Review of the SF Giants 2009 Season

Although the Giants did not make the playoffs this year, they made many improvements compared to previous seasons. First of all, they finished the season with a winning record of 88-74. The Giants posted four consecutive losing seasons before the start of the 2009 season. Secondly, the Giants pitching rotation proved to be a force to be reckoned with. The late season acquisition of Brad Penny provided a boost to the Giants pitching core. The dynamic duo of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain had outstanding performances and combined for a record of 29-15 and 432 strikeouts. The rest of the rotation, consisting of Barry Zito and Jonathan Sanchez, showed signs of improvement and brought optimism for the upcoming season. Two of the highlights of the Giants pitching staff included Jonathan Sanchez no-hitter and Randy Johnson's 300 career win. Finally, the Giants were able to establish a new identity following the end of the Barry Bonds era. A mixture of young players and veterans brought the Giants back to postseason contention. Pablo Sandoval, who earned the nickname "Kung Fu Panda", became the face of the Giants franchise along with Lincecum and Cain. Sandoval led the team in batting average, home runs, runs batted in, and other offensive categories. Randy Johnson, Edgar Renteria, and Aaron Rowand provided guidance to the Giants' pitching staff, infield, and outfield respectively.

The 2009 Giants still showed signs of weakness in certain areas. They had an impressive home record of 52-29, but it was overshadowed by their mediocre 36-45 record on the road. Most of the Giants hitters performed below expectations and put all the pressure on Pablo Sandoval to provide the offensive punch. Playing in his rookie season, Sandoval performed at his very best, but eventually ran out of gas towards the end of the season. Sandoval's main goal this offseason is to trim down his weight with hopes to improve his already stellar rookie season.

Vocabulary Words
Kin- a group of persons of common ancestry

Irenic- favoring, conducive to, or operating towards peace, moderation, or conciliation