Brown's goal is winning roster spot with Giants

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Gary Brown has replaced his I'm-just-glad-to-be-here attitude with a more purposeful outlook.

Invited to his third Major League camp, the Giants' No. 1 pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft intends to make an impact this time around by claiming an outfield vacancy on the Opening Day roster.

"I'm doing the best I can to make the team," said Brown, ranked the Giants' No. 2 prospect by MLB.com. "That's my goal."

Brown demonstrated his intent Saturday in the Giants' Cactus League opener, lining a sixth-inning double and scoring to contribute to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

"I think I learned a lesson the last two years, coming here kind of lax," Brown said. "It showed in my play. So it's definitely the mindset you have. If you're here, every guy should be trying to make the team."

Conventional wisdom indicates that Brown, 24, will open the season at Triple-A Fresno. The Giants have advanced him one Minor League classification per year, and he's coming off batting .279 in 134 games with Double-A Richmond last season.

But Brown's ignoring that timetable for now, just as he's ignoring the skeptics who believe that he's too vulnerable to right-handed pitching to succeed in the Majors.

"When you face mostly righties and you're not doing too well, it's going to happen," said Brown, a right-handed batter. "I don't worry about that too much. I think I've had plenty of success my entire career, not just professionally, against righties. I think it's just the ebb and flow of the game."