A little bit of help from the bonus baby

POSEY IS PROMOTED FOR S.J. GIANTS' RUN IN THE PLAYOFFS
By John Ryan Mercury News
Article Launched: 09/04/2008 07:55:50 PM PDT

The San Jose Giants aren't bringing in any ringers for the playoffs this year, but they do have a headline-grabbing addition. Buster Posey, the fifth overall pick in the 2008 draft and the San Francisco Giants' biggest bonus baby ever at $6.2 million, arrived in town Thursday and is scheduled to catch Saturday night in the California League playoff opener at Municipal Stadium.

Posey was supposed to end his season with Salem-Keizer in the short-season Northwest League, but the parent club moved him up. He was 3 for 11 with two doubles in three games with Salem, after hitting .385 with a home run and seven RBIs in 26 games in the Arizona League for rookies.

The Giants play host to the first two games of the best-of-five Northern Division playoffs at 6 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday against Modesto or Stockton. They would also host a Game 5, if necessary, at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Who knows if Posey will be back here next season or if he'll start higher in the chain? The Giants' farm system is such a rocket ride to the top that between June and August, Pablo Sandoval went from San Jose to San Francisco. But for now, Posey qualifies as a true Class A player trying to win a Class A league title.

That isn't always the case. In 2007, the big club just happened to send Fred Lewis on a rehab assignment during the minor league playoffs, and he hit two home runs in a series-clinching victory. In previous years, minor leaguers such as KevinFrandsen and Brian Horwitz dropped a level or two to help San Jose.

San Jose Giants President Jim Weyermann said he heard about the curious roster additions all off-season. "We're not getting anybody" from above this year, he said. "They don't want to read any more stories about loading up."

The Giants said they drew 183,000 fans this season, setting a franchise record for the third consecutive year. Ticket prices will be the same for all playoff games.

• The Merc