Erik Swanson and Brian Helfrich of Sports Business Daily have done it again! They share with us the results of their exclusive survey of 50 sports business execs and media personalities. This time it’s the MLB’s Most Marketable Under The Age of 25.  

MLB’s Most Marketable Players Under The Age of 25   

1. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals  

2. Evan Longoria, Rays  

3. Jason Heyward, Braves  

4. David Price, Rays

 5. Bryce Harper, Nationals

 6. Phil Hughes, Yankees

7. Ike Davis, Mets

8. Pablo Sandoval, Giants

9. Felix Hernandez, Mariners

10. Matt Wieters, Orioles

11. Colby Rasmus, Cardinals

t12. Austin Jackson, Tigers

t12. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

t12. Mike Leake, Reds

t15. Clay Buchholz, Red Sox

t15. Mike Stanton, Marlins

17. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

t18. Buster Posey, Giants

t18. Justin Upton, Diamondbacks

t20. Starlin Castro, Cubs

t20. Drew Storen, Nationals

The San Francisco Giants have two players on the list. The Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval) and Buster Posey. I’m sure if they do this survey again in the near future, Madison Bumgarner will be added to the list. The Giants future isn’t looking too shabby!

~King of Cali

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This is the road trip that Bruce Bochy is showing he’s in control of this Giants party bus. The San Francisco Giants are currently 3-1 on this trip. Taking 2-out-of-3 from the Pittsburgh Pirates and game one against the Cincinnati Reds.    

Bochy has made some statements on this trip, and basically telling these guys if you’re not hitting then you’re not playing. The very first bold statement was dropping Pablo Sandoval in the lineup to the 8th spot. He’s also started Pat Burrell in left field and sat the slumping Aaron Rowand. The young phenom Buster Posey got his first start behind the plate this year and Bengie Molina had a nice view from the bench. Bochy is making it clear on this road trip that he’s going to go with who’s swinging the bat, and not by who’s bankroll may be a little larger.  

Molina is really slumping bad right now (4-for-52 slump), but I wouldn’t say the Giants are phasing him out at this point. There is so many up’s and downs during a season. Guys are going to get hot and cold at various times. Bochy’s job is to try to get everyone enough AB’s to keep them fresh. With that said though. I would still go with the hottest hitters at all times. The Giants have a lot of guys that can move around the diamond, so it’s very easy to mix and match lineups to go with the hot bats.

 I was asked on SF Giants Rumors Facebook. If I had control of the lineup what would it be? Position and order? Well Jeff Z. from Facebook. You asked and you shall receive my Giants lineup.

This would be my starting lineup for tonight.

CF Andres Torres

2B Freddy Sanchez

3B Pablo Sandoval

1B Aubrey Huff

SS Juan Uribe

C  Buster Posey

LF Pat Burrell

RF Nate Schierholtz

P  Matt Cain

I look forward to seeing comments with your starting lineup!

~King of Cali

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The San Francisco Giants were able to avoid the sweep and salvage the final game of the 3 game series with the Colorado Rockies. Although the Giants were almost swept by the Rockies. They are 5-2 in their last 7 games. I’m trying to look at the positives and group it as a 7 game stretch, and not saying they lost 2 out of the last 3. Just trying to get that positive vibe going. With our offense on life-support. We can use all the good vibes as possible.  

The Giants still need to figure out ways to score more runs. They are 24-6 when scoring 4+ runs. Which means if they can scratch out a few more runs a game. They can have a pretty decent record, and continue to make this NL West race a tight one. We do need more offense, and I’m sure glad Buster Posey is living up to the hype! With that said, they still can’t count on him to be on fire the whole time. Eventually he will cool off and hit a dry spell. Other players on this team need to step up. Maybe Pablo Sandoval will get hot and carry the team on his back for a while.  

Last night’s win over the Rockies was the Giants 12th comeback win of the season. It’s nice to see them have some comeback wins. Last year when they got behind. You could chalk it up as a loss, and just start to focus on the next game. Which shows that they do have a better hitting team than last year. Just not good enough unfortunately. Only time will tell if Brian Sabean will pull the trigger at the trading deadline. To get more offensive help in San Francisco.  

~King of Cali  

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Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle said when the San Francisco Giants checked into their San Diego hotel, there was a room key with Freddy Sanchez’s name just in case.  

Now this has been an ongoing issue. I keep hearing people say Sanchez should step up and should already have joined the team. That he lacks toughness. People have to understand that if you’re coming off an injury. You really want to be sure you’re 100%. You don’t want to rush back and risk injury again. A doctor can tell you when you should be back on the field, but that’s not set in stone. No one really knows how your body is. Only the player coming off the injury really knows when they feel 100%.  

Sanchez is expected to join the team tomorrow in Arizona, as the Giants face the Diamondbacks. No, he’s not going to dramatically change the everyday lineup. He will however make an impact in it. He’s a career .299 (avg) hitter. He’s also a 3 time All Star, and has won the National League Batting Title in 2006. He’s no Babe Ruth, but he’s going to get his hits and will be on base for Pablo Sandoval, Aubrey Huff and Bengie Molina.

Side Notes

 The Jermaine Dye rumor will never die till he’s signed by a team. It’s not likely the Giants will sign him. They know he had a horrible 2nd half of the season last year. He’s also demanding a hefty asking price and clearly a liability in the outfield. I don’t see the Giants feeling desperate enough to pull the trigger on that deal. They will be waiting for a player to step up, or for everyone to be healthy and on the field at the same time.

Mark DeRosa was quoted as saying “I hope and pray I get back into the lineup within a week, be productive and do what I was brought here to do, which is go to the playoffs and win a World Series.”

The Giants are 0-7 against the San Diego Padres this year. Let’s just chalk up the remaining 11 games with the Padres as losses, and let’s rest all of our players on those days. Who’s with me?

~King of Cali

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The San Francisco Giants dropped another game to the San Diego Padres, and now are on the verge of getting swept at home. I’m really not sure who owns the Giants right now, cause it seems like the Padres do to me. The Giants really need to get the bats going. You can’t win games if you can’t score runs. It’s the same story as last year right now. They are not able to score and drive in runs when they have men on base.  

There is one hot bat in the line up right now. That’s first baseman Aubrey Huff. Huff is now second on the team in batting average and has passed Pablo Sandoval in that department. Huff is currently hitting .286 (AVG) with 4 homers and 17 RBI’s. I would say he’s definitely starting to feel comfortable in a Giants uniform. Did you think that’s it with Huff’s stats? Nope there’s more! He has the 3rd highest AVG in the NL since April 30th. He’s hit .425 (17-40) since that date. Let’s just hope the Giants can get some guys on base in today’s game, so he can get a chance to do some damage!  

Side Notes

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says the Giants are expected to decide by Friday whether to place Mark DeRosa on the disabled list.

Now I’m not sure how Giants fans feel about this? Do you think DeRosa should just close up shop and get surgery now, or just play through it and get it during the offseason? Either way this goes. It’s going to be a split decision. I have heard fans say he can play hurt, but is that what we really want? Do we want to see him struggle at the plate or give other guys a chance like John Bowker?

~King of Cali  

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The National League West showdown starts tonight! The hot San Diego Padres come marching into AT&T Park. Now they might not be marching in. It’s probably more like limping in. Although they are at the top of the NL West. Bill Center of The San Diego Union Tribune says the Padres are playing good baseball, but have key elements of their offense struggling.

 He’s noted that since the start of May, five key hitters are struggling. These players are Adrian Gonzalez (3-20), Will Venable (4-21), Jerry Hairston Jr. (4-21), Tony Gwynn (2-19) and Kyle Blanks (2-15). Sounds like a perfect time to me for the Padres to make their way to San Francisco.

 We aren’t exactly hitting the cover off of the ball ourselves, but we have some guys that have a nice swing going (Aaron Rowand). We just need Pablo Sandoval to find his stroke, and drive some runs in.

Barry Zito will take the hill tonight and he’s looking like he wants to start the All Star Game, or collect his Cy Young Award now. I know, we shouldn’t count our chickens before they hatch. It’s just hard not to enjoy this streak that Zito is on right now. He’s fallen from the graces and now it’s nice to see Giants fans get behind this guy. No, he will never live up to his $126 million dollar contract (not really possible for any pitcher). Even though he has started off this season with a  5-0 record and a 1.49 ERA. Do you think Zito can keep up this outstanding pitching all year?

~King of Cali  

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The San Francisco Giants (18-12) are back from a two city road trip. It started in Florida and ended in New York. It was a good and disappointing trip at the same time. The Giants were able to sweep the Florida Marlins (14-17) and then lost two out of three to the New York Mets (17-14).   The Giants could have easily won one or both of the games they lost to the Mets. I just don’t have any confidence in them once the game is tied in the late innings. Both times in my head I was already expecting them to lose, and both times I was right. Does that make me Nostradamus? The trip was still a successful one. You can’t be mad at a 4-2 trip to Florida and New York.

 Who Was Hot & Who Was Not?

Aaron Rowand was the man on this trip. He hit .357 (AVG) with 3 homers and 11 RBI’s. He had at least 2 RBI’s a game except Saturday’s game in New York. He’s looking like a man on a mission out there. He’s playing great defense and showing he’s capable of coming up with big hits when they count!  

Now the Kung Fu Panda on the other hand is in a nose dive headed straight to the ground. Pablo Sandoval is in his worse slump, so far in his big league career. He’s 3 for 37 in the month of May. That’s an .081 AVG right smack in the middle of our lineup so far during this May stretch. He was hitting .368 at the end of April and now his overall AVG has dropped to .282. Which still is the best average on the Giants.

Sandoval went 3 for 29 on this road trip (.103 AVG). His first two hits came on the first day of the road trip in Florida. I believe a hot or average Sandoval would have helped the Giants scratch out another win or two in New York. I really believe he’s going to get out of his funk in this homestand. Nothing like some home cooking (or fast food) to get you right back on track!

The Giants are now home to face the San Diego Padres (19-12) and the Houston Astros (10-21). I’m really glad the Giants have the Padres at home this time around. For whatever reason we just cant’ go down south and play well against these Padres. Does anyone have any logical reason why? Please let me know if you do, because this is a mystery to me.

~King of Cali  

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The Giants had a great home-stand against some very “Built Ford Tough” (hope Ford send me a check for that plug) teams. It was a 6-3 record against the ST. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies. The Giants had a chance to sweep each team, but dropped the finale in each series.

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Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says John Bowker is not starting very much for a guy that won the right field job. Andres Torres has been getting the starts against left-handed pitchers.

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1st and 2nd Inning

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