What will life without Barry be like?

Where They Are Coming From

Following a horrendous 2006 campaign where they only won 76 games, the Giants were hoping for a few more wins in 2007. To that end, they committed over $100 million dollars to improve their team. They signed a new manager, Bruce Bochy, signed a front-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, Barry Zito, and even added a center fielder coming off the best year of his career in Dave Roberts.

The result was five fewer wins, and a spot as the worst team in the National League.

Hey, at least Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's run record and did not go to jail. Indeed, the real story of last season's Giants team was entirely about the greatest juicer of all time's quest to break one of baseball's most sacred records: 755 home runs.

On a 3-2 pitch at 8:51 PM PDT, August 7, 2007, he actually did it. He broke the record and now, no matter what the criminal fallout, if any, for Bonds, he can rest happy knowing that amongst thousands of players who cheated, he was the only one with enough natural talent, smarts, and durability to break the home run record.

Aside from that one day, there was not a ton of positives to draw on from last season for the G-Men. It would be nice if they were a rebuilding team that struggled, as at least there might be hopes then for the future. However, the opposite is true, as this is a crumbling, aging mass by the Cove. Their eight positional regulars last year had an average age of 35.6.

As for that $126 million investment, Zito's ERA was the highest of his career, while he set career-lows in innings pitched and strikeouts. Well, at least they have him around for five seasons after 2008.

Aside from Bonds, the best part of the '07 season had to be the play of their trio of first round picks, starting pitchers Matt Cain, Noah Lowry, and Tim Lincecum. The three did not pitch spectacularly, but they were good enough to be solid 2-3-4 starters over the course of an entire regular season. Given Lowry, at 26, is the oldest of the group, at least the Giants starting pitching seems safe.

The Giants’ front office designed the team around Bonds breaking the record. As long as he was on the roster, the age of all their regulars could somewhat be ignored. With him now gone, this team is not only bad, but also purposeless and directionless. The sooner they junk this entire roster and move on, the better it will be for them. The worst thing they could do to improve would be to overpay another player over 30.

Oh, wait – they already did.

Players Lost

The biggest loss of course is the previously mentioned Barry Bonds, who is likely heading into forced retirement this offseason due to no teams expressing an interest in him. Bonds will retire as the all-time leading home run hitter, albeit under a cloud of controversy. His time as the home run champion might not last long, however, as Alex Rodriguez, if he stays healthy, will surely challenge it.

The Giants declined to offer arbitration to Ryan Klesko, and he is still looking for a new home this offseason. Never much of a home run hitter, Klesko slugged just six in 2007, and he has little to nothing to offer at this point.

Russ Ortiz proved you really cannot go home again. Returning to the Bay Area after a prolonged absence, Ortiz made 12 appearances, eight as a starter, and he was 2-3 with a 5.51 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. In 49 innings, Ortiz struck out only 27 while walking 20. If he was not done before 2007, Ortiz certainly is now.

Mike Matheny spent the last two seasons in San Francisco showing that he should not be getting playing time any more. At 36, it is highly unlikely he will in 2008.

Scott Munter was not offered a contract by the Giants after a 2007 season that saw him go 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 12 appearances. In 84 career major league appearances, Munter is 3-2 with a 4.75 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, and more walks than strikeouts. Munter is now with the Rays, and no one in San Francisco will miss him.

One player that the Giants will miss is Pedro Feliz, who signed to a two-year contract with a club option for 2010 with the Philadelphia Phillies. While never much of a hitter for batting average, Feliz was a consistent 20-homer threat.

Players Added

Out goes Bonds and in comes 2007 Gold Glove winner Aaron Rowand in what will surely be the second-most disappointing contract in franchise history. The only reason it will not be the first is that title already belongs to his new teammate, Barry Zito.

Simply put, Rowand is coming off a career season where he hit .309 with 27 home runs, 89 RBI, and 105 runs, and he had never had a season even remotely close to that prior. Rowand before 2007 had never drove in more than 69 RBI in a season; his career batting average is over 20 points lower than he hit in 2007; and he has only had two seasons where he has appeared in more than 140 games, and only three times more than 109 games.

At 30-years-old, he should be in the midst of his prime, but what kind of numbers will he put up as a 35-year-old making $12 million? In addition, that is assuming he can still play, and his run-out-fly-balls-through-the-wall style does not put him in a wheelchair before then.

Moves Still to Come

With spring training already largely underway, shocking as it may be, it appears the Giants are comfortable enough to start their roster on opening day. God willing, general manager Brian Sabean will come up with some crazy trade to add youth, and more importantly talent to the roster. There are rumors of a trade with the White Sox for Joe Crede, but at this point, those are just rumors.

What to Watch in Spring Training

Will Barry Zito return to some of his previous form? For both his sake and the sake of the Giants, those in the Bay Area certainly have to hope so, as they are on the hook for him for a long time to come.

Look to see San Jose native Kevin Frandsen ends up playing. He played all over the field for the Giants in 2007, making appearances at second base, third base, shortstop, and in the outfield. Assuming the Giants do not acquire Crede, Frandsen could start at third base. He could also factor into the playing time with Ray Durham at second base.

In addition, pay attention to how Dan Ortmeier plays at first. If he proves himself capable, Rich Aurilia can start at third – not that this would exactly be a good thing, but…

The following players have been signed to minor league contracts and given an invitation to Spring Training:

Pitchers

• Bartolome Fortunato


• Victor Santos


• Keiichi Yabu

Infielders

• Catcher Stephen Holm


• First baseman Brett Harper


• Third baseman Justin Leone


• First baseman Scott McClain


• Shortstop Ivan Ochoa