Nearly a dozen reporters from around the country had the same idea Tuesday and descended upon Scottsdale Stadium to cover the Giants' first full-squad workout of the post-Barry Bonds era.
Next year, or maybe in 2010, another torch will be passed when Omar Vizquel hangs up his gilded glove. Will that shake the earth as strongly as Bonds' departure? No, but the transition will be hard on the legions of Vizquelophiles who have come to appreciate his skill and panache at shortstop.
This spring, the Giants will get a look at two highly considered shortstop prospects, born 51 days and 140 miles apart, who aspire to succeed Vizquel someday. Emmanuel Burriss and Brian Bocock are settling into their first major-league spring training, sitting across the clubhouse from one of the game's greatest players at their position.
Burriss, 23, was the Giants' sandwich pick between the first and second rounds of the 2006 draft. Bocock turns 23 next month and came to the Giants in the ninth round of the same draft. They might have their eyes on the same prize but cannot be called "rivals."
They happen to be best friends.
"We have the utmost respect for each other," Burriss said. "We know we both can play. Whoever comes out on top, we're going to be happy for each other, and they can definitely find a spot for the other guy. My thing is right now is, just try to do the best we can here together. We work out together. We give each other hints on what to do or what not to do, how to play a certain ball."
Bocock said their friendship "is kind of what carries us and makes us work harder. We try to be together as much as we can."
Burriss, who grew up in Washington, D.C., and played at Kent State, was the more heralded prospect when he was drafted. The 6-foot, 190-pound switch-hitter can fly and owns 103 steals in less than two full seasons as a professional.
After Burriss hit .307 in rookie ball in 2006, the Giants tried to jump him two spots to their Single-A club in San Jose last year, and it did not work. Burriss hit .165 in 36 games and was shipped to the low Single-A team in Augusta, Ga. At the same time, Augusta's shortstop was hitting so well, the Giants promoted him to San Jose to fill Burriss' spot.
That was Bocock. Somewhere over Kansas, the good friends whooshed past one another, one demoted, one promoted.
"It was actually a weird feeling of being happy for him, because he was doing well," Burriss said. "It was good to see him being rewarded for that. At the same time, I couldn't get a hit to save my life. For me to get out of that atmosphere and see different pitchers, that was what I needed and I expected what was going to happen after awhile."
Burriss thrived at Augusta, hitting .321 with 51 steals. Bocock struggled in the second half and finished at .220 in San Jose. Bocock's strengths are his glove and arm. Special assistant Felipe Alou, who started raving about Bocock's potential last spring, said this week, "Defensively, he could play at the any level right now."
Including the majors?
"Any level."
Bocock grew up in Virginia and played for Stetson College in Florida. He and Burriss first met in the Cape Cod summer league, in which they played shortstop for competing teams.
"I knew how to play him defensively," Bocock said. "We still laugh about it. I would come way up and shift over to the (right) because he would just slap the ball and run. He'd kind of get a little discouraged sometimes. We laugh about it now, because he said I was the only guy in the league who would play him like that."
The Giants are not sure at which minor-league level Burriss and Bocock will begin the season. Eventually, one might be shifted to second or third base. Ultimately, the Giants might sign a free agent to play shortstop when Vizquel goes.
For now, these best buds are soaking up their first big-league camp and the chance to watch - but not necessarily mimic - Vizquel.
"It's kind of hard to learn from Omar Vizquel because he has his own style," Burriss said. "I can pick his mind about positioning and how to get through a major-league season. I think the most we can do is sit back and admire him. It's a good thing he's still here. Watching a future Hall of Famer play as much as you can, that's always fun."
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