Ok guys, today I went to probably my favorite Spring Training game of all time - the San Francisco Giants B-squad vs. the Giants futures. There was no one in the stands, it was nerdy, and I loved it.
Here are some things that I took away from Sundays game:
1. Madison Bumgarner is good at baseball. He made light of the futures line-up by tossing four shut-out innings. He gave up just one hit and two walks and even collected a solid base-hit. It seemed pretty unfair to make the futures face a future Cy Young award winner, but whatever. Seriously, Bumgarner is gonna be so great this season.
2. Christian Arroyo played some solid shortstop. The Giants first-round pick from 2013 looked very comfortable defensively and also collected a hit today, going one-for-two. I've been excited to see Arroyo play for the last few months, and he did not disappoint on Sunday. After a few more month in San Jose expect him to climb the rank in the Giants farm system quickly.
3. Kyle Crick struggled. In the game on Sunday, he last just 0.2 innings, allowing five earned runs on one hit and four walks. His command was off, throwing some wild pitches and pitches in the dirt. The biggest scouting report issue with Crick was his command, but the 21-year-old has plenty of time to work on his control problems before he makes a big-league roster.
4. Derek Law and Heath Hembree are solid. These guys were probably the pitchers that I was the most excited to see heading down to Scottsdale. They did not disappoint. Law entered Sunday's game with one out in the eighth and struck out Elliot Blair and Nick Noonan to end the threat. Hembree pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing just one hit. These guys are on the cusp of making the Opening Day roster, and their performances todays just got them one step closer to that.
5. Andrew Susac is my new favorite. It's kind of hard to explain why Susac is my "guy to watch" this Spring Training, but he just is. During Saturday's terrible game against the Mariners, Susac got the Giants on the board with a solidly hit two-run double in the seventh inning. Despite batting just .200 so far this Spring, his approach at the plate has been great.
Defensively, Susac has also been very solid behind the plate. With Crick struggling so much in the first inning of Sunday's game, Susac made some very solid throws down to second base. Susac also seems to bring a calming presence to the young Giants pitchers, patiently talking to them between batters.
Now, I realize that the Giants aren't exactly hurting for catchers. Hector Sanchez is having a great Spring now that he's fully healthy, and also that other guys, Buster what's-his-name, is signed to the Giants for another billion years. Last Spring, I picked Noonan as my guy to make the Giants opening day roster. This year, I'm gonna say that - if there's any injury (heaven forbid) to Sanchez or Posey - Susac should be the solid back-up catcher.
All in all, it was amazing to watch the young guys on Sunday. Tomorrow (fingers crossed) interviews with Hembree and/or Law are coming. Thanks for reading!
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Who's on second
Yes, I know I had a blog entitled "what's on second" just last year. But seriously, I thought this title still made sense.
Marco Scutaro has yet to take a pitch this Spring Training. While it's maybe not time to panic (just yet), it might be getting close to freak-out time.
In 2013, Scutaro played in 127 games, missing several games due to back issues and a mallet finger. Last year, I attributed much of his struggles to the short offseason (hello, 2012 World Series!) and the World Baseball Classic last February and March. Coming into this Spring, I thought that he might be healthy and ready to play every day.
And yet, here we are. Still struggling with back issues. With a full and restful offseason, the fact that the 38-year-old is still having problems physically worries me now and will continue to worry me throughout the season. Especially considering he's in only the second year of a three-year contract. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Scutaro will play around 100 games this season. Maybe 110. That still leaves 52-62 games where the Giants will need a second baseman.
So, who will that second baseman be?
Last Spring, I was so excited by Nick Noonan. He was my pick to make the 2013 Opening Day roster as the back-up infielder. His range at third, second, and short really impressed me in Scottsdale last year, and I really look forward to seeing him in a few days.
Though he's struggling so far this Spring, batting just .091 with no HRs and no RBIs in just four games for the Giants, I still think that Noonan is a contender. He hit just .219 last season in San Francisco, but again, Noonan was versatile, committing just one error while playing second, third, and short. He also hit .255 in Fresno while playing more consistently. I'm not saying that Nick Noonan is the future of second base for the Giants, but I'm not ready to rule him out. He brings a lot of range and impressive defense to the San Francisco infield.
But perhaps the player that I'm most excited to see this weekend is Ehire Adrianza (and that is saying something because I'm looking forward to seeing so many players). So far this Spring, the 24-year-old is hitting .250 in four games. He's already got one homerun and four RBIs. Last season, he did get 18 at-bats in San Francisco, and he managed to hit .222 with a HR and three RBIs.
He spent most of his time last season in AA Richmond, but did play in 45 games in AAA Fresno. During that span of two teams, he hit .266 with 35 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Most impressive, however, has been his defense. He's been a fantastic shortstop, owning a career .959 fielding percentage in the minors. He was slated to start at second for the Giants in Saturdays game that was eventually rained out. So while we haven't gotten to see him play second yet this Spring, it seems that the time for that is coming.
As Giants beat writer Chris Haft has reported, Adrianza has only started in one game at second base in his entire minor league career. But with Brandon Crawford a solid shortstop in San Francisco, Adrianza needs to adapt to second base if he hopes to make this big-league club. Manager Bruce Bochy seems to be on the same page, wanting to see what Adrianza can do at the other middle-infield position.
During Giants media day at the end of January, both Bochy and general manager Brian Sabean openly stated that they were excited to see what Adrianza does this Spring. With Bochy inserting Adrianza into the line-up at second this past weekend, we see that the skipper hasn't lost his enthusiasm towards the young infielder.
This isn't to bash Scutaro or say that he isn't a decent or hard-working infielder. He was an integral part of that 2012 World Series run (heck, his 'Scutaro-ing" in the rain is one of my favorite sports moments ever). But he's older, and defensively, much slower. His 13 errors on the season in 2013 were third-most on the Giants.
If Brandon Belt and Pablo Sandoval have the kinds of years that we hope (and expect) them to have, the middle infielders don't need to hit .300. I'd settle for .250-.260 and amazing defense. In Crawford at short, you get that. But this is where Noonan and Adrianza have the advantage over Scutaro. It'll be interesting to see them live and in-person.
I'm not sure if I've mentioned, but I'm pretty stoked to head down to Spring Training in two days. I'll be writing from there, so keep checking back in for (hopefully) some awesome interviews!
Marco Scutaro has yet to take a pitch this Spring Training. While it's maybe not time to panic (just yet), it might be getting close to freak-out time.
In 2013, Scutaro played in 127 games, missing several games due to back issues and a mallet finger. Last year, I attributed much of his struggles to the short offseason (hello, 2012 World Series!) and the World Baseball Classic last February and March. Coming into this Spring, I thought that he might be healthy and ready to play every day.
And yet, here we are. Still struggling with back issues. With a full and restful offseason, the fact that the 38-year-old is still having problems physically worries me now and will continue to worry me throughout the season. Especially considering he's in only the second year of a three-year contract. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Scutaro will play around 100 games this season. Maybe 110. That still leaves 52-62 games where the Giants will need a second baseman.
So, who will that second baseman be?
Last Spring, I was so excited by Nick Noonan. He was my pick to make the 2013 Opening Day roster as the back-up infielder. His range at third, second, and short really impressed me in Scottsdale last year, and I really look forward to seeing him in a few days.
Though he's struggling so far this Spring, batting just .091 with no HRs and no RBIs in just four games for the Giants, I still think that Noonan is a contender. He hit just .219 last season in San Francisco, but again, Noonan was versatile, committing just one error while playing second, third, and short. He also hit .255 in Fresno while playing more consistently. I'm not saying that Nick Noonan is the future of second base for the Giants, but I'm not ready to rule him out. He brings a lot of range and impressive defense to the San Francisco infield.
But perhaps the player that I'm most excited to see this weekend is Ehire Adrianza (and that is saying something because I'm looking forward to seeing so many players). So far this Spring, the 24-year-old is hitting .250 in four games. He's already got one homerun and four RBIs. Last season, he did get 18 at-bats in San Francisco, and he managed to hit .222 with a HR and three RBIs.
He spent most of his time last season in AA Richmond, but did play in 45 games in AAA Fresno. During that span of two teams, he hit .266 with 35 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Most impressive, however, has been his defense. He's been a fantastic shortstop, owning a career .959 fielding percentage in the minors. He was slated to start at second for the Giants in Saturdays game that was eventually rained out. So while we haven't gotten to see him play second yet this Spring, it seems that the time for that is coming.
As Giants beat writer Chris Haft has reported, Adrianza has only started in one game at second base in his entire minor league career. But with Brandon Crawford a solid shortstop in San Francisco, Adrianza needs to adapt to second base if he hopes to make this big-league club. Manager Bruce Bochy seems to be on the same page, wanting to see what Adrianza can do at the other middle-infield position.
During Giants media day at the end of January, both Bochy and general manager Brian Sabean openly stated that they were excited to see what Adrianza does this Spring. With Bochy inserting Adrianza into the line-up at second this past weekend, we see that the skipper hasn't lost his enthusiasm towards the young infielder.
This isn't to bash Scutaro or say that he isn't a decent or hard-working infielder. He was an integral part of that 2012 World Series run (heck, his 'Scutaro-ing" in the rain is one of my favorite sports moments ever). But he's older, and defensively, much slower. His 13 errors on the season in 2013 were third-most on the Giants.
If Brandon Belt and Pablo Sandoval have the kinds of years that we hope (and expect) them to have, the middle infielders don't need to hit .300. I'd settle for .250-.260 and amazing defense. In Crawford at short, you get that. But this is where Noonan and Adrianza have the advantage over Scutaro. It'll be interesting to see them live and in-person.
I'm not sure if I've mentioned, but I'm pretty stoked to head down to Spring Training in two days. I'll be writing from there, so keep checking back in for (hopefully) some awesome interviews!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
MadBum and the "Posey" rule?
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!
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 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!
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
What's on Second
It's that sad time of the year again - Giants offseason. We've been so fortunate to be watching them in the postseason two out of the last three years, so that softens the blow a bit for 2013. But it turns out that we'll have some things to watch even though the Giants aren't playing. The offseason moves are going to be crucial if the black-and-orange hope to re-take the NL West crown in 2014.
One of the biggest areas of concern from 2013 was second base. It was a no-brainer to re-sign Marco Scutaro after his contributions in the second half of 2013. The reigning NLCS MVP hit .362 with 44 RBIs after being traded from the Colorado Rockies, including .328 during the playoffs. But the soon-to-be 38 year old struggled in 2014, mostly due to injury. After playing the World Baseball Classic until mid-March, maybe Scutaro was just tired. Back spasms sidelined him at the beginning of the season and returned to bother him in August and September. He also was hit by a pitch on June 11, smashing his left pinkie finger. After only missing a few games initially, the injury refused to go away, and his season ended when he was pulled from a game in New York. Just before the season was officially over, Scutaro had surgery to place a pin in his pinkie to straighten it out. The pin will come out in about six weeks and a specific training regimen will hopefully strengthen his back this offseason.
Despite struggling so much this season, Scutaro finished with a .297 batting average and a trip to the All-Star game. However, his stats were inconsistent. His averages for the season were .240 in April, .420 in May, .289 in June, .303 in July, .229 in August, and .300 in his 40 September at-bats. Hopefully, he'll return healthy and rested and ready for 2014.
But the lack of depth at second proved costly for the Giants this season, and it's something they absolutely have to address this offseason. Nick Noonan could be an option and should be given serious consideration during Spring Training. He hit .333 in April, but finished with a .219 average. His playing time decreased dramatically with only 16 at-bats in the second half, not allowing him time to get comfortable at the plate. Defensively, Noonan committed just one error in San Francisco this season, which is a step up from Scutaro, who's defensive skills are not what they used to be.
Tony Abreu also made a strong case for himself with the September that he had. He hit .268 in the majors this year, including .325 in April and .271 in September. His seven RBIs (in only 16 at-bats) in the final month of the season were the fifth-most on the team. His three errors in 116 chances isn't the best, but he was able to play second, third, and shortstop, providing some flexibility on the bench.
Joaquin Arias also continued to be a solid backup utility infielder. His finished 2013 batting .271 in 225 at-bats. He also played all four infield positions, committing only five errors. He's proved over the last two years that he can play dazzling defense (Cain's perfect game, anyone?) and is probably the best bench player that the Giants have. Both Arias and Abreu are eligible for arbitration, so there's a good chance that at least one of them will return without a high cost to the Giants.
Free agent-wise, left field is more of a priority for San Francisco. There's also not a ton of great second base options out there, but a couple guys are:
1. Kelly Johnson, Tampa Bay. He's struggled in the past few years and will probably be looking for a starting role somewhere, but he'd be a solid guy off the bench for a reasonable price. He'd also bring a little bit of power to a position that normally doesn't provide that much pop.
2. Mike Fontenot, Tampa Bay. The former Giant is a free agent again at the end of this season. He was a solid backup for San Francisco in 2012 hitting .278 in 36 at-bats with a .341 OBP, but struggled in 2013. In 45 at-bats with the Rays, he hit .156 with just a .278 OBP. He also dipped in SLG from .389 in 2012 to .178 in 2013. But, again, he'll come at pretty low price if the Giants are just looking for a quick fix solution to their depth problems.
3. Ramon Santiago, Detroit. The 34-year-old veteran second baseman has spent the last six seasons with the Tigers. In 205 at-bats this year, he finished with .224/.298/.288, which are up from his 2012 numbers of .206/.283/.272. Lifetime, he owns a career .243 average. Because of his age and numbers, Santiago will probably go cheap and be willing to sign as a back-up.
Again, there's not a lot of great back-up options out there, and it's not the biggest area of concern for the Giants, so they may just decide to go with a minor leaguer, Arias, or Abreu. Either way, they'll need to make sure they have a solid guy coming off the bench so that Scutaro can get rest when he needs it without the line-up taking such a big hit.
One of the biggest areas of concern from 2013 was second base. It was a no-brainer to re-sign Marco Scutaro after his contributions in the second half of 2013. The reigning NLCS MVP hit .362 with 44 RBIs after being traded from the Colorado Rockies, including .328 during the playoffs. But the soon-to-be 38 year old struggled in 2014, mostly due to injury. After playing the World Baseball Classic until mid-March, maybe Scutaro was just tired. Back spasms sidelined him at the beginning of the season and returned to bother him in August and September. He also was hit by a pitch on June 11, smashing his left pinkie finger. After only missing a few games initially, the injury refused to go away, and his season ended when he was pulled from a game in New York. Just before the season was officially over, Scutaro had surgery to place a pin in his pinkie to straighten it out. The pin will come out in about six weeks and a specific training regimen will hopefully strengthen his back this offseason.
Despite struggling so much this season, Scutaro finished with a .297 batting average and a trip to the All-Star game. However, his stats were inconsistent. His averages for the season were .240 in April, .420 in May, .289 in June, .303 in July, .229 in August, and .300 in his 40 September at-bats. Hopefully, he'll return healthy and rested and ready for 2014.
But the lack of depth at second proved costly for the Giants this season, and it's something they absolutely have to address this offseason. Nick Noonan could be an option and should be given serious consideration during Spring Training. He hit .333 in April, but finished with a .219 average. His playing time decreased dramatically with only 16 at-bats in the second half, not allowing him time to get comfortable at the plate. Defensively, Noonan committed just one error in San Francisco this season, which is a step up from Scutaro, who's defensive skills are not what they used to be.
Tony Abreu also made a strong case for himself with the September that he had. He hit .268 in the majors this year, including .325 in April and .271 in September. His seven RBIs (in only 16 at-bats) in the final month of the season were the fifth-most on the team. His three errors in 116 chances isn't the best, but he was able to play second, third, and shortstop, providing some flexibility on the bench.
Joaquin Arias also continued to be a solid backup utility infielder. His finished 2013 batting .271 in 225 at-bats. He also played all four infield positions, committing only five errors. He's proved over the last two years that he can play dazzling defense (Cain's perfect game, anyone?) and is probably the best bench player that the Giants have. Both Arias and Abreu are eligible for arbitration, so there's a good chance that at least one of them will return without a high cost to the Giants.
Free agent-wise, left field is more of a priority for San Francisco. There's also not a ton of great second base options out there, but a couple guys are:
1. Kelly Johnson, Tampa Bay. He's struggled in the past few years and will probably be looking for a starting role somewhere, but he'd be a solid guy off the bench for a reasonable price. He'd also bring a little bit of power to a position that normally doesn't provide that much pop.
2. Mike Fontenot, Tampa Bay. The former Giant is a free agent again at the end of this season. He was a solid backup for San Francisco in 2012 hitting .278 in 36 at-bats with a .341 OBP, but struggled in 2013. In 45 at-bats with the Rays, he hit .156 with just a .278 OBP. He also dipped in SLG from .389 in 2012 to .178 in 2013. But, again, he'll come at pretty low price if the Giants are just looking for a quick fix solution to their depth problems.
3. Ramon Santiago, Detroit. The 34-year-old veteran second baseman has spent the last six seasons with the Tigers. In 205 at-bats this year, he finished with .224/.298/.288, which are up from his 2012 numbers of .206/.283/.272. Lifetime, he owns a career .243 average. Because of his age and numbers, Santiago will probably go cheap and be willing to sign as a back-up.
Again, there's not a lot of great back-up options out there, and it's not the biggest area of concern for the Giants, so they may just decide to go with a minor leaguer, Arias, or Abreu. Either way, they'll need to make sure they have a solid guy coming off the bench so that Scutaro can get rest when he needs it without the line-up taking such a big hit.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Moving Day
Right now, the Giants are in 3rd place in the National League West, one game behind the Colorado Rockies and 3.5 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks. It's only June 8, not yet time to panic. But like Saturday is "moving day" for players in the PGA tour - the day to either make a move to the top or drop out of contention - June could prove to be "moving month" for the Giants. They can either take over 1st place in the division or fall farther behind. After going 14-13 in May, they're 2-4 so far this month, are currently playing the Diamondbacks, and have 20 games left before July rolls around. Oh yeah, and they play 18 of their 27 games on the road.
In order to really make a move, the Giants will need to start getting back to basics. They won their two World Championships in three years on teams built on pitching and defense. It's not secret that the starting pitching has struggled so far this season, amassing an ERA of 4.77 and a record of 19-21. However, they've seemed to gather some positive momentum lately, recording quality starts in three of their last four games. Last Sunday, Chad Gaudin went six innings, giving up two runs and giving the Giants their first win of the month. Tim Lincecum followed that performance with his own gem, tossing seven innings of one-run ball against the Blue Jays. And last night, despite the loss, Matt Cain threw seven-plus innings, allowing one run.
(And currently, Madison Bumgarner is through four shut-out innings in Arizona. So, there's that.)
Assuming the starting pitching is returning to it's old ways, the next big area of concern is the defense. The Giants have committed 40 errors so far this season. They finished 2012 fourth in baseball with 115 errors. However, if their starting pitchers are allowing more base-runners through the hit or the walk, the defense has got to buckle down and play tighter behind them. While in the field, this team needs to get to doing the little things to eliminate base-runners.
(As I was writing that, Gregor Blanco made a great throw to Joaquin Arias, who made a great tag to get Cody Ross out at third base. They also haven't made an error in their last seven games. So, there's that, too.)
And lastly, if the Giants hope to survive this tough month, their offense has got to come alive. So far this month, they've scored just eight runs in six games. They've been outscored 25-8 during that stretch and have a team batting average of just .216. They've hit just one homerun (a 2-run shot by Andres Torres to give them the win over Toronto on Tuesday) and have worked only six walks while striking out 38 times. Not pretty. They need their big guys - Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Belt - to start finding their swings. Now that Belt is getting consistent playing time, his .242 average should be significantly higher. He looks brilliant at times, and is tied for second on the team with 19 walks, but he needs to be much more consistent. Belt does have two RBIs this month, while Pence has one, but neither Posey nor Sandoval have any. Sandoval has been battling a foot injury and isn't running well, but now is the time for these bats to get going and start driving in runs. Without them, this offense will continue to struggle.
(And now, tonight, the Giants have scored ten runs so far in this game. Posey is 2-for-3 with a homerun and three RBIs, Pence is 1-for-3 with his team-leading 10th HR, Sandoval went 1-for-2 before leaving the game with a foot injury, and Belt has gone 3-for-5. He's raised his average almost ten points to .251. Also, Brandon Crawford is 4-for-5. Unbelievable.)
Bumgarner eventually ended up going five innings and giving up three runs (although, Torres should've made a catch to prevent at least one of those...). Not a quality start, but a solid start none-the-less, and it was enough to give him the win.
Tonight was a game that showed what the Giants are capable of if they do the things that they should be doing. The starting pitching was solid, the defense was (near) perfect, and the offense poured on the runs using their 3-4-5-6 hitters. If they can play this type of baseball, especially for the next month, first place should be easily attained.
In order to really make a move, the Giants will need to start getting back to basics. They won their two World Championships in three years on teams built on pitching and defense. It's not secret that the starting pitching has struggled so far this season, amassing an ERA of 4.77 and a record of 19-21. However, they've seemed to gather some positive momentum lately, recording quality starts in three of their last four games. Last Sunday, Chad Gaudin went six innings, giving up two runs and giving the Giants their first win of the month. Tim Lincecum followed that performance with his own gem, tossing seven innings of one-run ball against the Blue Jays. And last night, despite the loss, Matt Cain threw seven-plus innings, allowing one run.
(And currently, Madison Bumgarner is through four shut-out innings in Arizona. So, there's that.)
Assuming the starting pitching is returning to it's old ways, the next big area of concern is the defense. The Giants have committed 40 errors so far this season. They finished 2012 fourth in baseball with 115 errors. However, if their starting pitchers are allowing more base-runners through the hit or the walk, the defense has got to buckle down and play tighter behind them. While in the field, this team needs to get to doing the little things to eliminate base-runners.
(As I was writing that, Gregor Blanco made a great throw to Joaquin Arias, who made a great tag to get Cody Ross out at third base. They also haven't made an error in their last seven games. So, there's that, too.)
And lastly, if the Giants hope to survive this tough month, their offense has got to come alive. So far this month, they've scored just eight runs in six games. They've been outscored 25-8 during that stretch and have a team batting average of just .216. They've hit just one homerun (a 2-run shot by Andres Torres to give them the win over Toronto on Tuesday) and have worked only six walks while striking out 38 times. Not pretty. They need their big guys - Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Belt - to start finding their swings. Now that Belt is getting consistent playing time, his .242 average should be significantly higher. He looks brilliant at times, and is tied for second on the team with 19 walks, but he needs to be much more consistent. Belt does have two RBIs this month, while Pence has one, but neither Posey nor Sandoval have any. Sandoval has been battling a foot injury and isn't running well, but now is the time for these bats to get going and start driving in runs. Without them, this offense will continue to struggle.
(And now, tonight, the Giants have scored ten runs so far in this game. Posey is 2-for-3 with a homerun and three RBIs, Pence is 1-for-3 with his team-leading 10th HR, Sandoval went 1-for-2 before leaving the game with a foot injury, and Belt has gone 3-for-5. He's raised his average almost ten points to .251. Also, Brandon Crawford is 4-for-5. Unbelievable.)
Bumgarner eventually ended up going five innings and giving up three runs (although, Torres should've made a catch to prevent at least one of those...). Not a quality start, but a solid start none-the-less, and it was enough to give him the win.
Tonight was a game that showed what the Giants are capable of if they do the things that they should be doing. The starting pitching was solid, the defense was (near) perfect, and the offense poured on the runs using their 3-4-5-6 hitters. If they can play this type of baseball, especially for the next month, first place should be easily attained.
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