It's there, if you look closely and keep asking Brian Sabean questions.

Hang in long enough, and he'll allow a grudging smile when he's talking about the first half of this season, the enthusiasm in the clubhouse and the re-invention of the Giants.

He's the same wary general manager he was in 2007, at the lowest ebb of franchise-wide Barry Bonds befuddlement.

But, just two years later, Sabean has a more versatile, younger team, which is playing far superior baseball. And Sabean, if you stick with it, will let you know how much more fun this is.

"Some of it is that we've been able to turn the page on what was our past," Sabean said before Monday's game. "We were trying to build a team around a player that was the biggest part of the organization. "... I think now there's probably more freedom in how you look at things.

"But the game's going that way. Younger players are worth more and more."

This is Sabean's 13th season with the Giants, and he has been the shepherd of much winning and also a lot of recent losing.

So you can see why it feels like a new start. Or as an echo to 1997, his first hungry season as G.M., when the Giants emerged from three losing seasons to win the N.L. West.

"You have to seize the opportunity," Sabean said. "In a lot of ways, this year reminds me of '97. We did the same thing in '97, the difference being we actually had more control of that situation, because we were chasing (only) the Dodgers."

With the '09 Dodgers cruising, Sabean acknowledges that the Giants are looking mainly at the wild-card race, which they lead.

Does "seize the opportunity" translate to possibly giving up a top prospect if that's what it takes to land an impact hitter?

Sabean spent a few minutes saying that, at this point, there were no impact bats available for a reasonable price and that there is no overt need to sacrifice the future for the short term. Then he went back to the seize-the-moment idea.

"You could think we're going to be more levelheaded because of what we have in the system coming and what we've seen come to the forefront, whether it's the young kids, somebody like (Pablo) Sandoval, right in front of our eyes on this team," Sabean said.

"The flip side of that is we haven't been to the playoffs since 2003, we've had four losing seasons, and do you want to, I don't want to say 'waste,' but do you want to forgo an opportunity?

"Because of our pitching staff, anything could happen possibly if we get in."

But Sabean repeated that top pitching prospect Madison Bumgarner is all but untouchable (and probably won't be rushed to the majors this year).

He added that he's not interested in renting a pending free agent and is talking only about true middle-order bats, which possibly rules out Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez.

Sabean didn't say this specifically, but it sure sounded like he also wants to maintain the chemistry of the clubhouse, which was booming with noise Monday afternoon as "Vote Pablo" stickers were handed out to support Sandoval's All-Star vote-in candidacy.

A clubhouse that, Sabean agrees, is filled with personable players highly identifiable with fans.

"They can see the difference, because the team has a different energy," Sabean said. "It goes to what I said earlier about the personalities.

"It's almost more refreshing. These guys are in some ways more real to the fans and maybe even more approachable."

Meanwhile, both Sabean and Manager Bruce Bochy are unsigned after this season. Sabean praised Bochy's development of the young players but said future decisions rest with new owner Bill Neukom.

And Sabean said he hasn't had a conversation with Neukom about his own future.

"I love where I'm at," Sabean said. "I love the organization. And right now, we're all trying to do the right thing by the organization and the team we have.

"It'll play out. I don't know what the timing will be. Having been through this before, I'm not worried about it. Put it that way."

That's when the half-semi-smile emerged again. For Sabean, in the middle of his 13th year, that's practically a bellow of pride and a roar of satisfaction.
