While the New York Yankees, the Veruca Salt of the Hot Stove Chocolate Factory, obtain every tasty player they desire, do the San Francisco Giants, the Factory’s Charlie Bucket, have a chance to improve their ballclub for the 2009 season?
It’s no secret the Giants are in need of a big bat. If the team is unable to sign that elusive hitter, what then?
Less than four months before the MLB season begins, San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy revealed a
possible lineup, based on the current roster:
RF Randy Winn
SS Edgar Renteria
3B Pablo Sandoval
C Bengie Molina
LF Fred Lewis
CF Aaron Rowand
1B Travis Ishikawa
2B Eugenio Velez/Kevin Frandsen/Emmanuel Burriss
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No Magic Eight Ball is needed to reveal that the outlook is not so good.
Youth is appreciated. There are no qualms with the decision to play the younger players. The issue with this lineup resides in the middle. While Molina commands the greatest respect, his numbers do not reflect those of a cleanup hitter.
Molina’s numbers are not horrible (.292 BA, 16 HR, .445 SLG, .322 OBP), but for the cleanup hitter, the team needs more. 16 home runs hitting in the No. 4 spot is embarrassing. The Giants don’t have many options to bat fourth and Molina hitting cleanup is just a reflection of the weak offense that will frustrate the strong pitching staff.
Another problem with Bochy’s early lineup is the placement of
Fred Lewis in the No. 5 spot. How will his speed be utilized if the heavy-footed Molina is warming the base path ahead of him? With the catcher on base before him (one hopes), we won’t be seeing a fleet-footed FdotLew getting many extra-base hits.
It’s early folks, but it’s never too early to be realistic. Let’s hope GM Brian Sabean reels in the bat this anemic lineup needs.
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