Madison Bumgarner is leading the San Francisco Giants Lo "A" minor league affiliate Augusta GreenJackets in their  playoff hunt.  In game one of the series, Bumgarner has continued his sensational minor league season blanking the Ashville Tourists through seven innings.

In seven innings, Bumgarner has only allowed two hits, no runs, no walks and has struckout 10 Ashville Tourist batters.  Big V has the lone Augusta GreenJackets hit in a 1 - 0 Augusta lead through 7 innings.

Box score

Update:  Bumgarner pitched eight shutout innings allowing three hits while striking out 10 batters.  Closer Andrew De La Garza pitched a scoreless ninth inning saving the game in a 1 - 0 GreenJackets victory.

As per our buddy  Andrew Baggarly's Blog.

–I asked Bochy how they’ll resolve the Nate Schierholtz situation and he talked around the question with his response. I think two things are at work here: 1) Schierholtz has an excellent chance of making the Olympic team, which would be a feather in his cap as well as the organization’s, and 2) the Giants really aren’t that high on Schierholtz. I know both he and Fred Lewis are left-handed hitting outfielders, and Winn and Rowand will play every day, but….if they thought Nate was something special, don’t you think he’d be in the big leagues by now?

Hank Schulman writes Randy Winn will be a hot name as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. One team with apparent interest is the Atlanta Braves. The Braves could then use Winn as their everyday LF. 

Trading Winn would serve multiple purposes for the SF Giants. The trade would then open up an OF spot for the Giants to promote Nate Schierholtz if so desired and could save the Giants from the obligation of the $8.125M owed to Winn for 2009 season. Monies the organization could use for scouting and player development.

Braves 40-Man Roster.

Braves Baseball America Top 10 list dated November 5, 2007.

Braves Baseball Prospectus Top10 list dated January 15, 2008.

Possibly GM Brian Sabean could package Winn and a reliever to Atlanta to bring back some young talented infield prospects or pitching.

Which Atlanta player(s) should GM Brian Sabean target in trade for Winn?

NBC Washing News bureau chief and host of "Meet The Press" , Tim Russert has died today at the age of 58 from a heart attack. Tim was on the Board of Directors of the Baseball HOF. Thank you for your great work. Gonna miss you Little Russ.

Asked who was his favorite sports interview and he said Yogi Berra, by far. I kidded him, "Yogi, is it true you walked into a pizzeria and the waiter said, 'Do you want your pizza cut into six or eight slices?' And you said, 'Six, I can't eat eight.'" He said, "I'm too nervous to talk." I go, "Yogi, here's the interview: Whatever I say, whatever comes to your mind, just say it, OK?" He says, "OK." I said, "Mickey Mantle." He says, "What about him?"

	Don't tell Yogi that Robinson was safe in the '55 World Series.

I had Yogi, Whitey Ford and Phil Rizzuto, and they all said Jackie Robinson was safe coming into home plate (stealing home in the 1955 World Series). Yogi went crazy on the air, swearing in Italian, swearing in English. Rizzuto says, "I saw the tag, you gotta put the glove down!" One of the viewers saw it, sent me a photograph; and Rizzuto wasn't even on the field. He was in the dugout. They just do it to get Yogi's goat.

There have been a flood of  Fan Posts in the last few days whether the Giants could be buyers, who they can trade, what Sabean should do and predicting future line-ups.

Predict the 2010 Opening Day Roster

Sabean must come through......

Why the big rush to trade everyone for "B Level or C Level" guys

People we could trade

Could we be buyers at the deadline?

Our SF Giants are only five games out in the NL West. This division is there for the taking. The SF Giants have the pitching and defense to win the NL West this season. Where the Giants are lacking is another bat in the middle of the order. The Giants have the resources to go out and get that bat. The difference making availables bats will not come cheap, they seldom do. Is Sabean willing to trade for that bat?

Do you the fans want the Giants to trade for that bat?

Continue reading this post »

With all the anticipation for Thursday's draft I decided to review  which source had the best inside skinny in the 2007 mock drafts. David Price was the sure fire #1 pick. After that the mock boards were all over the place.  As we will find out many teams like to play it close to the vest, signability is an issue and evaluating players is not a science.

The Giants are actively shopping several players according to sources. The Giants have informed other clubs that relievers Tyler Walker, Jack Taschner and Vinnie Chulk are available in fair-value deals. The club also is soliciting offers for Erick Threets and Brad Hennessey, who is starting for Triple-A Fresno. Closer Brian Wilson is not among the players the Giants are keen on moving.

The sudden motivation to deal relief pitching is twofold: several contenders are in bullpen crisis mode, and the Giants believe they have several younger relievers who are emerging or on the cusp of doing so. Left-hander Alex Hinshaw and right-hander Billy Sadler have impressed since joining the club and right-hander Merkin Valdez is viewed as a prime setup man once he returns from the disabled list. Sergio Romo, Kelvin Pichardo and Osiris Matos are all pitching well for Double-A Connecticut, with Matos posting a 1.37 ERA in 18 games.

Let the bidding begin.

"Eight or nine guys in the mix"

The scoop: John Barr, the Giants' special assistant to the general manager who's in charge of scouting, is both certain and unsure about the club's status with its first-round pick. Citing the lack of a consensus over the likely top draftees, Barr said, "the four teams in front of us don't know who they're going to get." Hence, neither does San Francisco. He said, noting that the Giants have "eight or nine guys in the mix" who they're considering at No. 5.

First-round buzz: Given San Francisco's lack of thump at the Major League level at the infield corners, fans have clamored for the Giants to select a first or third baseman, such as Vanderbilt's Pedro Alvarez, South Carolina's Justin Smoak or Arizona State's Brett Wallace. If the four teams ahead of the Giants deplete the pool of attractive position players, they could lean toward selecting a pitcher.

Shopping list: The Giants have tried to replenish their farm system with the last two drafts, although the bulk of their more attractive prospects remain in the lower Minors. Third base could be an area of need, especially if 17-year-old prospect Angel Villalona settles at first base instead of third. The outfield could use some restocking. And catching remains a priority, even though they drafted Jackson Williams 43rd overall last year.

Which eight or nine guys are the SF Giants considering at No.5?

Here is my list:

1. Pedro Alvarez  3b
2. Brian Matusz LHP
3. Tim Beckham SS
4. Aaron Crow RHP
5. Justin Smoak 1b
6. Eric Hosmer 1b
7. Tanner Scheppers RHP
8. Yonder Alonso
9. Buster Posey C

Blend of hiters, pitchers, mostly college players with a dash of some high school kids.