Belt it out

As someone who has always criticized Brian Sabean, it almost pains me to admit that he's done a great job in the past couple years with the minor league system for the Giants. The Bonds era was so painful as a fan, to watch prospect after prospect get traded away for aging veterans who rarely produced (A.J. Pierzynski, Ryan Klesko, Ray Durham, Aaron Rowand). Even in recent seasons, with signings for Tejada and Beltran. As a fan, you always want to see homegrown, consistent players out there on the field and, for possibly the first time since I can remember, the Giants are young, homegrown, and are very likeable.

Oh, and they're predicted by "Sports Illustrated" to make it to the World Series this year. Coincidence?

Sabean showed great restraint in this off-season, no going after the big, expensive free agent, but choosing to fill some holes with quiet, young, consistent players. Melky Cabrera is 27 and coming off the best season of his career with the most games player (.305 avg, 155 games, 18 HR, 87 RBI). Angel Pagan is 30 and brings the Giants some much-needed speed (32 steals in 2011). Cabrera has thrived in the Spring, hitting .381 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. Pagan, though he's struggled a bit in Scottsdale, will provide solid defense in the big center field of AT&T park.

The spot on the field that I'm most concerned about? First base.

Brandon Belt needs to be the starting first baseman on April 5th. In Spring, he's batting .380 with 3 HR (tied for second on the team) in 17 games. Huff is batting .275 with 2 HR in 14 games. In 2011, Belt finished the season with 9 HR in 63 games, only 3 behind Huff, who hit 12 HR in 150 games last season. I know that Bruce Bochy tends to lean towards the veteran guys, but if the Giants want to win this year, Belt needs to finally get priority over Huff. Last season, Belt wasn't given any opportunity to get into a rhythm (my biggest complaint about how Bochy handles most young guys, including Schierholtz). Twice, Belt was benched the day after he hit a homerun. It didn't make sense. For a team that struggled so badly offensively last year, they cannot afford to keep Belt on the bench.

In keeping with the theme of a young, likeable, future-oriented team, the Giants and Bruce Bochy have to make a statement and put Brandon Belt at first base. They can't afford not to.