A better Brandon Belt returns

Now he should be ready to contribute with the bat. Maybe the game has slowed down enough for him that he can show why he is the Giants #1 prospect (on most lists).

Brandon Belt's big hits power Giants over Dodgers:

"Aubrey Huff was stretching near the indoor batting cage on a night off Tuesday until Brandon Belt stepped to the plate in the second inning. Huff said he remarked to those around him, 'I'm going upstairs and watch myself be Wally Pipped.'"

The rookie did not want to get deep into the count and have to hit a breaking pitch from a tough lefty, so he devoured the first pitch and lined it just inside the left-field line for the decisive double.

"The thing I like was that he was aggressive," Bochy said. "He jumped on the first pitch. That's what you want to see from a young player. Sometimes they're a little tentative. He wasn't."

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I like the trade for UTIL IF Jeff Keppinger. Sosa has dropped off the prospect radar and Stoffel may be another year away. Keppinger provides solid depth across the IF and a decent bat. Stoffel will be a solid set up man or closer in the future, so he will be missed, but you have to give up something to get something and it seems as if the Giants are limited with similar type arms throughout their system. Good deal.

from Yahoo Sports:

INF Jeff Keppinger was acquired from Houston in exchange for minor league RHPs Henry Sosa and Jason Stoffel. Keppinger, who was batting .307 with the Astros, is expected to be at second base against the Dodgers on Wednesday. He is arbitration-eligible for two more years.

1B Brandon Belt was recalled from Class AAA Fresno, and he homered in his first at-bat and also hit a based-loaded double. Belt, the Giants' Opening Day first baseman, was batting .324 at Fresno. Manager Bruce Bochy said that Aubrey Huff remains the Giants' first baseman; Belt played first Tuesday, but he also can play in the outfield.

"I frikkin' hate facing him. He's a frikkin' two-strike nightmare. You get two strikes on him and he won't go away. He's always been a tough out for me."
—Giants RHP Matt Cain, on new acquisition Jeff Keppinger, in the San Francisco Chronicle.