San Francisco Giants

Armando Galarraga, James Joyce. You know these names, you know what happened. But there was still a lot of baseball last week in 28 cities not named Detroit or Cleveland. What happened? A lot more than everyone realizes.

You have your Power Rankings, you have your Web Gems, you have your local sports radio, you have your biases.

Todd Wellemeyer continued his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde routine in Pittsburgh on Saturday, giving up six runs, nine hits, and three walks in three innings of work. Actually, work might be the wrong way to phrase it...it was more a vacation.

The contrast of his home and road numbers is mind-boggling at this point.

Dr. Jekyll: 3-1, 2.94 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, .213 BAA

Mr. Hyde: 0-4, 10.62 ERA, 2.21 WHIP, .305 BAA

Mr. Hyde put on quite a show in Pittsburgh, ostentatiously strutting out his schizophrenic demeanor and homeless-man composure.

People like to take the high ground whenever it is convenient for them. If you've never been put into an opportunity that could cause you to make a questionable moral decision, than it's easy to condemn it.

But let's face it, when it comes down to it, if you say that to save your job, you wouldn't have at the very least tried PHDs, then I'm calling you a liar.

Call it Christmas in June for the usual suspects in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Given the warm yuletide season around here and the scorching hot couple of days the City's seen recently, the analogy works splendidly. The only real difference is that baseball is being played at the Oakland Coliseum and AT&T Park.

And it's in the outfield of the jewel formerly known as Pac Bell where the anti-Brian Sabean ogres will (soon) find their unexpected present.

The Giants called up Pat Burrell after five games at Fresno in which he went 5 for 14 with a homerun.  To make room, they designated Brandon Medders for assignment.

In fact, Medders has already been reported to have cleared waivers and been assigned to AAA Fresno, which is not particularly surprising given Medders’s 7.20 ERA so far this year and his recent minor arm problems.

So far in 2010, we're beginning to see why the San Francisco Giants have earned their new tag line. In case you haven't heard Giants announcer Duane Kuiper say it, he sums up the season in the following sentence.

Giants baseball. It's torture. 

And it has been.

During the first month of the season, the Giants were seemingly the real deal. They led the National League in batting average in April (.280), and went 13-9 to grab a firm hold on second place behind the upstart Padres.

The Giants have recalled Buster Posey and signed Pat Burrell to a minor league deal, leaving some to question where all the pieces will fit if things go as the club would like.

Posey started with a bang on Saturday night, playing first base. Let's imagine that he is in the big leagues to stay. And, let's pretend that the veteran outfielder Burrell uses his time in the minor leagues to prove he belongs in the big leagues.

During my time here at Bleacher Report, I've been given plenty of praise and plenty of hate in the comments section of my articles.

Now notice I did not say "fair share" of both, because honestly the majority of criticism is unwarranted.

Am I saying this simply to toot my own horn?

KNBR's Ralph Barbieri finally asked the questions and pushed the buttons that Giants fans have been hoping for—and general manager Brian Sabean responded.

Boy, oh, boy! Did Brian Sabean respond!

Giants fans who've grown weary of beat writers and columnists asking the same questions and accepting the same answers about everything from why the club hasn't called Buster Posey up from the minor leagues to Tim Lincecum's struggles should listen to the entire broadcast.

The pointless moaning about whether or not general manager Brian Sabean can build a winner in San Francisco has grown tiresome. There has also been whining about whether club ownership is willing to pay for the type of club that can actually succeed.

There's no reason to rehash every personnel transaction under Sabean's reign. The 2010 Giants, clearly, could use a power hitter—ideally one who can play the outfield.