The 25th Man

Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean have both strongly hinted that the Giants will break camp with only 11 pitchers. This would create room for one more position player. I'm going to assume a bench of Steve Holm, Rich Aurillia, Juan Uribe, Eugenio Velez, and Nate Schierholtz is fairly set. If Kevin Frandsen wins the second base job, Emmanuel Burriss will likely start the year in Fresno to get regular playing time. If Burriss is the starter on Opening Day, my guess is Frandsen gets the last roster spot. Here are some other candidates.

John Bowker: Bowker showed a great deal of promise during the first two months of 2008, but the league eventually caught up to him and he was sent back to Triple-A. He possesses a skill the Giants desperately need: power. But it's hard to find a place for him on this team. He's below Travis Ishikawa on the depth chart at first base because of defensive ability, and Nate Schierholtz fills the need for a left-handed hitting outfielder off the bench. Bowker will probably make the team of Schierholtz continues to be bothered by injuries, but that's probably his best chance.

Jesus Guzman: Signed as a minor league free agent out of the A's organization, the corner infielder, who dominated the Venezuelan Winter League, has continued to hit this Spring. Of his nine hits, eight have gone for extra bases (five doubles, one triple, two home runs). Defense is a big concern, and the Giants would likely prefer that he get some work in at Triple-A, where he could also get regular at-bats. But he can certainly hit, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in a platoon at first base at some point this season.

Brian Bocock: If Emmanuel Burriss starts the year in Fresno, the Giants may want a better backup option at shortstop. Right now, that role would probably be filled by Juan Uribe. Bocock's glove is major-league ready. His bat is definitely not, but if his ceiling is no better than a backup infielder, the team may not care whether or not he plays every day.

Andres Torres: This is the guy who I think has the best chance of making the team. The 31-year old journeyman outfielder, who hasn't played in the majors since 2005, could occasionally spell Aaron Rowand in center field, and be a late-inning pinch runner. He doesn't need regular at-bats because of his age and non-prospect status, which may make him the best fit on the Opening Day roster.