Andrew Baggarly - MercuryNews
The Giants' opening-day lineup might not reflect the team's pledge to go younger. But any veteran who starts Monday at Dodger Stadium will be under constant pressure to keep his job, General Manager Brian Sabean said.
As the Giants boxed belongings and looked north Tuesday, Sabean indicated that the spring competition would last into the summer as the club transitions from the Barry Bonds era.
In other words, second baseman Ray Durham must produce or he will lose time to Eugenio Velez. And Dave Roberts must get on base or Fred Lewis will end up as Bonds' primary replacement in left field.
"We've said from Day One that the veterans are going to be responsible for holding down their jobs if they can," Sabean said. "These other kids are ready. Who knows? It might be as soon as opening day. We haven't made any hard and fast decisions. The best players are going to play."
Even if the Giants have to eat some of Durham's $7.5 million salary, or the two years and $13 million remaining on Roberts' contract?
"If that's in the best interests of the organization, absolutely," Sabean said.
The Giants broke camp after one of their worst Cactus League performances in history. Following a mistake-filled 7-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs, they had an 8-20-2 exhibition record and scrambled to cover themselves as injuries befell key players.
Shortstop Omar Vizquel had knee surgery in February and is expected to miss at least the first week of the season. Left-hander Noah Lowry is out another month because of forearm surgery. Infielder Kevin Frandsen is out for the season because of a ruptured Achilles' tendon. And Durham has been scratched more times than a DJ's turntable.
Durham was supposed to be in the lineup again Tuesday but came down with flu symptoms. It was the sixth consecutive time the Giants scratched him, and Sabean strongly suggested the 36-year-old get back on the field.
"Now it's whether he can hold up enough to be the opening-day guy," said Sabean, adding he expected Durham to play in tonight's exhibition at Fresno.
Sabean reiterated that Velez will be on the roster, though the hard-handed infielder hasn't progressed enough at third base to be an option there. Although Velez's game-changing speed has been the talk of Giants camp, his only avenue for playing time is second base.
The G.M. also said first baseman Daniel Ortmeier will make the team, though Manager Bruce Bochy would decide whether Rich Aurilia opens the season at third base or first. The likeliest scenario has Ortmeier playing against left-handed pitchers and selected right-handers, with Jose Castillo at third on the days Aurilia plays first.
Sabean said the backup catcher will be Eliezer Alfonzo or Steve Holm, "unless we stumble onto something." And Class A shortstop Brian Bocock remains the choice to start until Vizquel returns.
"Without anointing him right now, I can't see us changing our mind or going to the outside," Sabean said.
But Sabean said it's difficult to make any broad conclusions based on the limited snapshots he has seen this spring.
"I don't think we can evaluate our lineup at all," he said. "By and large, no matter how we mixed and matched things, we didn't have a chance to get things under control that way. We're looking forward to the games remaining to tighten this thing up."
The Giants have decisions to make in the bullpen, where eight players are competing for seven slots. Sabean said one of his two pitchers without minor league options - right-hander Merkin Valdez or left-hander Erick Threets - will make the team. The other is competing for a spot.
The Giants will carry Brian Wilson, Tyler Walker, Brad Hennessey, Jack Taschner and Steve Kline. They also want to find a place for non-roster pitcher Keiichi Yabu, who would be valuable in long relief.
Although Yabu is on a Triple-A contract, Sabean was unsure whether the right-hander would report to Fresno. Yabu also was non-committal, saying: "It's a difficult question. I have one more game to pitch, then I'll think about it."
The club will have to make another cut a few days into the season, when Vinnie Chulk is expected to come off the disabled list.
Sabean doesn't expect to trade any veterans before the season. He also doesn't expect to make any other waiver pickups or trades, though he continues to discuss possibilities.
"You've got to be sure of what you're getting," he said. "There's not much more time to experiment."
Except, of course, for the 162-game test tube that awaits.
"This could be one of those teams," Sabean said. "How you start lineup-wise isn't what's going to happen week to week or month to month."
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