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This is what happens when Bengie Molina is your cleanup hitter.
The Giants lost to their Triple-A team Wednesday night. Perhaps not surprisingly, Barry Zito started for San Francisco; he actually struck out four batters in 6 2/3 innings, which is a big improvement from the start of spring training, when he went 62 batters without striking out one of them.
Only $116 million left on that contract, Giants fans!
The Giants are 8-20 this spring. Now, spring training doesn't mean anything, except when maybe it does. Yes, the Giants have Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, but they'll be fielding a lineup that could be below league average at every position. Randy Winn hitting third? Rich Aurilia playing first base? A middle infield that is a combined 77 years old?
The Giants haven't lost 100 games since going 62-100 in 1985. That team featured Manny Trillo (.224/.287/.288) at second base. Jeffrey Leonard spent much of the season hitting cleanup, despite a .241 average and .272 on-base percentage. Dan Gladden led the team in runs scored -- with 64. The decayed remains of Johnnie LeMaster even went 0-for-16.
I have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot about that '85 team this summer. And that Giants fans will miss Mrs. Bonds.
--David Schoenfield
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN YOUR 2008 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS!!!!!!
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