spring training 2006 notebook

[west coast orange and black]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> please contribute articles to this sticky <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


benitez the closer and schmidt the putative ace each had miserable 2005 seasons. each has something to prove in 2006 and each is vital to the giants' quest to return to the playoffs.

both provided some revelations two days ago as the giants popped the seal on 2006 by officially opening spring training for pitchers and catchers.
-henry schulman, sf chronicle staff writer, thursday, 16 february 2006

benitez and schmidt look to rebound

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conte goes tough on his giants

head trainer stan conte has reinstituted the more aggressive conditioning that served the team well over the eight previous years.

giants players lost fewer aggregate days to the dl (about 600) than any other team in the west. only nine teams in the majors had fewer days. and benitez and bonds accounted for half the team's total.
-henry schulman, sf chronicle staff writer, friday, 17 february 2006


conte goes tough on his giants

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schmiddy is ready for a fresh start

schmidt felt great at the start of last year's cactus league competition, but admitted things "took a nosedive after that. i felt good but I couldn't throw a strike.

i beat myself up every day," he said, conscious that his fastball had slowed by the midway point until finally revving up late. "i felt like it was back, but going through the groin stuff I wasn't able to use my body to its full advantage and go for it. i had to pitch at 80 percent for a while.

"right now i feel good, i'm ready to go, plain and simple," said schmidt. "it's good to be back."
-rich draper, mlb.com, 16 february 2006


schmiddy ready for 2006

[Rowe]

Giants ST blog by "giantfan9", with copious photos:

http://giantsjottings.blogspot.com/

Nice work.

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alou discusses opening day pitcher choice

"'I've got to say off the top of my head, when I look at Jason Schmidt I see a No. 1 guy,' Alou said. 'I've managed Schmidty for three years, and he is 47-19 in that time. There's always hope that he's healthy enough. He could dominate the league again. Matt Morris has been a No. 1. He has the qualities to be a No. 1. When you have two guys like that, unfortunately one of them has got to be a No. 2.'

"'Schmidty is still considered the ace here.' However, Alou seems prepared to go with a rotation of Morris, Schmidt, Noah Lowry, Matt Cain and the fifth starter -- in that order -- if need be."
-henry schulman, sf chronicle staff writer, saturday, 18 february 2006

here is schulman's entire story

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todd greene mistaken for matt williams

the giants are expected to have bonds, alou, feliz, niekro and matheny be his 4-5-6-7-8 hitters.

Also, Giants fans will do some double-takes if Todd Greene makes the team as Mike Matheny's backup catcher. Greene is a dead ringer for Matt Williams.

"Since I left the Yankees, I haven't been on a winning ballclub. Losing four years in a row will make you run to a good team, where you're only going to play a few games, in a heartbeat.

"Guys like us who have been around for seven or eight years, coming to a team like the Giants after being on losing teams is like a breath of fresh air. It's like getting called up again."
-henry schulman, sf chronicle, sunday, 19 february 2006

schulman's story

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ray ray ready for '06 season

Ray Durham checked into camp Sunday and declared himself "bigger, stronger and hopefully faster".

If Durham stays healthy, Alou would like him to lead off again. That's fine with Durham, who said, "I'm a baseball player. I'll bat anywhere. I don't care.

"I'm not getting any younger. We've got a lot of guys up there in age. I definitely think if we don't win now, especially with Barry here, you don't know how long he's going to be around. I think this definitely is our best chance to do it.

"If we don't do it this year, who knows? We might never get it done."
-henry schulman, sf chronicle, monday, 20 february 2006

schulman's story

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some of the more familiar names...

40-man roster

pitchers.................b/t....ht....wt.....dob

59 jeremy accardo .......R/R...6-2...190...12/18/81
60 kelyn acosta .........R/R...6-2...195...04/24/85
49 armando benitez ......R/R...6-4...245...11/03/72
43 matt cain ............R/R...6-3...230...10/01/84
53 kevin correia ........R/R...6-3...210...08/24/80
61 jon coutlangus .......L/L...6-1...180...10/21/80
14 jeff fassero .........L/L...6-1...200...01/05/63
41 brad hennessey .......R/R...6-2...195...02/07/80
34 steve kline ..........L/L...6-1...240...08/22/72
51 noah lowry ...........R/L...6-2...210...10/10/80
35 matt morris ..........R/R...6-5...220...08/09/74
54 scott munter .........R/R...6-6...240...03/07/80
63 jesus reina ..........R/R...6-5...215...01/29/73
56 alfredo simon ........R/R...6-4...230...05/08/81
37 jack taschner ........L/L...6-3...205...04/21/78
57 erik threets .........L/L...6-5...240...11/04/81
65 merkin valdez ........R/R...6-3...220...11/10/81
47 tyler walker .........R/R...6-3...240...05/15/76
45 tim worrell ..........R/R...6-4...240...07/05/67

catchers
50 eliezer alfonzo ......R/R...6-0...225...02/07/79
33 justin knoedler ......R/R...6-2...215...07/17/80
22 mike matheny .........R/R...6-3...220...09/22/70

infielders
1 angel chavez ..........R/R...6-1...195...07/22/81
5 ray durham ............S/R...5-8...195...11/30/71
7 pefro feliz ...........L/L...6-3...200...09/24/83
28 lance niekro .........R/R...6-3...215...01/29/79
9 mark sweeney ..........L/L...6-1...215...10/26/69
20 jose vizcaino ........S/R...6-1...190...03/26/68
13 omar vizquel .........S/R...5-9...185...04/24/67

outfielders
18 moises alou ..........R/R...6-3...220...07/03/66
25 barry bonds ..........L/L...6-2...230...07/24/64
21 jason ellison ........R/R...5-10..180...04/04/78
12 steve finley .........L/L...6-2...195...03/12/65
32 fred lewis ...........L/R...6-2...190...12/09/80
39 todd linden ..........S/R...6-3...230...06/30/80
40 dan ortmeier .........S/L...6-4...220...05/11/81
46 nate schierholtz .....L/R...6-2...215...02/15/84
2 randy winn ............S/R...6-2...195...06/09/74

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and some that are less familiar


non-roster invitees

pitchers................... b/t....ht...wt......dob

31 matt anderson........... R/R...6-4...200...08/17/76
67 joe bateman............. R/R...6-2...170...05/06/80
52 brian cooper............ R/R...6-1...195...08/19/74
87 justin hedrick.......... R/R...6-3...225...06/08/82
38 matt kinney............. R/R...6-5...215...12/16/76
71 pedro liriano........... R/R...6-2...170...10/23/80
62 jeff miller............. R/R...6-3...235...02/01/80
75 billy sadler............ R/R...6-0...190...09/21/81
76 jonathan sanchez........ L/L...6-2...165...11/19/82
68 michael tejera.......... L/L...5-9...190...10/18/76
84 brian wilson............ R/R...6-1...205...03/16/82
48 jamey wright............ R/R...6-6...235...12/24/74


catchers
-- todd greene............. R/R...5-10..210...05/08/71
8 yamid haad............... R/R...6-2...215...09/02/77
17 todd jennings........... R/R...6-0...190...12/10/81
89 brian munhall........... R/R...6-0...190...06/17/80
66 guillermo rodriguez..... R/R...5-11..195...05/15/78


infielders
77 brian buscher........... L/R...6-0...200...04/18/81
72 tomas de la rosa........ R/R...5-10..185...01/28/78
79 kevin frandsen.......... R/R...6-0...175...05/24/82
88 derin mcmains........... S/R...6-0...180...11/03/79
80 pablo sandoval.......... S/R...5-11..180...08/11/86
74 chad santos............. L/L...6-0...230...04/28/81
81 jake wald............... R/R...6-2...180...02/08/81


outfielders
82 john bowker............. L/L...6-2...190...07/08/83
83 brian horwitz........... R/R...6-1...180...11/07/82
73 abraham nuñez........... S/R...6-3...210...02/05/77
85 adam shabala............ L/R...6-1...190...02/06/78
86 clay timpner............ L/L...6-2...195...05/13/83

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third base, finally, belongs to feliz

Last year, Pedro Feliz started nine games at first, 67 at third and 70 in left field as Barry Bonds' primary injury replacement. The additions of Mark Sweeney and Steve Finley make it unlikely Feliz will spend much time in the outfield. Third base seems to be his, and his alone.
-henry schulman, sf chronicle staff writer, tuesday, 21 february 2006

here's the story

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matt cain - big man in the making

"'You can see it just in the way Cain and Noah talk with each other, and the way he asks questions, and the questions he asks,' Dave Righetti, the one-time American League Rookie of the Year and Yankee soap opera subplot, said. 'The other guys can tell. They know he's going to pitch for winning teams, and they want to be along for the ride.'"
-ray ratto, sf chronicle sports writer, wednesday, 22 february 2006

the article

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barry... and vinny

Barry Bonds was a no-show for the Giants' first full-squad workout Tuesday.
Moises Alou said Bonds has earned the right to stay home an extra day or two, adding, "To me, he can come here whenever he feels he's ready, because whenever Barry comes here he's going to be ready to perform."

The Giants scored their first 2006 victory over their rivals when they signed backup infielder Jose Vizcaino.

"I told him, if you can get a deal with the Giants, I'd love to go there. They have a good chance of going to the playoffs."
-henry schulman, sf chronicle staff writer, wednesday, 22 february 2006

the article

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it it the wright time?

Jamey Wright is a non-roster invitee, but he's still the odds-on favorite for the fifth starter's spot, having more experience than contenders Brad Hennessey and Kevin Correia.

"I cherish this opportunity," said Wright. "I've always been excited to pitch in San Francisco with the crowds and the energy there, and I've pitched well there. I can't even put into words how awesome it is to be in this clubhouse with this team."
-rich draper, mlb.com. tuesday, 21 february 2006

the giants.com story

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cooper 'n kinney

Brian Cooper is 31, Matt Kinney, 29. They're both 11-year professionals, both non-roster invitees, both considered journeymen with about 150 Major League games between them, including decent stints with San Francisco last season.

And both are seemingly always on the fringes.

They face equal challenges in making a pitching roster as deep as observers can remember. There have been no cameras or packs of reporters seeking them out this spring, yet on the outside looking in or not, they are here.
-rich draper, mlb.com, wednesday, 22 february 2006

click here for the giants.com story

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nothin' much goin' on in arizona yesterday

Jason Schmidt and Noah Lowry both looked sharp, drawing few good swings from a group that included Moises Alou, Barry Bonds, Steve Finley and Randy Winn.
-henry schulman, sf chronicle staff writer, thursday, 23 february 2006

here is the short column