Giants Spring Training: San Francisco Due for Dismal 2008

Spring training is almost over and the Giants, ready or not, will be heading up north over the weekend for their final exhibition games.

This year will most likely be filled with lots of pain and agony. The roster is full of players who might not be major-league caliber and not very likeable.

There will be no Barry Bonds to save the day this time. The most "popular" player the Giants have is shortstop, Omar Vizquel, who is injured, with the start the season at hand.

The Giants' "big" free agent acquisition, Aaron Rowand, is a good, but not great player. According to the marketing department, he is quite the "gamer" though.

The highest paid player on the team is Barry Zito.

Zito may be likeable to young girls and Hollywood starlets, but he does not have many fans at 24 Willie Mays Plaza. Zito was probably the most booed Giant last season.

With his pompous attitude, high ERA, and rich contract, he is a big target for angry and disappointed fans, after every horrific outing.

When he shows up at fan functions, he shows as much passion and energy as a gay man at the Playboy Mansion.

The media can bash Bonds all they want, but he was loved by many fans. Who doesn't like to watch baseball history or long home runs?

Bonds had the whole Bay Area flocking to AT&T Park every season. No one on the team can help fill up seats like Bonds could.

Who cares about Kevin Frandsen or Daniel Ortmeier? Does anyone like Dave Roberts, besides the Red Sox Nation? Has he done anything good since stealing bases against Mariano Rivera in the ALCS a few years ago?

How about Randy Winn and Ray Durham?

The veterans on this team are just playing out their careers on a losing team while collecting a paycheck. The younger players, like Fred Lewis, are just happy to be in the big leagues and are more concerned about that, than winning.

This team is going nowhere, but down, in 2008. The problem is they won't even be loveable losers.

Sure, the house will be packed when the Mets, Cubs, and Dodgers come to town, however, half of the fans in attendance will be wearing the visiting teams' hats and jerseys.

If you thought last season was bad with Bonds, imagine what will happen this year.