It's a shame that Prett Pill can't play a serviceable second base. A 107 wRC+ would be awesome at that position, especially with Freddy still out and the looming prospect of Manny Burris, Starting Middle Infielder. Can't we send him off to some sort of hellish boot camp for a month or two and get him to a not-terrible level? He can't be worse than Dan Uggla (-12.2 UZR last year).

I wonder how differently we'd be viewing this whole scenario if Aubrey Huff was sipping margaritas in Corpus Christi right now....Belt would be entrenched as the starting 1B, Nate would have RF gifted to him, and Pill would be the utility player/pinch hitter du jour. Yet instead, the organization "wonders if Belt is ready" and seems more ready to push Pill towards something that doesn't seem like he doesn't necessarily deserve. Wierd how the presence of a guy sans the red thong screws up a good thing.

Everything you say makes sense, but I have to say that when Baggs tweeted on Tuesday that a 3b platoon with Sandoval and Pill might make sense, I wanted to scratch my eyes out. I know Baggs has been a huge Pill booster for some time now, but if the FO really can muse on the notion that a lineup with Huff and Pill is superior to one with Sandoval and Belt, that would be beyond incredible.

Brett PIll at 2nd in not happening. What are the chances that Brett Pill can ever play 3rd at a credible level to be back-up? If he can only play 1st base he better be a very good pinch hitter

I have no problem with Pill as 25th man/bat-off-the-bench. And I do think it makes sense to let Belt get regular at-bats in Fresno until they are ready to commit to him as an every day player, rather than jerk him from Fresno to the lineup to the bench like they did last year. One thing I have a bit of a problem with is the view that benching Nate is the best way to get Belt's bat in the lineup. We've heard a lot about Huff being on a shorter leash this spring, but I hope that Pagan will be on a relatively short leash as well. The fact is that Nate was a better hitter than either Huff or Pagan last year. Pagan has not looked good this spring (yeah, I realize just spring training, but he hasn't inspired confidence especially coming off a down year). Melky can play a passable CF if necessary, and if Pagan's bat isn't playing he can still help the team as a defensive replacement and as a bench bat/PR. I guess that I'm surprised that people seem to be willing to give Pagan more leash than Huff... Pagan wasn't much better than Huff last year.

Any time a former Humboldt Crab has a chance to stick in the majors, its a good thing!

In Pill's favor: none of his minor league years are "bad," the two good years that you focus on are 2 of the 3 most recent years, and even in his worst year he was a pretty good doubles hitter. He does seem to have a feel for hitting with men on base, which, God knows, this team needs almost as much as it needs oxygen. His home run power seems to have been on the increase in the last 3 years. Against Pill: He's 27. No, he will never be Albert Pujols or Ryan Howard. Yes, he's a right handed bat when the team needs a left handed bat much more. Here's a scenario that I could live with. Belt starts at Fresno, Pill gets some ABs at first and in left, maybe at third if he can field the position. Huff gets off to a reasonably good start and Pill hits .280+ with a little power. In a couple of months, Huff gets packaged with a low minors pitcher for a reasonable facsimile of a 5th starter. Belt takes over Huff's role and Pill continues to split time at 1st, LF, and maybe third.

Thank you!! Finally some reasonable sense being talked! Pill is NOT going to be a starting big league 1st basemen. So many times sept call ups get a few plate appearances and smoke the ball, then fizzle out. I completely agree with you that huff needs to be in left with belt at first. We only have so many years with this pitching staff. We HAVE to put our best bats out on the field asap. As well I think that Hector Sanchez needs to be the back up catcher, since our back up will get 40-60 games behind the dish. With that many at bats, we CANNOT have an automatic out ***stewart, whitside cough cough*** in the 8 hole, giving our line up 2 automatic outs at the bottom of the order which is a rally killer.

I REALLY think you underestimate Pill...RBI-aptitiude, great D...look at that 2009 season in the eastern league, a pitcher's paradise.

It's easy to say they are more critical of Belt because they have higher expectations of him. However, I'm getting tired of that argument and am coming around to canofcorn's thinking. I'll give the Giant's FO more credit when they earn it.

I think the the FO feels that this is Pill's time because he's not going to learn anything else in AAA, and is 27. It's all downhill from here for the guy. And furthermore, he's not a "prospect" in the way that Belt is a prospect. As you say, if Belt is in Fresno, it's because they want him to continue to improve and play every day, because they have big plans for Belt. They may fundamentally misunderstand Belt's value RIGHT NOW, but I trust they recognize his importance going forward. As for Pill... so what if he rides the pine and hits off the bench? He stands on the third base side of the plate and swings hard, two things the Giants want. If he can roll out of bed and do a half-decent John Mayberry, Jr. impression, good for him and good for the Giants. If he doesn't... he's pretty expendable.

It is March 27. This is my official pronouncement. The Giants will finish in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th in their division. I don't remember a spring that's been wackier or more unpredictable. I still think Nate is going to break out this year, and I've bet a round of drinks that Belt hits at least 22 belts. Beyond that I am not prepared to go.

Are you absolutely SURE that the front office doesn't think Pill is better than Belt? I don't see critical statements about Pill in the news. And I do see Pill's shiny ribeyes from Fresno last year providing some good private-time material for those in charge. You have more faith in the brass than I do.