Like many Giants fans, I’m a little annoyed right now. Annoyances vary throughout the fan base, and there’s plenty to be annoyed about based on their performance so far, but my annoyances are more about who isn’t being given an opportunity to play.
First, we have Brandon Belt getting benched every time they want Buster Posey to have a “day off.” Here’s a wild idea, when you want to give your catcher a day off, maybe just give him the day off.
I get that Buster Posey is getting older. I get that he’s the franchise player and that everyone from grandmas to infants has a Buster Posey jersey, and that small children admire him, and that he’s the baseball equivalent of Captain America. I get that he’s who fans and the organization want to see play more. When it’s Belt vs. Posey, Posey is going to get preference.
However, Brandon Belt is still in what should be the prime of his career. He was headed towards a career year last season before he was sidelined by a baseball to the brain. He should be playing every day. He should have started the home opener. And yes I’m still annoyed about that.
It used to be that they would stick him in left field every so often when they wanted to play Posey at first and get the backup catcher a start. But now that they’ve moved Hunter Pence over there, it’s Belt vs. Pence and you can see who they prefer. And that’s fine, I’m not advocating for him to play left field every week.
I just think that, as the Giants’ very talented everyday first baseman, he should be the default first baseman unless he needs a day off. And then Posey should play first. And if Posey needs a day off, he should just get the day off - no strings attached. Let the man rest. He’s Buster Posey.
Anyway, I know this will not change and the Belt Wars will rage on. It’s just frustrating.
Secondly, I want to see Mac Williamson hit dingers in a Giants uniform. Nay, I demand it. Bring him up, logic be damned.
That said, I know why they aren’t going to do that. And I know that even if they did, he would likely be relegated to the bench to keep Belt company, regardless of how well he hits. And so it’s almost better that they leave him alone and let him hit a million dingers in Sacramento. But that doesn’t make me want to see him called up any less.
Finally, on a positive note, Bartolo Colón took a perfect game into the eighth inning yesterday. If this man can nearly throw a perfect game at age 44, what’s stopping you from tackling your biggest tasks today?