Giants eliminated, but future is bright

PHOENIX -- This night was expected to arrive much earlier for the Giants than it actually did. Granted, the mediocrity of the National League West, which features only one team with an above-.500 record, delayed the Giants' mathematical elimination from the division race, which was sealed Wednesday as they lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-6. But the Giants' 68-84 record upon their elimination was significantly better than many so-called experts predicted. In their first season since 1992 without home run king Barry Bonds, pundits believed that the Giants would lose 100 games and develop into one of the worst teams in the Major Leagues. That didn't happen. It didn't happen because Cy Young Award candidate Tim Lincecum established himself as perhaps the league's most dominant starter. After 31 appearances, Lincecum, 24, was 17-3 with an NL-best 2.43 ERA and a Major League-high 237 strikeouts. It didn't happen because right-hander Brian Wilson, Lincecum's fellow All-Star, became one of the most prolific closers in Giants history by saving 39 games in 44 chances. It didn't happen because left fielder Fred Lewis emerged as one of the organization's few homegrown position players of recent vintage to prove worthy of playing every day, hitting .282 with 11 triples and 21 stolen bases before foot surgery ended his season in early September. It didn't happen because several of the 24 rookies the Giants used this season, including infielders Emmanuel Burriss and Eugenio Velez, first basemen John Bowker and Travis Ishikawa, relievers Alex Hinshaw and Sergio Romo and the ubiquitous Pablo Sandoval provided hope for the immediate future. It didn't happen because multiple veterans stabilized the roster. Outfielder Randy Winn surged into the top 10 in hitting, center fielder Aaron Rowand had an All-Star-caliber first half, catcher Bengie Molina drove in a career-high 87 runs, Omar Vizquel set the Major League record for games played at shortstop and infielder Rich Aurilia rebounded from a subpar 2007. This wasn't enough to prevent the Giants from enduring their fourth consecutive losing season, their longest such streak since 1974-77. The Giants ranked last in the Majors in home runs, endured streaky relief pitching and weathered losing seasons from Matt Cain and Barry Zito, although poor run support betrayed both of them at times, particularly Cain. "I think we've done better than people expected us to do, but I don't think we've done as well as we expected ourselves to do," said Aurilia, the Giants' last link to the perennial contenders of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The influx of youth was the primary element in the Giants' year of transition, but not the only one. Off the field, managing general partner Peter Magowan, who was essential in keeping the Giants from moving to Tampa-St. Petersburg in 1992 and engineering the construction of AT&T Park, stepped down and will be replaced by William Neukom in October. It's believed that Neukom will retain general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy, who are signed through 2009. Should the front office succeed in obtaining a legitimate power threat for one of the infield corners and bullpen depth, the Giants just might contend next season, especially if their younger players continue to mature. "There are a lot of guys who have done a real good job of adjusting to big league baseball. The talent in here is very good," Rowand said. "It's a matter of experience and the learning curve and I think it's going to make us a better team for next season."