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San Francisco Giants
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| Projected Lineup |
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| CF |
Tsuyoshi Shinjo |
| SS |
Rich Aurilia |
| LF |
Barry Bonds |
| 2B |
Jeff Kent |
| RF |
Reggie Sanders |
| 3B |
David Bell |
| 1B |
J.T. Snow |
| C |
Benito Santiago |
| Projected Rotation |
|---|
| RHP |
Russ Ortiz |
| RHP |
Jason Schmidt |
| RHP |
Livan Hernandez |
| LHP |
Kirk Rueter |
| RHP |
Kurt Ainsworth |
| CL |
Robb Nen |
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By John Donovan, CNNSI.com
The San Francisco Giants did a lot of things right last season. They won 90 games. They had one of the best hitting teams in the National League to go with one of the better pitching staffs. They got solid years from some guys, a couple of surprise years from others and the best offensive season in the history of the game from the incomparable Barry Bonds.
They did a lot of things right. But not enough. The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Giants by two games in the NL West on their way to a World Series title.
The Giants plan to right that wrong in 2002.
This offseason, the Giants did their part to push past the Diamondbacks, and it started with re-signing Bonds. His 73-homer 2001 season (not to mention the 137 RBIs, the .328 average, the record .863 slugging percentage and the record 177 walks) was worth a five-year, $90 million contract.
Bonds' return also means second baseman Jeff Kent (who slipped but remained respectable in 2001) still will see plenty of pitches, hitting behind Bonds, while shortstop Rich Aurilia (who exploded with 37 homers) will get plenty of pitches in front of Bonds.
The Giants also added what they hope will be some life to the leadoff spot by trading for Mets outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who will play center field. A trade for Seattle's David Bell fills a hole at third base.
If that wasn't enough, the Giants signed Reggie Sanders, who hit 33 homers for the Diamondbacks last year. Add it all up and the Giants have the potential to be a better offensive team than they were last year, when they led the majors in home runs, were second in the NL in slugging percentage and third in on-base percentage.
On the pitching side, lefty Shawn Estes (9-8. 4.02 ERA) departed in the trade for Shinjo, but the Giants signed ex-Pittsburgh starter Jason Schmidt, who was 7-1 with a 3.39 ERA after coming to San Francisco in a midseason deal. Schmidt fills out a solid rotation that includes ace Russ Ortiz (17-9, 3.29), Livan Hernandez (who should pitch better than his 13-15, 5.24 effort in 2001) and Kirk Rueter (14-12, 4.42). Robb Nen, with 45 saves in 52 chances and a 3.01 ERA, stays as the closer.
There are questions. The team's situation at first base remains a tad unsettled. The Giants are still looking for a solid No. 5 in the rotation and there are concerns whether 37-year-old Benito Santiago can catch the 133 games he did last season.
But if Shinjo can set the table for Aurilia, Bonds, Kent and Sanders (Shinjo had only a .320 on-base percentage with the Mets), and if guys like Schmidt and Hernandez have decent years, the Giants should be right there at the end again.
This time, they might even do enough right to get over the top.
Up for grabs: The hottest competition in camp could be for that fifth spot in the starting rotation. Ryan Jensen (1-2, 4.25 in seven starts) will get some consideration, as will Kurt Ainsworth (10-9, 5.07 with 157 strikeouts in 139 innings in Class AAA). Also in the mix is Jay Witasick, who was 8-2 with a 3.30 ERA with the Padres and Yankees last season before a horrible postseason -- he gave up 17 hits in five innings -- prompted the Yanks to trade him for outfielder John Vander Wal.
Spring chicken: The Giants don't want Santiago to catch as much as he did last year -- he wore down in the second half, hitting only .237 with three homers in 66 games -- so they'll use him to tutor 23-year-old Yorvit Torrealba, a .274 hitter in Class AAA last season. If Torrealba, a solid catcher who is just learning the offensive side of things, comes around early, that will make things easier on everybody come August and September.
| Arrivals |
|---|
| Pos. |
Player |
From |
Via |
| RHP |
Manny Aybar |
Devil Rays |
Free Agency |
| 3B |
David Bell |
Mariners |
Trade |
| OF |
Reggie Sanders |
Diamondbacks |
Free agent |
| OF |
Tsuyoshi Shinjo |
Mets |
Trade |
| RHP |
Jay Witasick |
Yankees |
Trade |
| |
| Departures |
|---|
| Pos. |
Player |
To |
Via |
| 1B |
Andres Galarraga |
TBA |
Free Agency |
| RHP |
Mark Gardner |
TBA |
Retired |
| RHP |
Wayne Gomes |
TBA |
Released |
| RHP |
Brian Boehringer |
Pirates |
Free agency |
| LHP |
Shawn Estes |
Mets |
Trade |
| INF |
Desi Relaford |
Mariners |
Trade |
| OF-1B |
John Vander Wal |
Yankees |
Trade |
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| San Francisco Giants Spring Training Schedule |
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Home games at Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale, Ari.
|
| Date |
Opponent |
Time |
Site |
| Feb 28 |
Chicago Cubs |
1:05 p.m. |
at Mesa |
| March 1 |
Chicago Cubs |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 2 |
Chicago Cubs |
1:05 p.m. |
at Mesa |
| March 3 |
Chicago Cubs |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 4 |
Colorado |
1:05 p.m. |
at Hi Corbett |
| March 5 |
Anaheim |
1:05 p.m. |
at Tempe |
| March 6 |
San Diego |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 7 |
Milwaukee |
1:05 p.m. |
at Maryvale |
| March 8 |
Seattle |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 9 |
Arizona (ss) |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 9 |
Oakland (ss) |
1:05 p.m. |
at Phoenix |
| March 10 |
San Diego |
1:05 p.m. |
at Peoria |
| March 11 |
Chicago Cubs |
1:05 p.m. |
at Mesa |
| March 12 |
Milwaukee |
1:05 p.m. |
at Maryvale |
| March 13 |
Anaheim |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 14 |
Chicago Cubs (ss) |
1:05 p.m. |
at Mesa |
| March 14 |
Seattle (ss) |
7:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 15 |
Seattle |
1:05 p.m. |
at Peoria |
| March 16 |
Milwaukee |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 17 |
Colorado |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 19 |
Chicago White Sox |
1:05 p.m. |
at Tucson Electric |
| March 20 |
Chicago Cubs (ss) |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 20 |
Oakland (ss) |
1:05 p.m. |
at Phoenix |
| March 21 |
Arizona |
1:05 p.m. |
at Tucson Electric |
| March 22 |
Oakland |
7:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 23 |
Chicago White Sox |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 24 |
Anaheim |
1:05 p.m. |
at Tempe |
| March 25 |
Chicago Cubs |
1:05 p.m. |
Scottsdale |
| March 26 |
San Diego |
1:05 p.m. |
at Peoria |
| March 28 |
Oakland |
7:15 p.m. |
San Francisco |
| March 29 |
Oakland |
7:15 p.m. |
San Francisco |
| March 30 |
Oakland |
1:05 p.m. |
at Oakland |
| March 31 |
Oakland |
1:05 p.m. |
San Francisco |
ss - split squad All times local.
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