MadBum:
Bruce Bochy came out today and declared that his Opening Day starter for 2014 will be southpaw Madison Bumgarner.
This might come as a surprise. With Matt Cain getting the nod last year, many expected Bochy to go with Cain yet again. But when looking at the 2013s that each guy had, it was really a no-brainer to pick Bumgarner. The lefty was 13-9 with a 2.77 ERA in 31 starts with a 1.03 WHIP. His WHIP and ERA were both major league career-lows and were both 5th in the National League. Opponents hit just .203 off of him (3rd in the NL), and he had 199 strikeouts to just 62 walks.
He was also an All-Star for the first time in his young career, and Bumgarner finished 9th in the NL Cy Young voting last season. He really didn't get enough recognition in large part because he pitches in the same division as the reigning Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, also a lefty, also dominant. Kershaw was 16-9 last year with a miniscule 1.83 ERA.
Many people are saying that this could be Bumgarner's year, not only to gain national recognition, but also to win the Cy Young. I love the move by Bochy to put him on that big stage and give him the Opening Day nod. If you've watched the Giants in the postseason over the last few seasons, you're familiar with how well Madison has performed. Perhaps most impressive was the 2010 World Series when, at just 21 years old, he pitched eight shut-out innings against the Texas Rangers in Arlington in Game 4 to give San Francisco a 3-1 series lead. Lest we think he's inconsistent, Bumgarner also threw seven shut-out innings just for fun against the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 World Series. I mean, he has yet to give up a run in a World Series game. Oh yeah, and he's 24. Let's put him in a bigger stage and watch him go. I think it's going to be one of the most fun things to watch on the 2014 Giants, and I'm glad that we only have to wait for the first day of the regular season to see it.
the 'Posey" rule:
In case you missed it, Major League Baseball came out with a new rule regarding home plate collisions this past week, and it almost seemed like they took some advice from our very own Hunter Pence.
Back in January, at Giants media day, Pence said that plays at the plate are difficult to define as dangerous or not because the rule wasn't clearly defined.
"There becomes all these unwritten rules between teams of what can you get mad at or not get mad at. If they do write a rule, then everyone understands what the rule is, and it makes a lot more sense to everyone. Everyone understands what needs to be done."
However, he had solid ideas on how to better clarify what's allowed and what isn't.
"We had a pretty good discussion about things that are possible...if they could make lanes. If the catcher's in front of the plate, the runner could be in danger if he can't go through a catcher that's sticking his leg out, but also, it's almost insane to have a catcher standing in front of home plate like a sitting duck and a base runner just plowing them. Think of in football - they have pads on and they don't let them just hit the guy trying to catch the football...There needs to be a safe spot for the catcher, but also the catcher can make the decision to be in the danger zone, and the runner has to have a zone that he can go through."
When asked for clarification on who he shared these ideas with, Pence said that he's had discussions with someone who was asked for their opinion by MLB.
The actual rule that came out on February 24 (yesterday) generally states that:
1. A runner maybe not run out of a direct line to home plate just to force a collision. If they have a clear path to home without going through the catcher, they have to take it. If the runner goes for the collision rather than the plate, the umpire has the right to call him out, regardless of whether or not the catcher maintains possession of the ball.
2. The catcher may not block the plate unless he has complete possession of the baseball. The runner may be called safe if the catcher attempts to block the plate without possession of the ball.
In other words, it seems like MLB is trying to eliminate collisions just for the sake of collisions. It has been met with mixed reviews from players and coaches around the league but seems to be a step in the right direction. After the horrifying collision at home plate in 2011 that left Buster Posey with several torn ligaments and ended his season (it's still hard to talk about, I know), we knew that a change was coming. It seemed that Scott Cousins slide was a clean one (don't be too angry at me, Giants fans!), but Posey didn't have full possession of the ball and wasn't properly set to block the plate. Under the new rule, supposedly, Posey would need to have iron-clad possession of the baseball in order to block the plate. Would this rule have prevented that collision? Who knows. But it'll be interesting to see if it makes a difference this season and lowers home plate injuries.
I guess my point it is essentially that MLB is trying to protect their players as best as they can. Also, that Hunter Pence is a genius. We should probably all listen to him more.
Also, I'm headed to Scottsdale in a week and a half and will be blogging from down there, so be sure to stay tuned! Can't wait!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
The Panda
I wrote an article a few months ago about Pablo Sandoval and what I think the Giants should maybe do about his contract. Now that we've all seen what he did over the offseason and how good he looks and how much effort he's clearly put into getting into better shape, my thoughts are still the same. So, if you're one of those people who reads everything that I write (bless you), this will be a bit of a repeat. I just wanted to throw it out there again as we get ready to head into Spring Training games.
Sandoval arrived a few days early to Scottsdale, showing off a svelte-r frame - down about 30 pounds according to Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News. Obviously, this is great news for us Giants fans because it should 1) decrease his chance of injury 2) increase his range in the field, and 3) increase his bat speed. All things that have significantly slowed down over the past few years as he's packed on the pounds. These are indicators that Sandoval is serious about 2014 and is ready to put his best foot forward. But does that mean that the Giants should sign him to a big, long-term contract before the start of the season?
In my opinion, no.
The Panda is a good guy who brings a light-heartedness to the clubhouse and salsas with his teammates in the dugout (Seriously, if you haven't seen Pence and him dancing, youtube it). The reports coming out of Spring Training about Buster Posey, Matt Cain, Hunter Pence, and Marco Scutaro approaching Sandoval at the end of last season and encouraging him to take the game, the team, and his health seriously are great to hear. The chemistry and camaraderie on this Giants team is undeniable and refreshing in pro sports.
That being sad, it's a little disconcerting that it took his teammates urging him to take being in shape seriously for Sandoval to actually put it into action. I'm sure the added motivation of it being a contract year also doesn't hurt. Again, it's great that he's in shape, and he seems ready to be serious about the season, but I'm not sure I like how much it took for him to show up to Spring Training in the type of shape that he needed to be in.
Let's compare him to another guy who's known to be a contract-year player: Juan Uribe.
In 2009, the Giants signed Uribe to a one-year deal. During this contract year, he hit .289 with 16 home runs, 55 RBIs, and an .824 OPS in 122 games. The next year, also a one-year deal, he hit 24 home runs, 85 RBIs, but his average dropped to .248. The Giants and Uribe parted ways after the 2010 season, and he ended up signing with the hated Los Angeles Dodgers to a three-year deal. He hit just .204 in 2011 and .191 in 2012 while netting just six home runs and 45 RBIs over that two-year span while battling various injuries.
However, then came his - you guessed it! - contract year in 2013, and he bounced back in a huge way, hitting .278 with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs. It seemed to work, as he just signed a two-year deal worth $13 million with the Dodgers. Uribe is a career .253 hitter, so we can see how his average trends up when he's about to become a free agent.
Of course I hope that Sandoval will have a career-year. Contract years motivate most major league players. But if I'm Brian Sabean and the Giants I'm hesitant to re-sign a player who seems to need so much motivation to stay fit and healthy and committed to the game. I'd love to see the Giants sign the Panda to a two- or three-year deal for somewhere from $17-20 million. It's a decent amount of money and the shorter-term contract could help to keep Sandoval on his toes (literally and figuratively).
If I'm being honest, I'm worried that a long-term contract would lessen his drive.
Hopefully, I'm wrong. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Sandoval arrived a few days early to Scottsdale, showing off a svelte-r frame - down about 30 pounds according to Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News. Obviously, this is great news for us Giants fans because it should 1) decrease his chance of injury 2) increase his range in the field, and 3) increase his bat speed. All things that have significantly slowed down over the past few years as he's packed on the pounds. These are indicators that Sandoval is serious about 2014 and is ready to put his best foot forward. But does that mean that the Giants should sign him to a big, long-term contract before the start of the season?
In my opinion, no.
The Panda is a good guy who brings a light-heartedness to the clubhouse and salsas with his teammates in the dugout (Seriously, if you haven't seen Pence and him dancing, youtube it). The reports coming out of Spring Training about Buster Posey, Matt Cain, Hunter Pence, and Marco Scutaro approaching Sandoval at the end of last season and encouraging him to take the game, the team, and his health seriously are great to hear. The chemistry and camaraderie on this Giants team is undeniable and refreshing in pro sports.
That being sad, it's a little disconcerting that it took his teammates urging him to take being in shape seriously for Sandoval to actually put it into action. I'm sure the added motivation of it being a contract year also doesn't hurt. Again, it's great that he's in shape, and he seems ready to be serious about the season, but I'm not sure I like how much it took for him to show up to Spring Training in the type of shape that he needed to be in.
Let's compare him to another guy who's known to be a contract-year player: Juan Uribe.
In 2009, the Giants signed Uribe to a one-year deal. During this contract year, he hit .289 with 16 home runs, 55 RBIs, and an .824 OPS in 122 games. The next year, also a one-year deal, he hit 24 home runs, 85 RBIs, but his average dropped to .248. The Giants and Uribe parted ways after the 2010 season, and he ended up signing with the hated Los Angeles Dodgers to a three-year deal. He hit just .204 in 2011 and .191 in 2012 while netting just six home runs and 45 RBIs over that two-year span while battling various injuries.
However, then came his - you guessed it! - contract year in 2013, and he bounced back in a huge way, hitting .278 with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs. It seemed to work, as he just signed a two-year deal worth $13 million with the Dodgers. Uribe is a career .253 hitter, so we can see how his average trends up when he's about to become a free agent.
Of course I hope that Sandoval will have a career-year. Contract years motivate most major league players. But if I'm Brian Sabean and the Giants I'm hesitant to re-sign a player who seems to need so much motivation to stay fit and healthy and committed to the game. I'd love to see the Giants sign the Panda to a two- or three-year deal for somewhere from $17-20 million. It's a decent amount of money and the shorter-term contract could help to keep Sandoval on his toes (literally and figuratively).
If I'm being honest, I'm worried that a long-term contract would lessen his drive.
Hopefully, I'm wrong. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
One Week
Spring Training 2014 has officially begun, as the Arizona Diamondbacks reported yesterday, February 7. We still have to wait six more days for our beloved Giants pitchers and catchers to report, and I am beyond excited. It's the single greatest Valentines Day present that I could ever ask for. Just a couple quick blurbs before the preseason kicks off.
How many games will Hunter Pence play?
In 2013, Pence played all 162 games in right field, earning him the respect of fans and the Willie Mac Award from his teammates. On the final weekend of the season, he signed a $90 million/5-year contract complete with a no-trade clause, so we'll be watching his awkward movements in right field for a long time. But will he start every regular season game for the second straight year?
General Manager Brian Sabean isn't convinced that it's the best thing for Pence or the team.
"That's Pence's mentality, but I don't know if it's the smartest thing in the world for any player. Everybody needs a break, and more so because of our travel schedule as a West coast team. We lose a lot of free days...that's up to [Bochy], but that'd be my opinion."
It might be up to Bochy, but the Giants manager knows that it won't be easy convincing Pence to rest. But fatigue didn't seem to be too much of a factor for the right fielder last season, as he had career-highs in home runs (27) and stolen bases (22) and crushed 99 RBIs.
"I don't know how much time he'll get off, if any," laughed the skipper. "I'm sure that's gonna be a battle."
Not surprisingly, Pence's biggest concern - perhaps only concern - is what's best for the 2014 Giants as a whole.
"My expectation right now is to go out there and play. Bochy is the manager, and I trust that. Our only goal is to win the World Series, so that's my only focus. It's not 'how many games am I going to play?' That has nothing to do with the team winning the World Series. It's what can we do to be the strongest team on a daily basis."
That guy sure knows how to endear himself to fans and teammates.
The bullpen:
When asked if the bullpen would be the biggest area of competition, Sabean responded:
"Well, I would think so, withstanding health. We expect everybody to be healthy day one to start the season, but we can't predict that."
The Giants will take 11-12 men to San Francisco with them to make up the the pitching staff, including starters. Let's assume everyone is healthy at the end of Spring Training. This is what we can be sure of:
1. Madison Bumgarner
2. Matt Cain
3. Tim Lincecum
4. Tim Hudson
5. Ryan Vogelsong
6. Javier Lopez
7. Jeremy Affeldt
8. Sergio Romo
That leaves 3-4 spots up for grabs coming out of Scottsdale. Right-handers George Kontos and Santiago Casilla, if healthy, are very likely to be on the Opening Day roster. So who are some the guys who could possibly take that final spot (or spots)?
Sabean said that he's anxious to see what some of these young guys can do.
"A lot of us are interested in seeing what Law is able to do. He was lights-out in the Fall League...Dunning also. Dunning had some experience last year....And Huff was acquired really similar to Petit, as protection as a long reliever. He's got 54 Major League starts. Granted, he has to make the team. That was the method to the madness -he's a lefty to Petit's righty."
That's a lot of reliever info going on in that statement, so let's take a look at these prospects one by one:
Derek Law: The 24-year-old right hander owns a career 2.57 ERA in three minor league seasons. Last year between San Jose, Augusta, and the Arizona Fall League he gave up just two home runs total in 66.1 innings. He struck out 102, walked only 12, and had a WHIP of 0.95. Law is the biggest long-shot to make the Opening Day roster, but if his Spring Training performance matches his 2013 numbers, he could be very valuable on that AT&T mound.
Jake Dunning: The tall and lanky 26-year-old got some big league experience in 2013 going 0-2, although that record is deceiving. Dunning was mostly used in relief during games in which the Giants were already behind, and he posted a 2.84 ERA, allowing 20 hits in 25.1 innings. He did allow 11 walks while striking out 16, which gave him a WHIP of 1.22. It'll be interesting to see if his time in San Francisco helped him to be ready for 2014.
David Huff: The Giants acquired the 29-year-old lefty from the Yankees for cash considerations at the end of January. He struggled in New York in 2013, posting a 3-1 record but a 5.50 ERA. He gave up 33 hits in 37.2 innings, including seven home runs. He did have 31 Ks over that span, though. He also struggled during his time in AAA last season, although it was an improvement. He went 4-7 with a 3.90 ERA and gave up eight home runs in 22 games. Huff also allowed 97 hits in 92.1 minor-league innings. But, like Sabean said, he can handle a role in long relief, and a left-handed long reliever could be a valuable asset to the team.
Yusmeiro Petit: Petit gave us an amazing story last season when he came one pitch away from throwing a perfect game. The 29-year-old started seven games for San Francisco in 2013 and was impressive, going 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA. In 48 innings, he allowed four home runs and 11 walks and struck out 47. Opponents hit .251 off of him, and his WHIP of 1.19 was seventh-best on the team.
A guy not mentioned by Sabean but who I'm very excited to see in Spring Training is Heath Hembree. The 25-year-old closer was impressive in his 7.2 innings with San Francisco last year, posting a 0.00 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP. He allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out 12 during that span. In his minor league career, Hembree owns a 3.15 ERA over four seasons. He's 87-for-97 on save opportunities and has given up just 11 home runs. Hembree was ranked the Giants #6 prospect at the end of last season, and if any injury befalls Romo or the back end of the bullpen, Hembree could be the closer of the future.
All in all, I am beyond excited to keep a close eye on the bullpen competition (among others) when I head to Spring Training in a month. Thank goodness baseball season is right around the corner!
How many games will Hunter Pence play?
In 2013, Pence played all 162 games in right field, earning him the respect of fans and the Willie Mac Award from his teammates. On the final weekend of the season, he signed a $90 million/5-year contract complete with a no-trade clause, so we'll be watching his awkward movements in right field for a long time. But will he start every regular season game for the second straight year?
General Manager Brian Sabean isn't convinced that it's the best thing for Pence or the team.
"That's Pence's mentality, but I don't know if it's the smartest thing in the world for any player. Everybody needs a break, and more so because of our travel schedule as a West coast team. We lose a lot of free days...that's up to [Bochy], but that'd be my opinion."
It might be up to Bochy, but the Giants manager knows that it won't be easy convincing Pence to rest. But fatigue didn't seem to be too much of a factor for the right fielder last season, as he had career-highs in home runs (27) and stolen bases (22) and crushed 99 RBIs.
"I don't know how much time he'll get off, if any," laughed the skipper. "I'm sure that's gonna be a battle."
Not surprisingly, Pence's biggest concern - perhaps only concern - is what's best for the 2014 Giants as a whole.
"My expectation right now is to go out there and play. Bochy is the manager, and I trust that. Our only goal is to win the World Series, so that's my only focus. It's not 'how many games am I going to play?' That has nothing to do with the team winning the World Series. It's what can we do to be the strongest team on a daily basis."
That guy sure knows how to endear himself to fans and teammates.
The bullpen:
When asked if the bullpen would be the biggest area of competition, Sabean responded:
"Well, I would think so, withstanding health. We expect everybody to be healthy day one to start the season, but we can't predict that."
The Giants will take 11-12 men to San Francisco with them to make up the the pitching staff, including starters. Let's assume everyone is healthy at the end of Spring Training. This is what we can be sure of:
1. Madison Bumgarner
2. Matt Cain
3. Tim Lincecum
4. Tim Hudson
5. Ryan Vogelsong
6. Javier Lopez
7. Jeremy Affeldt
8. Sergio Romo
That leaves 3-4 spots up for grabs coming out of Scottsdale. Right-handers George Kontos and Santiago Casilla, if healthy, are very likely to be on the Opening Day roster. So who are some the guys who could possibly take that final spot (or spots)?
Sabean said that he's anxious to see what some of these young guys can do.
"A lot of us are interested in seeing what Law is able to do. He was lights-out in the Fall League...Dunning also. Dunning had some experience last year....And Huff was acquired really similar to Petit, as protection as a long reliever. He's got 54 Major League starts. Granted, he has to make the team. That was the method to the madness -he's a lefty to Petit's righty."
That's a lot of reliever info going on in that statement, so let's take a look at these prospects one by one:
Derek Law: The 24-year-old right hander owns a career 2.57 ERA in three minor league seasons. Last year between San Jose, Augusta, and the Arizona Fall League he gave up just two home runs total in 66.1 innings. He struck out 102, walked only 12, and had a WHIP of 0.95. Law is the biggest long-shot to make the Opening Day roster, but if his Spring Training performance matches his 2013 numbers, he could be very valuable on that AT&T mound.
Jake Dunning: The tall and lanky 26-year-old got some big league experience in 2013 going 0-2, although that record is deceiving. Dunning was mostly used in relief during games in which the Giants were already behind, and he posted a 2.84 ERA, allowing 20 hits in 25.1 innings. He did allow 11 walks while striking out 16, which gave him a WHIP of 1.22. It'll be interesting to see if his time in San Francisco helped him to be ready for 2014.
David Huff: The Giants acquired the 29-year-old lefty from the Yankees for cash considerations at the end of January. He struggled in New York in 2013, posting a 3-1 record but a 5.50 ERA. He gave up 33 hits in 37.2 innings, including seven home runs. He did have 31 Ks over that span, though. He also struggled during his time in AAA last season, although it was an improvement. He went 4-7 with a 3.90 ERA and gave up eight home runs in 22 games. Huff also allowed 97 hits in 92.1 minor-league innings. But, like Sabean said, he can handle a role in long relief, and a left-handed long reliever could be a valuable asset to the team.
Yusmeiro Petit: Petit gave us an amazing story last season when he came one pitch away from throwing a perfect game. The 29-year-old started seven games for San Francisco in 2013 and was impressive, going 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA. In 48 innings, he allowed four home runs and 11 walks and struck out 47. Opponents hit .251 off of him, and his WHIP of 1.19 was seventh-best on the team.
A guy not mentioned by Sabean but who I'm very excited to see in Spring Training is Heath Hembree. The 25-year-old closer was impressive in his 7.2 innings with San Francisco last year, posting a 0.00 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP. He allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out 12 during that span. In his minor league career, Hembree owns a 3.15 ERA over four seasons. He's 87-for-97 on save opportunities and has given up just 11 home runs. Hembree was ranked the Giants #6 prospect at the end of last season, and if any injury befalls Romo or the back end of the bullpen, Hembree could be the closer of the future.
All in all, I am beyond excited to keep a close eye on the bullpen competition (among others) when I head to Spring Training in a month. Thank goodness baseball season is right around the corner!
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