On the same day longtime San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds’ received a sentence for 30 days house arrest and other minor charges for obstructing justice during a steroids investigation, Bonds’ former team made a small-scale move to bring back a player from the team’s 25-man roster. After non-tendering him earlier this week, the Giants re-signed catcher Eli Whiteside to a minor-league contract on Friday, Dec. 16.

San Francisco Giants C Eli Whiteside
Wikimedia Commons

After the season-ending injury to Buster Posey during the 2011 season, the 32-year old was thrust into a shared starting role with Chris Stewart. With Posey expected to fully return from injury for 2012, the backup catcher position will still be an interesting battle to watch. Unless the team signs another free agent catcher, the three men who are most likely backing up Posey next season are Whiteside, Stewart, and Hector Sanchez.

Signing Whiteside to a minor-league deal just days after not offering him arbitration was a best-case scenario for the team. Even though Whiteside only hit .197 in a career-high 236 plate appearances, the team still does not know who will win the backup catcher spot next season. By having Whiteside sign the minor-league contract, he will either serve as insurance in Triple-A Fresno or win the roster spot in Spring Training, thus earning close to the league minimum of $480,000 instead of the approximately $750,000 paycheck he would earn had he received arbitration from the Giants.

Despite going through his own elbow problems during the season, Whiteside could be a reliable backup for the Giants in 2012. When healthy, Whiteside has proven to be a good game caller and a solid defender behind the plate. That being said, Whiteside, Stewart, and Sanchez will compete for the roster spot.

Stewart had a career-high 162 at bats last season, only hitting .204 with three home runs. However, Stewart’s great defense in regards to throwing base runners out at second base put him into a platoon with Whiteside. Sanchez, at only 21 years of age for his MLB debut, hit .302 with Single-A San Jose and .261 with Triple-A Fresno before being promoted at the end of the season.

While the backup catcher will hopefully not matter too much in 2012, manager Bruce Bochy did announce at the Winter Meetings that Posey would play some time at first base to help him rest his ankle. With this news, the Giants backup catcher will see some starts during the season. All that’s left is to figure out which player will hold that spot during 2012 Spring Training.

Sources:

After sentencing, Bonds free to tell the truth, Yahoo! Sports

Giants re-sign Eli Whiteside to minor-league contract, HardballTalk, NBC Sports

Report: Giants re-sign Whiteside to minor-league contract, CSN Bay Area

More from this contributor:

Giants Re-Sign Guillermo Mota for One-year, $1 Million Contract: Fan’s Take

Giants Trade Torres and Ramirez to Mets for Pagan: Fan’s Take

San Francisco Giants Avoiding Long-term Contracts This Offseason: Fan’s Take

San Francisco Giants Designate Darren Ford for Assignment: Fan’s Take

Giants Trading Jonathan Sanchez for Melky Cabrera a Great Offseason Start: Fan’s Reaction

Austin Chang is a lifelong San Francisco Bay Area native, baseball fan, and supporter of the San Francisco Giants. Follow him on Twitter @_austinchang.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

That’s all the news for today.

Gotta run!.

With the 2011 MLB Winter Meetings finishing up in Dallas, Texas, the San Francisco Giants re-signed an important player of the team’s bullpen at a very affordable price. As reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, relief pitcher Guillermo Mota has re-signed with the Giants for a one-year, $1 million contract.

San Francisco Giants RP Guillermo Mota
Wikimedia Commons

Mota, a 13-year major league veteran, has been a member of the Giants for the past two seasons. In two years with the team, Mota has put up very respectable numbers as the team’s primary long-reliever. Last season, Mota had a 2-2 record, 3.81 ERA, and 77 strikeouts in 52 games.

Although Mota typically entered the game when a starter left the game early or when the score was already out of hand, he played a crucial role in the Giants’ bullpen. While guys like Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo, Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla, and Javier Lopez handled the more pressure-packed situations during the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings in close games, Mota was the reliable arm in the bullpen that was responsible for multiple-inning appearances and gave some of the more valuable pitchers in the bullpen rest when needed. In Mota’s 52 appearances last season, he pitched two or more innings in 18 of those games.

The Giants are very fortunate to re-sign Mota at this price. Over the past two seasons, Mota has signed a minor league contract with the club, later making it on the team out of spring training. Seeking a major league contract this season, the 38-year-old certainly deserves it after his contributions with the Giants. This most recent contract with the Giants will keep Mota with the team he has had the most success with since his days serving as a setup man in his first stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2002-2004.

For the Giants, retaining Mota is a small but very helpful move for the cost-conscious ballclub. With so much money already devoted to players on the roster, this move adds an affordable piece to a Giants bullpen that general manager Brian Sabean has already put so much money in. Currently the oldest and most-experienced player on the Giants roster, Mota is one veteran player that the team doesn’t mind re-signing at this low cost.

Sources:

Giants re-sign Guillermo Mota to one-year, $1 million deal, HardballTalk, NBC Sports

Guillermo Mota Profile, Yahoo! Sports

Guillermo Mota Game Log, Yahoo! Sports

Guillermo Mota Career Stats, Yahoo! Sports

More from this contributor:

Giants Trade Torres and Ramirez to Mets for Pagan: Fan’s Take

San Francisco Giants Avoiding Long-term Contracts This Offseason: Fan’s Take

San Francisco Giants Designate Darren Ford for Assignment: Fan’s Take

Giants Trading Jonathan Sanchez for Melky Cabrera a Great Offseason Start: Fan’s Reaction

San Francisco Giants won’t spend big money on new bats for offense: A fan’s reaction

Austin Chang is a lifelong San Francisco Bay Area native, baseball fan, and supporter of the San Francisco Giants. Follow him on Twitter @_austinchang.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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For the 2012 season, Angel Pagan is set to play in the outfield for the San Francisco Giants. He is not going to provide a huge offensive boost to the team, but he will bring passable defense and decent production to the lineup. Pagan has always been a decent player, and that should not change for this coming season. With that in mind, here are some predictions for his 2012 campaign. How is he going to do?

Pagan will hit less than 10 home runs but drive in at least 60 runs.

This guy is not a home run hitter as he only has 33 of them through 541 games. His career high stands at a whopping 11 home runs that came during the 2010 season. Playing half of his games at AT&T Park is not going to help him smack the ball out of the park. Fortunately, he can drive in a few runs, notching 69 and 56 RBI in 2010 and 2011 respectively. What he lacks in power can be made up for there. He should be able to make it to 60 RBI without too many issues.

He will hit .285 with a .330 on-base percentage.

Pagan sports a .279 career bating average, which is not bad nor is it great either. Therefore, he should barely improve upon that number in 2012 by hitting .285 or so. He does get on base at a decent rate, so I would expect him to manage a .330 OBP, which is close to his career average .331. It would not surprise me too much to see him exceed either figure though. In any case, he should not drop far below these estimates unless a big slump hits.

His speed will be his biggest asset with at least 30 steals to prove it.

In the last two seasons, Pagan has stolen at least 30 bases each year. He does get caught a few times in the process, but that should be expected. The San Francisco Giants now have a little extra speed in the lineup though, so the steals should benefit the team. Without a doubt, Pagan will shine on the basepaths and will amass at least 30 steals but probably a little bit more. The team cannot complain about having him in scoring position.

He will keep his walk and strikeout numbers close together.

Luckily, Pagan does not strike out too much each season and his walks are acceptable. You can expect him to strikeout less than 70 times per season and walk at least 40 to 50 times. I do not see any reason that things will change in 2012. Either way, he knows how to get on base and will not waste his at-bats by striking out too often. I see no problems with any of that.

There is no way he plays in more than 150 games in 2012.

Since debuting in 2006, Pagan has only played in 541 games. You can attribute that to a lack of regular playing time and injuries. To that end, I would not expect him to play more than 150 games this coming season. In fact, it would surprise me if he manages to start 140 games. An injury will come up or a slump will bring him to the bench temporarily. Somehow, he will end up not playing in at least a handful of games. Hopefully, he can manage to eclipse 123 games, the mark he hit last season.

All in all, Angel Pagan should be a decent player for the San Francisco Giants in 2012. He will not make the difference for the team too often though. We might see him come through with a clutch hit or spectacular defensive play occasionally. Otherwise, you can at least expect him to be a decent player all around. If he can break his career norm of being average and excel a bit, then the Giants should consider that a bonus. It probably will not happen though.

For more information, visit The San Francisco Giants Site .

Derrick Williams is a fan of the San Francisco Giants after living in the city for multiple years. He regularly takes a trip back to the Bay Area to see family members and catch a few baseball games.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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In all likelihood, the San Francisco Giants are going to pay the arbitration-eligible Ramon Ramirez(notes) around $2 million for the 2012 season. He is a great reliever with a lot of talent, and that should not change this coming season. It remains to be seen whether he is on the trading block or not though. In any case, I think he will put up another strong campaign. Here are some predictions.

1. He will be the first bullpen arm to go in a trade.

In reality, the Giants have invested more in their bullpen than most other teams, and it is not cheap to keep everyone from year-to-year thanks to arbitration. Ramirez would likely be the first reliever to go when it comes to a trade with another team. He is worth a lot for any team that needs help with relief pitching. Plus, the team is unlikely to be able to dump Jeremy Affeldt(notes) and his $5 million contract. That means Ramirez is the first guy to go.

2. He will post a sub-3.00 earned run average without a problem.

This should be no problem for him to accomplish. He has done exactly that for the last four seasons and counting. Without a doubt, he knows what he is doing on the mound and does not allow many runs to score. He does not strike out a ton of batters though, so he relies more on command and control to get the job done. There is nothing wrong with that though, and any team would be happy to have him on the mound.

3. Ramirez will pitch at least 65 innings during 2012 too.

Of course, he has also done this four seasons in a row and five of his six total seasons in the Majors. He is a fairly durable reliever that will get into games on a regular basis because he can be trusted to keep runners from scoring. Any reliever that can come close to 70 innings pitched in a season is doing something right. With that in mind, Ramirez is going to get that done once again and without any problems. Sure, an injury could stop him, but I think he will be just fine.

4. His strikeout-to-walk ratio will continue to hover around his career average of 2:1.

Throughout his career, Ramirez has usually walked about half as many batters as he has struck out. That is not all that spectacular, but it works for him. Obviously, you do not need to be a power pitcher to find success. I expect him to continue along his career norms and maybe possibly improve upon his strikeout-to-walk ratio. It does not really matter as long as he keeps games close and gives the Giants a chance to win though.

In reality, Ramon Ramirez is likely to continue doing what he has done for the past few seasons and that is pitch successfully. He is a great reliever no matter how you look at him. I am not saying that he is truly elite though. Fortunately, he is not too expensive for the team and gets the job done. That might not stop the San Francisco Giants from trading him to save some money, but he is going to be a solid reliever no matter what team he pitches for.

For more information, visit The San Francisco Giants Site .

Derrick Williams is a fan of the San Francisco Giants and lived in the Bay Area for nearly three years.

More From Yahoo! Sports:

Five Predictions For Aubrey Huff in 2012

Five Predictions For Buster Posey in 2012

Five Predictions For Nate Schierholtz in 2012

Five Predictions For Tim Lincecum in 2012

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

What are your opinions.

Last season, Eric Surkamp debuted with the San Francisco Giants late in the season. Things started out well over his first two starts but then quickly worsened. He wound up with a 2-2 record, 5.74 ERA, and more walks than strikeouts. Currently, it appears as though he will spend most of his time in the minors in 2012, but he might see some big league action. With that in mind, here are some predictions for him this coming season.

1. Surkamp will be the go-to guy when a starter suffers an injury.

The team appears to be set on letting Barry Zito take the fifth spot in the rotation instead of acquiring someone else. Of course, that leaves Surkamp as the potential guy to take over for any starter that suffers a severe injury. With Zito in the rotation, that very well may happen at some point. Surkamp probably will not earn the job out of spring training or get a call-up based on his performance in the minors though. He showed that he still needs some major improvement after his first call-up.

2. With some luck, he will see a promotion to Double-A or Triple-A.

Surkamp has spent all of his time in the lower levels of the minors. His performance has improved greatly and he now mows down opposing lineups though. Therefore, he will probably get a shot at the Double-A or Triple-A levels. I think he will wind up at AA for most of the season. Either way, he needs to be promoted through the ranks so that he can face stiffer competition. Then we will all see if he can eventually grow into a Major League-ready pitcher. I do not expect him to get stuck at Single-A or something low-level like that for too much longer.

3. Alas, he still will not be prepared for extended time in the Majors.

No matter how well he performs in 2012, Surkamp is highly unlikely to warrant a call-up to the Majors for anything other than an emergency start. He is not a power pitcher, so he has to rely on breaking pitches to get the job done. That works well in the minors, but his 5.74 ERA and 13/17 strikeout-to-walk ratio shows that it does not work in the Majors. Obviously, the San Francisco Giants know as much, so he will not be ready for nor will he receive any extended playing time during 2012.

4. Expect him to work on improving his fastball and other pitches.

With that in mind, Surkamp is going to work on developing his pitches even more. This is undoubtedly something that all pitchers do, but he should work on it extra hard. He cannot find success with the Giants or any other MLB team if he cannot throw a decent fastball and even stronger breaking pitches. Unfortunately, his fastball is below average, so he will have to really work on his curveball and other pitches. It remains to be seen whether he can drastically improve his pitching abilities.

5. This could be the make-it-or-break-it season for Surkamp.

Personally, I do not want to see Eric Surkamp stay as a minor league pitcher for the rest of his career. The guy really needs to work on his abilities during the 2012 season in the minors. He might be passed on by management if he cannot do more than just dominate hitters in the minors. Of course, he did exactly that in 2011, but management needs to see him do something really special to keep thinking of him as a future everyday starter. He is only 24 years-old, but Surkamp needs to really shine to stay relevant or someone else could become the focus.

In any case, I am fairly certain that Eric Surkamp is going to have a great season in the minors. He might make a spot start now and then with the San Francisco Giants too. Without a doubt, he needs to make the most of those opportunities to start impressing more people. To make up for his lackluster call-up from this past season, Surkamp will need to really work hard to be seen as a future starter rather than a nobody. I think he can get the job done though.

Major-League ready now? No. In a couple seasons? Quite possibly.

For more information, visit The San Francisco Giants Site .

Derrick Williams is a fan of the San Francisco Giants and lived in the Bay Area for nearly three years.

More From Yahoo! Sports:

Five Predictions For Aubrey Huff in 2012

Five Predictions For Buster Posey in 2012

Five Predictions For Nate Schierholtz in 2012

Five Predictions For Tim Lincecum in 2012

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

Read More: Alex Gonzalez (SS – ATL), Brandon Crawford (SS – SFG), San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves

The San Francisco Giants are in some serious need of an upgrade at shortstop, and according to sources they are in talks with the agent of free agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez: 

Per Jim Bowden on Twitter: 

Gonzalez hit .241 with 15 homers and 56 RBI in 149 games for the Atlanta Braves last season, and would definitely be an offensive upgrade compared to Brandon Crawford, who is said to be the likely candidate as starting shortstop next season if the Giants don’t search for someone else. 

For more on the Giants, head over to McCovey Chronicles. 

Feel free to leave your comments below.

Read More: Pat Burrell (LF – SFG), Cody Ross (RF – SFG), Carlos Beltran (RF – SFG), San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have a number of offseason questions to be answered, but took care of a few on Wednesday as the team will not offer arbitration to outfielders Cody Ross or Pat Burrell according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shea. 

Ross, 30, batted a meager .240/.325/.405 in 121 games for the Black and Orange last season, and would have earned upwards of $8 million in 2012 if offered arbitration by the Giants. The ‘boss’ still has a lot of ball left in him, and should be picked up quickly by another squad for 2012. 

As for Burrell, 35, he acknowledged that his playing career is likely over towards the end of the regular season, batting only .230/.352/.404 in an injury plagued 2011 campaign that he saw time in only 92 games. If he is to retire, Burrell would finish with a .253/.391/.472 carrer line in 11 years in the majors. 

For more on the Giants, head over to McCovey Chronicles. 

There is the quick update of the day.

According to multiple sources, the San Francisco Giants are actively trying to sign Tim Lincecum to a long-term contract. The move makes sense for the team but probably will not go anywhere. “The Freak” has already stated his preference for one- or two-year deals. Of course, it does not hurt the organization in any way to give it a shot, and success could save a lot of money. It will undoubtedly cost the team more to work on short-term deals.

Let us get one thing across right now. Lincecum may not always be a Giants’ pitcher, and shot-term contracts make a lot of sense for him. Obviously, there is a lot of flexibility for him if he decides one day to pack it up and jump to another organization. He would not have to wait too long to make that move. A lot of players like stability, but having freedom can be just as favorable. In any case, it is not like Lincecum would be unable to sign with a team should a deal not be struck from year-to-year.

Plus, Lincecum stands to make more money on shorter deals than a long-term contract. He will be handed millions more each season through this method. The San Francisco Giants (or other teams) will have to pay an extra premium to keep him around to avoid having another club offer him more money. Of course, there is not much risk involved in signing an ace starting pitcher for one or two seasons when he shows very little downside. If he stays healthy each season, then he will end up earning more money than he would have through a big contract.

The team and the fans might want to see Tim Lincecum locked up for the next decade, but that is not going to happen. I highly doubt that “The Franchise” is going to dedicate himself to more than two years at any given time until he starts to show some decline later in his career. In reality, I do not think he is going to jump ship either though. He should stick around as long as the Giants continue to win games and give him the support he needs to wrack up his own wins. Lincecum should stay the “Franchise” for the years to come. However, he will just do so without a multi-year deal.

Who knows? The organization could give him enough money or enough of a reason to commit himself to three, four, or more years. Without a doubt, money or the right circumstances can change anyone’s mind. By the end of the offseason, Lincecum could be locked in with the team for many years. That is still an unlikely outcome though. He just seems like the kind of guy who would prefer to only commit bits and pieces of his time. In the end, that is not a huge deal for Tim Lincecum or the fans. The San Francisco Giants’ pocketbook might not like it too much though.

For more information, visit The San Francisco Giants Site .

Derrick Williams is a fan of the San Francisco Giants and lived in the Bay Area for nearly three years.

More From Yahoo! Sports:

Five Predictions For Aubrey Huff in 2012

Five Predictions For Buster Posey in 2012

Five Predictions For Nate Schierholtz in 2012

Five Predictions For Tim Lincecum in 2012

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Not much else going on in the MLB planet today.

For the last few seasons, Matt Cain(notes) of the San Francisco Giants has been a dependable and durable starter for the team. He regularly works deep into games and can get the team within striking distance for the win. Cain improved in various areas from 2010 to 2011, so he should continue to do so. In any case, here are some predictions for him during this coming season.

1. Cain does have a decent shot at 200 strikeouts.

He has never passed more than 186 strikeouts in a single season but is almost always around the 170 mark. Undoubtedly, Cain is capable of hitting the coveted 200 mark, and 2012 looks as good of a time to do it as any other. Of course, he is not necessarily an overpowering pitcher. That does not mean that he cannot strike batters out though. He might not make it to 200, but it would not surprise anyone if he does.

2. Throw in a couple complete games and possible shutouts.

After throwing four complete games with two of them being shutouts in 2010, Cain followed that up with only one complete game this past season. He did make it to the eighth inning on a regular basis though. There is no doubt that he can finish games and blank opponents. With that in mind, I see him throwing a few complete games and a shutout or two next season.

3. He will win at least 15 games and post an earned run average under 3.00.

Okay, I have said this for my predictions on most starting pitchers for the San Francisco Giants. With the way the top four pitch, it is highly likely that they will all manage to do this. The offense let him down like the rest of the starters this past season, and he wound up with a 12-11 record despite a 2.88 ERA. In all likelihood, his success will continue in 2012 albeit with a few more wins and less losses. The ERA will not jump above 3.00 though.

4. His career record will finally become a winning one.

It might be surprising, but Cain does not have a winning career record. His record currently stands at 69-73 in spite of a strong 3.35 career ERA. Without a doubt, he will be able to fix that in 2012. Cain should have no trouble winning enough games to fix his record, especially if the Giants have an upgraded offense and defense. In doing so, he can join Ryan Vogelsong(notes) as another pitcher on the team who can put their winning percentage over .500.

5. Cain will continue to be a workhorse for the San Francisco Giants.

Undoubtedly, Cain is a valuable asset to the organization. He constantly pitches into the seventh and eighth innings of ballgames. Eating up the innings while pitching successfully is a great ability. In the last five seasons, he has surpassed the 200 inning mark each time. Throughout a season, that helps keep the bullpen fresh and available. Nobody can complain about that.

Things look bright for Matt Cain.

By the end of the 2012 regular season, Matt Cain will more than likely have provided the San Francisco Giants with another great year. He is undoubtedly a borderline elite pitcher because he is usually good, often great, and occasionally untouchable. That is not always reflected in his win-loss column, but you can see it for yourself when he takes the mound. On that note, this coming season should be a good one for him at the very least.

For more information, visit The San Francisco Giants Site .

Derrick Williams is a fan of the San Francisco Giants and lived in the Bay Area for nearly three years.

More From Yahoo! Sports:

Five Predictions For Aubrey Huff in 2012

Five Predictions For Buster Posey in 2012

Five Predictions For Nate Schierholtz in 2012

Five Predictions For Tim Lincecum in 2012

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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The Associated Press

Posted:

Jul 25, 2011 6:29 PM ET

Last Updated:

Jul 25, 2011 6:29 PM ET

There is the quick update of the day.

Read More: att park, beat la, san francisco giants los angeles dodgers beat la, nl west, kung fu panda, nl west rivalry, nl west rivals, sellout crowd, sellout streak, Aubrey Huff (1B – SFG), Miguel Tejada (SS – SFG), Cody Ross (RF – SFG), Jeremy Affeldt (P – SFG), Chad Billingsley (P – LOS), Aaron Miles (2B – LOS), Nate Schierholtz (RF – SFG), Pablo Sandoval (3B – SFG), Ryan Vogelsong (P – SFG), Madison Bumgarner (P – SFG), San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants, Jul 18, 2011 7:15 PM PDT, Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants, Jul 19, 2011 7:15 PM PDT

Anticipation was high for both fan bases of the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night as they renewed their rivalry on the shores of McCovey Cove. The Black and Orange came ready to play in front of another sold out crowd, and behind another superb outing from Ryan Vogelsong and a balanced offensive attack lead by Pablo Sandoval, the Giants shutout the Dodgers by a score of 5-0. 

Vogelsong (W 7-1) showed why he was a National League All-Star this season by throwing six and 2/3 of scoreless ball, along with seven hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Vogey brought his game face tonight, making good adjustments when need be, all the while keeping the Dodgers bats to just one extra base hit the whole night. Jeremy Affeldt and Ramon Ramirez finished up the rest of the game, keeping the boys in blue hitless along the way. 

Pablo Sandoval’s solo shot in the fourth gave the Giants the lead and tied him with Aubrey Huff for a team high nine dingers. Nate Schierholtz and Cody Ross started a sixth inning rally with a pair of RBI base hits, followed by a Brandon Crawford RBI single to give the Giants the 5-0 lead. Both Ross and Schierholtz finsihed 2-4 on the night, while Pablo Sandoval was 3-4 with two runs scored. 

Chad Billingsley (L 8-8) was cruising along until Pablo’s homer, then came a bit unraveled as he allowed all five of the Giants runs on nine hits in five and 1/3 innings. He didn’t walk a single batter though, and fanned four Giants along the way as well. 

The injury bug has once again bit the Giants as Miguel Tejada left the game in the third with a lower abdominal strain, while Chris Stewart left after being hit in the head by Aaron Miles’ backswing while behind the plate. Both are thought to be day-to-day injuries. 

With the win the Giants move to 56-41 on the year. Full box score can be found here. 

The Giants will send out Madison Bumgarner (4-9 3.74 ERA) on Tuesday to face Rubby De La Rosa (3-4 3.74 ERA) for the Dodgers. First pitch is set for 7:15 pm PT with coverage on CSN Bay Area and KNBR 680 AM. 

What are your opinions.

Read More: Matt Cain (P – SFG), Eli Whiteside (C – SFG), Miguel Tejada (SS – SFG), Mike Fontenot (SS – SFG), Andres Torres (CF – SFG), Nate Schierholtz (RF – SFG), San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres

Well, the San Francisco Giants’ bid to go undefeated in the second half of the season was spoiled Saturday night against the San Diego Padres, but can still secure a series victory this afternoon with Matt Cain on the mound to take on every Giants fan’s favorite Padre, Mat Latos.

Cain (8-5 3.06 ERA) is looking to maintain his All-Star form with his first start of the second half, while Latos (5-10 4.04 ERA) has been showing flashes of brilliance, only to be left out in the cold by his Padres’ struggling offense more often than not.

As for the lineup right fielder Nate Schierholtz’s eight game hitting streak ending on Saturday, but he will be batting clean up once again for the Black and Orange. Andres Torres and Mike Fontenot return to the top of the batting order, Miguel Tejada will be back at shortstop, and Eli Whiteside will be behind the dish to catch Cain today.

Your San Francisco Giants:

1. Andres Torres (S) CF
2. Mike Fontenot 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval 3B
4. Nate Schierholtz RF
5. Aubrey Huff 1B
6. Cody Ross LF
7. Miguel Tejada SS
8. Eli Whiteside C
9. Matt Cain P

San Diego Padres Lineup:

1. Will Venable RF
2. Everth Cabrera SS
3. Cameron Maybin CF
4. Ryan Ludwick LF
5. Orlando Hudson 2B
6. Kyle Phillips C
7. Anthony Rizzo 1B
8. Alberto Gonzalez 3B
9. Mat Latos P

In other news Giants utility man Mark DeRosa has begun rehab assignment for single A San Jose, going 1-2 with a double, a walk, and a run scored. He’ll play one more with them before he moves over to triple A Fresno on Tuesday.

The Giants used an interesting lineup on Saturday once the blow out was all but finished with newly acquired Hector Sanchez behind the plate and catcher Chris Stewart over at first base. Although it’s a lineup I doubt they would use regularly, it’s good to know they can have a bit more depth with Sanchez on the team.

And as for another Sanchez, Jonathan Sanchez, he’ll join DeRosa in San Jose Sunday night as he’s scheduled to make his first rehab assignment start. If all goes well he’ll throw again from them on Friday.

First pitch is set for 1:05 pm PT this afternoon with coverage on CSN Bay Area and KNBR 680 AM.

What are your opinions.

Read More: Cody Ross (RF – SFG), Miguel Tejada (SS – SFG), Pablo Sandoval (3B – SFG), Aaron Rowand (CF – SFG), San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have gotten off on the right foot thus far in the second half of the season, winning their first two games at Petco Park and looking for more Saturday evening.

Skipper Bruce Bochy is going with a few mroe veterans in tonights lineup as Aaron Rowand will start in center field and bat in the lead off spot, while Miguel Tejada will be at shortstop and bat second. Cody Ross will start in left and bat clean-up, Nate Schierhlotz will be in right, while Pablo Sandoval will look to start a new hitting streak tonight batting third.

Your San Francisco Giants:

1. Aaron Rowand CF
2. Miguel Tejada SS
3. Pablo Sandoval 3B
4. Cody Ross LF
5. Nate Schierholtz RF
6. Aubrey Huff 1B
7. Eli Whiteside C
8. Emmanuel Burriss 2B
9. Barry Zito P

San Diego Padres Lineup:

1. Cameron Maybin CF
2. Jason Bartlett SS
3. Chris Denorfia RF
4. Ryan Ludwick LF
5. Jesus Guzman 1B
6. Orlando Hudson 2B
7. Alberto Gonzalez 3B
8. Rob Johnson C
9. Cory Luebke P

First pitch is set for 5:35 pm PT this evening with coverage on CSN Bay Area and KNBR 680 AM.

For more discussion and analysis of the San Francisco Giants, head on over to McCovey Chronicles to get in on the action.

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