Here we are, entering July, and the Giants don't really have a clear cut, must pick all-star. Jason Schmidt has had a very good year so far, and was on his way to maybe earning the starting bid for the NL, but his 6 wins may hurt him. Barry Bonds and Omar Vizquel are the only Giant position players who are in the running for the trip to Pittsburgh. Bonds definetly is the least deserving out of the 3 based on performances up to this point, but there still is an outside chance that he will make it back to his former city for the all-star game as he is the teams' leading vote getter. One guy who has been metioned, but not quite enough, has been Omar Vizquel. Jose Reyes has had a great season, and deserves to start the game at short, but Vizquel has had as good of season as any other NL shortstop, not to mention he has broughten gold glove defense again. Vizquel has been the Giants' most steady player throughout the first half as his average has yet to dip below .300 since the first pitch of the season. Add that to a .390 on base percentage and 8 stolen bags, and I'd say he has done more than meet expectations thus far. He did it again Thursday afternoon with a clutch 2-out rbi single to drive in the go ahead run in the 8th inning vs. the Rangers. He also made some huge plays on defense that where big in keeping the Rangers off the bases and Schmidt out of trouble as he turned in another solid performance.Moises Alou is going to the DL after all. After a couple weeks of rest, Alou was set to re-enter the
line-up this week, but he was scratched and will need another 5 days off before he is eligable to return. With Ray Durham starting to make himself a little more usefull lately, the Giants' may actually be able to field a respectable offense. Durham's still hitting .240, but that looks a lot better when you consider he was hitting .180 as late as the middle of May. He is really swinging it well from the right side especially. Durham's hitting .369 right handed, and .204 left-handed this season and there has been some talk in San Francisco and even with Ray Durham himself about the possibility of Durham only batting right handed from here on out. I think Ray should make ithe change. He's 34 years old, and I doubt his swing from the left side will ever be what it used to be. This is the 3rd year in a row in which he hasn't hit that well from the left side and he has steadily declined each year in that aspect. He needs to make a change or else this will be the last season he will ever serve as a full time second basemen, anywhere.
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