A trio of strong pitching performances overcame tepid hitting as the San Francisco Giants took two out of three games at home over the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend. 

In the opener, Jonathan Sanchez threw 6 2/3 shutout innings, surrendering two hits as the Giants stopped a six game skid with a 2-0 victory. 

In the middle game, Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum corrected his mechanics and struck out 13 over 8 shutout innings, surrendering a mere five hits and walking none.  Unfortunately, counterpart Doug Davis was equally as stingy, scattering 8 hits over 8 shutout innings, as the floor fell through for the combination of Jeremy Affeldt and Brian Wilson in the ninth, each giving up a run, as Arizona prevailed 2-0. 

In the rubber match, Randy Johnson carried a no-hitter into the seventh, striking out 7.  The complete gem was foiled by a leadoff double by Augie Ojeda in that frame.  However, Johnson worked around the jam and teamed with Bob Howry and Brian Wilson to complete the one-hit, 2-0 victory. 

The good news from the series:  1)  the starting pitching was awesome.  21 2/3 shutout innings is nothing to sneeze at.  This is what was expected of the staff this year.  Brian Wilson had two saves in the series.  Excellent.  2) Pablo Sandoval seems to be snapping out of his slump.  He went 3-4 in the final game with a triple.  Maybe that can end up being contagious. 

The bad news from the series:  1)  the lineup was atrocious.  For the series, they scored a whopping 4 runs.  If the starting pitching wasn’t insanely awesome, we’re looking at a nine game skid.  Travis Ishikawa had an RBI via sacrifice fly on Sunday.  That was nice.  However, he’s been on a horrible stretch for the last nine games.  I love him as a starter, but he needs to start taking first pitches.  They’re tossing him breaking balls at the ankles and he ends up down 0-1 right off the bat (this comes from scouting reports).  If he took the first pitch on five straight at bats, he’d notice improved results at the plate.  Almost guaranteed.  2)  Brian Wilson gave more evidence that that, if it’s not a save situation, he probably shouldn’t be out there.   He got beat up in those situations last season and did on Saturday.  However, a job of a closer is to strand inherited runners.  Perhaps he just needs a little more work in non-save situations.   Dunno.

All in all, good results this weekend.  Just would like to see the bats come alive.  The flip-flopping of Emmanuel Burriss and Edgar Renteria in the lineup is a great idea.  I think that Ishikawa should be dropped in the lineup.  Leave him at seven until he learns how to hit again.  Aaron Rowand’s earned moving up to six.  I didn’t like seeing Fred Lewis lead off on Sunday.  Hopefully this is only a one game thing.  Sandoval flashed some nice leather this weekend.  He’s picking up the position quite well.

Giants off on Monday.  Resume play on Tuesday as they send sizzling Matt Cain against Jake Peavey and the likewise hot San Diego Padres.  Let’s remember to bring some bats this time around, guys.  See you there.

The San Francisco Giants made their final roster moves, with some surprises, heading in to Tuesday’s opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

In trimming back to the final 25, the team decided to go with a 12 man pitching staff, designating Luis Perdomo for assignment while purchasing the contract of Brandon Medders from AAA Fresno.  As Perdomo is a Rule 5 pickup, they will have to offer him back to the St. Louis Cardinals since he’s not remaining on the 25 man roster.  More on that as it develops. 

In other moves, the Giants optioned catcher Steve Holm to Fresno, leaving them with just one full time catcher in Benjie Molina.  Third baseman Pablo Sandoval will moonlight as a backup backstop until later in the season (probably right after the first month, which is laden with off days, and at which time the Giants will have a little better idea of the type of team that they are fielding), when Holm is expected to be recalled.  Relief pitcher Justin Miller was reassigned to minor league camp.  Expect him back some time this season.  Also, the contracts of Juan Uribe and Rich Aurilia were purchased from Fresno.  Both veterans will start the season on the Giants roster.  Finally, pitcher Noah Lowry and reliever Sergio Romo will both open the season on the 15 day disabled list. 

The 2009 San Francisco Giants opening day roster is as follows:

Starting Rotation: Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Randy Johnson, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito.

Bullpen: Alex Hinshaw, Bob Howry,  Joseph Martinez, Brandon Medders,  Merkin Valdez, Brian Wilson, Jeremy Affeldt,

Starters:

C: Benjie Molina.

1B:  Travis Ishikawa

2B:  Emmanuel Burriss

SS:  Edgar Renteria

3B:  Pablo Sandoval

RF:  Randy Winn

CF:  Aaron Rowand

LF:  Fred Lewis

Bench: Rich Aurilia (IF), Juan Uribe (IF), Eugenio Velez (UT), Nate Schierholtz (OF), Andres Torres (OF)

The middle infield for the San Francisco Giants has received a facelift for 2009.  While 2008 was a year of unproven rookies and veterans in decline, this season proves to be somewhat more exciting as a tale of two positions. 

At shortstop, Omar Vizquel is gone, replaced by big dollar pickup Edgar Renteria.  While this move caught a bit of guff from the faithful, it could only be an offensive improvement on the 2008 combination of the aforementioned Vizquel and Brian Bocock.   True, Renteria’s numbers for Detroit in 2008 were below his career average (though they did improve in the second half of the season).   However, rumors are that he came to camp in shape and career averages suggest that he tends to be more comfortable hitting in the National League.   Again, it would take a complete collapse for this move to blow up in the Giants faces.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the diamond, the ground isn’t quite as settled at second base.   Unlike 2008, there is no veteran presence at this position.  It will be officially a three way fight between Eugenio Velez, Kevin Frandsen, and Emmanuel Burriss.  Frandsen is the more solid all-round of the trio and should have the inside track going into spring training.   He probably would have started in 2008 last season if not for the achilles tendon injury that sidelined him for the season.  This is his chance to break out.  He is a hard nosed player who will give you the intangibles.  However, the position is not his, as yet and he will be pushed by second year man Emmanuel Burriss.   Burriss played well at shortstop and second base after being thrown into the fire following slow starts by Velez and Bocock.   It will be interesting to see how he does this season as primarily a back up.  Rumor has it that he will probably get some reps in AAA if the Giants get concerned about him to getting stale on the bench.  If he does play, he’s a speedster who plays solid defense.  No real power to speak of.  What Burriss lacks with the stick, Velez showed off last season (especially toward the end).  However, less than spectacular defense will probably keep him out of the starting lineup.  He shouldn’t be starting.  If he is, then look forward to a long season. 

Free agent minor league signees Juan Uribe and Rich Aurilia should be able to fit nicely in spots in 2009.  However, if either is starting regular, then see the final line in the last paragraph for the probable outcome. 

The San Francisco front office finally heard my anguished screams this offseason.  While the more vocal wing of the Giants fan base shouted for radical moves (signing Sabathia, Man-Ram, Burrell, and/or Dunn.  Cain for Fielder, Cain for Hardy, Cain for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the nation of Lithuania, and a dozen Domino’s death disks), Sabean and company at long last decided to have a little faith in the young players by making minimal changes via free-agency. 

The signing of future hall of Randy Johnson stands head and shoulders above the rest of the transactions (no pun intended….really).  The veteran replaces the underachieving 2008 back end of the rotation (Correia, Misch, and Hennessey), bringing an elder statesman who can still hurl the ball 90+ miles per hour.  That can’t hurt.

In the ‘perhaps you overspent, but we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt’ department lies the 2 year $18 million contract tossed to Edgar Renteria.  While I was against this at first, it has actually grown on me.  Barring a complete and unforseeable falling apart, it will be an immense offensive upgrade over either Bocock or Vizquel at the position.  And, though I love Emmanuel Burriss, perhaps it’s better for him to be over at second base, thrashing it out with Frandsen and Velez for playing time. 

Another place where the Giants upgraded wisely and precisely is the bullpen.  The additions of Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry, coupled with minor league deals tendered to both Ramon Ortiz and Justin Miller, should serve to strengthen the bullpen over the malaise found at times in 2008.  The key is, if you can’t get the lead to Brian Wilson, he can’t drop the hammer.  That should be better now.

And that leads us to another strong point in this offseason.  Rather than breaking the bank on a high money free agent, the team snapped up a string of seasoned veterans at bargain basement rates.  ‘Kinda’ sluggers Josh Phelps and Juan Uribe will come to spring training, minor league deals in hand, and should be ready to step in should a youngster falter.  Ditto Rich Aurilia, leading the ‘re-signed’ category of this year’s free agents.