Let us hope that the reason for the dismal spring showing is a result of Ortmier feeling the pressure to earn the starting spot. That said, I am slightly more optimistic, but still don't see Ort as much more than a average backup.

AB-350
AVG-.262
OBP-.301
SLG-.390
HR-12

Didn't they determine Frandsen couldn't cover shortstop while Omar is out after 2-3 spring training games? The Giants decision makers do not believe in growing pains. You are either an all-star from the beginning or your bench fodder. We have no idea which one Ortmeier is but I can guarantee you that the Giants organization could have made the judgement already. Heck, it could have come last week.

I think he could be a decent starter at first. Decent, meaning he could fill the hole for a year. But my guess is that Richie will get the bulk of the ABs during the first half & Ort will provide decent #'s once he gets the majority of the starts in the second half.

Dan Ortmeier

AB: 380

AVG: .252

OBP: .297

SLG:. 412

HR: 13

Is this what I really think or am I just being contrary? And isn't this still pretty bad? The answer to both of those questions, especially the first one, is yes.

AB: 496

AVG: .261

OBP: .315

SLG:. 448

HR: 17

prediction: 97 PAs, everything else not relavant to to sample size

I grew tired of being negative and have decided to be more optimistic lately. I give it until the second game of the season. But for now...

AB: 457
AVG: .279
OBP: .333
SLG:. .460
HR: 20

If the Giants actually make this decision based only on Ortmeier's spring performance, then they're stupid. I don't have any great confidence that Ortmeier will become a productive major league first baseman, but we'll never find out if he doesn't get about 500 ABs there. I love Rich Aurilia, but he's not the solution. We know what he can do. We know he won't be on the next good Giants team. We don't know what Ortmeier can really do. We need to find out, and we won't if he's riding the bench or playing in Fresno.

This is the year to play the kids, grit our teeth, and see what happens. It could be really really ugly, but the Giants will have a lot more data to make decisions for 2009.

I mean, seriously -- if they're buying that the spring performances are real, then they must think the Giants will lose 100 games in the regular season. In that case, that just reinforces my point. We're not going to contend this year. It's a rebuilding year. Let's rebuild. Play Ortmeier. What the hell, what's the worst that can possibly happen? We lose 110 games? Fine. But we can't go into 2009 still not knowing what he can do in the bigs. I hope.

Can't we go get Justin Huber from the Royals or someone else who's destined for the scrap heap? I guarantee Dan Ortmeier is never going to amount to much in the majors.

AB: 367
AVG: .258
OBP: .311
SLG:. 417
HR: 13

AB: 227
AVG: .227
OBP: .282
SLG: .359
HR: 8

Passes through waivers & reassigned to Fresno June 6.

in refusing to believe that the Organization is basing the Ort-is-out decision on a double handful of ST ABs -- that they were hoping for a hot spring to make the award of a starting spot look justified.

On the other hand, I'm afraid Ortmeier's stats are gonna be worse:

AB: 300
AVG: .238
OBP: .260
SLG:. 375
HR: 8

Even so, I'd STILL rather see him start at first instead of Aurilia, just in case, um lightning strikes ... well, just for the hell of it, really

As I asked earlier over on The Cha Cha Bowl, what about instead trading for the Nationals' 1B Nick Johnson? I think there's no way Johnson replaces Dmitri Young after the season Young had for the Nationals last year. And Johnson has way more upside than Sexon, and he's four years younger, to boot (29 vs. 33). And the Nationals need pitching in the worst way... and we've got pitching to deal... so.... ?

Don't know why SF needs to give a lot of these young players 500 ML ABs to determine if they can play. What happened to the concept of earning your cup of coffee? After years of saying SF had no prospects and now wanting to give them a starting position is not good planning.

ab: 56
avg: .214
obp: .258
slg: .304
hr: 1
days rich aurilia spends on the DL: 15

Sorry Grant... I've been listening to a lot of KNBR recently, and as I read your article, I could only hear it in the voice of Ralph Barbieri. Ugh...

Here's Ortmeier's final line for 2008:

AB: 0
AVG: .000
OBP: .000
SLG: .000
HR: 0
SB: 0

Duane Kuiper made the great point this morning that Ort's in danger of not even making the team, and I think that's likely to be the case. A great point he'd made is that with a veteran who has a bad spring, it's no big deal because you have a past track record to fall back on. For a rookie, you don't have that track record, so you need a hot spring. And for a rookie with no minor league track record, your spring had better look like Brian Dallimore's.

So with a lousy spring and no previous track record, I think Ort's getting cut or sent back to the minors. Which is pretty unfortunate, because he'll probably put up about the same production we're going to see from Rich Aurilia (which won't be stellar) at a fraction of the cost. I'd rather have less than stellar production from a young kid who can easily be replaced and might provide some occasional level of excitement than from a 35yo with no possible chance for a level of excitement.

Go team.

AB: 270
AVG: .260
OBP: .315
SLG: .415
HR: 7
SB: 5

The Front Office is incapable of having a "youth movement," or developing talent for that matter. If Aurilia's Stats = Ort's Stats, the Organization will go with Aurilia because, in their minds, he will put more butts in the seats. Money is the bottom line with Magowan. If he can get 3 Mil+ fans in attendance, and STILL lose 100+ games, then that is exactly what he will do.

I do not believe Ortmeier will make the team. If he did, and played the role of backup 1st baseman, his stats would be:

AB: 200
AVG .234
OBP: .240
SLG: .300
HR: 3

I can see Ortmeier being sent to Fresno "to work on his situational hitting" or some such claptrap. I think Richie starts out at 1B, has a good April, gets hurt in May, and Ortmeier makes a return then. Richie gets better in June, shares time with Dan for awhile, then again takes over as the main starter. When Aurilia struggles in July, either Bowker (who's been practicing at 1B) or Ishikawa (who's magically resurrected his career) gets the call and the majority of at-bats. As such, my prediction for Dan is:

AB: 120
AVG: .257
OBP: .288
SLG:. 360
HR: 7

What I'd prefer is similar to what was said above: it's likely that Aurilia's numbers, times one, would equal Ortmeier's over the course of the year. Neither would be particularly good; Dan would be cheap. Barring a miraculously intelligent trade by Sabean, I'd stick with Dan for the year.

AB: 60
AVG: .250
OBP: .300
SLG: .340
HR: 2

AB: 550
AVG: .251
OBP: .293
SLG:. 389
HR: 14
SB: 15

I think he'll manage something close to last year:

AB: 250
AVG: .280
OBP: .310
SLG: .470
HR: 8

And I'm standing behind that. At least until Optimism Week is over.

I'm not really sure where to go with this, at least as far as PAs go. I'm going to guess he ends up not getting a whole lot of playing time.

AB: 280
BA: .226
OBP: .289
SLG: .367
HR: 6

AB: 498
BA: .251
OBP: .311
SLG: .398
HR: 12
SB: 17

Somewhat optimistic, but I find myself agreeing with it for the most part.

AB: 400
BA: .265
OBP: .315
SLG: .450
HR: 14
SB: 12

Didn't Ort break his hand in the offseason? His ST stats could be saying something, namely "Hand not working!"

I decline to make a projection.