FUTURES GAME

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080626&content_id=423442&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

Since the Giants seem determined to put the past behind them, and the present is nothing to write home about, all that's left for Giants fans is the future.

As part of MLB's All_Star Game festivities, the Futures Game, made up of the best prospects from minor league baseball, provides a glimpse into the future for fans.

The Giants placed OF Nate Schierholz and RHP Kevin Pucetas on the Team USA roster. The World team roster will include uber-prospect Angel Villalona (the youngest player in the game) and late addition C Pablo Sandoval.

In a sense this may remind Giants fans of the one of the biggest weaknesses in the organization right now. The lack of quality major league prospects at the upper levels (AAA and AA). It seems as if they are loaded with guys at those levels who are turning the corner from prospects into suspects. The AA Connecticut team is loaded with 25 year old position players who are not exactly tearing up the league. This type of player will at best develop into a role-player type, or a borderline starter/bench player.

The better prospects are still in Low-A or High-A ball. The Giants are still paying the debt incurred by the loss of premium draft picks for signing some of the free-agent has-beens who still dot the current roster and were unable to push the Bonds-era teams over the hump to a championship.