Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle gave some insights on the game today. Schulman said first baseman Aubrey Huff summed up his entire reputation by hitting a monster homer to right-center on his first pitch as a Giant. Then, in the bottom of the first, he dropped his first throw from an infielder, allowing Ichiro Suzuki to reach on an error.
Tim Lincecum threw 33 pitches in his lone inning and said he is having the same balance issues he has every spring.
“First game, excuses aside, I felt a little more amped up,” he said. “My arm was ahead of my body, I wasn’t using my legs and my front side was leaking out, and the ball was riding into the right-handed box.”
As Lincecum was talking to reporters, Ken Griffey Jr walked in, introduced himself and shook hands with Lincecum, who rooted for Griffey as a kid.
King of Cali thoughts: I know this is just Spring Training, so you can take the games as just practice. It seems like anything a player does in spring is just taken in a positive way. Like if Lincecum doesn’t have a good outing. People may say it’s because he’s working on something. If someone has a good game it’s because they are hot and ready for the season.
In all honesty no one knows what each player is working on when they are playing these games. I know some guys pretend their is a runner on first and try to hit to the right side, so I hope no one takes their favorite players performances to seriously in these games. The players that are trying to win spots on the team are a different story. I’m sure Madison Bumgarner isn’t going to go out there and try to look bad. He’s going to try to dominate and show he should be the 5th man in the rotation.
Chris Haft of MLB.com chimes in on John Bowker. Bowker possesses more power than any other Giants with the possible exception of first baseman Aubrey Huff. Bowker has recorded his best numbers in the high Minor Leagues, since he has tended to swing over-anxiously during his stints in San Francisco in the previous two seasons.
Bruce Bochy said “Johnny has the power to this the ball out of any ballpark anywhere, [even] right-center in our ballpark.”
Bowker thrived last year at Triple-A Fresno, where he led the Pacific Coast League in batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.451) and slugging percentage (.596) while amassing 21 homers and 83 RBI’s in just 366 at-bats.
King of Cali thoughts: Bowker doesn’t seem like the same player in San Francisco than he does in Fresno. He starts to press and looks over-matched. He’s only going to get more comfortable in San Francisco with more at-bats. The power is there. It’s just getting him to his comfort zone at the plate. I really do see him turning into a major league player in the near future. He’s only got one option left, so he may not make the opening day roster.
One good thing is he does have the same hitting coach as he did in Fresno. He might be able to keep Bowker’s head in the game at the plate. If he can get hot at the plate and show some power. You better believe Bochy will find ways to get his power bat into the lineup. He can play left, right and first base.
Chris Haft of MLB.com gives us some mixed injury news. He reports that Freddy Sanchez said that his surgically repaired left shoulder was healing ahead of schedule. Sanchez will begin taking ground balls this week. He’s still unsure whether he’d be ready to play by Opening Day (April 5th in Houston).
Haft reports that Travis Ishikawa tore two ligaments in his left foot in a mishap at home three weeks ago and will not participate in workouts until early March. He slipped while descending a stairway. The injury is described as an extreme case of “turf toe.”
Ishikawa will be re-examined on Feb. 26 an he hopes to avoid an operation.
King of Cali thoughts: Well this isn’t the worse news possible, so lets be happy that Sanchez is on the right track. We need to get his bat in the lineup sooner rather than later. He will be a big key to sparking rally’s in-front of Pablo Sandoval, Aubrey Huff and Mark DeRosa. This isn’t really a sexy lineup, but I’m starting to really feel it. Baseball is in the air Giants fans!
The Ishikawa news is sad for him to start off hurt, but I’m just glad it’s not a key player that were banking on. Now with this injury and possibly surgery. I wonder if this will give the Giants more reason to get Buster Posey some playing time at first base. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
Today was the day that the Giants and Tim Lincecum had their arbitration hearing. It’s been reported that they were outside and asked for a little time so they can work out a deal before going in the arbitration room. Well they got the time they needed, because they got a two-year deal worked out. Lincecum and the Giants agreed to two years at $23 million. Lincecum will get $8 million this year, and $13 million next year. Yes, I know that doesn’t add up to $23 million. The remaining $2 million is going to be paid as a signing bonus, which will be paid over the two years.
Now that Lincecum has been signed. The Giants are pretty much set to start spring training. I don’t see anymore signings happening before the season starts. There has been a lot of players that have been linked to the Giants this offseason. Below is a list that SF Giants Rumors put together of who’s in for 2010.
Key Additions
Aubrey Huff - 1B (free agent from Detroit Tigers)
The Giants are hoping Huff can return to his 2008 form with the Baltimore Orioles. Where he hit .304 with 32 homers and 108 RBI’s
2009- Huff had a down year. He batted .253 with 13 homers in Baltimore in 110 games. He was then traded to the Detroit Tigers where he hit .189 with 2 homers in 40 games.
Contract – 1 Year, $3 Million (2010)
Career – .282 AVG 203 HR’s
Mark DeRosa - IF/OF (free agent from ST. Louis Cardinals)
DeRosa will likely play left field for the Giants. The Giants are penciling him in to the 5th spot of the order where they are hoping he can turn into a RBI machine.
2009 – DeRosa started the year out with the Cleveland Indians and then was later traded to the St Louis Cardinals. DeRosa played 71 games for the Indians and batted .270 with 13 homers.
For the Cardinals he hit .228 with 10 homers in 68 games.
Contract – 2 Years, $12 Million (10-11)
Career – .275 AVG with 92 HR’s
Bengie Molina - C (re-signed by the San Francisco Giants)
The Giants shocked me with the signing of Molina. I mean if you would have asked me before if I would love Molina back for 4.5 million for 1 year. I would have have said yes in a heartbeat. I am ready for the Posey era but it can wait a bit for Molina. Pitchers love to pitch to him. Now we don’t need to replace his production of 20 homers and 80 RBI’s. The best part of it is he’s going to hit 6th in the lineup. He’s out of the cleanup spot. Molina wanted a muliti-year deal so the Giants counted themselves out of the hunt. The Mets didn’t give him what he wanted, he decided to pass the Mets $5 million offer to sign with the Giants for $4.5 million for one year.
2009 – .265 AVG with 20 HR’s and 80 RBI’s
Contract – 1 Year, $4.5 Million (2010)
Career- .276 AVG with 139 HR’s
Juan Uribe - IF (re-signed by the San Francisco Giants)
Uribe was the hottest Giants hitter towards the end of the season. He was having big hits and big homers. This Guy was a true asset to bring back because he can play multiple positions and he has some pretty good pop too. If Renteria isn’t pulling his weight. Uribe can force himself into the starting role at SS when Sanchez is back and healthy.
2009 – .289 AVG with 16 homers and 55 RBI’s in 122 games
Jon Heyman of SI.com gives his eight teams that he says have been losers this offseason, at least for the months of November through February. The Giants are listed as the #4 team, so I guess that’s better than the worst team which happens to be the New York Mets.
Heyman says the Giants brought in a collection of hitters – Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe and Bengie Molina, but ignored the two true middle of the order threats that were available (Jason Bay and Matt Holliday) and badly needed.
King of Cali thoughts: I don’t think the Giants really are losers this offseason. No we didn’t get that one big bat that we have said we needed for the last two years. We did however upgrade our offense. No, it’s not the Yankees lineup. This team does have the potential to score more runs this year. We still are missing our ideal leadoff hitter, and we have no team speed. We do however have some decent hitters.
2010 Projected Lineup
1. Aaron Rowand CF
2. Freddy Sanchez 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval 3B
4. Aubrey Huff 1B
5. Mark DeRosa LF
6. Bengie Molina C
7. Nate Schierholtz RF
8. Edgar Renteria SS
9. Tim Lincecum P
Now we all know this lineup is subject to change. If Sanchez isn’t ready for opening day. The Giants will likely start Juan Uribe and 2nd base. Which means the lineup would need some shuffling.
This was the 2009 Starting Lineup.
1. Randy Winn RF
2. Edgar Renteria SS
3. Fred Lewis LF
4. Bengie Molina C
5. Pablo Sandoval 3B
6. Travis Ishikawa 1B
7. Aaron Rowand CF
8. Emmanuel Burriss 2B
9. Tim Lincecum P
Now by the looks of that. I would say we are definitely starting off this season with a better starting lineup than last year. Would you say the Giants are losers this offseason?
Mark DeRosa did a phone interview today with Murph & Mac on KNBR. DeRosa was on his way to the airport to fly out to San Francisco, so he can be here for Fan Fest. DeRosa was close to signing with the Giants before he signed with the Chicago Cubs three years ago. He said the Cubs made him an offer that he couldn’t refuse.
DeRosa feels like the Giants are on a verge of something great. Tim Lincecum has won two Cy Young’s, Matt Cain is one of the better pitchers in the league, and Barry Zito had a strong second half of the season. He thinks if the Giants can offensively give this pitching staff some early runs. The sky is the limit.
DeRosa said Pablo Sandoval, Aubrey Huff and him sound good as 3-4-5 hitters in the lineup. He thinks the 5 hole in the lineup is a RBI spot to drive in runs. He said he really doesn’t care where he hits. He will let Bruce Bochy figure out the lineup and where he will play defensively.
DeRosa closes out the interview by saying he’s never liked the Dodgers, so now that he’s a Giants. He can hate them (was said while laughing). Are you excited to have DeRosa on board?
Dan Uggla – The Giants have been linked to Uggla all offseason. The Marlins wanted Jonathan Sanchez in the deal. The Giants have lost Randy Johnson (retired) and Brad Penny (Cardinals). With that said I’m sure that’s why the Giants felt like they couldn’t part with J-Sanchez.
Nick Johnson – It was reported that the Giants had an offer on the table for Johnson, but he decided to take less money to sign with the Yankees ($5.5 million). The Giants had upped their offer to Johnson to $6 million, but that wasn’t tempting enough to land him.
Johnny Damon – The Giants have been linked to Damon. This is because it’s been known that the Giants needed a outfielder and leadoff hitter. When the Giants decided Mark DeRosa was going to be in left-field. That pretty much shut the door on any Damon signing in San Francisco. Damon is still a free agent, so let’s wait and see where he lands.
Adam LaRoche – The Giants had a two year contract offer on the table for LaRoche. He declined it, and the Giants ended up signing Aubrey Huff. LaRoche signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a one year contract for less money ($4.5 million). The Giants had offered him a 2-year contract worth $17 million.
Eric Byrnes – The Giants never came out and said they were interested in signing Byrnes. KNBR the Giants Flagship station had Byrnes on the air a couple times and he made it public he wouldn’t mind playing for the Giants. Byrnes has since signed with the Seattle Mariners for the league minimum ($400,000). The Arizona Diamondbacks are paying his remaining $11 million that they owe him before they released him.
Chris Haft of MLB.com reports that the Giants have traded Merkin Valdez to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations. The Giants designated Valdez for assignment to clear a roster spot for first baseman Aubrey Huff.
King of Cali thoughts: Merkin was the guy that I always was waiting for him to get it together. He was a top prospect that we received when the Giants traded Russ Ortiz to the Atlanta Braves. Merkin has battled some injuries and still has the potential to be a good pitcher. He throws very hard still, but doesn’t have much movement on his fastball. I wish him well and hope he can get it together in Toronto.
Jon Heyman of SI.com says Giants people are hurt that Adam LaRoche turned them down to take a lower offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks. It remains a mystery to them why LaRoche chose Arizona. The Giants wound up signing Aubrey Huff for $3 million instead but still wouldn’t appear to have enough offense to go with their deluxe pitching.
King of Cali thoughts: I’m glad LaRoche chose the D-Backs. Now it gives us someone to really boo hard when the D-backs come to town. I’m actually glad the Giants turned around and signed Huff. Huff has a lot of power and I’m sure he would love to prove himself by having a bounce back year. The Giants got him for a cheap deal, so this can turn out to be another steal deal for Sabean in two consecutive years. Juan Uribe was the steal deal of last year. He was signed for one year, $1 million. Why do you think LaRoche turned down a two-year $17 million contract and sign for less with the D-Backs?
The Razor & Mr. T (Ralph & Tom) did a phone interview with Aubrey Huff. Huff said he’s excited to come play in the NL West. He’s been in the AL East pretty much his whole career. Huff knew he was coming off a bad year, and was just hoping teams would look past that and look at his career numbers.
He’s played with or against only two players (Aaron Rowand & Mark DeRosa) on the Giants, so he’s going to have a hard time getting to know all his new teammates.
Huff said he was told that he would be playing first base and a little outfield. He will be in the cleanup spot in the lineup. He said he’s not a homers guy. Most of his homers have been line drives, so he thinks this park is good for him. He’s a doubles guy, so it’s a perfect park.
Huff said he loves the cool weather, so that won’t be a problem for him playing in San Francisco.
King of Cali thoughts: I must admit… I’m pretty excited now to see Huff play. I think this signing is going to be like the Uribe signing last year. We are getting him for dirt cheap. I think my Garlic Fries and beer cost more then what we paid for Huff. He’s out of the AL East, so he doesn’t have to face Beckett, Sabathia, Burnett and Matsuzaka. We all know the AL East teams are always trying to revamp their pitching, so I think being in the NL West will only help Huff at the plate.
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle gave some insights on the game today. Schulman said first baseman Aubrey Huff summed up his entire reputation by hitting a monster homer to right-center on his first pitch as a Giant. Then, in the bottom of the first, he dropped his first throw from an infielder, allowing Ichiro Suzuki to reach on an error.
Chris Haft of MLB.com gives us some mixed injury news. He reports that 
