Giants Look to Even Up Series Against Reds in Game 4 Behind Ryan Vogelsong

 VS

By Vince Cestone
@vintalkingiants

Pitching has dominated the first three games of the series, but it did not all come from the San Francisco Giants.

The slugging Cincinnati Reds added another dimension to their recipe for success in 2012. Their pitching has drastically improved, as they are fourth in the National League in ERA at 3.47.

Cincinnati's bullpen, anchored by the flame-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman, has become automatic. Reds' relievers have a 2.67 ERA this season, good for first in the National League.

This is why the Reds are in first place in the NL Central by one game over the Pittsburgh Pirates (Pirates are 42-35 if you can believe it).

The Reds are also second in the league in fewest errors, committing just 40. Strong pitching and defense has been a 2012 theme in Cincinnati.

Pitching, defense, and just enough hitting (Reds are eighth in the league in runs scored) is a great recipe for success, especially in the National League.

In this series, the Reds have beaten the Giants at their own game.

Game 1 featured a masterful pitching performance by Madison Bumgarner. In his effort, Bumgarner threw his first career complete-game shutout against the Reds, a team he has struggled against throughout his career (0-2, 8.56 versus Reds coming into the game).

In Game 2, the Reds showed why they were a first-place team. Mike Leake threw a complete-game of his own, but not a shutout thanks to Pablo Sandoval's ninth-inning solo homerun.

Leake beat Matt Cain, who has seemed more hittable after his perfect game. In his 18 and 2/3 innings pitched after the perfect game, Cain has given up 9 earned runs.

Giants' nemesis Mat Latos shut down San Francisco in Game 3 of the series. In his nine-inning effort, Latos struck out seven Giants and allowed just one earned run on two hits.

In three consecutive games, a Giants or Reds pitcher threw a complete game. Also, for the second straight game, the Giants scored a lone ninth-inning run to break up a complete-game shutout (courtesy of a Brandon Belt triple, followed by a run-scoring groundout).

Barry Zito pitched well in Game 3 but suffered the loss. Zito's only earned run in six innings pitched came on a bases-loaded walk to catcher Ryan Hanigan.

Zito's walk proved costly as the Reds edged the Giants 2-1.

The Giants figure to like their chances in Game 4 of the series. Ryan Vogelsong, who has been their best pitcher, is 7-3 with a 2.23 ERA.

Vogelsong will be opposed by the struggling Bronson Arroyo who is just 3-5 with a 4.13 ERA. The Giants look to have the upper hand but only if they score runs.

The Giants' bats have gone suddenly cold after Game 1. The Giants scored just two ninth-inning runs in the last two games, but have not taken advantage of the few chances they had.

In Game 2, Cain's inability to get a sacrifice bunt down dashed any hopes of the Giants getting back into the game. With the Giants trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Cain struck out on a foul bunt with Brandon Crawford at second base.

The next two batters grounded out, and the Giants did not score. The Giants lost the game 5-0, but if they had gotten that run in the fifth inning, the Giants would have been down only 3-1, giving the Giants some momentum throughout the game.

Who knows what could have happened then? Good teams make good use of the few chances they have, even if the opposing pitcher is dominating.

The Giants are a scratch-and-claw offense, so they must produce a run on almost every runner at second base and nobody out situation if they hope to make the playoffs--or beyond.

Here are some interesting stats and notes heading into the series finale.

• Bronson Arroyo, today's Reds' starter, has never won a game at AT&T Park. He is 0-4 in San Francisco, with a 4.34 ERA.
• Ryan Vogelsong has pitched 11 straight quality starts and holds a 1.28 ERA in eight home starts this season.
• Reds' slugger Joey Votto may not play in the series finale due to inflammation in his left knee. Votto is hitting .350, with 33 doubles, 14 home runs, and 47 RBIs.
• The Giants are currently in a 13-game stretch against teams in either first or second place. They are 4-2 in those games.
• The Giants have not lost three in a row since early May.

 The Reds are 4-2 against the Giants this season and have already clinched the season series.
 

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Information from ESPN.com contributed to this article.

Check out my NBCBayArea.com article on the San Jose Giants' Joe Panik.

San Francisco Giants Versus Philadelphia Phillies Preview: Another Legendary Matchup

VS.

By Vince Cestone
Twitter @vintalkingiants

Due to technical difficulties, this will be a very quick post.

If you thought Monday's game was going to be a legendary pitching duel, tonight's game will be a close second.

The Philadelphia Phillies' Cliff Lee (0-1) will take on Matt Cain (1-0).

Cain is coming off a one-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had a great bounce-back game after blowing a six-run lead against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lee has been solid so far, although he had a hiccup in his last start against the New York Mets. He has posted a 3.46 ERA in two starts, with 11 strikeouts and just two walks. The San Francisco Giants will certainly have their hands full tonight.

Brett Pill will be playing first base and Ryan Theriot will be at second in place of Emmanuel Burriss with the left-handed pitcher going tonight.

...

The Giants made a great move going with Nate Schierholtz here. He has been a hot hitter and seems to have the magic wand going.

Schierholtz went 3-for-3, including a booming single off the brick wall in right field. Surprising that Bochy would go with Nate here against the lefty Lee, but he has earned it.

Sit back and watch. This will be a great game.

...

Are you all excited?


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Information from ESPN.com contributed to this article.

Images From:
Matt Cain: By User eürodäna (Original version) User StormXor (Crop) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons 

Cliff Lee: By artolog on Flickr User Fui in terra aliena (Crop) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Matt Cain Throws Shutout in San Francisco Giants' Home Opener

By Vince Cestone
@vintalkingiants

By User eürodäna (Original version) User StormXor (Crop) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Giants baseball is starting to feel like Giants baseball.

Matt Cain took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, only to be broken up by Pittsburgh Pirates' pitcher James McDonald. However, he completed the San Francisco Giants' second complete-game shutout of the season.

Cain also had the strkeout ball going in Friday's Giants' home opener at AT&T Park. Cain amassed 11 strikeouts, while walking none.

The Giants offense scored plenty for Matt Cain in San Francisco's 5-0 victory.

San Francisco has scored at least four runs in each of their first seven games, the first time they have done so since 2003 when they began that year 7-0.

Contrary to what one might expect, the Giants are 3-4, even with the much-improved offense.

The Giants jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Melky Cabrera, who went 2-for-3 with a walk, scored on a Buster Posey double to deep center. Aubrey Huff followed with a two-out single.

Huff later homered in the eighth inning, a two-run homer that made the score 5-0 San Francisco.

The Giants tacked on their third run in the sixth inning on a bloop single by Nate Schierholtz.

The Giants are currently second in the National League in runs scored with 33, just behind the St. Louis Cardinals who have 37.

The Pirates are going in the opposite direction. Since taking 2-out-of-3 against the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh has lost four in a row and are dead last in the league in runs scored with 11.

A little home cooking seemed to do the Giants good.

...

Who would have thought the 2012 Giants would put up their best all-around offensive output since 2003? I say all-around because even their outs are loud.

I have not seen so many line drives off San Francisco bats since the steroid era. If you're a Giants fan, this is a great sign.

The most salient weakness on this team was supposed to be the offense. That was to be the X factor.

Surprisingly, the run support has been there, but for the most part, the starting pitching has not. It must be a relief to see Matt Cain dominate again after his rough outing in Arizona.

It's been a tale of two pitching staffs. You got Tim Lincecum who cannot get the ball over the plate, and you got Barry Zito throwing complete-game shutouts.

Cain, Zito, and Bumgarner have rebounded nicely. The X factor here is Lincecum.

We will see how he does against Roy Halladay next week when they go head-to-head at AT&T Park. It is time to see if Lincecum is really the ace the Giants thought he would be--and if he is worth the next big contract.
...

What do you all think?




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Interesting MLB News, Notes, Trivia: LA Dodger Player's Weird Part Time Job; Jonathan Sanchez Struggling; Matt Cain's Contract Status

Back in the days before multi-million dollar baseball contracts, Major League Baseball players actually had to work for a living during the offseason.

Although Willie Mays was one of the best major league baseball players, he had to work in the winter for a living

San Francisco Giants' legend Willie Mays, perhaps the greatest ball player of all time, did not have a multi-year contract where he can support himself for the rest of his life. He had to take on a second job in the offseason just to make ends meet for most of his playing career.

Today, only minor leaguers regularly take on second jobs, but there is at least one current MLB player who is actively working to make a living in the offseason. You can find him playing with one of the Giants' biggest rivals.

According to Charlie Steiner during a Los Angeles Dodgers' radio broadcast, Jerry Sands, first baseman for the Dodgers, works as a substitute teacher during the winter months. He was actually called into work during spring training, but he had to politely decline.

By brendan-c on Flickr [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Working for the MLB definitely has a lot more perks than working as a substitute teacher--and a lot more upside.

Any other players or coaches work during the offseason?

You bet. Giants' third-base coach Tim Flannery works as a musician and makes albums, but I am sure it is more for passion than necessity.

If Sands pans out and overtakes James Loney as a regular, it is safe to say his teaching days are over. However, it's always good to have a back-up plan in case he suffers a career-ending injury.

...

Remember our old friend Jonathan Sanchez?

Apparently, he has had a rough go as a Kansas City Royal. The inconsistency continues...

Sanchez has a 21.00 ERA, albeit it in just three innings pitched. He has given up seven earned runs in those three innings on seven hits and two walks.

Opponents are hitting .438 against him and his WHIP is 3.00. A bad start or the Giants looking good for trading him?

According to Jon Miller during a Giants' spring training broadcast, the Royals' brass were concerned about Sanchez's velocity being down. His average fastball was around 89 mph, which concerned Kansas City.


However, during one spring training game, Sanchez was clocked throwing 99 mph.


Knowing Jonathan Sanchez and his tendencies, I believe the sudden velocity jump was a product of Sanchez's frustration. He probably saw people getting on him about his low velocity, so he wanted to prove 'em wrong.


So he aired one out. Gotta love Johnny Sanchez.


...


For those who think Matt Cain will be donning the orange and black for a long time, think again.


According to Andrew Baggarly of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Cain said he was "really torn"about his future with the Giants.


CSN Bay Area also reported that Cain was "excited" about the possibility of free agency.


This does not bode well for the Giants. Anytime a player is excited for free agency, it means big money for the player--money the Giants have had a track record of shying away from.


The Giants do not like to overpay for players, so if Cain demands C.C. Sabathia money, $20-25 million, the Giants' right-handed hurler could be wearing pinstripes. If this were the case, I think Cain would be overly thrilled rather than just excited.


The good news is there is hope that Cain and the Giants could work something out.


Baggarly also reported on March 10 that "it would be a surprise" if Cain's deal does not get done before the season starts.

The Giants open up in Arizona in less than three weeks.


...

By eürodäna via Wikimedia Commons

Will the Giants re-sign Matt Cain? Will Cain get an extension this season? Will Cain get $25 million or more?




Was Jonathan Sanchez's trade worth it? Will Cabrera be more valuable than Sanchez? Is Sanchez's velocity going to be closer to 99 mph or 89 mph? How will Sanchez do in Kansas City?


Will Jerry Sands be a substitute teacher after this season? Will major league players ever work again in the offseason?


We will find out in the weeks and months ahead.

Leave a comment below.

Don't forget to take my poll on the left. Who will start for the Giants at first base this season?




Information from Extra Baggs and MLB.com contributed to this article.

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The torture continues--Giants hang on to beat Diamondbacks 6-5 in Sandoval's return

Chris Stewart congratulates Brian Wilson, as he records his 19th save of 
the year. Wilson struck out Stephen Drew looking to end the game.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images


By Vince Cestone

The San Francisco Giants squeaked out another one-run victory, edging the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5.

The Giants' offense was jolted by Pablo Sandoval's return from the disabled list. In his first game back in the lineup, Sandoval went 1-for-4 with a walk, including an RBI single in the first inning which put the Giants on the board first.



With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth inning, Giants' closer Brian Wilson walked Kelly Johnson and Justin Upton, who both moved up a base on a wild pitch. Wilson struck out the next batter, Stephen Drew, looking on a backdoor cutter with the tying and winning runs in scoring position. Wilson earned his 19th save.

The Giants jumped out to a 5-0 lead by the fifth inning.

They scored their second run in the fourth inning on a squeeze play with Matt Cain at the plate. The Giants tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning with two of them driven in by Cody Ross, who went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs.

The Diamondbacks roared back in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the score 5-1, Miguel Montero laced a three-run home run to right off Matt Cain, cutting the Dbacks' deficit to 5-4

The Giants and Diamondbacks scored one more run each in the game. Nate Schierholtz drove in the game-winning run for the Giants in the seventh inning with a double that Dbacks' outfielder Chris Young bobbled, allowing Huff to score and Schierholtz to get to third base.

Starting pitcher Cain was less than spectacular tonight, pitching 6 2/3 innings and giving up five runs on eight hits. Cain earned his sixth win of the year.

The Giants' bullpen picked Cain up, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings of no-hit ball.

The Giants roughed up Josh Collmenter (4-2, 1.86 ERA), who came into tonight's start with a 1.18 ERA. The Giants touched him up for five runs and eight hits in the five innings he pitched.

Game Thoughts

By Chris Bissell

With offensive injuries comes lower production, which means less runs, combined with great pitching, means close games. We all know the formula, and we're all accustomed to the type of wins the Giants pull out.

Besides the pitching staff, there's nothing pretty about this team anymore--except the fact they continue to win games.

There's still one freshly-polished offensive gem on this team, healthy of course, and that's Pablo Sandoval. At this point, the offensively-challenged Giants understand how detrimental Sandoval's bat was before the broken hamate bone injury on April 29.

Sandoval hit the disabled list with a .313 average, five home runs, and 14 RBI after a hot start, fresh off an off-season of strenuous workouts, and a 38-pound drop. Sandoval led the team in average all the way up to his return tonight, and he certainly picked up where he left off.

After beginning the season in the bottom part of the order, hitting from sixth to ninth on several occasions, Sandoval had established his 2009 presence all over again, and you can guarantee that's not changing.

Sandoval has an irrefutable impact on this lineup, and you can see just from tonight how vast a difference it is. Aubrey Huff had 2 walks, Cody Ross went 2-for-4 with 2 doubles, and every starter except Matt Cain had a base hit.

The Giants since the beginning of last season have simply never been about one hitter, one individual, or one player in general, but at this point, you can't deny the importance of Sandoval's bat in the lineup and presence in the dugout.

This team has certainly caught the injury bug, and with Freddy Sanchez going out, there was almost nothing left in that lineup to be optimistic about. Huff was seeming to have his "off year," Crawford was coming down to earth, etc, etc.

The Giants won six out of ten on the last home stand, scoring a mediocre 2.4 runs per game. As I said, there's nothing pretty about this team, except the fact that they... yeah, we get it.

Nate Schierholtz continues to show up when it matters, driving in a run off Aaron Heilman in the 7th inning. Despite only being at a .261 average and a decent 4 home runs, Nate "the great" is certainly coming up in the clutch, with a line of .313/.361/.406 (.767 OPS) with runners in scoring position.

Giants' Health Notes

By Chris Bissell

• Freddy Sanchez will get a second opinion on his right shoulder tomorrow and will try to rest the shoulder to have it heal on its own, despite labrum damage and a loosened capsule.

 

• Mike Fontenot will resume his rehab in a few days after suffering a minor groin injury.

• Brandon Belt will have his cast removed Friday after suffering that right wrist hairline fracture a few weeks ago against the Cardinals.

Giants Blurbs

By Vince Cestone

The Giants are 5-1 against the Diamondbacks this season. The Giants have not scored six runs in a game since June 2 against the St. Louis Cardinals, where they won 12-7. The last time the Giants and Diamondbacks were 1-2 in the division standings in mid-June was 1999. Tomorrow, the Giants' Madison Bumgarner (2-8, 3.23 ERA) will face the Diamondbacks' Joe Saunders (3-6, 4.56 ERA) at 6:40 p.m.

Vinnie Cestone is a blogger/reporter for The Talking Giants Baseball Blog. Unless otherwise noted, all information was obtained first-hand or from official materials from ESPN or the Major League Baseball website.

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Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants Who Deserve an Extension

 
Whether it is a freezing foggy night in San Francisco or a sweltering hot day in LA, Tim Lincecum is always seen sporting his Giants hoody.
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images 

 

Tim Lincecum is the face of the San Francisco Giants, but in a time where team loyalty is down and money is king, is it possible that he and other beloved Giants will end up elsewhere?

If there was ever a pitcher in baseball who deserves a lifetime contract extension, it would be Tim Lincecum.

Lincecum's stay with the Giants has been nothing short of impressive. Since his start with the Giants in 2007, he has a career 3.00 ERA, with a 58-28 record, 939 strikeouts and 1.173 WHIP—plus Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009.

Back in February 2010, Tim Lincecum signed a two-year, $23 million contract with the Giants. Lincecum, 26, is under club control until at least 2013, but he will face another arbitration hearing at the end of the 2011 season if another deal is not made.

Whatever the price, the Giants are best served in signing their ace right-hander—who won the clinching game of the 2010 World Series—no matter the price. He is the heart and soul of the Giants, and the energy in San Francisco would deplete worse than the 1970s crisis if their Freak was racking up strikeouts for another team.

Here are four other players who deserve a contract extension and should play in San Francisco for a long time.

1. Buster Posey

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Buster Posey is an exciting young talent who perhaps single-handedly led the Giants to their first World Series title in San Francisco—both with his hitting and the way he handled the pitching staff.

What Posey did in his rookie season was incredible. Coming up in May hoping to jolt the Giants' struggling offense, Posey hit .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBI in 108 games. He also had a strong OPS of .862.

Most importantly, Posey has the poise of a 10-year veteran at just age 23. Handling a pitching staff in his rookie season with the likes of Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez is an impressive feat in itself.

Because the gutsy catcher will continue to get better, he deserves a contract extension. He is under team control until at least 2015 but is eligible for arbitration after this season (he signed a one-year, $575,000 contract with the Giants this past March).

2. Matt Cain

Pool/Getty Images

Matt Cain established himself as a big-game pitcher in 2010. He has yet to give up an earned run in the postseason, and he has followed it up by pitching well in 2011—minus one start at Coors Field, a pitcher's graveyard.

Matt Cain, 26, impressively makes his 91 mph fastball work. When he first came up to the big leagues, Cain threw 96-plus and tried to strike everyone out, but now, he learned how to pitch by manipulating his fastball movement and developing a good changeup.

Greg Maddux played for a long time with low velocity but lots of movement and control. There is no reason Cain cannot do the same.

In his Giants career, Cain is only 59-63, but he has a lifetime 3.45 ERA and a .230 batting average against.

Cain signed a $27.25 million, three-year contract in 2010, but the Giants would do no harm by signing him to a more long-term contract.

3. Brian Wilson

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Brian Wilson earned his paycheck in the 2010 postseason. Wilson provided Giants fans more torture than watching grandma's home movies, but the end result is worthy of a contract extension.

In his first playoff appearances, Wilson amassed six saves and 16 strikeouts in 10 games. Like Cain, Wilson did not give up an earned run in the postseason.

Wilson's two-year, $15 million contract extension he signed in March 2010 expires at the end of this year. He is eligible for arbitration after this season and will be a Giant until at least 2012, but the Giants should lock him up beyond that.

If they do not, it would kill the whole "Fear the beard" slogan.

Whether it is a freezing foggy night in San Francisco or a sweltering hot day in LA, Tim Lincecum is always seen sporting his Giants hoody.
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Tim Lincecum is the face of the San Francisco Giants, but in a time where team loyalty is down and money is king, is it possible that he and other beloved Giants will end up elsewhere?
If there was ever a pitcher in baseball who deserves a lifetime contract extension, it would be Tim Lincecum.
Lincecum's stay with the Giants has been nothing short of impressive. Since his start with the Giants in 2007, he has a career 3.00 ERA, with a 58-28 record, 939 strikeouts and 1.173 WHIP—plus Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009.
Back in February 2010, Tim Lincecum signed a two-year, $23 million contract with the Giants. Lincecum, 26, is under club control until at least 2013, but he will face another arbitration hearing at the end of the 2011 season if another deal is not made.
Whatever the price, the Giants are best served in signing their ace right-hander—who won the clinching game of the 2010 World Series—no matter the price. He is the heart and soul of the Giants, and the energy in San Francisco would deplete worse than the 1970s crisis if their Freak was racking up strikeouts for another team.
Here are four other players who deserve a contract extension and should play in San Francisco for a long time.

1. Buster Posey

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Buster Posey is an exciting young talent who perhaps single-handedly led the Giants to their first World Series title in San Francisco—both with his hitting and the way he handled the pitching staff.
What Posey did in his rookie season was incredible. Coming up in May hoping to jolt the Giants' struggling offense, Posey hit .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBI in 108 games. He also had a strong OPS of .862.
Most importantly, Posey has the poise of a 10-year veteran at just age 23. Handling a pitching staff in his rookie season with the likes of Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez is an impressive feat in itself.
Because the gutsy catcher will continue to get better, he deserves a contract extension. He is under team control until at least 2015 but is eligible for arbitration after this season (he signed a one-year, $575,000 contract with the Giants this past March).

2. Matt Cain

Pool/Getty Images

Matt Cain established himself as a big-game pitcher in 2010. He has yet to give up an earned run in the postseason, and he has followed it up by pitching well in 2011—minus one start at Coors Field, a pitcher's graveyard.
Matt Cain, 26, impressively makes his 91 mph fastball work. When he first came up to the big leagues, Cain threw 96-plus and tried to strike everyone out, but now, he learned how to pitch by manipulating his fastball movement and developing a good changeup.
Greg Maddux played for a long time with low velocity but lots of movement and control. There is no reason Cain cannot do the same.
In his Giants career, Cain is only 59-63, but he has a lifetime 3.45 ERA and a .230 batting average against.
Cain signed a $27.25 million, three-year contract in 2010, but the Giants would do no harm by signing him to a more long-term contract.

3. Brian Wilson

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Brian Wilson earned his paycheck in the 2010 postseason. Wilson provided Giants fans more torture than watching grandma's home movies, but the end result is worthy of a contract extension.
In his first playoff appearances, Wilson amassed six saves and 16 strikeouts in 10 games. Like Cain, Wilson did not give up an earned run in the postseason.
Wilson's two-year, $15 million contract extension he signed in March 2010 expires at the end of this year. He is eligible for arbitration after this season and will be a Giant until at least 2012, but the Giants should lock him up beyond that.
If they do not, it would kill the whole "Fear the beard" slogan.

4. Jonathan Sanchez

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Despite all the baserunners, walks and frustrations associated with Jonathan Sanchez, he is still a good major league pitcher. Although he led the National League in walks in 2010, Sanchez led the Giants with a 3.07 ERA, and he had a .204 batting average against.

Sanchez will be a Giant until at least 2012 but is eligible for arbitration after this season. He signed a one-year, $4.8 million deal before the 2011 season.

Sanchez, 28, gives Giants fans fits, but in the end, he is a formidable pitcher with electric stuff. On the days he can control his great stuff, he can pitch as well as Lincecum or Cain.

The Giants should give him a contract extension, but because of his inconsistency, perhaps one not as long or as large as Lincecum's or Cain's.

5. On the Fence: Pablo Sandoval, Madison Bumgarner, Sergio Romo

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Pablo Sandoval has not earned anything yet—and he knows it.

After batting .330 in 2009, Sandoval laid an egg in 2010. Sandoval helped his cause by losing the weight in the offseason, but his success or failure in 2011 and beyond will determine whether or not he will continue his Giants career long term.

Madison Bumgarner has been awful so far in 2011. He is 0-3 with a 7.73 ERA and batters are hitting .357 against him. He is not eligible for free agency until 2016, so the Giants have plenty of time to assess his worth.

Sergio Romo did not help his cause during Sunday's game against the Braves. He threw a hanging slider to Dan Uggla, which he hit for a game-tying, eighth-inning home run.

Romo is prone to giving up big home runs late. He did so during the NLDS in Atlanta and various times throughout the 2010 season. Romo did develop a good sinker this season, but the Giants might want somebody who throws harder pitching in the eighth inning.

Romo will not be a free agent until 2015, so the Giants have time to assess his worth. They need to know whether or not he will be the pitcher who throws a good, tight slider or the pitcher who hangs them.




Vinnie Cestone is a Baseball/San Francisco Giants Featured Columnist for The Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all information was obtained first-hand or from official materials from ESPN.com and MLB.com.

This article was featured on The Bleacher Report.

Follow me on twitter @vintalkingiants.

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Barry M. Bloom/MLB.com: Sandoval's homer all that strong Cain needs

PHOENIX -- For much of his career, Matt Cain hasn't been accustomed to the Giants giving him many runs. So he must have been in seventh heaven Friday night when Pablo Sandoval staked him to a lead with a three-run homer in the first inning.

Link: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_04_15_sfnmlb_arimlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=sf

...

For the third day in a row, the San Francisco Giants' winning blueprint came into fruition. The Giants scored first, Matt Cain threw a tremendous game, the defense played flawlessly, and the bullpen shut the door.

Of course, this formula would make any team successful.

Watching Pablo Sandoval mash the ball again is an extremely positive sign. He is now hitting .356, hitting the ball with power, and playing a gold-glove caliber third base. The Panda is back.

Aside from today's game, I wanted to talk about something else I noticed.

Watching this game in Arizona was a far cry from the way things were in the desert in year's past. Back in the late '90s and early 2000s, the Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks were rivals always competing for the top spot in the National League West. Every game between the two clubs brought excitement, drama, and rowdy crowds. Not anymore.

Tonight's game drew just 23,090 fans, and only a fraction of those fans actually showed up. The Diamondbacks' fans were pretty uninspiring, and it is no wonder why their team sleepwalked their way through tonight's game.

Such is the shame of losing. Just a few years ago, the Diamondbacks were one of the best teams in the National League, but now, everyone in Arizona seemed to have just about given up.

As for Giants fans, it is just the opposite, as even a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates would generate an all-out party at the corner of Third and King.





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Chris Haft/MLB.com: Giants cap ring night with walk-off gem

SAN FRANCISCO -- Miguel Tejada felt content Saturday night to give rather than receive.

Link: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_04_09_slnmlb_sfnmlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=sf 

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
STL	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	5	0
SF	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	3	7	1

W: R. Ramirez (1-0)
L: R. Franklin (0-1)

...

I am out of town, and it is 3:42 a.m., so I will make this short and sweet -- the torture continues.

Buster Posey will be presented with his Rookie of the Year award tomorrow in yet another pregame ceremony. Tired of them yet? Probably not -- as long as they keep producing thrilling walk-off wins.

I will do my best to post a quick preview, but due to a commitment at 11:30 tomorrow morning, do not expect it. A postgame story is also unlikely, but you will be hearing from me soon.

Enjoy tomorrow's game folks. It should be a good one.

St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants Preview 4/9/2011

The Giants will celebrate opening night tonight after their thrilling 5-4 win in 12 innings yesterday.

Aaron Rowand, yesterday's hero, is rewarded with a start tonight in place of Brandon Belt, who needs a breaher.

Mark DeRosa will start in place of Pablo Sandoval with the lefty Jaime Garcia pitching tonight for the Cardinals.

Manager Bruce Bochy told Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News that this is not a DeRosa/Sandoval platoon. Bochy said Sandoval was not feeling all that well. This is not the worst thing that could happen since Sandoval struggles against left-handed pitching.

Anyhow, here is tonight's starting lineup for the Giants.

Torres CF
Sanchez 2B
Huff 1B
Posey C
Burrell LF
Rowand RF
Tejada SS
DeRosa 3B
Cain P

Matt Cain is coming off six shutout innings in Los Angeles. Jaime Garcia, in his previous outing, pitched a complete-game shutout against the light-hitting San Diego Padres.

The Giants have their hands full tonight, but they have their horse pitching. This has all the makings of a great pitching matchup.

On another note, no game story tonight. I am out of town in Sacramento, but I will post a link to a good game story along with my quick thoughts.

Tune in at 7:05 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area for the game.





Stats and other information came from ESPN.com and MLB.com. 

Follow me on twitter @vintalkingiants

Questions or comments? E-mail my blog mailbag at vc4re@yahoo.com. Your questions may be answered on my blog.