The Franchise is coming on Sunday

Russ Ortiz, we hardly knew ye.

According to reports, the Giants will unveil their baseball Jesus on a nationally televised game on Sunday night against the Phillies. Tim Lincecum will make his debut in the ESPN game of the week, and I... can't... wait. Even my son shit his pants with excitement when he heard the news.

The promotion was made possible by Russ Ortiz's kind gesture of going on the 15-day DL. Ortiz is suffering from either right elbow neuritis or an acute case of suckassitis, depending on who you believe. There's also a school of thought that a fan snuck into his room and pulled a Tonya Harding on his Nancy Kerrigan of a right elbow. Regardless, his disabling condition creates the opportunity that Giants fans needed.

OZ and I had an email discussion yesterday about how much we are enjoying this team, especially the pitching. I can't put my finger on it, but this season seems infinitely more enjoyable than the last two. I don't know, maybe it's the whole winning thing. Even so, the Lincecum hype machine is blaring at such a deafening level that it would be preposterous to keep him in Fresno any longer. The kid had to come up and he had to come up now.

Lincecum isn't officially on the roster yet. The Giants recalled Kevin Frandsen, who was leading the PCL in batting average and OBP, to take Ortiz's spot on the roster. I will be incredibly shocked if Brian Sabean sends Frandsen back down to the minors on Sunday. The team still has about 8 too many first basemen on the roster, so it could mean the Lance Niekro experiment will come to an end. Wait... I'm talking about Sabean here, so it is possible that Sabean will trade Jonathan Sanchez and Frandsen for Charlie Hough.

Much more on this fantastic development tomorrow.

Last night at the yard: I didn't get a chance to watch much of the game last night, what with game 6 of the best NBA playoff series going on and all. Doesn't sound like I missed much though. Matt Cain struggled with throwing strikes early and often (47 balls in 87 pitches), destroying his once majestic ERA. Sanchez followed by throwing balls as well. Just a bad night the two young guys.

Tonight it's old-timers night before the game as Jamie Moyer and Matt Morris entertain the fans before the younger guys take the... Wait... you mean those are the starters for the actual game? Jamie Moyer is still pitching? Like, in the majors?