The Giants Baseball Blog

Randy Winn became the first of this current Giants group to get a contract running into the 2009 season on Monday. Winn was an absolute stud for the Giants after the July trade that brought him from the Seattle Mariners for Jesse Foppert and Yorvet Torrealba. At the time, a lot of people wondered if Sabean had made another panic move in a season that was all but lost. Jesse Fopper had been one of the Giants top prospects for years, but injuries and emergences from Noah Lowrey and Brad Hennessey made him expendable. Winn quieted the critics by hitting over .350 with the Giants with 14 home runs and a handfull of stolen bases in about 2 months time. Felipe has already stated that Winn will be leading off to begin the season, putting Ray Durham in the 3rd spot. I like the idea of Durham hitting 6th rather than 3rd, but since Niekro and Feliz are on the corners, they will be occupying the bottom of the order. Hopefully Feliz or Niekro magically figure out how to hit righties this season t...

The Giants had their first full squad workout of the spring on Monday. The only big absentee was Barry Bonds, who won't be repoting until Wenesday or Thursday do to personal reasons. Barry also hinted a few days back in an interview with Bob Nightengale that 2006 would be his laast year playing baseball, regardless what happens. Barry talked about his knees and all the pain he's been in over the last few years. He also talks about his current custody battle over his oldest son, Nickoli. Barry sounded very sincere in his interview with Nightengale, assuring all that this would be his last go round. Less than 24 hours later howver, Barry cleared the air saying he would return in '07 if his knee would allow him too. Who knows whats going through Barry Bonds mind right now, but obviouslt there are numerous things and some may be more important than the game of baseball. I would personally like to see Barry go after he wins a ring in San Francisco and ends the Giants 50+ year d...

The Giants' pitchers and catchers reported to spring training wednesday and had their first workouts thursday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona. The main headlines were the weight loss of Armondo Benitez, the polite complaining of Jason Schmidt, and the Barry Bonds reality show. Apparrantly Benitez, who reported two weeks early to Scottsdale to workout with trainer Stan Conte, has lost 20 pounds off his hefty frame from last season. This is very good news, as weight and conditioning issues caused him to tear his groin and miss most of 2005. Benitez says he is "two weeks away from top game shape" and I think we will see a solid spring out of Benitez. I think with the improved conditioning, we will see an increase in velocity. I doubt he will ever be that 97-99 mph guy again, but 94-95 consistantly with the split and the slider going would work just fine. Jason Schmidt has reported in a little different way. Schmidt was asked if he was glad the Giants excersised his option at ...

The Giants signed Todd Greene to a minor league deal wednesday in effort to shore up the back-up catching spot. I really like this move. Greene couldn't throw out most peoples' grandmothers if they where trying to steal a base, but he can hit and is very solid in every other aspect of catching. Greene has hit about 10 home runs a year pretty consistantly over the past few seasons in limited at bats, so he will definetly give the Giants a much needed right-handed bat off the bench. You might look at those 10 home runs in 126 at bats and say "he hit them all at Coors," but I actually checked out some reels of his home runs last season, and the dude hit some long fly balls. One into the second deck at Petco Park. This is better than having Justin Knoedler or Yamid Haad backing up Matheny. Elizier Alfonzo looks like he may be solid, but the Giants want to see him in Fresno for a year before they count on him. So the Giants have filled their back-up catcher vacancy. There ...

Here is a look at what transpired this offseason and where the Giants stand because of it: Who's Gone: '05 Numbers J.T. Snow 1B (.275, 4, 40) Brett Tomko RHP (8-15, 4.48) Edgardo Alfonzo 3B (.277, 2, 43) LaTroy Hawkins RHP (2-8, 3.43) Scott Eyre LHP (2-2 2.63) Who's Here: '05 Numbers Mark Sweeney 1B-OF (.294, 8, 40) Matt Morris RHP (14-10, 4.11) Steve Finley OF (.222, 12, 54) Tim Worrell RHP (1-2, 4.07) Steve Kline LHP (2-4, 4.28) Jose Vizcaino IF (.247, 1, 23) Jamey Wright RHP (8-16, 5.46) It was somewhat of a quiet winter on the Giants front. The two biggest moves of the winter where the addition of Morris and the Alfonzo-Finley trade. Replacing Tomko with Morris is a huge upgrade for the Giants. They basically are subbing in a sure 14-17 game winner and a proven clutch performer for a head case with a 95 mph, arrow straight fastball. Not to mention, Morris is younger than Tomko by almost 2 years. ...