Durham Beats Out Frandsen

Oh, Kevin Frandsen came to camp with a suspicious "new" body and a boatload of confidence. Then they put him at short for a couple games and it all went to shit. After some much-hyped competition, it seems pretty clear Ray Durham will be wheeling out to second on opening day in Los Angeles. (Yay?).

Lest we remind you yet again that Durham is in a contract year and that does tend to have a certain magical effect on him when it comes to offense.

No worries about Frandsen, though - he'll get plenty of time around the infield ... just not at short.

So, what do you think? Has Durham proven himself enough, or should the Giants be ready to yank him from that lineup card at the slightest hint of inconsistency?

Who Needs Home Runs? Um, Ray Durham Does

The Giants are doing all they can to make sure fans know what they are in for - this team isn't going to hit so much as its going to run ... and not stop running. That's what Roberto Kelly is preaching at Spring Training:

Speed is exciting. We're going to have to use it as much as we can. We're going to be more aggressive on the bases. The guys who didn't run as much or steal as much and know they can steal, they're going to be asked to steal more and get the offense going.

Kelly's even making sure the pitchers are ready to run - "don't use the excuse that 'I'm a pitcher and I'm not supposed to run the bases well" - and nothing puts fans in the seats like pitchers stealing bases.

Of course, while the running may be enough for the other 24 guys on the roster, Ray Durham is going to have to impress a little with the bat this Spring Training. A season removed from hitting .218, Durham arrives at camp with the knowledge that second is not his to lose. Newly muscular Kevin Frandsen has said some fighting words for Durham this offseason, but the vet seems unphased: "If he beats me out, he beats me out," Durham said of Frandsen. "Then again, nothing against him, I don't see myself losing this job. I've been around a long time. I know what I need to do, and I've got to go out and do it."

Who do you want to see at second?

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.