Take 2

Alright, here we go, the much anticipated run-down of the rest of your 2010 San Francisco Giants.

Outfielders:
We can start with the obvious: Aaron Rowand is going to be in center field. He's signed with a big contract, he will start every day, no matter his stats. It'll be frustrating at times, maybe even painful to watch him bat, but he will bring solid, if not fantastic, defense to his position. Plus, with Schierholtz (hopefully!) in right and DeRosa/Velez/Torres in left, Rowand provides a veteran presence out there.
Left field could be a bit of a debacle. DeRosa lacks any significant experience there and "may wind up being one of the biggest fantasy disappointments of '10" (http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=136660). Offensively, his career numbers mirror Rich Aurilia, but DeRosa's have less power. Richie was a great Giant, it would've been futile to re-sign him this year at the age of 38. For the sake of the Sabean, let's hope that DeRosa, at 35, is not a futile a signing. Velez and Torres should be given ample time during Spring Training to prove their worth for making the opening day roster. Both have speed (which the Giants sorely lack without them), but both also need to make improvements for 2010. Velez added more pop to his swing, hitting more HRs in 2009 in fewer at-bats, but his average fell as the season wore on. He needs more consistency. He could also stand to work on his defense in left. Velez improved defensively as the season wore on, so there's hope for him. Plus, he's only 27. Torres had a better fielding percentage, better average, and 1 more HR than Velez in 2009, but his age could work against him (32, with no full major league seasons under his belt).
As the season wears on, we'll hopefully get to see some of the amazing young outfielders the Giants have invited to Spring Training and will be lurking in the minors. Darren Ford intrigues me, as does Francisco Peguero, both of whom had great seasons in the minors last year. If John Bowker can learn to lay off the slider (or, even better, learn to hit it), he'll make big contributions this year. Also, be on the look-out for Roger Kieschnic, who batted .296 last year in single-a, with 23 HRs and 110 RBIs.
Lastly, right field should be a no-brainer for the Giants. This starting position should belong to Nate Schierholtz (it probably should've been his for a good part of last year, but that's beside the point). He is the best outfield that the Giants have. He has power potential (5 HRs in 116 at-bats last year is decieving), he's got the speed (anyone remember that inside-the-park HR?), and he has a cannon of an arm (10 outfield assists, 5 more than Rowand, who was second on the team). He is the whole package and the position player that is the most intriguing to me so far.

Alright, off to work. I'll get to infielders tomorrow. Thanks again for reading this!

Jen