For a different perspective, here's today's "Daily Dish" collumn from Baseball America:

By John Manuel
March 18, 2004

PEORIA, Ariz.--The Giants hinted in the offseason that Merkin Valdez might be advanced enough to make the leap from the low Class A South Atlantic League to the major leagues.

Wednesday, he showed off why.

Valdez, the organization?s top prospect, continued his strong spring training performance with two shutout innings against the San Diego Padres in the Giants? 9-6 victory. Valdez wasn?t facing Padres starters with the exception of possible middle infield starters Khalil Greene (a rookie) and Ramon Vazquez, but he dominated the hitters he faced with some of the best stuff on display in baseball.

?He was very impressive,? said one scout on hand who covers the major leagues. ?He was free and easy, he threw easy gas. He has the best arm and best stuff that I have seen this spring.

?It?s very impressive for a guy just out of the Sally League. He threw three pitches for strikes.?

This was Valdez? best outing in big league camp, as he had given up two runs in two innings over two previous appearances. On this day, he was nearly perfect.

Valdez started by retiring Eugene Kingsale on a soft fly to center field, then got into a groove. He ran his fastball up to 99 mph against veteran catcher Tom Wilson, regularly pitching in the 96-98 mph range against the seven batters he faced. Just as impressively, he retired the veteran on an 87 mph slider, with Wilson rolling it over weakly to shortstop. Valdez also overpowered Jeff Cirillo to follow, sawing him off with a 96 mph fastball in on his hands and retiring him on a 1-3 putout.

In his next inning, Valdez got a weak flyball from Greene, followed by Vazquez legging out an infield grounder for a base hit. Valdez then struck out Jon Knott, who spent 2003 at Double-A Mobile, with an assortment of fastballs and sliders, finishing him off with 97 mph high gas. Finally, he got nonroster invitee Ben Reisinger on a weak popup to first.

Giants officials said in the offseason that Valdez had the capability to make the leap from the Sally League to the big leagues because of his fastball command, which was good Wednesday and has been excellent since the Giants heisted him from the Braves as part of the Russ Ortiz trade. Valdez went 9-5, 2.25 last year while leading the South Atlantic League in strikeouts with 166 in 156 innings.

Valdez further buoyed hopes with an impressive instructional league stint, which led the Giants to give him a brief stint late in the Arizona Fall League season. Again, he was impressive, giving up six hits in five innings but also striking out four without walking anyone.

That just served as a prelude for this spring. Then as now, Valdez was the best arm in Arizona.

SPRING CHICKENS

? Angels righthander Bobby Jenks is one of the few pitchers in the game who throws as hard as consistently as Valdez. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Jenks has been less successful throwing his fastball for strikes like Valdez does, however, and has made fastball command a point of emphasis this spring. ?It?s just consistency of mechanics, making sure I work on my fastball because the only way it can get better is if I throw it a lot,? Jenks said. ?I?m not throwing as many breaking balls this spring. I?m just trying to get more consistent.?

Jenks has thrived in winter ball the last three seasons, with two star turns in the Arizona Fall League and another in the Puerto Rican League this past winter, when he went 5-1, 3.14. Jenks attributes his winter success to getting in a rhythm with his mechanics--tougher to do with a big body like his--as the season goes on.

?I think I get better throughout the year,? he said matter-of-factly. ?I think I?m starting to figure things out.?