SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Anyone other than Bengie Molina might feel some added pressure taking over Barry Bonds’ cleanup spot in the batting order.
Molina doesn’t plan to change his approach at the plate in the slightest for San Francisco. The catcher batted .276 with 19 home runs, 19 doubles and a career-high 81 RBIs last year in his first season with the Giants and first in the National League.
“I think they have the right guy in me because I don’t think about it,” Molina said Thursday. “I just see it like I have to stand up at the plate, look for my pitch and hit it hard somewhere. That’s the only thing I’m going to try to do. I’m not going to try to hit more home runs or less home runs, but drive in runs with hits.
“I’m straight up going to be myself.”
The 33-year-old Molina hit fourth 10 times in 2007, but spent his most time – 66 appearances – in the No. 6 hole. He also batted fifth 40 times and seventh eight times.
un king with 762 homers to his name produced 28 of the team’s 131 clouts last year.
The 2008 Giants won’t be defined by power. Even Molina realizes that.
“Last year when he was in the cleanup hole he didn’t change anything. I don’t think he will,” said manager Bruce Bochy, whose team went 71-91 in his first season as skipper. “I’m comfortable with him not changing his mind-set. As an offensive club, hopefully we understand we’re not going to be a team that’s going to try to hit the ball out of the ballpark. We’ll hit the gaps and hit some home runs. Just because you’re in the cleanup spot doesn’t mean you have to hit home runs.”
Bochy said he would mention to Molina and the others the need to reflect on everything that went wrong last season in order to push forward more productively now.
Molina, for one, had a tough time handling all the losing, blaming himself and taking it personally. At times in 2007, he said he made the wrong calls because he was still learning the NL hitters.
“I think Bengie learned a lot last year with changing leagues, learning the hitters, learning our pitchers. That’s always an adjustment,” Bochy said. “Sometimes it’s not the pitch you call. We didn’t locate well at times last year. At the same time, Bengie took responsibility for some tough losses and learned from them.”
Molina insists he will try to be more relaxed this year.
aining workout for pitchers and catchers Thursday, he had an animated greeting for reliever Steve Kline.
“Kliner, what’s going on? You get traded to Virginia Tech?” Molina hollered as he walked through the clubhouse, a reference to Kline’s T-shirt choice.
As much as Molina hates losing, he said he looks forward to having more fun and leading a young pitching staff that he knows a lot better now.
“He’s relaxed. I like it,” Kline said. “He feels settled in.”
The Giants wasted no time naming left-hander Barry Zito their opening day starter – on the day camp started. The former AL Cy Young Award winner begins his second season with the Giants after a rocky year in 2007 in which he posted career-worsts with an 11-13 record and 4.53 ERA.
Bochy said it “just makes sense to send Zito out on opening day again.”
Right-hander Matt Cain will follow Zito, who received a $126 million, seven-year deal before last season.
“It’s a great honor. It’s nothing I take for granted,” Zito said. “Last year was a tough year for me. I’m appreciative they’re giving me the chance to go out and be the No. 1 guy. On a personal level, it’s’ a chance to get redemption for not doing what I wanted to do on opening day, the first half and a little more of the season.”
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