I really want to like the San Francisco Giants.

They're a franchise with the potential to be great. They have a gorgeous new stadium, some fire-balling young pitchers and a superstar who happens to have hit the second-most home runs in Major League Baseball history.

In fact, I do like the Giants; I'm just continually frustrated by them.

On April 17, the Giants wasted a two-hit, seven-inning masterpiece by their young ace-in-training, Matt Cain. The bullpen gave up five runs in one inning, and the Giants went on to lose to the Colorado Rockies, a perennial last-place finisher in the National League West.

On April 18, the Giants outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals, the defending World Series champions, in a 12-inning game. They showed grit by facing down Albert Pujols, one of the most feared sluggers in baseball, and their bullpen threw five and a third innings and gave up no runs.

(Photo: Matt Cain in a game against the Colorado Rockies on May 13. Credit: David Zalubowski -- Associated Press.)

To sum it up, the Giants are inconsistent. And it goes without saying that an inconsistent team generally isn't great. Inconsistent teams don't usually even have winning records.

Their new ace can also be described as inconsistent. Imported from the Oakland A's for $126 million, Barry Zito has an impressive resume.

At 28, he has more than 100 wins and a Cy Young award under his belt. But since 2002, his Cy Young season, Zito hasn't been dominant. He's been durable but streaky, stringing off six wins in a row before recording two or three ugly losses. Zito's starts so far with the Giants reflect that tendency. He looked completely puzzled and ineffectual in his first two starts, then threw six innings and gave up no runs.

(Photo: Barry Zito in a game against the New York Mets on May 7. Credit: Jose Carlos Fajardo -- MediaNews.)

The Giants paid a king's ransom to bring in a pitcher who will act as the staff ace and face of the franchise. Unfortunately, Zito will do nothing to solve the Giants' major problem: inconsistency.

Giants: You have millions of devoted fans who will love you, win or lose. But for the sake of your fan base's mental health, get out there and fulfill your potential. So far, I'm unimpressed.

Keenan Weatherford is a senior at Aptos High. His column, "(Un)Impressed," appears on this blog on the fourth Monday of the month.