CalL1 San Jose Giants

San Jose Giants at Modesto Nuts, April 8-11

Published on April 7, 2010 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


At John Thurman Field

- Thursday, April 8, 7:05 PM

- Friday, April 9, 7:05 PM

- Saturday, April 10, 7:05 PM

- Sunday, April 11, 1:05 PM

Pitching Match Ups

- Thursday- Eric Surkamp (0-0, 0.00) at Juan Nicasio (0-0, 0.00)

- Friday - Craig Westcott (0-0, 0.00) at Ethan Hollingsworth (0-0, 0.00)

- Saturday - Ari Ronick (0-0, 0.00) at Rob Scahill (0-0, 0.00)

- Sunday - Justin Fitzgerald (0-0, 0.00) at Kenny Durst (0-0, 0.00)

THE SAN JOSE GIANTS... begin the 2010 regular season Thursday evening with the opener of a four-game series versus the Modesto Nuts at John Thurman Field. After the four games in Modesto, the Giants open their home schedule on Monday against the Visalia Rawhide.

Internet Radio Broadcast... The entire series from Modesto can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com with Joe Ritzo calling all of the action. All 140 games this season will be aired on the club's official website.

2009 Review... The Giants won their second California League championship in the last three years and third title in the past five seasons in 2009. San Jose finished the regular season with a 93-47 record - the most wins in team history. The 93 victories were the most in the California League since the 1994 Modesto A's (96-40) while the Giants' 51 wins in the second half were also a team record. San Jose led the league in ERA for the sixth consecutive season, posted the top fielding percentage while their team batting average was third-highest in the California League. Four players - Buster Posey, Craig Clark, Thomas Neal and Roger Kieschnick - earned All-Star honors with Clark (Pitcher of the Year) and Kieschnick (Rookie of the Year) claiming top league honors. San Jose edged Bakersfield in five games during the North Division Series before sweeping the High Desert Mavericks in the Championship Series.

Top Prospects... Six players on San Jose's opening day roster are among the top 30 prospects in the organization according to Baseball America: Shortstop Ehire Adrianza (#8), center fielder Francisco Peguero (#10), pitcher Jason Stoffel (#15), pitcher Eric Surkamp (#19), catcher Johnny Monell (#22) and pitcher Aaron King (#28).

First Half Success... The Giants enter the 2010 season having won a California League record five consecutive First Half North Division titles (2005-09). First half division winners clinch a playoff berth and earn a first round bye.

Brian Harper... The San Jose Giants welcome a new manager this season as Brian Harper begins his first year at the helm. Harper is in his third season in the San Francisco organization after spending the last two years as the roving minor league catching instructor. Previously, he served seven seasons as a manager in the Angels farm system, including a successful two-year stint at the Triple-A level. Harper managed the Salt Lake Bees of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2006 and 2007 posting a combined record of 155-132 (.540) and taking both teams to the postseason. Harper played 16 seasons in the major leagues for seven different teams, most notably as the primary catcher on the 1991 World Series champion Minnesota Twins. He finished his career with a lifetime .295 batting average, 63 home runs and 428 RBI's.

Peguero Returns To Lead Offense... 2009 California League Championship Series Most Outstanding Player Francisco Peguero has returned to San Jose and is expected to anchor the center field position this season. Peguero joined the Giants for the postseason last year and hit a team-high .387 to earn the top playoff honor. During the regular season, he led the Augusta GreenJackets (Low-A) with a .340 batting average while also contributing 12 doubles, four triples, one home run, 34 RBI's and 15 stolen bases. Peguero (21) is currently the youngest position player on San Francisco's 40-man roster.

Projected Starting Lineup (2009 stats in parenthesis)...

C - Johnny Monell (Augusta: .273, 8 HR, 44 RBI, 4 SB)

1B - Brandon Belt (N/A)

2B - Charlie Culberson (Augusta: .246, 2 HR, 36 RBI, 15 SB)

3B - Drew Biery (Salem-Keizer: .326, 6 HR, 48 RBI, 4 SB)

SS - Ehire Adrianza (Augusta: .258, 2 HR, 46 RBI, 7 SB)

LF - Wendell Fairley (Augusta: .243, 3 HR, 42 RBI, 2 SB)

CF - Francisco Peguero (Augusta: .340, 1 HR, 34 RBI, 15 SB)

RF - Juan Perez (Augusta: .244, 9 HR, 54 RBI, 18 SB)

DH - Josh Mazzola (Augusta: .284, 16 HR, 96 RBI, 5 SB)

Surkamp To Make Opening Night Start... Left-hander Eric Surkamp is scheduled to make the opening night start on the mound for the Giants. Surkamp spent the 2009 regular season in Augusta (Low-A) where he led the entire San Francisco farm system with 169 strikeouts in addition to posting an 11-5 record and a 3.30 ERA. The 22-year old was promoted to San Jose for the playoffs last year and struck out a Giants playoff-record 12 batters over eight dominant innings in the clinching game of the Championship Series against the High Desert Mavericks. Surkamp was a sixth round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2008 out of N.C. State University. Craig Westcott, who combined for a perfect 7-0 record and a 2.49 ERA between the AZL-Giants (Rookie) and Salem-Keizer (Short-Season) last year, will start Friday's game. Lefty Ari Ronick gets the ball on Saturday after compiling the second-lowest ERA (2.65) in the South Atlantic League last season as a member of the Augusta squad. Finally, Justin Fitzgerald is expected to make his first career start in Sunday's series finale. Fitzgerald was 2-2 with a 3.70 ERA in 39 relief appearances with the GreenJackets in 2009.

Rare Trip To Modesto... The Giants will play only two series' at John Thurman Field this season - both in the first half. In addition to the current series, San Jose is scheduled to play a four-game set from May 21-24 in Modesto. The Giants host the Nuts 15 times.

Modesto Nuts... The Modesto Nuts, an affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, finished the regular season with a 75-65 overall record last year and qualified for the playoffs before they were defeated by the Bakersfield Blaze in the North Mini-Series. Jerry Weinstein returns for his fourth season as manager of the Nuts having taken all three of his previous clubs to the playoffs. Center fielder Tim Wheeler (#7) and relief pitcher Rex Brothers (#8) are both ranked among the top 10 prospects in the Rockies organization according to Baseball America. Juan Nicasio, a member of Colorado's 40-man roster, is slated to make the opening night start on the mound. Last year, Nicasio led the South Atlantic League (Low-A) with a 2.41 ERA.

Check out the San Jose Giants Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



California League Stories from April 7, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central