Giants Spring Training Just around the corner!

The Giants Spring Training is just around the corner, as the pitchers and catchers report on February 14th, (we know what that date is guys.)  Position players report a few days later, with the full squad scheduled for workouts around the 20th of the month.  This is the earliest report date in recent years.  Guess the teams want to get the most out of all the money they are paying these guys...The addition of Randy Johnson could only help.  Though he has a history of not being a leader in the clubhouse, he says that he is going to do more of that, as this will probably be his last year.  He is a lock for first ballot Hall of Fame, so here he comes in 2014!...The Manny-stakes:  No, from this corner!  Yes he could provide the bat they need, but he is a cancer in the same way Bonds was a cancer.  With a talented young team, they do not need a grumpy old man in the clubhouse.  And the loser would be the multi-talented Freddie Lewis.  If Lewis can settle into the fifth position and cut down on his strikeouts, he will be OK.  I'm still waiting for his inside-the-park-homer.  Maybe this year...Barry Zito has got to bounce back to his A's-like performances this year.  Since he is not the ace any longer, (How about that Tim Lincecum?) he may be more comfortable.  If he can get 13-14 wins, OK. Barry and his contract are not going away and he is not going to give any of the money back...There will be a fight at second base, but odds are on Emmanuel Burris being the starter.  He started slow last year, but ended up with a .280 average.  No pop though, but Jeff Kent was an exception.  And, he is a speed burner!...That's all for now.  Good reading.  January 17th, 2009