Keeping in mind umps squeeze rookies:
5 IP (pitch count); 3 H; 2 ER; 4 BB; 7 Ks; 85 pitches

6/4/1/3/7/106

Uhhhh, I don't know about this, guys...
I'm listening to the Cain meltdown and wondering a couple of things:
1) Are we witnessing Cain's neurotic reaction to the "next young phenom"?
2) It's evident that even the best young phenom can melt, and the Giants are doing the move ham-handed: rumors, smoke, and unhappy demotions. I predict a disaster:
IP: 2.1 / H: 6 / ER: 7 / BB: 3 / K: 3 / Pitches: 60

I'm sorry Reek, but that is ridiculous. Cain has been effectively wild in almost all of his starts. Tonight, he lost the effective part. Not to mention every team we play is lava-hot when we get to 'em.

One bad start is still not bad considering how young he is. I expect him to return to his no-no form next week.

And the good news is it is the Sunday night game so we get to watch it on TV here in the UK even if it starts at 1.05am. The bad news is obviously having to listen to Joe Morgan. I'll go for over optimism. 8IP 3H 1ER 1BB 15Ks - However the offense will probably suck and timmeh timmeh will get stuck with the loss.

Cain was due a bad outing. No one can pitch like he was pitching in April every time out. Note that his ERA is still right around 3, even after being shelled.

If you were reading Lefty Malo then you could not have gotten the info on Timmy any sooner. It went from Rags to Tim to his Dad and bestfriend. Yesterday morning I was with my friend who received an email from one of the people Tim had emailed. That's when ELM got the info while the rest followed. It made me sick last night when Roberts couldn't get the run home from 3rd with one out as we tried to make a comeback (I know we got another big two out hit but . . .).

I'll predict 6 2/3 innings, 4 hits, one run, 8 K's, and a WIN.

As far as predictions, first game jitters and adjustments result in 6 IP, 6 hits, 3 BB, and 4 earned runs. His second game Lincecum will take a no hitter past the fifth inning.

6.2 innings, 3 hits, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8K

FTW!

I agree that Neikro will go but I can't believe how soured I've become on Linden. He's had a chance and hasn't responded. I like, and think we can pry away, Raul Ibanez. He's nails and has his gameface on everyday. We need another outfielder so Roberts can be the 4th and PR for Bonds etc.

Timmy goes 7 1/3, 5 hits, 2ER, 3BB, 9 K's.

Forgot to predict Timmy's first game.

Let me be the first to predict absolute brilliance in his first start.

7IP, 3H, 0ER, 1BB, 7K

Me too on Linden. Boy oh boy I thought that kid was ready for the big leagues, but he's looking more and more like JR Phillips with every at bat.

I do think Neikro will be the one to go right now, with Linden following the millisecond after Sabes can trade for a journeyman outfielder.

Living up north I watch a lot of Ms games, and I agree with the Ibanez sentiment. Also, I think he played some first base before Sexson came over. Correct me if I'm wrong.

good call Moose. Raul has played 1B 135 games in his career and has a .991 fielding % (not like we need another lst baseman but in a pinch or injuries). We put him in Right, Winn to center and Roberts PR and fills in.

Moose, that was me as "anonymous." I too see lot's of M's games here in Seattle.

I don't think there will be a trade for an OF. Winn (BA 309) is ranked 24th in MLB for BA, 63d for OBP, 48th SLG (taking out guys with single digit ABs). Plus he has very good range and knows the particularlities of RF at ATT. I think the expectation is that Roberts, as the weather warms, regresses to his career averages.
While Linden is a huge disappointment (and I was one who thought he would be very productive this year), 4th OF is not worth the trouble to worry about.
The O, since the beginning of the season debacle, is scoring just about 5 runs a game. It would be nice to see Roberts and Omar warm up, but other than replacing Niekro with Frandsen, I am not sure much else in the way of help is going to be sought. I don't think it is worth the cost of some of our pitching.

30 K's between Lincecum and Hamels... :)

6 IP
3 hits
2 ER
3 BB
12 K
99 pitches

I think he'll be amped up and overthrowing his first couple of innings but his stuff will be so good that he would run the count to 3-2 and the close them down with a K or groundout.

I think Sanchez is the one going down and be switched to starting so that he's ready to come up should we need another starter for any reason. Meanwhile, they go to him in the next 2 days so that the rest of bullpen is rested, relatively.

Correia slides in as long relief guy until Ortiz returns from DL and takes that role, though they might just go with Correia long relief and try to use Ortiz in setup situations instead, at least initially, to see how he does there.

When Ortiz comes off DL, then they will make a choice on who to drop, most probably Niekro.

If anything, the Giants now burn the phones looking to trade Niekro for the best deal until Ortiz comes off the DL, that gives them almost 2 weeks to get something done, plus they could always throw Ortiz into an extended spring training or something to rehab, which buys more time.

I would like to keep Niekro, if only so that he can pitch for us and throw the knuckleball, I think that would be great. But he's probably going to be released by someone sometime and become a free agent, then go to his boyhood team, either Astros, where his dad spent the most time and his prime years there, or Twins, where his dad got his World Series ring and where he got to sit around the clubhouse and absorb everything as a kid.