Sports Radio Service


		Michael Duca on A's and Giants By Michael Duca March 27, 2011

	Sportsradio: The Giants open the schedule playing mostly on the road with 21 out of 33 away, but after May 5th they play 72 out of 131 at home. Was this just a matter of the schedule makers doing a poor job getting the Giants away from AT&T at the start of the season and how much of a disadvantage do you see in starting that many games away from home? Frankly, I don't see this as a disadvantage. The Giants have a veteran team that is largely intact from last year, but this many road games to start the season can actually really help the team bond again. When teams are on the road, there are fewer distractions, and this means the Giants will have a lot of home games int he summer, when their families and kids are with them. It could turn out to be a major benefit; if the team jels early, they will be very hard to beat at home. Sportsradio: With Cody Ross out for two to three weeks with a calf strain and Aubrey Huff taking his place in right field for that time do you think Huff can fill the bill at the position and how much will the Giants miss Ross in the line up? The Giants relied heavily on Cody Ross to win the playoffs last year, but -- they basically got there without him. They have "added" Mark DeRosa as well this year, if his wrist allows him to play early in the season. I think they will surely miss Ross, but not so much that it will stall the team. Sportsradio: Things have been suspect for the Giants with the other injuries Brian Wilson is having a tough time throwing because of the oblique injury, Matt Cain got raked the other day in a 8-0 loss he has been hampered with elbow issues do you see him getting this cleared up by opening day? Also talk about the struggles of Miguel Tejada and Tim Lincecum in some of the last few games? It's spring. It's largely meaningless. Wins and losses in spring are irrelevant. Pitchers are working on pitches getting comfortable throwing pitches in any count. I'm sure Cain would rather not have been scored on, but the question there was whether or not he could pitch the innings he was assigned. Wilson is a bit more problematic, but I'm assured he is fine and will miss little, if any, of the start of the season. Tejada's fielding has improved over the last couple of weeks, but his bad has not really come around yet as the team hopes it will. I know the Giants are a whole lot happier to be in their position than the one the Phillies find themselves in with regard to injuries.