2008 San Francisco Giants
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[edit] 2008 San Francisco Giants / Franchise: San Francisco Giants / BR Team Page
Record:, Finished in NL Western Division (2008 NL)
[edit] Season Highlights
[edit] Opening the Season
The 2008 San Francisco Giants came to spring training without Barry Bonds for the first time since 1992. Without their offensive leader, the Giants, who were next-to-last in runs scored in the National League in 2007, would look to several inexperienced players to support their strong, young pitching, both offensively and defensively. But, though the Giants, the media and many fans refered to these players as "kids", many were old enough to have peers who could be refered to as veterans: Rajai Davis (27), Fred Lewis (27), Dan Ortmeier (27), Kevin Correia (27), Brad Hennessey (28).
There were holes to fill at each corner as the previous year's first baseman, Ryan Klesko and third baseman, Pedro Feliz, left as free agents (Klesko eventually retired without playing in 2008). Ortmeier was the prime candidate for first base, but he struggled all spring and finished the exhibition games by giving up switch-hitting and becoming an exclusively right-handed batter. Kevin Frandsen was slated to get the third base job, but was written off for the season after he ruptured an Achilles' tendon in March. Eugenio Velez would be given the opportunity to phase into the second base job following the 36 year old Ray Durham's disappointing 2007, and the 41 year old Omar Vizquel, was expected to be the lone holdover, but Vizquel had knee surgery at the end of February and was projected to miss the first week or two of the season.
As spring training closed, expected utilityman, Rich Aurilia, was made the regular first baseman despite hitting just 5 home runs in 2007. At the team headed north, Jose Castillo was claimed off waivers from the Florida Marlins to play third, and it was confirmed that 2007 Single-A shortstop, Brian Bocock, would fill in for Vizquel during his injury (which turned out to be the first six weeks of the season).
28 year old Steve Holm was a surprise to make the club to back up Bengie Molina at catcher despite having never played at AAA.
Davis, Lewis, Randy Winn and off-season free-agent signing Aaron Rowand all saw significant playing time in the outfield in the opening weeks, but when the Giants attempted to send Davis down after he began the season 1 for 18, the Oakland A's claimed him off irrevocable waivers.
Barry Zito was the mildly controversial Opening Day starter despite a disappointing 2007 and despite pitching to 72 batters without a strikeout before registering his first K of the spring. Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez and Correia filled out the rotation that began the season.
[edit] From the Gate
Without the Bonds home run record chase of 2007, the Giants' home attendance fell 15%, from 39,800 to 33,700, through the first third of the season. As they were at the close of 2007, the team was once again next-to-last in the NL in runs scored, but in 2008, they had also fallen into the lower half (9th) in surrendering runs. After 54 games, the Giants stood at 23-31, in 3rd place and 7 games out of first.
With the noxious combination of a 6.52 ERA and less than 1.5 average run support in his first 9 starts, Zito started the season 0-8, prompting gnashing of teeth over the huge long-term contract he had been offered only a year before. Zito finally got his first win of the season with a season-best 6 1/3 inning performance on May 23rd at Florida. Meanwhile, Tim Lincecum jumped out to a spectacular opening to his sophomore season, going 7-1 in his first 11 appearances and putting himself in contention for the league lead in ERA (2.33) and strikeouts. Matt Cain, struggled a bit to a 2-3 record, as his HR and walk rates were up through his first 11 starts, and the Giants continued their 2007 tendency to surrender leads Cain left with. Jonathan Sanchez' promise showed signs of breaking through, though he stood at only 3-3 through 11 starts, as he had two 10-K starts and the team was 8-3 in his starts.
Brian Bocock received good defensive reviews while filling in for Vizquel, but he hit .143 with one extra base hit in 77 ABs and was sent to Fresno with Vizquel's return approaching. Emmanuel Burriss, who'd been demoted to low-A Augusta in 2007 for lack of hitting, was summoned from Fresno to take over at short and was an offensive improvement despite an OPS lingering near .600.
With second basemen doing only marginally better, overall production in the middle infield was horrendous. With Velez unable to reach base and exploit his speed, Durham increasingly took on the majority of starts at second. While Durham got on base, his power was down and through the first third of the season, Matt Cain's 2 HRs meant that the Giants pitchers had equalled the number of homers from both middle infield positions (with Durham having the both homers).
Fred Lewis began well, leading the team in walks and the league in triples while tallying extra-base hits of all varieties. Aaron Rowand led the team in homers (7) and got on base at a .400 clip. Bengie Molina used timely hitting and his position in the clean-up spot to lead the team in RBI through the early going. And Jose Castillo ranked among the league leaders in doubles, but also GiDP's. Outfielder John Bowker was called up in mid-April and became the first Giant (in either San Francisco or New York) to homer in each of his first 2 games - running up 7 RBI in those two initial games.
Off the field, team president and managing partner Peter Magowan, who had led the effort to prevent the team from moving to St. Petersburg before the 1993 season, announced in mid-May that he would step down from both positions after the season, with Larry Baer taking over as team president and William Neucom taking over as the head of the ownership group.
[edit] Awards and Honors
- All-Stars: Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson
[edit] Team
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AL East: Baltimore • Boston • New York • Tampa Bay • Toronto NL East: Atlanta • Florida • New York • Philadelphia • Washington |
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