Giants tap Matt Cain for Opening Day

A cold front might have smacked San Francisco in the face this week, but it is 74 degrees in Scottsdale, Arizona where the World Champion San Francisco Giants are getting revved up for the new baseball season.

With the Orange & Black taking the field Saturday to kick off Spring Training ball, some very familiar questions began to arise about — what else — the starting pitching rotation.

Manager Bruce Bochy has yet to give away whether he and Dave Righetti have a set rotation in mind. Heck, Big Boch’ is always keeping us guessing, right?

Bochy did, though, give Giants faithful a little taste of how said rotation might be shaped as the start to the 2013 season approaches.

Bochy announced after workouts Monday that Matt Cain — The Horse, Mr. Perfect, whichever you prefer — will get the Opening Day start down at Chavez Ravine against Clayton Kershaw and those pesky Los Angeles Dodgers.

While Cain’s stellar 2012 season makes him an obvious candidate for the Opening Day honors, it also brings to light that, for the first time in four seasons, Bochy hasn’t pegged Tim Lincecum for that job.

And that of course recalls all of Lincecum’s woes during last season, and then we start talking about his new haircut, and that’s just not a conversation we need to have again.

Fact of the matter is: Cain, with a 16-5 record and 2.75 ERA, perfect game, All-Star appearance, and post-season performance, is very much deserving of that Opening Day slot.

SFGate’s Giants blog reports that, when asked by the press if the choice to start Cain was “easy,” Bochy replied:

“Yes, but at the same time every one of them could be considered to be an Opening Day guy.”

And when asked who would pitch the Home Opener against the St. Louis Cardinals four days later, he reportedly joked:

“I’m going to bring Cain back on early rest.”

Again, always trying to keep us guessing.

Bochy also announced Monday that Ryan Vogelsong will get the start in Saturday’s Cactus League opener against the Anaheim Angels.

The Bull won’t be partaking in Cactus League play for long however, as he will be feasting on chicken enchiladas in preparation to represent Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.