Tim Lincecum

The Giants have started off slow, and fans in the Bay Area are already worried and giving up on the season.

But they should not give up just yet.

Usually when we think of America's pastime we think of mowed green grass, a clean infield, white bases, a soda, hot dogs, and the warm sunny weather...unless you open your season in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Giant's opening day against the Brewers was met with cold, rainy weather. If this was a few years ago the Giants probably would have had the weather beat them, over the opposing team. 

Then, here comes the Giants one glimmer of hope, "The Washington Rifle," Tim Lincecum.

In my previous piece, I said I tend to gloss over outfielders. If that's true (and it is), I flat out ignore pitching. Those of you looking for sturdy analysis of more than just the super-elite starters and closers should look elsewhere because I'm just going to hit the aces of the aces.

In other words, these are not the previews you're looking for (with a wave of my hand).

It should hopefully be a fun read though...

THE PITCHERS

Cole Hamels most likely won't be on the mound when Opening Night comes around next Sunday for the Philadelphia Phillies.

His trip from sunny Clearwater to Philadelphia last week to see doctors about his elbow tightness means he won't debut until the team's fourth game against Colorado.

David Price won't open the 2009 season with the Tampa Bay Rays.

He will be in the minors, where the Rays will closely monitor his early-season workload hopefully he will be fresh for the dog days of summer.

For years, the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers have had the biggest rivalry in baseball that doesn’t include the term “Red Sox vs. Yankees,”  with every game just as heated as the one on the east coast.

However, as both teams have struggled and as players have gone from team to team in the National League West, the rivalry has cooled in recent years.

The thing that had the battle going when both teams moved west was that almost all the players on each roster were homegrown and were taught to hate each other.