By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Bigger than a giant Coke bottle and more expansive than a 30-foot long glove, the Giants and their soaring expectations blew through AT&T Park on Thursday for the opener of the Bay Bridge Series. And right on cue, the team performed like a million bucks.

Or $250 million bucks.

Starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija represents a nice chunk of the Giants’ pricey, off-season remodel, and he was the complete opposite of Boston’s Pablo Sandoval on Thursday: prepared, healthy, and clearly capable. A five-inning stint in which he retired 15 consecutive batters, striking out five and walking none said as much. The former Cub, Athletic and White Sox was lights out after Oakland’s Billy Burns tripled to start the game.

“I’m just happy my arm feels good,” Samardzija said. “Camp is just about—especially for a guy like me that likes to throw hard—just getting that velo up, and getting that arm strength, and getting into the 80, 85, 90-pitch mark and knowing that when the season starts you’re ready to go a full pole, and be ready to throw a CG whenever you need to.”

“Good stuff, good tempo, really commanded all his pitches. The fastball had good run. He had a really nice slider with good depth to it,” manager Bruce Bochy said of Samardzija.

All eight, presumptive everyday starters backed Samardzija in the exhibition that went to the Giants, 3-1, including the retooled outfield with Angel Pagan in left, Denard Span in center, and a healthy Hunter Pence in right. In fact, it appears the team will start the season with everyone of consequence ready to go including Matt Cain, who missed the majority of the last two seasons.

Instead of angst regarding the team’s ability, the final days prior to Monday’s opener in Milwaukee could reveal some newfangled, procedural stuff cooked up by old sage, Bochy. How often will the Giants’ starting pitcher bat eighth in the starting lineup? Will the team retain 13 pitchers on the Opening Day roster?

Samardzjia hit eighth, Pagan ninth in Thursday’s lineup, a nod to both the hitting ability of the former Notre Dame football player, and the former leadoff man, Pagan, who has given way to Span in center and at the top of the lineup. The thought, popularized by Tony LaRussa, is that after the first time through the lineup, a team has two table setters ahead of its best hitters, and in this case, a capable hitting pitcher behind seven-hole guy Brandon Crawford. Samardzjia has 10 extra-base hits in his career, including a pair of homers, enough of a resume for the new starter to possibly challenge Madison Bumgarner as the team’s resident Babe Ruth.

Pagan looked dashing, his hair perfect at shoulder length, all on display when he rushed in and made a sliding catch on Yonder Alonso’s sinking liner in the third.   At the plate, Pagan picked up a couple of hits, raising his spring average to .405. In the eighth, after four at-bats, the 35-year old veteran gave way to Gregor Blanco, a nice luxury as the team’s returning fourth outfielder.

The Giants think they’ve got a couple of other bench gems in Kelby Tomlinson and Ehire Adrianza, which has allowed the team to consider carrying just four outfielders as both Tomlinson and Adrianza have spent time playing some outfield in the spring. Adrianza has had an impressive camp, displaying his versatility and readiness to help the club in several capacities.

The Giants’ bullpen has an intriguing option in Josh Osich who’s being given every opportunity to replace the retired Jeremy Affeldt as a lefty-specialist. Osich did have a rough moment in the seventh when A’s All-Star Stephen Vogt touched him up with a majestically-hit RBI triple.

The A’s didn’t have much success at all: managing just three hits all night and booting several balls defensively. The whole package played out as a commercial for the Giants, a team that as it’s constructed could win a bunch of close, low-scoring games at home with their superior rotation and bullpen, especially at chilly AT&T. If that’s how it plays out, the Giants could challenge their record for home wins since the park opened in 2000, set by the 2003 squad that went 57-24 at home.

Jake Peavy will get the start in game two of the Bay Bridge Series facing Kendall Graveman at 7:15pm.