San Francisco Giants

And I thought Pat Burrell got no respect.

Miguel Tejada is arguably one of the greatest offensive shortstops the game has ever seen. He played in over 1,000 consecutive games. He's got over 300 lifetime home runs (four seasons with 30-plus) and over 1,000 RBI (six seasons with 100-plus). He was the 2002 American League MVP. And unlike many of today's sluggers, he doesn't "complement" his power with 100 annual Ks (only once, and in one season he struck out 48 times in nearly 700 PAs). 

Yet some fans are down on Tejada, even though the 2011 season is only days old.

The San Francisco Giants World Champion Trophy Tour made a stop at Chukchansi Park in Fresno California on April 5, 2011.

Chuckhansi Park is home of the Fresno Grizzlies, the Triple A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

Even though the tour stop was in Grizzlies country, the day was all about Giants fans. 

The gates were supposed to open at 12:00 pm. With the line threatening to stretch all the way down the street and around the corner, the staff was forced to open up at 11:30 am.

Brian Wilson Video Shows San Francisco Giants Closer's Beard Having a Life of Its Own

If you needed any further proof that San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson is from another planet, ESPN's latest This Is SportsCenter commercial has just confirmed it.

In the video, Wilson gives ESPN anchors an inside look at his "game face" and why opposing hitters do indeed "Fear the Beard."

It seems like only yesterday when Canadians were running wildly around the streets of Vancouver screaming hysterically and climbing up street signs in order to get above the shaking ground. 

The city had just experienced its first major earthquake in over 64 years. The epicenter was located about 800 miles south of the border in a small American city where 90 percent of the population stood watching their television screens with wobbling knees.

When the San Francisco Giants won the 2010 World Series and were crowned kings of Major League Baseball, their fans were too ecstatic to pay much attention to what the outside world was saying. We were too busy enjoying the franchise's first title in over 50 years and The City's first ever of the baseball variety.

Eventually, however, the smiles and confetti subsided—that's when initial reports began trickling through that all was not right outside the Bay Area.

Cain throws six shutout innings in 10-0 victory over Dodgers.

The San Francisco Giants earned their first win of the year the way they drew it up all season long.

The San Francisco Giants have one of the best farm systems in the country, producing home-grown players like Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, and Brian Wilson.

All three players were a huge part of the championship title that the Giants brought back to San Francisco last season, and they will need to contribute again this year if they have any chance of repeating.

The future of the Giants depends not only on players like Posey and Lincecum, but on players just like them, who are now prospects, but may be household names in the near future.

Some things went right on Friday night. Others went wrong.

The Giants were able to muster more than one run and hold a lead only to have errors and questionable pitching moves undo them in the sixth inning.

Some questions were answered, but others have been raised.

Brandon Belt has arrived

Brandon Belt hit his first career home run against Chad Billingsley. On top of that, his three-run homer gave the Giants a 3-1 lead.

It's all over. The Giants lost the first game of the season.

Wait, there are 161 more games? There is hope!

After watching the Giants' Opening Day game against the Dodgers on Thursday night, there were a few of things that jumped out.

Tim Lincecum's Performance

Tim Lincecum went seven innings and allowed no earned runs against a Dodgers team with a middle-of-the-road offense. Despite this, he did not pitch very well.

The Giants did not expect to start their trek to a repeat title like this.

The Giants hit a road block on Thursday's opening day at Dodger Stadium, kicking the ball around in the sixth inning.

Miguel Tejada botched a throw to second with a runner at first with one out, followed by a rare Posey throwing error with the bases loaded. Just nanoseconds before, Posey made a great save on a pitch by Lincecum in the dirt.