by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

TEMPE AZ–Diablo Stadium is the oldest stadium in the Cactus League, and Saturday it was standing room only. It was the first of two meetings this spring between these California rivals the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angles, Sunday they will play again in Scottsdale, home of the Giants. The Angels will visit San Francisco in the regular season, May 1-3 2015.

Lots of fans in Red-Angels and many also in Orange-Giants garb. After watching the first six innings in the press box, I took a walk among the thousands of fans Saturday afternoon; enjoy baseball, the sun, the beer and the munchies. A few young Giants fans beer in hand commented “we are entering the Red Sea” referring to the Angels fans on hand. Some others in the left field grassy knoll, these Angels fans were debating how far the Giants are going this year, one said “no way this teams win the World Series again dude”. Well they were probably right considering in today’s lineup there was no Pagan, or Posey or Belt. Tim Lincecum started for the Giants, the two-time Cy Young winner, looked like Timmy of old, as he pitched four solid innings giving just 1 run and 2 hits, walking 1, and throwing 41 pitches, (24 were strikes).

The Giants faced the Angels ace Jered Weaver, who blanked the Giants for 5 2/3 innings. As a matter of fact Weaver’s last two starts have been masterful; throwing 10 1.3 innings and allowing just one run on two hits, a walk, while striking out 11. The Angels won on a walk-off single by Kyle Kubitza, from reliever Javy Lopez. The winning pitcher was Cesar Ramos 1-0(3.60), Javy Lopez now 0-1(6.75).

Hot Halos: Reigning MPV Mike Trout is hitting .517 with three home runs, two doubles, one triple and 12 RBI…Albert Pujols is hitting .313 with a home run and seven runs batted it…CJ Cron, mostly the team DH, is at .395 with 4 doubles, two homers and six RBI…Collin Cowgill is batting. 409 with 6 doubles and 4 RBI.

Giants Notes: Brandon Belt ranks third among Cactus League leaders with a ,.364 average and three home runs. After this game today, the Giants have only 13 more Cactus League games before the club breaks camp and heads home for the Bay Area series against the Oakland Athletics(April 2,3,4). The Giants open the regular season here against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix on April 6. Shawon Dunston turns 52 years old today, he is Assistant Coach/Video replay analyst for the team. He also lives in Fremont.

As I watched the game in the booth to the left of LA Angels Terry Smith and Jose Mota,(where I usually sit with Fox Sports producer Scott) some good friends of past and present dropped by, one was veteran journalist Barry Bloom, now living in this area. For a long time he was the MLB.COM beat reporter on the Commissioner Bud Selig. Bloom and I go back to the late 1970’s as he was covering the Bay Area teams. I always enjoy talking with Barry, especially when we can reminisce. As we spoke about the hits and failures of departing Commissioner Bud Selig, we both agree that his #1 accomplishment during his tenure was to preside over the biggest era of prosperity for Major League Baseball.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and the A’s Spanish radio voice and does News and Commentary for http://www.sportsradioservice.com