One strong possibility is that Frandsen will start, Burriss will open the season at Class AAA Fresno and Eugenio Velez will come off the bench to pinch-run and pinch-hit.

If that's the projection, it's now up to Frandsen to have a solid spring training after sitting out last season (except for one at-bat in the final home game) while recuperating from Achilles tendon surgery. Frandsen hit .269 in 109 games in 2007, including a .370 mark in September.

In the long term, Burriss might be the better all-around player. He played shortstop in the minors and is expected to eventually replace Edgar Renteria at short. But, remember, this guy was in Class A in 2007. So he was ahead of schedule when the desperate Giants called him up last year (he hit .283 in 95 games), but they realized he might not be ready to play every day in the majors after he struggled in the Arizona Fall League.

As for Velez, his defensive limitations make him a longshot to be an everyday player. He had 24 pinch hits last year and batted .262 with 13 steals in 98 games.

Another guy who could play second base is Juan Uribe, who was signed as a free agent to be a utility player.

TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: 1B Travis Ishikawa isn't well-known, but he's projected as a regular in 2009. The Giants plan to start corner infielder Pablo Sandoval at third, and they like that Ishikawa is a solid defender, maybe the best in the organization at first base since J.T. Snow. The question is whether he'll hit. The Giants are optimistic about that after his breakout 2008 season in which he batted a combined .299 with 24 homers and 94 RBIs at Class AA and Class AAA. Ishikawa hit .274 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 33 games in the majors.

TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: SS Edgar Renteria, 33, is coming off a sketchy season in Detroit and received a two-year, $18.5 million contract from the Giants, who are hoping his second-half numbers (.296 average, .343 on-base percentage) and not his first-half numbers (.254, .301) are indicative. Also, the Giants liked the fact Renteria is a .293 hitter in the NL as opposed to .274 in the AL.

AUTHORITY FIGURES: Manager Bruce Bochy is 143-181 in two years with the Giants and entering the final season of his contract, so it's important for him (and GM Brian Sabean, who also has one year left on his deal) to get off to a quick start. Bill Neukom is the new managing general partner, replacing Peter Magowan, and he appears patient with the philosophy of developing players through the system, which could serve as a benefit to Bochy (and Sabean) in case the Giants struggle.