GIANTS NOTEBOOK
SAN FRANCISCO – The manager mind games have started. The Giants are not about to give the Mets any more information than they have to in this series.
Dusty Baker was asked about the Giants’ offensive approach prior to Game 2 last night and Baker had this reaction.
“I can’t tell you that, because I told somebody the other day that we were going to have a different lineup,” he began. “Then they went and told [Al] Leiter what the lineup was going to be, so that gave him time to go and scout and look at films. That’s something that’s between me and the team. I’m not being smart or wise, but sometimes I think we give too much information to the opposition. He’s not telling us what he’s going to do to us.”
That lineup change consisted of Calvin Murray starting in center over Marvin Bernard. Leiter got the film on how lefties pitch to Murray. Jeff Kent also moved to first to replace the left-hand hitting J.T. Snow as Ramon Martinez started at second.
As for Bobby Valentine reshuffling his lineup, Baker said, “My reaction is that he could do what he wants to do and I can do what I want to do, and hopefully, what I’m doing will come out better.”
Russ Ortiz will start for the Giants tomorrow at Shea. He was the Giants’ only winning pitcher at Shea this season. “I like being in New York,” Ortiz said. “I like visiting there. It’s the kind of city where the town likes baseball and they get excited for it. I enjoy that. It makes it a lot more fun for me. I’ve been fortunate to have some good games there.”
The right-hander finished the year with a 14-12 mark and is a combined 32-21 over the last two seasons with a 4.40 ERA. In 13 innings against the Mets this season, he has allowed only three runs.
Here are some words from the really wise. Baker said this is the way his team prepares for a game. “The No. 1 thing like Hank Aaron told me years ago: To be nervous but not scared, but you have to be brave.”
The Giants will not work out at Shea today. Instead, they will sleep-in at their hotel.
It was kids’ day yesterday with six children of Giants players throwing out the first ball to their fathers.
A radio report linked Baker to the Dodgers job next season, something Baker scoffed at, saying, “You believe everything you hear on radio?”
You can be sure Baker will be re-hired by the Giants and will become the highest paid manager in baseball. The Giants went into last night’s game having won seven of their last eight decisions against lefties.