The San Francisco Giants made two big roster moves today when they called up rookie Brandon Belt from Triple A Fresno and traded two minor league pitchers for Houston Astros second baseman Jeff Keppinger. The moves start to provide a blueprint for the direction General Manager Brian Sabean is taking the World Champion Giants as they look to prepare for the 2011 playoffs.

Brandon Belt is batting .324 with 29 RBI in 43 games at Triple A Frenso and is considered the top prospect in the Giants' minor league system. Belt will likely morph into the Giants starting left fielder, although he will see some time at first base. Catcher Hector Sanchez was optioned to Fresno to make room for Belt.

Jeff Keppinger is not an impact-type player but should provide the Giants with better run production at second base where Emmanuel Burriss is batting .216 and Mike Fontenot .233 through July 18th.   

Keppinger is currently hitting .307 with 4 HRS, 9 doubles, and 20 RBI after appearing in 43 game this year. San Francisco sent pitchers Henry Sosa (8-3 at Richmond and Fresno in 2011 with a 5.51 ERA) and Jason Stoffel (1-2 at Richmond with a 3.98 ERA and 31 SO in 31.2 IP) to the Astros for the veteran second baseman. Neither Sosa or Stoffel were considered important prospects in the Giants system.

Keppinger missed the better part of two months at the start of the season after having foot surgery and only has 163 at-bats so far this year. He came up with the Mets in 2004 and has played for Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Houston since 2009. Jeff Keppinger is considered a solid contact hitter and would likely fit into the second slot in the Giants batting order. In his career Jeff Keppinger has played 225 games at 2nd base, 178 games at short, and 103 games at 3rd base.

Giants starting second baseman Freddy Sanchez is out with a dislocated right shoulder, and just recently started to swing a fungo bat as part of his rehabilitation program. Sanchez has a history of knee and shoulder injuries, and if he is not able to return at 100% this season Keppinger is a capable starter who brings a productive bat and good defense at second base.

The move cost the Giants very little, but could prove to be a critical mid-season addition in 2011.

As the sun was busy setting over the Pacific Ocean beyond the golden shores of San Diego in the early evening of Sunday July 17th, the San Francisco Giants were winging north in preparation for a six game homestand with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers. 

The Giants had just put the Padres down in three of four games at the Pound to start their 2011 post-All Star campaign.

In those games the Giants did two things they almost never do: score runs and steal bases. Los Gigantes plated 19 runs over the four game set to drive their ranking in MLB runs scored from 27th to 26th (351) overall. It is a testament to the Giants that they also found time to steal 10 bases, six during Sunday's 11 inning grudge match in the puppy patch.

For the record, the finals were Thursday: 6-2 Giants; Friday: 6-1 Giants; Saturday: 11-3 Pads; Sunday: 4-3 Giants.

The Baseball Hall of Fame may not have called to get their bats or the second base bag from the San Diego series, but for the San Francisco Giants this was an historic start to the final push to the 2011 playoffs. Through July 17, 2011 they are 55-41, which projects to 93 wins, one more than last year. Only Atlanta (56-39) and Philadelphia (59-35) have a better record in the National League. 

With 66 games to go, there is little chance San Francisco's pitching-centric attack will stumble; but there is a strong possibility they will increase production in two critical categories: extra base hits and run scoring. But how? you ask. 

Giants fans should not fret over the impending July 31st trade deadline. To get slugger Carlos Beltran the New York Mets apparently want more from a trading partner than the ability to Joey Chestnut large amounts of salary. The NY Post estimates Beltran is owed about $6 million for the rest of 2011 and the Giants could easily wolf that down with little lower intestinal financial distress.

Problem is the Mets are trying to get younger and cheaper. So prospects mean more to the Metropolitans than money at this point-- they expect bodies in return for Beltran and will happily offset a little cash to make it feel right.

While the Giants have money, they don't have the prospects. The idea of dealing any of the team's few A or B-grade minor leaguers for Beltran would be a poor decision wrapped in a very bad idea. The feeling in the Giants' front office is that Brandon Belt has a chance to deliver runs and significantly improve the outfield defense, so why consider coughing up even one promising prospect to rent Beltran for two months and the playoffs. It's the smart play.

For now, the San Francisco Giants are en route to October with the cards they have been dealt. The road to the 2011 World Series winds through Atlanta, Georgia on the home field of a Braves team very unlike the damaged group the Giants faced in the 2010 playoffs. The stop after that is located in a city along the Delaware River, and apparently the Phillies can't wait to see the San Francisco Giants again.

Check out another TPN Sports Buzz interview with Richard Dyer of The Giants Cove (hey, that's me!).

I went live at 8:00AM with Sports Buzz host Butch Stearns from the TPN studios in Boston, Massachusetts. We covered the Dodgers filing chapter 11, the image of Barry Bonds among Giants fans, and potential moves the Giants' front office should make at the trading deadline.  

Butch Stearns is an engaging and savvy host, and he and the Sports Buzz production team did a great job dealing with video problems from my end during the interview, masterfully cutting to graphics and news video and generally making it all work. The team at Sport Buzz are broadcast pros.  

Go to the Sports Buzz link here for the latest Giants Cove interview.

Let's make two things clear at the start: first, Federal law mandates that every MLB blogger must publish a "halfway report" on their respective team somewhere around the All Star break. You can look it up, it's right there in the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. So bring on the dark-suited auditors with the narrow ties, this entry puts my blog house in order. 

Second, these ubiquitous team-at-midseason reports are often merely random ego exercises in baseball puffery by the author. And I believe I have assembled just the right amount of arbitrarily selected information to prove that.

On July 4th 2010 the San Francisco Giants were 41-40 in 4th place in the NL West, 7.5 games behind the 49-33 San Diego Padres. They had been 4-11 in their last 15 games, but turned it around and went on to win the National League West and (you might have read) the 2010 World Series. 

On July 4th 2011 the Giants were 48-38 in 1st place in the NL West, three games ahead of the Arizona D'Backs. So the Giants are doing so much better than last year, right? Then why doesn't it feel that way?


 The San Francisco Giants 2011 Mid-term Report Card

Winning baseball games	A	Comments: Enough of the constant chattering about how weak the NL West is as a way to explain why the Giants are in 1st place. If you actually watch the games you know their success can be traced to a pitching staff that has been dominating virtually all National League hitters for two years. As of July 7th the Giants are 50-39, third best record in the NL after Philadelphia (55 wins) and Atlanta (53). The Giants have the 5th best record in the Majors (add Boston @ 52 wins and the Yankees @ 51).
Starting pitching	A	Comments: Ryan Vogelsong (6-1, 2.13) has been a major contributor to the team's 2011 success. After an April injury, Barry Zito has returned and posted three dominant starts in a row (3-0, 1.29). This is now a team with 6 quality starting pitchers and it may be time to think about moving one of them for some offense. For the first time this year the starters have serious defensive back-up in the infield courtesy of the amazing Brandon Crawford at short and Pablo Sandoval slapping great leather at third.
Bullpen	A+	Comments: Simply the best pen in baseball. The Giants pen has won 20 games because the lack of offense steals games from the starters. Closer Brian Wilson is 6-1. Their 1.22 WHIP is third best in the Majors. In Triple A Fresno, lights out lefty fireballer Dan Runzler is waiting to join them.
Hitting and run scoring	D	Comments: The hitters do not play well with others. The offense recently moved up to 27th out of 30 MLB teams in runs scored, but let's not start sucking each other's d--ks quite yet. The Giants lost their three best hitters (Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, and Freddy Sanchez) for much of the first half. Sandoval is back, but Posey will not play again this year and Sanchez may be out for several more months. Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross and Andres Torres have not been able to carry the offense and plate runs. Miguel Tejada has been a bust in the batters box and on the field. There's a lot of baseball left (ever hear that before?), and the Giants front office is steady, smart, and not prone to make panic moves. It will be fascinating to see what they do about this offense.
Working opposing pitchers	C-	Comments: Probably should be a "D" but Pat Burrell works a count better than just about anyone else in the game. So Burrell brings the curve up. It is uncanny how often Aaron Rowand, Aubrey Huff, and so many other hitters seem to start their plate appearances at 0-2 and are lucky to only ground out and not hurt themselves or others. This is a classic egg and chicken conundrum: what comes first, good hitting or working opposing pitchers and the count?
Defense	C+	Comments: What can you say about Miguel Tejada at short and Bill Hall at second, Pat Burrell in left and back-up catchers behind the plate? The immediate future of the infield defense improves every day the Giants play Brandon Crawford and Emmanuel Burriss up the middle. Left field will improve dramatically when Brandon Belt finishes his injury rehab at Triple A Fresno. The number one task for the Giants front office is to go out and get an everyday catcher to "replace" Buster Posey for the rest of the season. And that needs to happen soon.
Manager	A	Comments: Bruce Bochy's reputation as a Jedi Bullpen Master is well earned. Bochy keeps the starters focused and the bullpen fresh. The pitchers in the pen know exactly what their roles are on this team, and you have no idea how rare that is on teams around both Leagues. And, somehow, Bochy also finds time to get enough runs out of this damaged line-up to win games and keep a death grip on 1st place in the NL West. Bruce Bochy is at the peak of his talent and he is a joy to watch working his craft.
2011 Second Half Prediction	A	Comments: It may not feel like the Giants are dominating, but the ESPN.com standings don't lie. This year isn't like last year, and I'm digging every minute of it.  The San Francisco Giants are a team built to make, and be successful in, the MLB post season. With a clubhouse full of driven players who have been there before and want to get back. If the front office can reboot the catching and find a game-changing bat that can deliver more runs (and Brandon Belt may be that bat), they will go toe-to-toe with Atlanta and Philadelphia in October.

Up until now, the heavy rocks of the Giants' 2011 MLB season have been carried up the hill by the team's pitchers. Sure, Manager Bruce Bochy sends players to the plate every half inning, but that's mostly because the game is set up that way and the rules make you do it. But on Tuesday June 28th, the Giants tried an experiment: what if the hitters scored a lot of runs, wouldn't that also be a way to win some ballgames?

Well, yes it would. And yes they did. Winning a split game doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs 13-7 and 6-3.

Throughout the afternoon and early evening, the Giants batting line-up chased Chicago Cubs pitching all over the deteriorating confines of quaint Wrigley Field, scoring 19 total runs and featuring a 5 run inning in each game. This all came courtesy of 30 hits, 8 walks, and 3 Cubbie errors. Giant hitters got it done and maybe in the process the offensive light bulb has been switched on.

But leave it to the San Francisco Giants to insist that there also be a compelling pitching story in each game. First, the continuation of Ryan Vogelsong's amazing oddessy to reinvent a second chance and make the most of it. This time Vogelsong needed some back-up because his streak of 9 starts giving up 2 runs or less ended quickly when the Cubs scored 3 runs in the second inning of the opener.

Vogelsong ended giving up six earned in five innings, but Giants hitters Pat Burrell, Aaron Rowand and Aubrey Huff made sure that didn't matter-- they jointly knocked in 8 runs and scored 6. And Ryan Vogelsong's overall numbers still look kickass after that dust up: 6 wins, 1 loss, a 1.15 WHIP and 2.09 ERA.

All Star Game here we come; and while you're sitting on the couch watching the Midsummer Classic in two weeks, prepare to pretend like you have something in your eye when Vogelsong walks out on that field and you get a little misty-eyed.

The other great pitching story was the return of Barry Zito as a contributing member of the Championship Giants. For those with previous-year-memory-loss, Zito won 9 games for the Giants in 2010 without which they don't make the playoffs and go on to win the Series. Zito was tremendous, his signature looping curve ball dropping down behind the plate, causing the Cub hitters to create a nice mix of 10 fly ball outs and 8 ground outs. Zito went 7 strong, giving up 4 hits, 2 walks, and two runs. The pitching-rich Giants just got richer.

I can't let the story of these two great wins go without two comments about the defense. First the negative, sour, downer, do-you-really-have-to-bring-this-up? stuff: Miguel Tejada at short and Bill Hall at second base continue to look like they were just invited to come out of retirement and play in an old timer's game.

Tejada leads the team with 7 errors and his range is just about non-existent. But he hit a home run in the first game, and that type of anecdotal performance usually dazzles Giants fans and allows them to forget Tejada's otherwise dismal offensive contributions this season: .229 BA and a .257 OBP.

Worse is Hall, who is apparently no longer able to run or bend over. As a result, in the 5th inning of the first game Hall bobbled an easy doubleplay grounder then followed that by watching an easy three hop grounder glide by his glove. This after leaving the bases loaded twice in a weekend game against Cleveland and failing to cover first base on two bunt plays the past week.

The defensive good news is all Brandon Crawford all the time. Crawford was at short in game 2, going 2 for 4 with a two-run double. He also saved a run in the bottom of the 3rd inning after the Cubs' Starlin Castro tripled with two outs. Aramis Ramirez followed with a hard hit grounder deep in the hole at short. From the left field grass, Crawford went to the turf, grabbed the ball, sprung up in an instant and rifled a throw to get Ramirez by an eyelash at first base.

Perfectly awesome.

Sometimes breaking news simply takes your breath away. The news headline today from ESPN.com quietly read "Dodgers File For Bankruptcy After Failed TV Deal". But in those simple words the music of the spheres began to soar, a million glowing angels danced through the heavens and I paused in awe of this nearly irrefutable argument supporting the existence of a Supreme Being.

Up until now, the three closest things to a true religious experience I'd had were, 1) the birth of my daughter; 2) the Giants winning the 2010 World Series; and, 3) hitting a straight royal flush on a progressive slot machine in a Reno casino. Oh wait, there actually have been other instances of pure religious rapture-- watching "The Wire" on HBO and a bunch of amazing relationships with women. And that's about it. Until today.

In the instant it takes to flash a sports news headline on the Internet, the economically-based prayers of generations of San Francisco Giant fans were finally fulfilled. From the start, Dodger owner Frank McCourt apparently modeled his stewardship of the team after whoever that guy was who decided to land the Hindenburg in an electrical storm. Sure, Los Angeles isn't exactly like New Jersey but name three major differences. Exactly my point.

From what I've read, Los Angeles Dodger players will now be paid in AMC Multiplex Theater movie ticket and popcorn vouchers. And apparently the $8.25 million the team owes Manny Ramirez now makes him a principal owner, and Manny is already lobbying Bud Selig to reverse Major League Baseball's performance enhancing drug testing rules. Bud listens to the owners, so expect some changes in that area.

As for the Frank McCourt/Jamie McCourt divorce proceedings, I understand the attorneys have agreed to Jamie's demands that she get Ted Lilly and Matt Kemp in the settlement. Frank will get Tommy Lasorda. Lasorda's food bill is costing the Dodgers about $17,000 a week so McCourt may have to sell part of his 8 track tape manufacturing empire to keep the linguini rolling in.

Because of cutbacks, there's also a rumor that "California Prison Gang Day" at Dodger Stadium may be cancelled, which means no free "Kill a snitch" tattoos for the first 20,000 fans under 12.

All this leaves only one more question: how soon before the Dodgers announce they're bringing former bench coach Jim Riggleman back to Dodgertown?

The box score for the Giants' Tuesday June 21, 2011 interleague game at home with the Minnesota Twins doesn't begin to tell the real story.

Sure, the Twins scored eight runs in the first as Giant starter Madison Bumgarner learned what it feels like to stumble down a 50 foot rabbit hole, and both teams stuck around to to play the rest of the game. Just like it says you're supposed to do in the rule book. As a result, two hours and thirty-nine minutes later the Twins were on the much better side of a 9-2 final score.
 
The reason this crushing loss, which bum-rushed the Giants into 2nd place for the first time since June 4th, was so dully depressing to watch had nothing to do with the fact Bumgarner's pitches were grooving directly across home plate at belt level like they were following a continuous tractor beam. 

The soul-crushing aspect of this contest was having to watch two over the hill, range-impaired players at shortstop (Miguel Tejada) and at second base (Bill Hall) representing the World Champion San Francisco Giants on the field.

I can't begin to express how disheartening it was to watch ground ball after ground ball skip by Tejada and Hall in that gloomy first inning. Twins lead-off hitter Ben Revere led the game off with a ground ball slightly to Tejada's left, which the movement-impaired shortstop did manage to wave at on its preventable journey to left center field.

Here is the actual text of ESPN's batting summary for Twin's #3 hitter Joe Mauer in that first inning: "Mauer reached on an infield single to shortstop".

What followed were numerous ground balls that Hall and Tejada could only pretend to try for, their performance error-free because in baseball you have to touch the ball to make an error. For the record, Tejada did manage to make contact with the ball later in the game and earn his team-leading 7th error. Hall has only been on the team a couple of weeks, but he is already second on the team with 5 errors.

Don't get me wrong. Starter Bumgarner had an odd affliction in his 1/3 of an inning pitched in this contest: he couldn't not throw strikes. And several blazing grounders shot past third baseman Pablo Sandoval-- although I doubt even a third bagger with any combination of the words "vacuum cleaner" in his nickname could have grabbed those rockets.                 

As the talented Bumgarner threw his first pitch to start this game, on the Giants' bench sat defensive whizmasters Brandon Crawford and Emmanuel Burriss. They may have been wondering, as I did, just how old and unable to bend over you need to be to qualify for a job in the San Francisco infield.

What about hitting?, you whimper in response. Isn't that why Miguel Tejada and Bill Hall are in there. You know, hitting... ?

Grab your walker and speed dial 911 because the news is pretty startling: Tejada is batting .221 with a .251 OBP and a .288 slugging percentage; Hall is hitting .227, with a .274 OBP and a .344 SLG. Forget about starting Tueday's game, why are they still on this team? They must have secret damning photos of Bud Selig actually doing a good job on some difficult baseball issue.  
      
As the fog slowly began to circle AT&T Park after a blazing hot day Tuesday, my companions and I took our seats in Section 110 on the first base side and looked up at the scoreboard to see the Giants line-up. We were full of excited expectation as the talented Madison Bumgarner trotted out to take the mound. Thankfully, that scene will happen many times in the coming years.   

A map of the United States shows the distance between Ashdown, Arkansas and San Francisco, California to be 1,603 miles. A good distance, but for $230.00 United Airlines will get you from Little Rock to San Francisco in 3 hours and 35 minutes. That would be the most direct route.

Kentrell Hill, the San Francisco Giants 10th pick in the 2011 First Year Player Draft, will be taking that same journey but on a slightly different route and with a more specific goal: to be in a Giants' uniform in the outfield of AT&T Park during a Major League baseball game.

Kentrell Hill is 20 years old, focused and articulate with a soft Texarkana accent. In the summer after he tore up NJCAA Division I baseball in his sophmore year at Arkansas Baptist College, Hill has been drafted by the 2010 World Champion Giants, and he is determined to make his dream of playing in the Major League come true. This season, he batted .402 with a .698 SLG, .428 OBP, and 11 homers and 50 RBI in 56 games. His 35 SBs displayed Hill's blazing speed, which includes doing the 40-yard dash in 4.4.     

I had a chance to talk with Kentrell Hill in a phone interview this week and we did a series of quick hits discussing the excitement of going through the MLB draft and his background in rural southwestern Arkansas less than six miles from the Texas border:

The Giants Cove
Kentrell, how did you know you might be included in the 2011 MLB draft? How does that work?

Kentrell Hill
During the middle of the 2011 season at Arkansas Baptist, I started getting some attention-- scouts started coming in to watch me play, and then they began really showing attention, so I knew the chance [of being drafted] was getting better. At some point I knew I would be drafted this year I just didn't know which team would draft me. Ashdown High is really small, I think we graduated about 120 kids, and Arkansas is small, so you don't know if the scouts will see you. The goal is to play hard. All you can do is play hard all the time. And this time the scouts noticed it and wanted to know more about me.  

GC: When Major League scouts come to see you play do they just sit in the stands or will they come up to you and let you know they're at the field?

KH: At first the scouts would just come out and sit in the stands, and we figured they were watching the pitchers. But later on they would come into the dugout and introduce themselves and shake hands.

GC: Did you participate in any of the predraft workouts MLB teams sometimes set up around the country to better judge player skills and abilities?

KH: I was invited to a number of workouts conducted by scouts but I didn't attend any of them. None were local and it's expensive to travel to the workout locations, you have to pay you own way so I had to pass.

GC: Where were you on draft day Monday June 13th?

KH: I was at home with a couple of friends watching the draft on the Internet, MLB.com on line. During the draft I got a phone call from the Houston Astros, who asked me some questions. Then the Giants called and we talked some and right after we hung up the phone my name came up on the screen; it was like 30 seconds after I got off the phone. Seeing my name up there was amazing, so exciting.

GC: There's always a lot of sports media pre-draft predictions and mock drafts to see where players might be picked. The general assessment this year was that after some top pitching prospects in the top ten, there was a large number of highly talent players spread out through the rest of the draft. Before draft day did you check out where you were predicted to get picked?

KH: Yeah... they had me anywhere from round 4 to round 10, so watching was really exciting and I'm fortunate it worked out all right. I celebrated with my family and friends and we had a lot fun that day. It's been so exciting, this is such a big moment in my life and I'm just enjoying it right now.

The MLB First Year Player Draft consists of 50 rounds over several days. This year 1,530 players were picked and the Giants took Kentrell Hill in round 10-- the 327th player picked. That puts him in the top 21% of all players in the 2011 draft. Teams must provide written notice and a minor league contract to selected players within 15 days of the draft. So by July 1st drafted players and their representatives will know the economic terms initially being offered by their teams.

MLB teams have until August 15th of each year to sign drafted players. If a selected player is not signed, the draft team loses excluisve signing rights and the player can return to school or elect to join an independent league. Those players can participate in the 2012 draft if they are still eligible.

GC: What are you doing this summer?

KH: Right now, I'm working out every day running and hitting. I go to Ashdown High School to run and then go over to the city park to hit.

GC: Ashdown, Arkansas is right at the Texas border so I'm guessing you grew up following the Texas Rangers.

KH: Yes sir, that's the team [laughs]. That's my team.

GC: Any particular players you followed on the Rangers when you were growing up and did you go to many games?

KH: I've always been an Ian Kinsler fan, and of course Josh Hamilton-- those are my Ranger guys. When I was younger I went to quite a few games, me and my friends would go to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in the summertime. Had some great times watching games there. Other players I like watching are Torii Hunter, who is from Arkansas, and Austin Jackson of the Tigers. He's a guy I just enjoy watching-- I love the way he plays. 

GC: Should I even ask you who you rooted for in the World Series last year?

KH: [Laughing] Of course you know I rooted for the Giants, sir. That's the story I'm sticking with...

GC: You put up some huge numbers in your sophomore year at Arkansas Baptist. How is the baseball program there and what's your thinking about signing a contract or continuing with college?

KH: Arkansas Baptist has an up and coming baseball program, and it's a great place for anyone wanting to work on their game and try to get better. It's been great to participate in their baseball program and I was fortunate to be part of it. I was originally a shortstop but converted to playing center field; it was big change but it ended up making me a better all around player. As for what the future holds, I am ready to be a big leaguer, that's what I want to work toward, that's what I want to do, that's been the dream. Hopefully everything will work out.

GC: When you do get some down time, what kind of stuff do you like to do?

KH: I love fishing, I love to ride horses, just being with friends in the outdoors. I'll go see action movies or anything funny, and the only TV I really watch a lot is ESPN Sports Center.

GC: What is your main focus right now?

KH: Staying in shape, keeping my skills sharp, trying to better myself.


Giants Cove readers will get periodic updates on Kentrell Hill's journey and we wish this super talented young player all the best. Note: the Giants signed Kentrell Hill on June 25, 2011!

One of the most common infobites about the 2010 Giants was their luck at keeping the starting pitching and bullpen off the disabled list. Flash forward to 2011 and, other than Barry Zito's sprained ankle, San Francisco's pitching staff could be featured on the cover of Healthy Pro Athletes Monthly.

It's the rest of the team that now has permanent reservations in the local emergency room. While the San Francisco Giants' offense is 29th out of 30 MLB teams in runs scored with 230 (3.48 runs per game), the hitters now lead the Majors in the following categories: MRIs taken, fractured/broken bones re-screwed and set, groins and obliques strained, and ankles and knees battered and swollen the size of a Volkswagen.

When Freddy Sanchez separated his shoulder during the weekend series with Cincinnati, the Giants received a warning letter from the Obama White House about the team's impact on the rising cost of national heath care. I mean, dude, this is serious.

We are approaching the mid-point of the second 50 games of 2011. What do the Giants need to do to adjust, retool and move forward? To stay at the top of the National League West and be prepared to excell in the 2011 playoffs, these are the issues facing the Giants front office :

1. Improve the everyday line-up with the addition of an impact hitter in the outfield.

With all the infield injuries and DL stints this team has suffered, you might think this is where overall run production could be best improved. But it's in the outfield where this team desperately needs to improve offensively. The current outfield line-up is not close to contributing the runs the Giants need to stay on top:

2011	OPS	RBI	OBP	AVG
Cody Ross	.768	19	.343	.261
Pat Burrell	.732	15	.339	.221
Andres Torres	.762	12	.356	.254
Nate Schierholtz	.722	19	.306	.263
Aaron Rowand	.666	11	.297	.246

   Cody Ross is an everyday player whose career stats support putting
   his name in the line-up every day. Ross has averaged 24 home runs
   each of the past three years and has excellent defensive skills.
    
   At this point in their careers Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand are at
   best pinch hitters and back-ups. It is only the $24m the Giants owe
   Rowand for 2011 and 2012 that makes him untradable and keeps
   him on this team.
   
Nate Schierholtz has had some clutch hits this year and has always been an outstanding fielder but he is not an everyday player, which is how the Giants are currently using him. Lifetime he has a .715 OPS and a .269 BA. When you look at Schierholtz's stats averaged over 162 games, he hits 6 HRs and plates 35 RBIs a year.

At this point in their careers Rowand, Schierholtz and Burrell are not going to magically turn their games around and be the offensive force this teams requires.

The San Francisco Giants need to revamp their outfield by: 1) playing Brandon Belt in right or left field when he returns from the DL after the All Star break; and, 2) deal for an outfielder who is a game changer, who can produce extra base hits and runs, and who will lead by example.
  
2. Keep the left side of the infield in tact the rest of the season with Pablo Sandoval at third and Brandon Crawford at shortstop.

With the disturbing injuries to Freddy Sanchez, Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, Pablo Sandoval, Mark DeRosa, and others Sandoval's return tomorrow provides the promise of increased run production. The best support Giants starters can have for the remainder of the 2011 season is Sandoval's offense and Crawford's defense. This is the foundation on which San Francisco can solidify its winning season and charge into the playoffs.

Miguel Tejada no longer has the capability to consistently contribute at the plate or on the field. Tejada recently had two productive games in a row and fans can get mesmorzied when a sub-performing player shows some spark. Here's a reality check: Tejada is batting .227 with an amazingly dismal .258 on base percentage. He also leads the team with 6 errors and no longer has the range to play the infield every day.

The addition of Bill Hall is an understandable reaction to the Freddy Sanchez injury. It is smart to immediately bring in an older veteran guy to provide stability and calm when something like this happens. But Hall has been cut from four different teams since 2009 and has a lifetime batting average of .249; his career is winding down. The team needs the speed of Manny Burriss in the line-up and he has the range to play an above average second base. Keep Hall as a safety net (or let a healthy Mike Fontenot be the safety net).

3. The catching issue needs to be addressed.

As important as Eli Whiteside has been to the World Championship Giants, the team will be forced to confront the loss of catcher Buster Posey sooner or later. The efforts of Whiteside and backup Chris Stewart have so far been exemplary, but the defensive and offensive production behind the plate needs to be upgraded by an experienced everyday catcher who has the ability to work with the pitching staff.

Since Posey's injury, Giant catchers are batting .167 with 2 extra base hits. Defensively, teams are increasingly running on the Giants: Buster Posey had a 27-15 steals/caught stealing record; Whiteside and Stewart are a combined 22-7.

On a team that is already offensively-challenged, the catcher's position has to provide better run production. The idea some have floated about Sandoval playing some games behind the plate is a loser on many levels-- there's the transition curve, the increased potential for injury, and weakening an already damaged infield. Why would anyone even think that could work?

No one can replace the talented Posey, but GM Brian Sabean and Manager Bruce Bochy are faced with two choices: pull the trigger on a deal to bring an experienced and productive catcher on board, or cross their fingers and hope for the best.

Follow the status of all SF Giants' draft picks here

Each year the dedicated experts who live and breathe Major League Baseball's First Year Player Draft develop an overall consensus of the draft's quality. The 2011 group were judged to be above average overall, with an excellent pitcher-centric group at the top of the pack followed by high talent parity evenly spread out through the rest of the draft.

That profile worked out well for the San Francisco Giants, who took St. Johns University shortstop Joe Panik as their 1st round pick at #29 overall. In the second round they chose RHP Kyle Crick at 49th; Crick is a Texas high school prospect who has committed to attending Texas Christian University.

The one downside to this year's draft was a thin field of middle infielders, but among that group Joe Panik was considered the best college shortstop in the country. Panik throws right and bats left, and is described as an excellent hitter with good range. He hit .398 with 10 home runs this year and had a whopping .509 OBP.

Panik, a twenty year old junior, suffered a serious injury in his freshman season which apparently limits his long throw from the hole. For that reason a number of scouts see him moving to second base when he hits the minor leagues.

Kyle Crick is a nineteen year old right hander who bats left. The Giants received the 49th draft pick as compensation for the Dodgers signing free agent former Giant Juan Uribe in the off season. Crick was 7-2 with a 1.11 ERA this year and expected to attend TCU, so it may be several years before he signs with any team.

And the best name in the 2011 Draft? How about Rookie Davis, the North Carolina high school power hitting third baseman who also throws in the early 90s as a starting pitcher. The aptly named Davis apparently picks the ball good at third and matches his fastball with a great curve. The Baseball Draft Report projected Davis to go at #91 in this year's draft. Remember that name.

Additional SF Giants picks in the 2011 First Year Player Draft

#3. Round 2 #86 Andrew Susac - 21 C R/R
A pure slugger who needs to work on mastering the mechanics of catching. Rob Ozga of The Baseball Draft Report listed Oregon State sophmore Sisac as the #1 college catcher in the draft. He has a hamate bone injury (sound familiar?), but apparently it's not serious.  

#4. Round 3 #116 Efrin "Ricky" Oropesa - 21 1B L/R
Originally drafted #742 by the Red Sox in the 2008 draft, Oropesa is a product of the University of Arizona. A former third baseman, he has classic first baseman bopper power. Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com commented in this article about Oropesa's bat, writing that he has "light-tower power". 

June 11, 2011--
Mike Axisa of MLB Trade Rumors reported the Giants have signed first round pick Joe Panik for an estimated $1.1 million.

June 25, 2011--
SF Giants.com reports that outfielder Kentrell Hill has been signed by the team.