1 San Francisco Giants
As a teenager Moises Alou was walking along the beach in the Dominican Republic with his father, Felipe, one day, when the older Alou picked up a rock and threw it far into the sea. Felipe was in his late 40s at the time, but he still had enough of an arm after his 17-year major league career to fire the stone a long way. Without a word Moises picked up a rock and flung it, Felipe remembers, nearly twice as far.
That was a couple of decades ago, but Felipe, now the Giants' manager, remembers the episode because it told him two things. One, that Moises might have the physical ability to be a big league ballplayer someday. "The other thing," Felipe says, "was that he liked to be challenged."
At 38 Moises still likes a challenge, and he has an even bigger one than he expected to face when he signed a two-year free-agent contract with San Francisco in December. The Giants brought him in to fill the important fifth spot in the batting order, behind Barry Bonds. But with Bonds out indefinitely after a knee operation--his third time under the knife since the end of last season and second in two months--San Francisco doesn't need Alou to protect Bonds: They need him to be Bonds.
At least they need him to do a reasonable imitation until the 40-year-old slugger returns to the lineup. Alou isn't likely to duplicate Bonds's 45 home runs, .812 slugging percentage and major-league-record 232 walks in 2004. But he did hit .293 with 39 homers (a career high) and 106 RBIs (five more than Bonds) for the Cubs last season. "Moises will hit," says Felipe. "He's always been able to hit, and all you have to do is look at what he did last year to know that he's still dangerous. He may be older, but you don't forget how to hit overnight."
If Alou fails to approach his '04 numbers, it may have less to do with his age than with his new address, spacious SBC Park. Alou was much less productive on the road last season (.247, 10 homers) than at hitter-friendly Wrigley Field (.339, 29). If Bonds is out until midseason or longer, as he morosely indicated he might be to a group of reporters on March 22, San Francisco becomes a far less clear-cut favorite in the NL West. But Bonds's pessimism notwithstanding, the Giants think the original timetable set for his rehabilitation, which would get him back in action in early May, still holds.
Most of his teammates think Bonds's ominous assessment was an indication of his growing frustration over his balky knee and the steroid innuendo that dogs him. "I think it was one of those rehab days where the media caught him at the wrong time," Moises said the day after Bonds made his pronouncement. "Maybe he's not optimistic about [his knee] right now, but that's a natural feeling. Everybody's dealing with what we've got here, but we know that Christmas is coming--and we're going to get a big gift."
When and if Bonds does return, the geriatric Giants will have a particularly elderly outfield with 37-year-old centerfielder Marquis Grissom flanked by Bonds in left and Alou in right. Their inability to cover as much ground as they once did could undermine a solid pitching staff.
Still, San Francisco would gladly watch a few more fly balls fall in the outfield in exchange for seeing Bonds send even more balls flying out of the park, and Alou is eager to fulfill the role as Bonds's second banana for which he originally signed on. "I know why I'm here, and I know what's expected of me," he says. "This is a job I know how to do."
It was probably inevitable that Alou and Bonds would one day play together in San Francisco, because both have Giants pedigrees. Bonds's father, Bobby, spent seven years with the team, and Alou's father and two uncles, Jesus and Matty, are all former Giants. The Alous made history in 1963 as the only three brothers to play in the same major league outfield. "But they never won a World Series in San Francisco," says Moises. "That's the history I would like to make." His chances to do so depend largely on whether he spends the bulk of the season batting behind Bonds or in place of him. --Phil Taylor
In Fact
Righthander Jason Schmidt's 251 strikeouts last season were the most by a Giants pitcher since Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson had 259 in 1908.
Enemy Lines
an opposing team's scout sizes up the Giants
"Barry Bonds changes the game. His OBP makes his teammates' numbers well above average. He's so physically gifted he'll come out of this knee [rehab] just fine.... Moises Alou is going to have fun adjusting to rightfield, especially in their ballpark. You don't know if the ball is going to hit a chain-link fence or brick--it's a nightmare.... Pedro Feliz is a valuable guy, because he can play first, third, or go into the outfield. With enough at bats, he'll hit 25 home runs.... Mike Matheny adds a lot at catcher. He handles the pitching staff well and is a Gold Glove guy.... People don't understand how good Omar Vizquel is. He has the best hands in the game.... Jason Schmidt pitches well into the eighth inning with a good fastball. Brett Tomko is starting to mature and has the stuff to be successful. Kirk Rueter wins with below-average stuff. Jerome Williams has great command and a good feel for pitching.... Armando Benitez has blown some big games, but he has one of the highest save percentages in baseball. He throws a splitter and a slider at any time. Look for a very good year from him."
The Lineup
projected roster with 2004 statistics
Batting Order
2B Durham
SS Vizquel
1B Snow
LF Bonds
RF Alou
CF Grissom
3B Alfonzo
C Matheny
MARQUIS GRISSOM
B-T R
PVR 121
BA .279
HR 22
RBI 90
SB 3
BARRY BONDS
B-T L
PVR 45
BA .362
HR 45
RBI 101
SB 6
MOISES ALOU [New acquisition]
B-T R
PVR 47
BA .293
HR 39
RBI 106
SB 3
OMAR VIZQUEL [New acquisition] 
B-T S-R
PVR 234
BA .291
HR 7
RBI 59
SB 19
RAY DURHAM
B-T S-R
PVR 70
BA .282
HR 17
RBI 65
SB 10
EDGARDO ALFONZO
B-T R
PVR 187
BA .289
HR 5
RBI 50
SB 0
J.T. SNOW
B-T L
PVR 163
BA .327
HR 12
RBI 60
SB 4
MIKE MATHENY [New acquisition]
B-T R
PVR 266
BA .247
HR 5
RBI 50
SB 0
BENCH
PEDRO FELIZ
B-T R
PVR 97
BA .276
HR 22
RBI 84
SB 5
MICHAEL TUCKER
B-T L-R
PVR 241
BA .256
HR 13
RBI 62
SB 5
DEIVI CRUZ
B-T R
PVR 346
BA .292
HR 7
RBI 55
SB 1
2004 RECORD
91--71
2nd in NL West
MANAGER
Felipe Alou
third season with San Francisco
ROTATION
[originallink:10808661:720496]
21
2
2
47
0.82
1.29
RH Jim Brower
218
7
7
1
1.35
3.29
LH Jason Christiansen
251
4
3
3
1.67
4.50
New acquisition (R) Rookie B-T: Bats-throws IPS: Innings pitched per start WHIP: Walks plus hits per inning pitched
PVR: Player Value Ranking (explanation on page 69)
COLOR PHOTO
JOHN BIEVER
BE BARRY
Brought in to protect Bonds in the order, Alou instead will serve as the big bat in the lineup until the slugger's return.
COLOR PHOTO
JOHN CORDES/ICON SMI
Benitez