The top four affiliates all start their seasons today. Fresno is in Portland, Connecticut is at home against New Hampshire, San Jose walks the streets of Bakersfield, and Augusta hosts Greensboro.
This, my friends, is where the real Giants season begins, where we start to form answers to burning questions such as…
* Is Pat Misch the new Noah Lowry without the injury problems?
* Can Nate Schierholtz hit with power and patience?
* Will Adam Cowart’s funky sidewindering fool the bigger boys?
* Are the Giants moving their recent draft picks too aggressively?
* World Series: 2010 or 2011?
The Merc noted today that Manny Burriss is starting in Fresno because the Giants didn’t want to subject him to the rough weather of Connecticut. What, is Burriss some rare species of orchid? A tropical fruit-eating bat? The Merc also has this thumbnail sketch of San Jose’s top prospects.
A few other notable players I didn’t mention in the last post: Scharlon Schoop, a 20–year-old Curacao native, will play second base for San Jose. Steve Palazzolo, a 26–year-old RHP who fought his way up through the indy leagues, plays at AA for the first time. Go get ‘em, Steve! Wendell Fairly is the only one of last year’s five first-round picks not to get a full-season assignment.
What’s your biggest burning question about the minors this year? On which prospect are you irrationally pinning all your hopes for the future success of the Giants, the California budget negotiations, and the national health care system? Discuss.
