Matt Cain

Taking a look into this baseball season many fascinating stories have developed. Zack Greinke has showcased his stuff early and Josh Johnson has turned from a dynamic prospect into the real deal.

Who has been the best so far though? You have the big names at the top of starting rotations like Johan Santana and Roy Halladay. Then you have the surprising names like Edwin Jackson and Tim Wakefield.

Teams are banking on these proven veterans and their young guns to hold their own in the second half of the season.

The Giants, now without Barry Bonds, will need to find a new way to fill the seats and, in doing so, fast.

Tonight's 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers is only one game. The Giants are still 39-33 and still in good shape as a team overall (even though the Rockies are nipping on the heels of the Giants at a breakneck pace).

And after all, there is more than half a season of Giants baseball left to be played.

But that doesn't mean that this road trip against Milwaukee and St. Louis is one to be taken lightly. Sure, the Giants are in a close race with Brewers for the Wild Card position.

That being said, Wild Card races only get serious come August, not in June.

There are whispers in San Francisco. From the fog banked hills to the sun drenched downtown streets—there are whispers. Barely audible mutterings, a once very familiar phrase coming back.

As you get closer to China Basin and AT&T Park, the whispers get a little louder, and the words begin to form in your ears...playoffs...

Around the league you will not hear these whispers. And for good reason—it's a little early to begin talking about the 2009 Giants reaching the postseason.

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Matt Cain is coming into tonight’s start against the Texas Rangers as a rising star. His stock around the league is rising, and fans across the nation are starting to know his name.

Yet Cain should not be looked upon as a new arm. After all, he’s compiled almost four full years of major-league service time, and has been playing professionally for the last eight.

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After the Giants finished 2008 with a record of 72-90, a lot of people saw promise.

There were flashes of brilliance from young guys, steady contribution from veterans, and it looked like a couple tweaks to the roster could change a lot for 2009.

The San Francisco Giants' 2008 highlight was the development of their future pitching star, Tim Lincecum, to his rise to Cy Young Award winner.

Tim Lincecum's 2008 performance was one of the greatest single-year performances by anyone who has worn a Giants uniform, including Bonds' now tainted home run record.

Some would argue Lincecum's 2008 accomplishment is more validating to the Giants' organization than Barry's 73 home runs.

Regardless, Tim Lincecum put the Giants on his back and, more importantly, on the map during an otherwise disappointing season.

For the last couple years, my dad and I have kicked around the same uncomfortable conclusion regarding Matt Cain and his lack of offensive support.  The gist was, with so many obvious talents at such a young age, perhaps it would be better for the Kid to ply his wares in a more pitcher-friendly environment.

We were not speaking, of course, about the home park because there are few diamonds more hospitable to the guy on the bump than Pac Bell Park (some call it AT&T).

One thing that could be said about the Giants and, in particular, Brian Sabean, is that they value pitching.

Perhaps too much.

Whether it be their approach to drafting, consistently using their top picks on pitching prospects over position players, valuing pitching in free agency over much needed hitting, or a reluctance to trade their only commodity (pitchers) for bats, the Giants have a clear and somewhat dogmatic philosophy towards building a competitive team.

The 2007 and 2008 seasons saw Matt Cain dominate at times and somehow leave the ballpark with a loss. His record in the previous two seasons was 15-30 and yet he still ranked in the top 20 in ERA both years.

That doesn't make much sense now does it?

When asked about if Cain was ready to take that next step to the kind of pitcher people thought he could be before the year began, there was always the statement, “Yeah, but...” and then usually a tilt of the head.