Giants lead Wild Card

Aaron Rowand (.304 average) is getting hits in bunches.
Pablo Sandoval (11 walks) is working the count.
Matt Cain (8-1) is winning games... with run support...

OK. OK. I must be dreaming. In 2008, these Giants players (.271 average for Rowand, 4 walks in 2008 for Sandoval, 8 wins in 22 more starts for Cain) weren't this good, and the Giants were never close to contending.

Times have changed.

61 games into the season, the San Francisco Giants lead the Wild Card race. Spearheaded by the second best team ERA in baseball (3.65), the Giants are now five games over .500 for the first time since 2004 with a 33-28 record.

After starting the year 2-7, I thought the Giants were in rebuilding mode. I thought wrong.

Rowand, Sandoval and Cain have been key contributors to the Giants surge.

And it gets better. Brian Wilson had a save without going to a three-ball count, striking out the side June 10th at Arizona. Wilson has now successfully saved his last 8 games, and has not walked a batter in his last four appearances.

Barry Zito's ERA has dropped a full point (5.15 in '08 4.09 in '09). Zito has pitched better than his ERA indicates, or his record (3-6), with his two best starts being wasted by the Giants quite bats.

Tim Lincecum threw a shutout Friday, the second of his career. Randy Johnson followed with a dominate outing (7 innings 4 hits 2 earned 1 walk 3 strikeouts), and Matt Cain could secure a sweep for the Giants tonight against the A's.

The question is -- can the Giants keep it going?

The bullpen currently looks great, with Sergio Romo pitching the big moments instead of Bob Howry. Jeremy Affeldt has been solid and the aforementioned Wilson has never looked so comfortable on the mound.

The starting staff, dare I say it, should only get better. You can expect much of the same from Lincecum and Cain, but its Zito (4.09 ERA), Johnson (4.89 ERA) and Sanchez (4.84 ERA) who have room for improvement.

The big question mark is the offense as a whole.