Armed behind the plate: Veteran Benito Santiago and youngster Yorvit Torrealba give San Francisco plenty of firepower from catching position.

THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS have two 38-year-old sluggers in the heart of their batting order--one frequently refers to the aging process and admits he is slowing down, while the other plays like a frisky youngster.

Barry Bonds--who spends much of his time standing in left field, walking to first base and making a slow trot around the bases--is the one who tires easily. Catcher Benito Santiago, playing the game's most strenuous position, is the tireless one.

Through late June, Santiago was batting .283 with ten home runs and 37 RBI while combining with 24-year-old understudy Yorvit Torrealba to give the Giants their most dangerous catching combination in 40 years.

Collectively, Santiago and Torrealba were batting .287 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI. They were on pace for 31 home runs and 143 RBI, numbers not approached since veteran Ed Bailey and youngster Tom Haller handled the 1962 and '63 Giants' pitching staffs.

When the Giants won the 1962 pennant, right fielder Felipe Alou and the two catchers were the unsung heroes. Bailey and Haller accumulated 35 homers and 100 RBI. Splitting duties again in 1963, they improved to 35 homers and 112 RBI.

"It's a similar situation," Alou said. "We have two quality catchers now, and we also were in good shape behind the plate in 1962. Bailey was a smart veteran, and Haller had been a college quarterback (at Illinois) and was very smart.

"They both were left-handed batters with power, and they had a very good starting rotation. It's important to have catchers who know what they're doing.