Saltzman Says...San Jose Giants moving fast up the ranks

The San Jose Giants started the season with 8 of the top 20 prospects in the Giants organization.  Four pitchers and four hitters.  CF Gary Brown (1st round, 2010), SP Zach Wheeler (1st round, 2009), RP Jose Casilla, RF Jarrett Parker (2nd round, 2010), C Tommy Joseph, RP Heath Hembree, 3B Chris Dominguez, and SP Craig Westcott.

With those pre-season rankings, it is not surprising the Giants won the 1st half title for the seventh year in a row.  The Giants are 50-23, the best record in all of professional baseball that includes two separate 12 game winning streaks.  What is surprising is how good other players have been and how quickly they are all moving up the team's system.

Recap:
C Hector Sanchez had a 14 game RBI streak at one point this season, and his bat and work behind the plate has him in Fresno now.

Sanchez is now in Fresno, one step away from the bigs.

SP's David Mixon (2.66) and Kelvin Marte (3.43) are among seven starting pitchers with an ERA below 4.

SP Hector Correa, Dominguez and Hembree have all left San Jose for Double-A Richmond as well.

Brown has been invited to the Futures Game, to represent the team on All-Star weekend.

Brandon Crawford and Francisco Peguero both started 2011 in San Jose on rehab assignments, and Crawford is now in San Francisco and Peguero should soon be back in Richmond.

Wheeler, Hembree, Westcott, Brown and SP Kelvin Marte were all named to the Cal League All-Star game.

All of this success should bode well for the big club down the road.