Don't look now, but Giants are worth seeing

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August 25, 3:57 PM

by David Bush, S.F. Baseball Examiner

 

 

Not everyone might have been paying attention, but the Giants have become watchable again.

They aren’t ready to be called contenders. They are too far down in the standings for that this year, and who knows if they have enough firepower to hang with better teams even in the woeful National League West in the near future?

But here in late August, with the double digits showing in the “games behind column” removing pressure, the Giants are providing a lot of fun for the spectators. And this resurgence can be traced to the arrival of a new batch of rookies. Pablo Sandoval, Travis Ishikawa, Ivan Ochoa, Ryan Rohlinger have brought not only skill, but a new energy level to AT&T Park.

The Giants have been using young players all year; a franchise record 15 rookies have been on the roster this season. But while some of the other earlier arrivals struggled and were sent back to the minors, this group has made much more substantial contributions. The pick of the litter, of course, is Sandoval, the portly Venzuelan, who never met a pitch he couldn’t swing at. In just nine games the 5-11, 240-pound Sandoval has become a crowd favorite.

His first 32 at-bats produced 14 hits, a .438 average, and a whole lot of energy. He can bedevil pitchers in his own way. Not by being patient and working the count in his favor, but by hacking at anything within reach of his bat and generally hitting it pretty hard. Nobody has been able to “pitch around him’’ because he simply won’t let them.

But he is far from a one-dimensional player. Catcher is his primary position and he has done quite well, drawing praise from the pitching staff for his game management skills. He also is a fine first baseman, surprisingly graceful around the bag given his build. And he plays third like nobody else. Not the fastest getting to a ball or getting his throw launched, but after the ball leaves his hand it gets to where it’s going in one heck of a hurry. Few third basemen have ever shown off a stronger arm.

The other rookies on hand aren’t producing the offense Sandoval is, but they are all bringing some positives. Ishikawa is a delight to watch play first, as good a fielder as the Giants have had there since J.T. Snow retired a few years ago. Ochoa is no Omar Vizquel at short, but who is?  He’s good and will get better. Even Rohlinger, who is off to a slow start at the plate has shown flashes.

Perhaps it just coincidence, but since the arrival of the latest group of youngsters, the Giants have been winning some games. After their four game face-plant in Houston, they have won eight of ten. 

We have to be careful not too make too much of this. The first 120 games are a more reliable measure of this team than the last ten. Still, Giants fans take their pleasures where they can find them.

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