by Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Pablo Sandoval the Giants former third baseman will be missed and the Giants new third baseman Casey McGehee who played in Miami last season will be starting at the hot corner this year. Last season for Sandoval it helps out the Giants that he brought a little bit of that exuberance to the Giants. Not only in the clubhouse but he was one of the most popular Giants in the 12 years that I have covered this team.

His void is going to be memorable because he was just so popular in San Francisco, I wouldn’t say he’s up there with a Willie Mays, Willie McCovery, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry or a Orlando Cepeda but he’s in that era because he was a huge part of those three World Series for the Giants. He was one a few players that was a part of all three championships he’s going to be memorable for a long time.

Pablo will be just as big of a part of the team as Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Buster Posey, and Brandon Crawford the difference about the Panda and those other players was you didn’t see fans wear Lincecum, Madision Baumgarner, Posey, or any of the other players hair. You saw the Panda hats roam around AT&T Park each night. It didn’t matter who the Giants played around this country, you saw Panda hats in other MLB cities and his popularity with that whole Kung Fu Panda phenomenon period in 2008 and 2009 he became like the crown guy. Sandoval was “the guy” with the Giants in that era.

The former Giant and now Miami Marlin Michael Morse said that he could hit 50 home runs in a season when he was interviewed about eating the right kinds of foods. Morse has a lot of confidence that he could hit well coming into spring training. Morse is back home in Miami where he’s from and for him to hit 50-60 home runs that means your in the Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth, Sammy Sosa, Roger Maris, or Barry Bonds territory.

I don’t think Morse is going to hit anything close but because the way the ball park is in Miami, it’s a big ball park, it’s not the old Marlins ball park, it’s not one of those band boxes, it’s not Petco Park, it’s not AT&T Park a pitcher’s ball park and it has been that way for 15 years and that’s why the Giants have three world’s championships. It was because of the Giants pitching and not because of their offense, the Giants offense is good but their pitching adds something extensively over the last few seasons.

For Giants pitcher Matt Cain his presence in the clubhouse is huge as he’s a big part of these Worlds Championships for the Giants. Angel Pagan is coming back and he’s going to be huge in the lineup leading off because he brings a presence. He’s quick he can get on base, he can steal second, he can be on third base and he can be on there before you know it. Pagan’s presence will be huge for the Giants going forward into spring training.

Jeremy Kahn covers San Francisco Giants baseball and does Giants commentary each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to his podcast below