San Francisco Giants

The Giants are six games into the regular season and look good at 5-1 (compounded by Tim Lincecum being 2-0, with another brilliant, seven-inning, 10-strikeout performance in a 6-3 win tonight ).

However, while the Giants' pitching has been solid so far, it has been a very different story offensively after the first two series of the year against the Astros and Braves.

The San Francisco Giants sent Buster Posey to the minor leagues insisting that the youngster needed to be behind the plate every day in order to continue his growth as a catcher.

After a nice spring training with the bat, few who know the hitting-deprived big league club questioned the wisdom of Posey being ready to hit the big leagues.

Still, with the talk about him needing to catch every day combined with a bunch of malarkey about his arbitration clock starting (or making sure it doesn't start), most seemed fine with Posey catching for the Class AAA Fresno Grizzlies.

As the Giants were going into the ninth inning of what would be their first loss, I told my son something:

"I would just like to see them go out fighting."

I've supported this team for four decades and have remained optimistic, but with Saturday's score 7-1 and just three outs left to do anything about it, I had serious doubts.

Despite the expected loss, I did end up getting what I'd hoped for, a fight. It came in the form of a walk and two singles, the second of which produced a run.

Madison Bumgarner had the worst outing of his professional career on Friday night as the Reno Aces beat the Fresno Grizzlies, 8-5, in Pacific Coast League Class AAA play on Friday.

Bumgarner, the 20-year-old who entered spring training with a tentative hold on the No. 5 spot in the San Francisco Giants starting rotation, gave up 11 hits and four runs in just three innings on Friday. He struck out two and walked two. He yielded a home run to Reno cleanup hitter Brandon Allen.

Anyone who has suffered through the downturn in the San Francisco Giants fortunes, then survived a surprise playoff run in 2009, isn't about to start picking at nits after the club's 4-0 start this week.

Well, almost nobody would point out tiny flaws in a team that is on pace to finish 162-0.

My diabolical plan worked.

With the Atlanta Braves coming to town to open the 2010 Major League Baseball season at AT&T Park, and Jason Heyward's majesty gaining momentum, something had to be done for the benefit of our beloved San Francisco Giants.

I mean, it's gotten to the point where "they" have given the 20-year-old rookie a nickname that conjures the spectre of Willie Mays at the height of his glory. The so-called Jay-Hey Kid's very moniker testifies to the certainty of his greatness.

It is never too early in a season to open up the cupboards and take a gander at just how much talent is waiting in the wings. 

For the casual fan, the vast rosters of the minor leagues can be a little overwhelming.  Keeping track of the up-and-coming stars that were acquired in past drafts is often difficult to follow all the way from draft-day selection to final call-up.

When the San Francisco Giants break home ground on the 2010 season, there will be several compelling reasons to scale the walls at 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

The home opener is always a momentous occasion for any franchise, and Friday at AT&T Park will be no different. Granted, the bigger parties will be over the weekend when two Bay Area favorites get the spotlight.

On Saturday, the baby face of the franchise, Tim Lincecum, gets his hardware for a second consecutive National League Cy Young Award. Ho-hum, show me something new Timmy...

The 2010 season is officially on its way in San Francisco, with the home opener against Atlanta looming tomorrow.

While opening week is near the end of its run in the major leagues, today the Giants' minor league organizations begin their own Opening Days.

What should Giants fans expect this season, after the Giants' combined farm system finished with the best record out of any other organization in baseball?

I'm not bashing Brandon Medders and his performance in 2009 by any means. I thought he was a surprising reliever in 2009. He had a great May where he posted a FIP of 2.85, and a solid September/October where he had a FIP of 3.16, and proved to be an integral part of the Giants' success last year.