Choose one: Ortmeier, Frandsen or Velez? 

Since the Frandsen-at-short experiment was aborted, the starting infield has been pretty set, with Ortmeier, Durham, Bocock and Aurilia getting the overwhelming number of starts at their respective positions. But now, after the first two weeks of spring training games in which Ortmeier started virtually every game at first and really struggled offensively, the Giants seem to be moving to Plan B. For the first time that I can recall, Bochy was quoted in the weekend papers as saying that Aurilia could start at first (ResDog links to this in the diary below) - and Richie then played 1b with the A team in Cain's game against the Angels.

Essentially, with Aurilia starting somewhere (whether at first or third), the question is which one of the three kids do you want in the lineup - Ortmeier, Frandsen or Velez. The writers seem to have assumed that Frandsen gets first dibs at third, but interestingly Bochy had Velez at 3b against the Angels, alongside Aurilia, Durham and Bocock, and started Frandsen in the other game with mostly minor leaguers. For a while now he has been playing the starters together, so this might be an indication that he's leaning Velez' way. Which would be seriously cool by my book.

Note: In today's game Ortmeier and Frandsen aren't in the lineup, neither is Aurilia, and Velez is at 2b.

Shortstop: not Bocock, but who? 

In the last 13 days (today included) Bocock has started at short 11 times, so its pretty clear what the Giants are thinking in terms of a stopgap while Vizquel is out. But after a promising start his offense has been pretty brutal - not surprising for a guy who has been in the minors only a year and a half and didn't hit in high-A last year. The downside of adding him to the 40-man roster two years before he is rule 5-eligible (just to replace Omar for the first two weeks of the season) is considerable. In addition to the risk of messing up his development, flipping the options hourglass this year means he'd be out of options in 2011 rather than 2013 - quite a gamble.

So who, then? Burriss obviously has similiar issues, and doesn't have the defense. Aurilia hasn't played an inning at short all spring, so its not going to be him. Which seems to leave Ochoa. Given the dearth of options, he would be my choice for a 2-week stopgap but Bochy is hardly playing him - Ochoa has started only 4 games all spring, and subbed in only 5 others. With no one on the immediate horizon, the only other possibility is a trade - hopefully for a youngster blocked somewhere who can back up Vizquel this year and then move in as the starter. Otherwise we'll be back in the same situation next year.

What is it with the pickoffs? And: Fred Lewis 

Freddie Lewis was picked off first on Sunday. And on the previous Thursday. During the last week or so, Davis, Velez, Durham, Denker and Leone have also been picked off. WHAT is going on? First every starting pitcher seems to be trying out a new windup - now the baserunners are trying out taking leads with their eyes closed? Does anyone have Roberto Kelly's cellphone number?

Lewis worries me. In addition to his poor baserunning, there is the issue of his apparently brutal defense. GiantsFan9 has written a few times in his spring training blog about Lewis' bad routes, dropped balls, poor throws. Sometimes he seems like he might become a glorious hitter, but you wonder if he's the kind of player who is just incapable of "getting it" as far as the other stuff is concerned. Kind of like a Pedro Feliz in reverse.

Long relief? 

With the rotation set (assuming our guys stop screwing around in the first inning), who's in the bullpen? Wilson, Walker and Hennessey seem like locks. Taschner has pitched well. Kline seems to be on the trading block (though Andy Baggarly says today that he might be released), which would hopefully allow Threets to stick around. I think we're all rooting for Merkin (great AP article on him by Janie McCauley today). Chulk would make it seven, but he's out with tendinitis and it would surprise me if he was ready in time for the start of the season. Chris Haft (nice to see he's back) says the Giants want someone for long relief, with the candidates being Misch, Santos and Yabu. Umm, Misch please.

Minor league moves 

Randy Messenger has signed a minor league deal with the Giants - I guess he's going to be a Grizzly this year after all. BA and the San Jose Giants website (a pleasantly surprising source of information this spring) have listed a bunch of minor league pitchers the Giants have already released: Darren Sack, Adam Ortiz-Jusino, John Odom, Ivan Herrera-Rusova (too bad: you had to root for a pitcher from Canada who was born in Cuba and whose father was Russian), Gregorio Martinez, Ryan McGrath, Josue Gomez, Ricky Bauer, Alberto Montes. 

Will Villalona's move to 1b affect who we draft? 

Jim Callis at Ask BA now thinks the Giants will take a pitcher. He's assuming that the first 4 picks will be - in some order - Alvarez, Beckham, Crow and Matusz. 

As for the draft, teams picking at the top of the draft usually worry about taking the best player available (unless signability is a factor) and not so much about the strengths or weaknesses of the organization. However, Villalona's shift from third base has to decrease the Giants' chances of selecting another first baseman at No. 5. Though Villalona is still just 17 and a ways from the majors, it wouldn't make much sense to take a slugging first baseman who can't move to another position when San Francisco has so many other holes to fill.

Complicating matters is the fact that first basemen represent the greatest strength in this year's draft. When the Giants' pick comes around, Florida high schooler Eric Hosmer, Smoak and Alonso will be three of the most talented players available. The best guess at this point is that San Francisco will opt for a pitcher, with Missouri high school righthander Tim Melville, Eastern Kentucky lefty Christian Friedrich and Fresno State righty Tanner Scheppers among the candidates.

Oh well...