I was in 110 for game 2 of the Dodger series.  I know it's looking bad but still a huge game.  What do I see?  At least 1/3 of the fans are Dodger fans.  AT LEAST.

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My first diary in the new format -

Is anyone willing to object to the Rowand signing at this point?  I remember a lot of a groaning at the time but 11m per year for 5 years for a player of Rowand's caliber both on the field and off the field seems pretty amazing to me at this point.

He's definitely proven his leadership.  Watching TV footage of how players interact with him in the dugout shows he's a natural leader who inspires other players (for what that's worth) . . . and the stats speak for themselves.

.325avg  .393obp  .529slg

Compared to say Roberts (heh) this is one of the better FA signings the giants have made in recent history.  I'm not one to buy into the "grit" and "heart" of ballplayers (eff David Eckstein) but Rowand is one player I can truly buy into.

Anyway, this post is just to contradict all the haters I remember from when he was signed.  Maybe a lame diary but to be honest <3 Rowand.

Check out these quotes from the recent article on SFGiants.com's front page.

"The stats and the scouts concur on Lincecum like they rarely do," says PROTRADE research analyst Lucas Ruprecht. "There's simply no one currently in the minors who can match his stuff. In fact, I'm not sure there's been any pitcher in the last decade that could compete with his arsenal."

"He has nothing left to prove," states PROTRADE's Brian Mead. "Pitching prospects might be as elusive as a white whale. But Tim Lincecum can't be considered a pitching prospect after what we've seen."

Mead continues: "No, this is clearly a good Major League pitcher who's just spinning his wheels in Triple-A until his team can bring him up. The impact he's going to have will be mind-blowing and immediate."

Full story

Whether or not the Giants can afford to trade Benetiz is definitely a matter for discussion, but ESPN's Rumor Central recently posted this trade rumor:

M's do their homework on Benitez
Mar 21 - The Mariners had a scout assigned to watch Giants reliever Armando Benitez almost exclusively for the past week, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

Seattle reportedly might offer Ben Broussard and ask the Giants to eat some of Benitez's contract.

According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants may make a decision on whether to trade or keep Benitez by early next week.

My view: Broussard's pop would fit in well with our lineup, though it would spell the end for Sweeney and take ABs from Aurilia and Klesko.