Giant of the First Half (Will's Pick)

Each week Will and Charlie pick a "Giant of the Week." To kick off this feature, each writer is selecting a "Giant of the First Half."

Will's Pick: John Bowker
.274, 9 HR, 38 RBI

Tim Lincemcum is the obvious choice, and Brian Wilson deserves serious consideration as well. But Giants fans were told to anticipate promising young pitching. The questions that lingered into the start of the season - what would the offense look like and are there any promising hitters in this organization? While the Giants offense has floundered at times, both Bowker and Fred Lewis have shown a level of progress that is invigorating. Bowker is the most pleasant surprise of all. The young outfielder provided a shot of adrenaline, homering in his first two big league games. Despite slumps here and there, he leads the team in homers, while also batting a respectable .274. The team quickly converted him to first base with the outfield already crowded. Working with J.T. Snow, Bowker does have natural instincts for the position. He hasn't been perfect, but his willingness to work at the position consistently shows why Bowker is the kind of player this team needs to keep around. Only in his first big league season, and Bowker already looks like a leader both with his numbers and with the example he sets.