bashing for another day, and suggest maybe moving him to the 'pen upon Noah Lowry's return because everyone else has pitched better.

Overall, I like this team ... and here's what I like:

The Kids: Please no Ray Durham, and even my sentimental Richie Aurilla feelings are fading. Give me Bowker at first, Velez at second, and Fred Lewis in the outfield. This is going to be one hell of a lineup someday. Lewis and Eugenio Velez make a great 1-2 punch atop the lineup. Sure, they make mistakes - on Monday, Lewis hit into an inning-ending double play with runners on first and second, going after the first pitch from a reliever; a few innings later, Velez blew a rally opportunity trying to stretch a double into a triple. Mistakes will be made, but that's a part of learning the game. I still feel like the team has a better shot at winning with these guys in the lineup than with the vets. Besides, Lewis's stroke has been hot for the past couple weeks. I'm going to be the first to call the Lewis/Velez combo the new Brett Butler/Robby Thompson.

The 'Pen: These are the unsung heroes of the 2008 Giants, and another reason why we could actually win some games this year. Brian Wilson is quickly developing into a strong closer, saving five games in six opportunities. And let's not forget about the rest of these guys, who - with the exception of Brad Hennessey have been consistently strong. Last night, the bullpen had to come in early, and Yabu, Vinnie Chulk, and Tyler Walker combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings, which at least gave the Giants a chance to come back.

It's not all sunshine if you look at the standings, but the Giants future is looking a bit brighter than you may have previously suspected.

I Don't Know What To Say

At Least Someone in the Bay Is Celebrating

Just Wanted to Point Out

The Dodgers are 7-11 (.389) after being swept by the Braves. The Giants are 8-11 (.421) after taking two of three from the Cardinals. How's the cellar look, Dodgers?

Giants Send a F**king Message

Here in San Francisco, the ridicule showered over the local Major League Baseball team and their lack of a threatening offense is quite never-ending. On Thursday, ESPN's Jim Baker calculated the worst offensive teams in Major League History, noting that the 2008 Giants have a very good chance of joining them. "Imagine thinking that Bengie Molina would make a good clean-up hitter," he writes. "Imagine that, given the personnel available, it's probably the right decision." He continues...

Welcome to the world of the 2008 San Francisco Giants, a team that has seemingly amassed a collection of players who don't seem capable of mounting a viable offense this year. This statement is not just a reaction to the small sample size of the early going.. . . . And it's not like the team can point to mashers who are off to slow starts, a la David Ortiz, or who are idling on the disabled list; what we are seeing now is no mere April sleight of hand."

Frankly, I'm getting sick and tired of this. One journalist writes it and the rest follow suit. The 2008 Giants will just have to live with it. And live with it they are. Following a 1-5 start, the Giants have since won two series and split another, with their only series defeat at the hands of the league's best team. In fact, while it is only April 20, the St. Louis Cardinals have already lost the season series to the Giants. If they're a game or two short in the standings come September, these losses will undoubtedly be looked at.

This team has its flaws - in fact, its got a few, but the 2008 Giants are not a team to sleep on. Every game, this team has the elements to beat you - as the Cardinals have so quickly learned these past two weeks.

After a Matt Cain defeat/blowout in game one, the Giants came back with a 3-0 shutout yesterday, thanks in part to Tim Lincecum's seven innings.

Today it was Jonathan Sanchez - a young lefty who shows so much promise even if he hasn't quite mastered all of his tools just yet. Sanchez threw five shutout innings, striking out the side in the first. The bullpen preserved the shutout until two runs came across against Vinnie Chulk in the ninth. By then, it was too late, as the Giants offense had already gone to work. Bengie "imagine him at cleanup" Molina drove home three runs with two doubles adding to his team lead in RBIs. Aaron Rowand added two of his own, while Ray Durham went 2-for-4 moving his average away from the Mendoza line.

John Bowker seems to be proving last weekend's heroics were no fluke. He added another home run in the third to tie Molina for the team lead.

So, don't expect the Giants to just roll over. With this talented young staff and a lineup packed with young energy, this team may not have all the resources to make the playoffs, but they can spoil your day.

Lincecum on a Roll

I'm really hoping the Giants have a legitimate All-Star this year, and aren't one of those teams that just needs a representative. It's only April 19, but Tim Lincecum is pitching for a trip to Yankee Stadium in July. He threw seven more scoreless innings in today's 3-0 win over the Cardinals. Timmy is now 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA, with 27 strikeouts in 23 innings. By comparison, our other four starters are 1-9 with a 5.26 ERA (Kevin Correia has the win). This is the reason I'm skeptical about a six-man rotation. Lincecum gives the team the best chance to win, so I think he needs to pitch as much as possible. Between Triple-A and the majors last year, he threw 177 innings, so he can handle the workload. I'm also pleased to say that I'll be in attendance for Lincecum's next scheduled start in San Diego on Thursday, so hopefully I won't be embarrassed in my Giants gear.

Surprising Move

Less than an hour ago, I was telling Will how I think the Giants should trade Rajai Davis, seeing as how he's become a little bit redundant and isn't getting much playing time as the fifth outfielder. Still, I was surprised to find out that the Giants decided to designate Davis for assignment, and call up middle infielder Emmanuel Burris. Davis was off to a slow start, batting just .056 (1-18). This may be a sign that Omar Vizquel really isn't that close to coming back, and the Giants want someone who can play shortstop who can give Brian Bocock some time off. Bocock has started every game this year. The scouting report on Burris is that he's got a lot of speed, but isn't much of a hitter. He was hitting .258 at Triple-A Fresno with just two extra base hits.

In another move, Erick Threets was placed on the 15-day DL, and Keiichi Yabu was called back up just days after being sent down to make room for Vinnie Chulk.

Bowker at First Today

If the rain clears up in St. Louis, John Bowker will be starting at first this evening.

There Goes One Possibility

Lot of Rays news today. SF Gate is reporting that Tampa Bay claimed Dan Johnson off waivers from the A's. The Giants had said they weren't interested in the first baseman, but he was one of the few lefty bats still available.

Glad This Wasn't Us

With Matt Cain's luck, this will probably happen in one of his starts.

Jake Peavy started last night's Padres/Rockies matchup at 7:05PM. Roughly six hours later, in the 22nd inning, it ended with the Rockies victorious 2-1. This was the longest baseball game in 15 years. Ex-Giant Yorvit Torrealba caught all 22 innings - that's a gamer and all out, all season. If this were us, I am sure the bullpen would be gone by the 13th and we would get a chance to see Eugenio Velez's curveball.

Here's a question for you - between this and last year's one-game playoff, how much do you think the Padres hate playing the Rockies?

Sabean Addresses Concerns (In Interview): Offensive struggles, Starting rotation

During his weekly check-in with the Razor and Mr. T on KNBR last night, Brian Sabean addressed the concerns the Giants have two weeks into the season, while also proposing an interesting possibility with the pitching staff. Offensively, the major concern he noted was the team's struggles against right-handed pitching. In fact, he's been talking about the need for a left-handed bat since the start of the season. It's possible John Bowker could be answer, thought it's too early to tell. As far as Bowker is concerned, Sabean noted that he's someone in the organization they've "had on their radar" for some time now. The GM didn't say whether they would be making a trade anytime soon for a lefty bat, only that they've "got to do something." I hear Barry's still available.

With regards to the pitching staff, Sabean was asked what the team planned to do upon Noah Lowry's return considering that both Jonathan Sanchez and Kevin Correia are making strong cases for themselves. Sabean mentioned that - considering both Barry Zito's struggles and the young age of the staff - they are toying with the idea of a six-man rotation. Frankly, I don't think this is a bad idea. Shakes things up a bit, and would mean Zito wouldn't have to always go up against a team's Number 1 Guy. You probably can't make it last the whole season, but at least maybe for a month or two.

You can hear the Brian Sabean Show every Thursday on KNBR at 5:00PM.

Rays To Hold Major Press Conference

UPDATE: False alarm. The Rays just signed Evan Longoria to an extension.

Could it be?

Sabean, Molina on Razor and Mr. T

If you tune in right now (5:13 PM) to KNBR, you can hear Brian Sabean on The Razor and Mr. T.

They interviewed Bengie Molina last week - who noted how it hurts his feelings when people call him "the slowest guy in the world" - and you can here it here. You can also check out their April 4 interview with Sabean here.

Arizona is Scary!

Have you seen these guys? Arizona is without a doubt, the team to beat in the West - probably the team to beat in the National League. The lineup is full of young power hitters, while their rotation is packed with young, talented arms. Even if Randy Johnson can't stay healthy or control his fastball, that pitching will still be some of the most dominant in the league.

In all honesty, it's hard to blame the Giants for losing two out of three (we should be happy with that). Our offense couldn't make heads or tails of Brandon Webb, while our pitchers just couldn't solve the mysteries of Orlando Hudson, Chris Young and Conor Jackson. The Diamondbacks are an exciting young team that should be fun to watch in 2008. They are also a good role model for the Giants in how they were able to develop a young, potent lineup and rotation, while making the smart trades and free agent signings to supplement that.

Why Zito Shouldn't Be No. 1

In four starts this year, Barry Zito has already seen Brad Penny, Ben Sheets, and Brandon Webb. While Zito hasn't exactly been at his best, the Giants have scored a grand total of three runs in his starts. If he keeps getting these mis-matches, he might lose 20 games. In a pitching-stacked division, the Giants would be much better served pitching Matt Cain, who is much more capable of dominating opposing lineups. Of course, with Cain's luck, he might lose 25.

Bowker Hits A Triple!

Just when you thought John Bowker was slowing down, he hits his first major league triple.

Bowker at First?

First base has been a big question mark for the Giants since last season. The question continues with Dan Ortmeier not living up to expectations, and Rich Aurilla not really hitting. New fan favorite John Bowker didn't start yesterday against Randy Johnson, but he did work out at first base. J.T. Snow told the Chronicle, "A lot of outfielders come in and have a big, long throw, but he's got a nice, quick, short throw." Obviously, it's too early to say - but could Bowker be the answer at first.

They Won't All Be Pretty

With the 2008 Giants expected to spend much (if not all) of the season in the cellar, they're going to need to win more games like last night to defy expectations. Last night's win wasn't necessarily fun or exciting, but sometimes that's what you need to be competitive. Starter Jonathan Sanchez did not have his best stuff, and the Giants hitters did not take full advantage of Randy Johnson's lack of control. That being said, Sanchez kept his team in the game against a lineup that is the most frightening one we've seen thus far. The Giants hitters scratched the tying and winning runs across on a groundout and sacrifice fly. Sometimes that's just what you gotta do.

Star of the Day: Keiichi Yabu, who pitched two scoreless innings for the win, marking the pitcher's first major league victory since May 20, 2005.

Quote of the Day: "He runs like a gazelle." - Aaron Rowand on Eugenio Velez.

Back on Track: Brian Wilson and Tyler Walker both played goat in Saturday's 8-7 loss to the Cardinals. They come back tonight with a scoreless eighth and ninth, respectively, reviving faith in the Giants talented-but-unproven bullpen.

The First Christmas Card Goes To...

I remember during the 1997 pennant race, every time a hitter on another team did something big to beat the Dodgers, Kruk and Kuip would say that he deserved a "Christmas card." I seem to remember the Pirates being particularly helpful down the stretch. The phrase seemed to kind of disappear after that season, but here at Still Orange & Black, we're bringing it back. Even if the Giants are way out of it, I still believe in rewarding those who help bring down the Dodgers. The first recipient is Pittsburgh's Nate McLouth. With two outs in the top of the ninth and the Pirates trailing 4-3, McLouth hit a three-run shot off Dodger closer Takashi Saito to put Pittsburgh up 6-4. Congrats to Nate on joining the rivalry. We'll be rooting for you.

Hey, We're in Third Place!

With tonight's 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks, the Giants are now percentage points ahead of the Rockies and and 1/2 a game in front of the Dodgers. Take that, baseball media!

Did We Miss the Boat?

I've been torn about Joe Crede for the last few months. I was for trading for him before I was against it, and his .172 Spring average didn't inspire much confidence. But the way Crede's playing right now, it seems a little ridiculous that the Giants balked at giving up Noah Lowry or Jonathan Sanchez. In 11 games this year, all Crede has done is hit .341 with 4 homers and an AL-best 15 RBIs. It's just 11 games, but those numbers would suggest that Crede's back is just fine. Meanwhile, the Giants have no idea when Noah Lowry will be coming back.

Giants Face Big Unit in Season Debut

The sizzling Arizona Diamondbacks come in to AT&T Park for the first of a three-game series. The D-Backs, who struggled to score runs last year despite winning the division, lead the NL in just about every offensive category coming into tonight's game, led by youngsters like Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds. The big story, however, is the pitching matchup. 44-year old Randy Johnson will make his first start of the season after getting hit pretty hard in limited Spring action. The Giants will counter with 25-year old Jonathan Sanchez, who dominated the Padres in his last start and has struck out 18 hitters in 10 innings. Sanchez has drawn comparisons - mostly from Giants' fans - to the future Hall of Famer because of his lefty fastball-slider combo. He got hammered by the Brewers in his first start, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the hot-hitting D-Backs.

Pitching is the Key

Yesterday the Giants completed a four game series with a hot Cardinals team with a 7-4 win - earning a split. This homestand has shown a great turnaround for San Francisco, and while some hot hitting the past couple days have helped, the starting pitching has been doing exactly what it needs to. In fact, the last six starts by a Giants pitcher have been rather impressive. Just check out these lines:

4/08 - Tim Lincecum - 6 IP, 1 ER, 7 K
4/09 - Jonathan Sanchez - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 10 K
4/10 - Kevin Correia - 7.2 IP, 0 R
4/11 - Barry Zito - 6 IP, 1 ER
4/12 - Matt Cain - 6.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER
4/13 - Tim Lincecum - 6 IP, 11 K, 2 ER

Sucker Punch

Yesterday's Ginats-Cardinals game played out like a good punch to the stomach.

A Matt Cain no-hitter through six innings combined with a 5 run lead (lead by a home run from the pitcher) that turns into an 8-7 defeat in ten innings. It drummed up many a bad Giants memory. That being said, we're committed to not focusing on the negative, so here are a few of the positives I managed to draw from it:

-Matt Cain is still brilliant. After a tough outing last week, Cain returned to his usual self. He showed he's still got it with the bat, too. Bummer that we can't get him a win.
-The offense is starting to come around. Cain put himself up 1-0, but the rest of the offense followed suit. New callup John Bowker launched a 3-run bomb, while Fred Lewis whacked a timely two-out game-tying double in the bottom of the ninth. Keep those kids in there and we might score some runs.
-Eight years old, and Pac Bell AT&T Park still looks gorgeous on a Spring day in San Francisco.

Lewis On Fire

The Giants offense woke up against the Cardinals, scoring 21 runs in the four-game series. A lot of credit has to be given to Fred Lewis, who is getting his chance as an everyday player with the injury to Dave Roberts. Lewis batted leadoff in all four games and went 9-18, with six doubles and a triple. He raised his average up to .333, and he has an OPS of .997. Giants' fans shouldn't expect those numbers to stay so high, but Lewis is proving that there is in fact some reason for hope. With Roberts likely to be out a good chunk of the season, we should get a pretty good idea of what Fred Lewis is capable of this year.

John Bowker Is...

John Bowker homered for the second time in two major league games today, as the Giants salvaged a split with the Cardinals. As the previous post would suggest, not many Giants' fans are all that familiar with the team's newest outfielder. So here are a few things to know:

- Bowker was a third-round draft pick in 2004 out of Long Beach State, where he played with a more heralded prospect, Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria.
- Last year at Double-A Connecticut he hit .307 with an .886 OPS and 22 homers.
- Baseball America ranked him as the ninth best prospect in the Giants organization. According to BA, "He combines the ability to hit for average—he's a career .296 hitter—with pull power. The Giants love his aggressive approach and work ethic."

Who Is J. Bowker?

He hit a home run today and I don't even know who he is.

Vizquel Not Returning Soon

"I have no clue," says Omar Vizquel of his return, "no idea how long it's going to take now."

And Vizquel's so bummed, he can't even sit in the dugout. "I really wanted to be here, but I think I feel more depressed and worse when I'm here and seeing everybody running and jumping around and I am not."

This Is How I Feel Right Now

Barry Zito Wasn't Half Bad

...but Albert Pujols was just a little bit better.

I've decided that when reporting on the Giants, taking the "This team sucks and here's how last night's game proves it" strategy just ain't going to cut it for me. Chances are, the Giants won't make the playoffs and you have to look as these games as if we are playing for something else. I'm not saying this is how it should be (because it certainly is not how things should be) but it is what is. That being said, I am going to try and take the positives from every game.

Last night, Barry Zito looked good. He looked quite close to his old self. His Oakland A's self. His velocity was up on the fastball and he threw a couple of curveballs that were really sharp. I seriously thought he might have a win ... until a Ray Durham error gave Albert Pujols a chance and Albert Pujols did just exactly what you fear Albert Pujols will do. The Cardinals took a 4-2 lead and never looked back. All three runs were unearned, but Zito would still like that pitch back. "Letting Pujols beat me obviously spoiled anything about the game," Zito said. "But as far as having decent command and getting quicker outs, I was better than I was."

Next time out, I predict Zito improves to 1-3.

The Giants also made some pretty bad baserunning mistakes last night but - considering that I am still trying to get over today's gut-wrenching loss - I don't even feel like getting into it.

Barry Zito Needs Your Love

Come on, Giants fans. No booing Barry Zito! He needs all the support he can get going for his first win tonight. I have had a well-documented love affair with Zito in the blogosphere which has withered a bit with time because I've grown tired of defending a signing that everyone hates. My hope is the lefty can reinvent himself now that his fastball is not so fast. Charlie says he could become a Tom Glavine; I'll settle for Kirk Rueter.

4-6 and No Bar Fights

The Giants may be under .500 and getting mocked by The Onion for their lack of offense, but at least this story isn't about them.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Al Reyes was shocked with a stun gun and arrested early Friday after police say he fell against a ceramic pot in a bar, got up and picked a fight with a man he thought pushed him.

Reyes, treated at the scene for a cut on his nose, was charged with being in a fight that disturbed the peace. Eduardo Mora was charged with battery. Both men were released on their own recognizance, police said.

Witnesses told officers that Reyes, who turned 38 on Thursday, appeared to be intoxicated when he exchanged words with Mora, who punched the 6-foot-1, 240-pound pitcher in the face at the Hyde Park Cafe around 2:30 a.m.

Onion Mocks Giants' Offense

Now, I'm a little tired of stories about the Giants' terrible offense, but this, from the Onion, is actually pretty funny.

San Francisco Giants Band Together To Score Run

MILWAUKEE—The San Francisco Giants put aside their differences Sunday night, working together as a team in a common effort to score a run in a baseball game. The scrappy nine-man crew overcame daunting odds to cobble together the run, as each player used his individual strengths and skills to help string together an unlikely series of events—including a walk, advancement on a wild pitch, an infield single, and perhaps most selfless of all, a ground into double play—that ultimately resulted in a Giant crossing home plate. "This just shows you what a team can do when they put their mind to it," said Giants first-baseman Dan Ortmier, who was swarmed by his celebrating teammates at home plate after scoring the run. The Giants lost to the Brewers 12-1.

That's Called a Winning Streak

The Giants did something over the past couple days that I doubt many people expected they could do. They went head-to-head with the Padres bullpen twice and won both games. With that, they won their first series of 2008, against a team who they beat only four times all of 2007. Sure, we're still 3-6, but the nature of these last two victories has me feeling optimistic again. Some of the highlights:

- Jonathan Sanchez was brilliant after getting shelled in his first start against the Brewers. He went six innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out 10. The main concern with Sanchez has always been control, and in 10 innings this season he's walked only four while striking out 18!
- Fred Lewis made an outstanding play in left field. He made a difficult catch along the bullpen mound, and then made a perfect throw home to get Jim Edmonds tagging from third. Will sent me a text message earlier asking "Could Barry Bonds have turned that double play?" The answer is no on either end.
- And of course, there was Dan Ortmeier, now a right-handed hitter exclusively, coming up with the game-winning hit. Jose Castillo had just hit a rocket that was caught, and it would've been extremely disappointing to go to extra innings, which would not have favored the Giants. Maybe the new right-handed Ortmeier will merit another look at first base.
- On a somewhat disappointing note, the crowd of 30,310 was the lowest ever at AT&T Park. We're going to need to string a few more of these wins together.

The 7-2 Cardinals come in for four starting tonight. St. Louis is off to a hot start, but they're a team I think the Giants can compete with because of their pitching.

Dan Johnson? Nope

The Giants are looking for a left-handed-hitting first baseman but have no interest in Dan Johnson, whom the A's designated for assignment.

That settles that. Thanks Chronicle.

That Didn't Take Long

If you had "second week of the season" in your "When will Dave Roberts get hurt?" pool, you win! The Giants left fielder, who had the season with a 2-17, was placed on the 15-day DL Tuesday for his injured left knee, and may need surgery. On the bright side, this will give Fred Lewis, Rajai Davis, Eugenio Velez plenty of additional playing time. The Giants called up outfielder Clay Timpner from Fresno to fill Roberts' roster spot. You may be wondering why Timpner and not Nate Schierholtz. My guess is that the Giants want Schierholtz to get regular playing time, not just warm the bench. He also plays center field, and can back up the banged-up Aaron Rowand.

Dan Johnson to the Giants?

This rumor has been floating around since Spring Training and has come back into play with the A's designating onetime prospect Dan Johnson for assignment. The Giants are looking for some left-handed help at first base, and Johnson could be an option. Other names that have floated around: Nick Johnson from the Nationals and Scott Thorman from the Braves.

Walker Reemerges

Tyler Walker spent some time as the Giants closer back in 2005 - saving 23 games in 25 opportunities. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2006, he returned to the Giants rotation late last season, and has made his mark thus far in 2008. Last night, Walker earned a hold with a scoreless eighth that included two strikeouts. The day before, he limited the damage in the ninth against the Padres with an inning-ending double play. If Brian Wilson continues to struggle, I'd support giving Walker another shot at closer.

They Needed That One

Had the Giants lost yesterday ... man, I don't even want to think about it. That would have made the team 1-7 after an excruciatingly painful loss. The team got an oh-so-solid start from Tim Lincecum, plus two shutout bullpen innings before Brian Wilson blew the one-run lead in the ninth. Thankfully he minimized the damage, and Brad Hennessey came through with two more shutout innings, allowing the Giants to win it in the eleventh on Molina's timely jack.

Batting cleanup, Molina is off to a strong star and is currently the team leader in homers and RBIs. I was trying to think yesterday of who would be representing the Giants in this year's All-Star Game and I was thinking Molina, and potentially Lincecum.

I'm bummed Lincecum lost the chance to go 2-0, but nothing gets a team fired up like a walk-off. Let's hope this can be start of something ... anything!

Go Warriors!

While we pray for the Giants to acquire a left handed bat (and a whole new team!) let's take a moment to "believe" in the Warriors, who actually have a shot at the playoffs this season. After a 1-3 roadtrip, the Warriors are going to need a strong finish in their final five. They play Sacramento tonight. Fitz and Brooks on KNBR have revived a tradition they begun last year - playing Daughtry's "It's Not Over" on repeat...

A Bright Spot

I have a new favorite player, who is shining as one of few bright spots on the 2008 Giants - backup second baseman Eugenio Velez. Some of his recent highlights: on April 1, his pinch hit single against the Dodgers put the Giants up 2-0; a day later, he was batting leadoff. In his first at-bat, he worked the count full, ultimately drawing a walk, and proceeded to steal second easily. This is pretty indicative of what Velez is capable of. Bruce Jenkins says, "He's a triple waiting to happen." He has two already including one yesterday in the ninth when he could have easily phoned it in. Jenkins acknowledges that Velez "has some holes in his swing. The season's first week has shown him noticeably vulnerable to the breaking pitch, particularly low." This can all be corrected in time however.

Velez is also drawing attention on a national level, from the likes of Jayson Stark, who noted the speedster as his "Super Sub of the Week":

Super Sub Award: If Giants rookie Eugenio Velez's 14 stolen bases in spring training didn't get your attention, let's just say he hasn't let up. He came off the bench to get pinch hits in each of the Giants' first two games this season, earning him a start in the leadoff hole in Game 3. If Ray Durham doesn't pick it up, Velez won't qualify for this award anymore -- because he'll be playing every day.

Sounds good - move Ray to the bench and station Velez at leadoff.

In a season where you mostly want to shield your eyes, Velez is just about as good a reason as any to keep your eyes peaking at the orange and black.

This Fan Says It All

Smooth Jazz?

Quite possibly the biggest sign that the Giants don't have a clue: It's been hard to muster up a whole lot of excitement for 2008 Giants - however excitement can at least be faked for the home opener. So how do the Giants build that momentum - with a not-so-rousing National Anthem performed by smooth jazz master Chris Botti. It has lead me to coin a new slogan to replace "All Out, All Season" - "The 2008 Giants: The Smooth Jazz of Major League Baseball."

The Giants: Only As Bad As You Think

As the Giants get set for their home opener later this afternoon, I'd like to take a moment to boast about how they have proved all the critics wrong. I read one anonymous scout's comments in ESPN the Magazine a couple weeks back, when he stated the Giants were not as bad as you think ... but worse! Well, anonymous scout, it looks like the Giants are only as bad as we thought - not any worse. Let the facts speak for themselves - Barry Zito is struggling, Cain isn't but can't get any run support, the old guys aren't driving in runs, Lincecum looks sharp, Eugenio Velez is really fast, and the team is averaging 2.2 runs a game. None of this is defying expectations - and bonus points for having a better record than the Detroit Tigers! Who could have seen that coming? Besides, I took a look at the standings and we are only tied for last with Colorado ... that actually puts us in fourth place. Expectations exceeded once more. Go Giants!

Finally, A Win

If the Giants have any hope of avoiding 100 losses, they are going to have to win a lot of games like last night's 2-1 victory over the Dodgers. By that I don't mean winning more rain-delayed games with Tim Lincecum coming out of the bullpen and then scoring the winning run. For the most part, last night's game was a model of what the Giants need to do, and didn't do last year. Strong pitching, with a couple good situational at-bats, and a strong bullpen on the end. Who knows if they'll be able to consistently get that, but hey, we won't be 0-162!

Dodger Fans Miss Barry Too

Maybe I was hearing things, but during the bottom of the fifth inning last night, I could have sworn I heard the Dodger faithful chanting "BAR-RY SUCKS!" I assume they didn't mean Barry Zito. I guess Dodger fans are in denial now that they have no one to boo. "BEN-GIE SUCKS" doesn't have quite the same ring to it. I wonder if tonight we'll hear chants of "BAAAL-CO."

The more things change, the more the stay the same

Matt Cain held the Dodgers scoreless and the Giants responded by not scoring a run while he was in the game.

Further proof the young guys should be playing more: The Giants RBI leaders are currently Brian Bocock and Eugenio Velez.

Jose Canseco Talks To ESPN

I was going to blacklist Jose Canseco on this blog ... but writing about him is just more fun than writing about the state of the Giants right now. The juicer sat down with ESPN yesterday for an interview that proves a bit more compelling than his sit down on Nightline.

Quotes and Observations From Opening Day

Jeff Kent hitting a home run off Barry Zito in the first inning of the first game of the season is one of the worst omens you could think of.

"People are looking for any kind of negative about this ballclub. We're going to do our best to focus on the job at hand. We're going to find ways to win. Obviously, today didn't go as planned. Now, we've got to focus on tomorrow." -Dave Roberts

"We made a couple of mental mistakes. Throwing to the wrong base, getting picked off when we're five runs down ... those are the things we've got to learn from. Every day we've got to learn something and get better." -Bruce Bochy

"The bottom line is, we need to do a better job getting hits." -Aaron Rowand

"The number of hits wasn't as disturbing as the authority behind them. The Dodgers made great contact, getting nothing on the cheap. The radar gun offered another bad verdict. For the most part, Zito didn't throw harder than 84 mph all day. He knows his fastball has lost velocity, and doesn't quite understand why." -Gween Knapp on Barry Zito.

"Right now, it's 84-85 at the high end, which obviously is frustrating for me. You've got a look at, usually when things like this happen, it's either an injury, which it is not, or it's something mechanical. So, you know, I'm always learning and trying to get better, and those things and obviously looking at old tapes and things like that and want to get that 88-89 back, and I'm sure it's just a small tweak away." -Barry Zito

"I have been getting a lot of emails asking what I’ve been up to this past off-season. This winter has been the first time in my career that I’ve had the chance to take time for myself and really enjoy the time off. While at home with my family I have been able to work out of my office concentrating on my various companies, attending meetings as well as making a few business trips." -Barry Bonds