GIANTS WILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME REPLACING THEIR POWERFUL #2 HITTER IN THEIR LINEUP.

RICH AURILIA: HE WILL BE MISSED

By Amaury Pi-González

Do not get me wrong. I love Ramón Martínez and many times that I have spoken with him their is one thing he always tells me in Spanish: “Yo estoy siempre listo para jugar”

(I am always ready to play) and he is!

The problem is, that he is a utility player and not a regular everyday player. Dusty Baker loves this guy, because he can play second, third or short and he is the consumate profesional.

Before Aurilia went on the DL, Dusty told me: “Ramón is one of my favorite players”.

However, Rich Aurilia who is out after successful surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow is the top hitting shortstop in the National League. Aurilia has led the National League shortstops in homeruns and runs batted in during the past three years. He is one of only three shortstops in National league history to hit over 30 homeruns in a season. With 37 homeruns in 2001, he joined Ernie Banks and Barry Larkin as the only ones in that category.

The Cubs Ernie Banks hit over 40 homeruns in 5 different seasons, while Cincinnati’s Barry Larkin had 32 HR in 1996.

Ramón Martínez will not be able to replace Aurilia with the bat. Although, Ramón is as steady at shortstop defensively as Aurilia. The Giants do not lose any defense when Ramón is playing instead of Aurilia.

Barry Bonds, by not having Aurilia hitting in front, also loses a bit, although these days Bonds could hit anyplace in the lineup since he has been playing at another level of baseball. Bonds will do his job regardless, but since he is the Giants best hitter he to will be hurt by the absence of Aurilia as the #2 hitter in Baker’s lineup. -Remember, baseball
is the ultimate team sport and everything
has to fall into place for a lineup to click.

For a while we knew that Rich Aurilia had a groin pull. Those are tough to shake right away, but for most of the time his “other”injury was kept very quiet. During the 2001 season it was Aurilia and Bonds the dynamic one-two punch in the San Francisco Giants lineup. In 2001 between Aurlia’s 37 and Bonds 73 homeruns the Giants had the most powerful one-two punch in NY/SF Giants history, 110 homeruns. In 1961, Yankees Maris 61 and Mantle 54 added up to 115 roundtrippers.

Aside from his powerful bat and maybe the best 2-strike curveball hitter in the Giants lineup, Aurilia’s leadership in the infield will be missed. He is expected to come back sometime around All Star break in July.

If Martínez is hurt ? Shawon Dunston is ready to play his “original”position, shortstop. As a matter of fact he already played it, on the second and last game of the Giants vs. Diamondbacks short two-game series this May 22 at Phoenix.

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Amaury Pi-González is the Spanish Radio Play by Play Announcer for the SF Giants since 1995. Games are on KZSF 1370 AM
“La Caliente”.

Previously for 17 seasons he
was Spanish Play by Play for the Oakland
Athletics.

More of his articles are available at
www.latinobaseball.com