Ageism

Alright, I'm back from Africa, time to get back to work.

The baseball season is upon us! Giants started off in Houston with a 3-game series against the Astros. With 2 of their 3 best pitchers going starting in the series (Lincecum and Cain), it wasn't surprising to see a sweep. Also, the Astros just aren't very good. However, the weekend series against Atlanta will prove to be a better test for the Giants. This opponent will give a better preview of who the Giants actually are this year. And so far, despite the win yesterday, it's doesn't look great.

Despite some off-season signings designed to increase the offense, and especially the power numbers (Huff, DeRosa, Molina), this team will struggle offensively. First of all, the collective age of this team crept up significantly this off-season. From 2005-2008, when the Giants weren't making the playoffs and were finishing the season with a sub-.500 record, they're average age was always over 30. In 2005, it was 37, and they finished with a .463 winning percentage. In 2006, it was 35, with a .472 winning percentage. In 2007, it was 36, with a .438 winning percentage. 2008 brought the youthful average age of 30 and a winning percentage of .444. Last season, in 2009, the year they weren't supposed to be good, they brought home a .543 winning percentage. Almost .100 more points then the previous season. The secret to their success? Getting younger. The average age last year was 29, the first time under 30 in years, with 4 of their 8 starters under age 30 (Lewis, Burriss, Ishikawa, and Sandoval).

As most other teams are beginning to recognize over the past few years, this game is changing. It is no longer about the long-ball and the power homerun. It can't be, with the previous era being so tainted with the use of steroids. Teams had to find other ways to win. Great pitching once again became the most valuable asset in baseball and, with it, came the youth movement. For most teams anyway.

The average age of the Giants this season is 32. They have managed to replace every starter from last season who was under 30 (with the exception of Sandoval) with a guy who is over 30. That is worrisome, given their stats with a team of an average age of over 30. Guys will break down, veterans will get tired. We hope to get everything out of them now (Renteria) because, come June, who knows how they'll be feeling? Bengie Molina had only 3 homeruns during the months of June and July last year, when the Giants lost ground in their push for the playoffs. The lack of consistency with the veteran players is astounding (Rowand batted .320 in June of last year, and then struggled to bat over .200 for the rest of the year).

Hopefully, this batch of veteran players will break the mold and hit consistently and lead this team to a World Series (or, at least, the playoffs for the first time in 6 years). However, more than likely, they took a Giant step backwards in this off-season, towards the years of sub-.500 baseball.

It could be a long season by June.

Jen