Tidbits with Sabean

On the Giants' draft philosophy:
"First and foremost, most of the time we have driven our draft with pitching. The last couple years, we've gotten more diverse and I think we've seen that we've been successful in developing those pitchers, not only for our own purposes but in trade for position players. Now the game has changed where position players are getting so expensive to go out and trade for or moreso sign on the free-agent market that we've got to have a better balance and we realize that now."

"Unfortunately for us, our pipeline's been pitching, for some reason, whether it's a young fan or anybody that follows the club from year to year, they get excited about following the position players that come through whatever organization or whatever affiliate and it's one of those years that we get guys like Velez, who's going to play in the big leagues, Bowker's going to play in the big leagues, I'm impressed with Holm's development, he's a kid that's come a long way, so I think it's just proof in the pudding that you need a better balance and we're striving for that."

On moving the field this offseason:
"I don't know. I know it was one of our requests at the beginning of the year and I know it was caught up in some red tape with the ballclub or the franchise or the city, I'm not sure, but it was on our wish list."

On the lack of rehab appearances:
"It's geography, more than anything. It's very difficult with any major league player when you have Triple A in Fresno, San Jose right down the street from us, 30 minutes, and then of course we've got our own complex and spring training situated year-round in Arizona. So with those three opportunities, you're able to stair-step guys. Unless the team was actually on the East Coast working their way west, it really doesn't make sense."

On the MLB all-star game:
"The All-Star Game was very exciting. At this time of the year, us in the front office, quite frankly, unless you're going out to see a minor league team, you want to try to take a step back and evaluate things. But with all the family and friends in town and seeing how the city put on such a great reception for these guys, it was very exciting. I think it's good for the organization to showcase the ballpark and the city. That was a big first step. Of course, the next one is hopefully to get Barry [Bonds] over the hump with this home run record as soon as possible. That part has been a distraction for everybody."

On fan support of Barry Bonds:
"He's never had a problem at home. The San Francisco community, given that he grew up with his dad playing there and the great things he's done for the organization, that's really his bastion. I'm not surprised. I'm smart enough to realize that there's a way online you can stuff the ballot box, so to speak. They paid him all due respect, so to speak. I think it's fitting he started in left field for the National League."

On whether he worries if Bonds passes Aaron on the road:
"I worry right now more about scoring four runs at home, like we did last night. No matter who's in the lineup, we get a chance to win. What's frustrating for us is that he's not swinging the bat well at all, whether it's him trying to hit a home run or getting a home run in the game or moreso him to drive in runs as a fourth hitter. He has to go back to being more relaxed and putting the ball in play more, and when he's on, which is good in the pinch-hit appearance last night when he drove the ball to left field, to left-center, it means he's staying on ball better and he's not pull-hooking it, trying to hit the ball nine miles to right field."

Bonds' future with the team:
"Everybody's going to be evaluated on the year as a whole. The one thing of concern would be the age factor as well as what we're seeing in the past week or so. It's tough to get him there in the day after a night game and he's going to need a couple of days off here and there. It's not so much him and his talent, but as you build a lineup or team for the future, you want your everyday three, four and five hitters out there as much as possible. We'll keep an open mind, but he's got a hill to climb."

With having an aging MLB team, what is the significance of this season of player development:
"The position players are going to be given more of an opportunity. Fortunately, we've got guys right now like [Kevin] Frandsen, who's going to play a little bit more. Even [Fred] Lewis. We brought up [Dan] Ortmeier and [Nate] Schierholtz, who I think are going to crack the situation before the end of the year. Fortunately, for the organization itself, on the big league team we've got a young pitching staff that we'll be able to build upon and around. But the game – with everybody's concern being the budgets that we all have or moreso just the rigors of the schedule, it seems to be getting younger and younger every year, and we all have – we'll follow through as much as the rest of the decision has."

On the trade deadline:
"We'll see. I think we said all along, and this is before we knew what kind of fortunes we were going to have. Right now, we're obviously in last place and way below .500, but we want to get involved in transactions that help us present and future. We're not going to rent players and we have to be really smart in who we give up. It would be safe to say that we will not want to give up any shining lights, especially in the pitching department and moreso with position players that will impact us next year."

More in the paper tomorrow