Opening Series: Giants@Los Angeles 3/31-4/2

[love_that_reefer]

It is finally here and it already looks grim but we play the games anyway It's going to be a trying year and it starts in LA. Bochy and the Giants have already cut Steve Kline and Eliezer Alfonzo. Bochy has also named Rich Aurilia the Opening Day starter at first and Jose Castillo will start at third. Looks like Brian Bocock will get the nod at SS. Merkin Valdez will finally be on an Opening Day roster for the Giants after a good spring. Erick Threets and long shot Keiichi Yabu will join him in the bullpen.

Now to the games:
Game One- Barry Zito versus Brad Penny. Zito owns a 3-2 record against the Dodgers with a 4.20 ERA. It is Opening Day so I expect Zito to lose since that's what he does on Opening Day, lose. Penny has a 3-3 record with a 3.57 ERA facing the Giants.

Game Two- Matt Cain versus Derek Lowe. Cain has never beat the Dodgers going 0-3 with a 5.96 ERA. Lowe is 3-5 but has a 3.41 ERA against the Giants. Maybe the Giants can provide some offense for Cain who had the worst run support of any pitcher last season.

Game Three- Tim Lincecum faces off against another young stud Chad Billingsley. This is the game I am looking foward to the most. Lincecum has no record with a 1.50 ERA in one start against the men in blue. Billingsley is 2-0 with a 4.98 ERA against the orange and black.

[GiantsFanatic]

Opening day has finally arrived, I'm so excited, now guys "just go out there and play"(my theme of the year for the Giants)

[GiantsFanatic]

Giants lose the opener 5-0, Zito allowed 4 er in the first 2 innings, not a good start there, bright spots were Rowand who went 2-3, and Bacock who had 2 bb.

[BuckFoston]

Whoa, I'm disappointed in Zito's outing but then again it is opening day. Still, I expected a little more from him for the Giants.

[jpants10]

i'm actually encouraged by zito's outing. until this year, his opening day era was 9.49. today, his era was 7.20. that's considerable improvement, i'd say. *rolls eyes*

[love_that_reefer]

Terrible game all the way around. Zito again never established his fastball so hitters just sat back and crushed him. Our old friend Jeff Kent hit a two run bomb in the first to make it 3-0. It was a sloppy games with Rowand overthrowing the cutoff man twice and Bocock getting picked off while we were down 5-0. Durham also dropped an infield fly to allow a run which gave Valdez his "earned" run. Castillo went 0-3 in his debut while Rowand went 2-3.

[love_that_reefer]

Giants had the bases loaded for Cain. Too bad Cain couldn't pull a Peavy. Can I even say that? The Giants now have 9 hits on the year, all singles.

[love_that_reefer]

Giants actually have scored some runs but Hennessey gave those back immediately in the 7th. Its tied 2-2 in the 8th and Cain was filthy.

[browntown653]

Good performance by Cain but he threw too many pitches. Needs to be a bit more economical. This is the start the Giants should have had on Opening Day.

[love_that_reefer]

Yeah his crutch is still haunting him and that's his command. Just once again he did his job and the offense didn't do their's. The Giants now have 15 hits in two games, all singles!!! Sabean has to start getting on the phones about guys like Loretta and Inge.

[browntown653]

Inge isn't a great hitter, but at least he's got some power potential. Where's the power on this team? Rowand had a decent output last season but that was in Philadelphia. I look at the names in the lineup right now and don't see where the power's coming from. Maybe Inge will only hit 15/20 HRs but it's gotta be better than what they have now. All singles?? Is Juan Pierre next in line?

[love_that_reefer]

We have too many Juan Pierre's as is. We have no power. Inge is the only one worth getting because he does have pop and plays great defense which the Giants need. He should be batting sixth! Also, Fred Lewis needs to be playing over Rajai Davis. Lewis had the better spring all around.
This would be my lineup if I were managing:
1. Lewis/Roberts
2. Durham
3. Winn
4. Rowand
5. Molina
6. Aurilia/Ortmeier
7. Castillo/Velez
8. Bocock

[love_that_reefer]

Giants lose in the bottom of the ninth and two outs. Yabu gave up a single and walked Martin on a tough AB then pinch hitter Delwyn Young drove in the game winning run on a to Durham. The Giants have got to win these close games. Giants were killed in one run ball games last season.

[jpants10]

anybody else get as little enjoyment out of lil' ray's free-form tumbling exercise in shallow right field to end the game. i was waiting for larry, moe, and curly to come out with a "whoop whoop whoop whoop." em-barrasing.