Feliz making it hard so far, which is nice

Giants won 2 of 3 over the weekend from the Rockies, a good thing anytime but especially so at Colorado, especially with our two big guns on the shelf. The Rockies always give the Giants a hard time at home, it doesn't matter how good or bad they were, once the Giants meet them, they play like defending champs or something.

And the bullpen did not get overworked much, even though the starters' ERA took a beating. And Schmidt was the starter who took the loss! And they beat the two righties while the lefty beat them! When they normally KILL LHP and is vulnerable to RHP. Anomalies everywhere!

Feliz has been a big part of the Giants being able to keep their head above water while Alou and Bonds are out of the lineup. He is tied for the lead in homers and runs scored, first in RBI, and hitting .311/.380/.556/.936, amazing, since when does he take walks! He is making it hard for the Giants/Felipe to sit him down once everyone is well.

I had run this thought process out before but thought I would do it again to see how it would work out. Bonds out once a week. Alou probably out once a week as well, particularly right after getting off the DL. Plays 1B when LHP starting for other team, that's about one every five days or three every two weeks. Plays 3B once every two weeks (once Alfonzo cools down; he has been even hotter than Feliz) That works out to four games per week average or about 4 x 20 or 80 games after logging about 40 games before Bonds comes back, making his total AB approximately 120 games worth or 500+ AB, not too bad. Plus about a dozen games where there will be a DH and Bonds would DH, or 132 games/550+ AB.

Tucker is also making it hard on Alou, he has been stellar this weekend after starting slow. His rate line has improved with his play and hitting the past week or so, he is tied for the team lead in HR and second in RBI, while hitting .276/.323/.621/.943 He will probably get time resting Grissom but with Feliz doing so well, Feliz will probably take away Tucker's time playing in RF and LF. And Grissom has been playing well and would not want to be rested much. Even if Grissom gets 1 game rested per week like Bonds and, instead, give the extra 12 games with DH to Tucker, that only works out to about 32 games in addition to the approximately 22 or so games he will get into before Bonds comes back.

Poor Rueter, pitched decently the past two games, good enough to win, but the bullpen got smoked both times (though Rueter was not Rueter-like either time either). This time he got smoked but the bullpen saves the day and he got out with no losses (or wins). I love Rueter but the Giants brain trust must have noticed that both Cain and Hennessey had good starts (Foppert unfortunately did not do well). It is too early to do anything about Rueter but he needs to get untracked somehow or he could get dumped by mid-season if any of the wunderkinds are ready to take the next step up. That could push Walker or Fassero to the minors if the Giants try to put Rueter in the bullpen for a while.