The Giants Baseball Blog

During the 2007, the Giants haven't given fans an abundance of things to get overjoyed about. Sure, there has been the emergence of Tim Lincecum as well as the historic Barry Bonds pursuit of 756 home runs to keep fans interested during the teams' 3rd straight losing season, but that's about it. However, they has played a lot better as of late, and a big part of the reason is because of their new closer, Brad Hennessey. The job that Hennessey has done has to have Brian Sabean and the Giants front office taking a breath of fresh air right now as it looks like they can cross closer off of their "to-do" list for 2008. It's been a while (2004) since the Giants have had consistency in the bullpen, especially late relief, but they're getting it now. Friday nights save was Hennessey's 15th straight save without blowing one, something no other Giants closer has done since Robb Nen did it back in 2002. And it's not just Hennessey who's getting the job ...

The Giants came back to win their 5 th straight game on Monday night and have won 10 of their last 12 games. Bruce Bochy has been mixing young players into the lineup on a more consistent basis and it's giving the team some life. The latest youngster to step up and contribute big has been Kevin Frandsen . Frandsen hasn't gotten consistent playing time this season, but has been getting some starts in August and is delivering. The team has gone 7-0 since August 13 th in games which Frandsen has started. During that stretch he has gone 7-21 with 3 home runs and 6 RBI. He was a big component in Monday nights come from behind victory coming up with a clutch, 2-RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning that gave the Giants a 3 run lead. It's too bad they couldn't have came up with some offense earlier to support another brilliant outing by Barry Zito . After a horrific first half with his new club, Zito needs to have a very strong finish over the last part of the se...

I was reading the sports section in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, and came across this article the other day, discussing a possible position change for Barry Bonds in 2008. Bonds has already stated that he is certain that he is going to play baseball again next year, but is scheduled to be a free agent, and as good as his bat still is, he will have a hard time finding somebody to sign him as an everyday outfielder. The most likely scenario is that he signs on with an American League club to be a DH, but moving to first base would give him a chance to stick in the National League and possibly with the San Francisco Giants. Bonds was quoted in the article saying "I can play any position at any time", so he seems like he'd be open to the idea. Even if Bonds were to try and make a transition to first base, it wouldn't guarantee him a return to the Giants, but it would give him his best shot. However, if Barry indeed wants a good shot to get a ring in his final year, r...

Back before the season starter, early on in spring training, Brian Wilson was a guy who got a lot of talk regarding the Giants and their late inning relief situation. A lot of baseball experts and Giants fans thought that Wilson would battle Benitez for the closers role and ultimately take the closers job once the season got started. Wilson battled control issues all spring and didn't even make the Giants opening day roster. In fact, he hadn't seen any big league time this year before being recalled on August 11 th . All Wilson has done since that time is prove to the Giants that they should have given him a call earlier. Wilson hasn't given up any runs on 2 hits in 6 innings pitched while striking out 5 and collecting a save. Bruce Bochy seems to have bought into Wilson as he's trotted him out for the ninth inning in the last 2 games. Brad Hennessey had been closing ever since Armondo Benitez was dealt to Florida back in June and has done and admirable job, but I...

Ever since Rajai Davis dawned a Giants uniform for the first time, he has done nothing but impress. Right off the bat he showed how valuable he was on the base paths and in the outfield. It was no secret that he could fly and Giants fans realized within his first game that he was an exceptional defender with an above average arm. The only question about Davis' game was whether or not he had the bat to stick in an everyday lineup. He never really got much of a shot in Pittsburgh, but he's getting one here with the Giants, and he's taking full advantage of the opportunity . He hit his first major league career home run on Friday night to help the Giants passed the Braves, and he also has made some very good defensive plays. Since joining the Giants almost 3 weeks ago, Davis is hitting .364 (20-55) with 12 runs scored and 8 stolen bases. He's also getting on base with regularity (.462%), a key trait for a successful leadoff hitter. Most importantly however, is that the G...

Barry Bonds continued his hot streak on Wednesday night, belting career home run number 759. It was Bonds' 5 th home run in his last 9 games and his 25 th on the season. At this pace, it's very possible that Bonds could reach the 800 home run plateau before he decides to retire, which he has stated would likely be after the 2008 season. There is still about 6 weeks left in the season and ending the season with 770 or more home runs is looking more and more likely by the day. However, Bonds' hot streak has not translated into Giants wins, and the team has looked terrible since Bonds broke the record 10 days ago. The Giants are 2-8 since the historic blast and they have fallen to a season low 20 games below .500. It's almost like their going through a post-Bonds hangover. They played their best ball in a while when ESPN was airing every game due to the Bonds chase, but since the spotlight has left the team, they have gone back to the lackluster, tired old squad that the...

The deadline in which teams have to agree on contracts with their draftees is approaching fast and the Giants still have a couple of their top picks waiting to be signed. The teams website is reporting that their top pick, Madison Bumgarner and their 3rd overall pick, Wendel Fairly are the two players who haven't agreed to contracts and if they don't do so by Wednesday afternoon, the Giants would lose rights to them. I don't see why it's taking this long to get something done, but it is expected that the two will sign before the deadline. Bumgarner was the first left-handed pitcher selected in the draft and is looking for a bonus in the 2.5 million dollar range. That would be about a 1/2 million dollars more than the team gave Tim Lincecum last year after they took him tenth overall. Fairley has signed a letter of intent to play ball at Southern Mississippi, but wants to sign with the Giants. Fairley is the guy from this draft that I would first expect to see in Sa...

In the first trade between the Giants and Dodgers since 1985, the Giants sent Mark Sweeney to LA in exchange for a player to be named. This move makes all the sense in the world at this point for the Giants. Everybody likes Sweeney and he still is a valuable weapon to have on a bench, but he doesn't make a whole lot of sense with this Giants club. I actually had a chance to meet and talk with Sweeney a little bit during his time with the Giants and I don't think I've spoken with a nicer ballplayer. It's going to be tough seeing him in Dodger blue. He did good things here, but the Giants don't need a veteran pinch hitter, they need to get younger as fast as they can. I'm not expecting the Giants to receive a noteworthy prospect in this deal, but at the very least, this trade enables them to bring up a younger player and start giving them the at-bats that veterans have been getting. It looks like it's going to be Dan Ortmeier getting the call-up rather than Fr...

Barry Bonds Home Run #756 August 7th, 2007 is a day I, along with many baseball fans, will never forget. The day Barry Lamar Bonds passed the great Hank Aaron and moved into first place on the all-time home run list. Number 756 was hit in typical Bonds fashion, a majestic shot over the right center field wall that stands 419 feet away from home plate, 5 rows deep into the bleachers. I have had the privilege to watch Bonds closely ever since he dawned a Giants' uniform for the first time in 1993 and he has provided me with numerous memories that I will never forget and on Tuesday night he added one more to the bank. Congratulations Barry Bonds, I have never seen an athlete dominate their sport the way you have done baseball over the last 15 years, and you deserve this. I want to pay my respects to Hank Aaron for the message he sent Bonds after the home run was hit. In my last post I bashed Aaron about how distant he made himself from this record chase, but he showed true class by t...

Through all of this controversy surrounding Barry Bonds and the steroid era as well as the home run record, a few of American sports' biggest icons have stepped forth and shown their support for Bonds. A few weeks back, right after Bonds hit home run number 754, Michael Jordan sent a video message to Barry that was played on the big screen at AT&T Park. Jordan essentially wished Bonds the best and said how happy he was for him. Then, last night before the Giants-Nationals game, a video was shown of the great Muhammad Ali congratulating Bonds on 755 and giving Bonds a double thumbs up. I'm sure Bonds had to find those messages very reassuring. For all the hate he's received in recent years, it has to feel good to know that two of the biggest stars in the world are behind him 100%. It also makes me wonder about Hank Aaron. It's no secret that Aaron isn't happy that Bonds is the guy who is going to break his record, but the fact that Aaron wants no part of this gu...

Barry Bonds finally matched the most glorified record in all of sports on Saturday night, and I must say, it's about time. What people predicted would happen in late June finally came to fruition on August 4, 2007. And like most of Bonds' milestone shots, this one was a no doubter. He went opposite field off the facing of the second deck in one of the most difficult places in all of baseball to hit a home run. Clay Hensley served up the historic shot and became the 465 th different pitcher that Barry Bonds has taken deep. It is actually kind of fitting that Bonds did it in San Diego, against a team in which he's hit 1/8 of his total career home runs against. And after all the dominance he's had over the Padres, the fans were still embracing after they realized what they had just witnessed. I expected the boos to heavily outweigh the cheers, but that wasn't the case. It was actually the opposite and the crowd in San Diego gave Bonds a standing ovation and a lot of ...

With the trade of Matt Morris, it opens up a spot in the Giants starting rotation. With the way the season has gone, and since the team is so far out of the playoff race, I think it makes a lot of sense to let Jonathon Sanchez take Morris' spot for rest of the year. Sanchez showed some potential when he got a few spot starts last year and I think it's time he gets a chance to start this year. He has been pretty inconsistent in the bullpen so far but has always seemed to pitch well when he gets stretched out and gets into a rhythm . I was a little surprised when the Giants sent Pat Misch down to make some starts in Fresno rather then sending Sanchez. Misch had dominated this year in Fresno as a reliever and pitched terrifically in his short time with the Giants in that same role. I don't see the logic in tinkering with Misch , especially when the Giants are in need of bullpen help. I have little doubt that Misch could be doing a better job than Jack Taschner right now a...