Bring on the Season

Bring on the Season

Yes, Spring Training is over.  I have to withstand the impulse to place a half-dozen exclamation points at the end of that last sentence.  Considering how overjoyed I am each year to greet this six-week period of time, I am so over it, don't bother trying to stick a fork in me.  I am so done you could’t stick a fork in me to save your life.  Bring on the season, bring on the Diamondbacks, and for Buddha’s sake, bring on the Dodgers, they of the newly appraised value of 2.1 billion dollars.  I’m afraid I’m going to have to see it, before I believe it.  I say boo, to Dodger Blue.

What am I supposed to report now, that has not been said by far better than I?  Shall I post the final 25 players on the roster?  No need, because most were already determined.  Shall I discuss the selection of one Hector Sanchez, over two of last year’s cadre, Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart? I liked both of those guys, but the team this year must overtake, by a significant margin, last year’s feeble attempt at offense. Though I remain dazzled that both Timmy and Matt remain with us for at least the next two seasons, excellent pitching must be complemented by sufficient offense, otherwise we have last year’s unfortunate result.  The signings do signify management’s ongoing effort to match the best possible assembly of talent, for the park that is AT&T.  Hector Sanchez tore the cover off the ball all spring including four home runs.  He qualifies as part of management's effort to improve the offense.

The club released Mike Fontenot, obviously being more enamored with Ryan Theriot, both cut from similar molds.  I think the Littlest Giant had a lot of heart, but I also respect Bochey’s assessment process and look forward to seeing The Riot perform, as I have seen him do in the past as a Cardinal.  

I am excited by Gregor Blanco’s making the team.  He is intriguing to me, because he has some excellent qualities, but has had some poorly timed injuries, that found him returning to the lineup, at the same time another player was experiencing the hot hand.  I would like to see what he can do, without the pressure of having to hold down a full-time outfield slot, while honing his high-caliber skills, and gaining some experience.  Then let him be ready to step in, should another either stumble or get injured.  I think he’ll get the job done.

The last new entries to the big club come in the form of Brandon Belt (the Baby Giraffe), Brett Pill and Emanual (“Don’t call me Manny”) Burriss.  Burriss has been bouncing back and forth between SF and Triple A, Belt spent portions of last year up with SF, and Pill saw late season action with the big club last September.  All are semi-known commodities.  Now is the time for them to step up to the plate, literally, and deliver some punch, in the form of youth.

We saw Belt hit dingers in pairs last year, we saw Pill smoke that ball around last September, and Burriss has had a fine spring.  Now is the time for these guys to demonstrate that the recent success that the Giants have had with farm products, is going to continue.  I see Belt as primed, with some of the mental baggage already out of the way from last year.  I see Burriss as defensively, already arrived, and offensively out of options.  It’s time for him to produce or move on down the line.  And Pill just looks like he is ready to take anything that comes his way, including some playoff experience. 

I think we could all do with another dose of playoff experience.