Logan Webb ramping up to 5.1 IP and Keaton Winn making his first in-game appearance of the spring were the biggest stories of a fairly uneventful game. Key Lines:
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Spring Training Game Wrap 3/17/2024: Rockies 5 Giants 3
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Spring Training Game Wrap 3/16/2024: Giants 6 Guardians 0; Giants 11 White Sox 7
The Giants may have found some patches for their pitching holes in a split-squad twin bill following an off day and a rainout.
Game 1: Daulton Jefferies pitched 4 scoreless innings and 4 relievers completed the shutout. Key Lines:
Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4, SB(1). BA= .200. YtY got off to a slow start to the spring with sore shoulder. Still plenty of time to get his timing down for Opening Day.
Spring Training Update: More Rainouts and a Looming Roster Crunch
The Giants had a day off Thursday then had Friday's game against the A's rained out. Sadly, the Spring Breakout game featuring prospects scheduled later in the day was also rained out. We've had several intense discussions about the Giants pitching situation and whether they need to acquire another veteran starting pitcher. One big problem which I have not seen discussed that much is a looming roster crunch for both starting and relief pitching. This is a nice break in game action to drill down on that.
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Spring Training Game Wrap 3/13/2024: Reds 19 Giants 11
It was a rough day for pitchers in Scottsdale Stadium as the hitters padded their stat lines in a losing effort by the Giants. Key Lines:
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Spring Training Game Wrap 3/12/2024: Dodgers 6 Giants 4
The Giants did not get their first hit in the game until the 6'th inning and did not score until the 9'th inning in a game that was not nearly as close as the final score looks. Key Lines:
Monday, March 11, 2024
Spring Training Game Wrap 3/11/2024: Giants 12 Royals 9
The Giants brought their hitting shoes to Surprise, AZ to win a slugfest. Key Lines:
Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 2 for 4, 2B, 3B, SF. BA= .200. Fitz has struggled to make contact with a 40% K rate but 3 of his 5 hits have gone for extra bases and his walk rate is almost 20%. Just 32 PA's though.
Luis Matos RF- 1 for 3, 2B, BB. BA= .250. 6 of Matos' 7 hits have gone for extra bases. He's only walked once but also only struck out 3 times in 30 PA's.
Casey Schmitt 3B- 1 for 4, HR(1). BA= .133. Schmitt seems to have improved his approach at the plate but it hasn't translated into results. He hit one out today. Again, SSS.
David Villar 1B- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(1), BB. BA= .292. Villar is quietly having a fine spring. Hard to see where he fits in the organization right now. I think he does have an option.
Joey Bart DH- 3 for 4. BA= .474. Bart is getting lots of PA's. Are Giants showcasing him? Patrick Bailey was the DH for Alex Cobb's live BP session today and reportedly hit one off the batting eye. Most likely they are showcasing him for a trade but I still think there is a non-zero chance he's on the Opening Day active roster. I guess you can call me a Joey Bart die-hard.
Wade Meckler LF- 3 for 4, 2 2B. BA= .440. Meck is stating his case at the plate but has struggled in the field making his 3'rd error of the spring today. Another guy who doesn't seem to quite fit in, especially since he has a similar profile as Jung Hoo Lee who is not going anywhere for several years.
Otto Lopez 2B- 1 for 2, 2 BB. BA= .235. I tend to believe Lopez is the frontrunner for a backup MI roster spot. He did make his second error of the spring today.
Logan Webb RHP- 3.1 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, GO/AO- 3/4. ERA= 10.03. Not a typical Logan Webb line in any way but I am sure he's just building his pitch count with strict instructions to not hurt himself.
Daulton Jefferies RHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K's. ERA= 2.57. I'm thinking Jefferies is the frontrunner for the 5'th starter slot to start the season.
Spencer Bivens RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 1.69. Feel good story of the spring. Is it enough to make the Opening Day roster?
Giants play the Dodgers tomorrow afternoon in Glendale, AZ with Blaine Enlow RHP toeing the rubber in the first inning facing Tyler Glasnow RHP
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J. D. Davis was officially released today after he cleared waivers and the fallout just keeps descending with his agent accusing the Giants of not negotiating a contract in good faith pre-arbitration and FZ punching back to the press. It sure looks like the Giants intentionally set him up to file for arbitration and win so they would have this out in case they signed Chapman. Not sure they could have scripted it out like that but I wouldn't be shocked if they did. There seems to be some vague language in the CBA regarding under what circumstances the team can dump a player-winning arbitration salary. I feel a grievance coming on from both J. D. and the MLBPA. On one level the FZ and the Giants showed some savvy maneuvering here but on another level it adds one more example to a growing list of needlessly callous treatment of players. Not a good look!
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Spring Training Game Wraps 3/10/2024(Split Squad): Giants 5 White Sox 4; Mariners 8 Giants 3
Home Game: The Giants won a see-saw game on a walk-off single by Tom Murphy. Key Lines:
Michael Conforto LF- 3 for 3. BA= .400. Maybe with Soler and Chapman in the lineup, Conforto won't feel as much pressure to hit for power? Now, if he can just stay healthy.
Tom Murphy PH/DH- 1 for 1. BA= .385. Murph has always hit. Can he stay healthy?
Joey Bart C- 2 for 3, SF. BA= .400. If I am not mistaken, Bart has hit in spring training before and as we all know, spring stats don't mean a thang. Are the Giants showcasing him for a potential trade? Patrick Bailey went 0 for 3 in the away game. Is there a non-zero chance Bart starts the season on the active roster with Bailey optioned to Sacramento?
Spencer Howard RHP- 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K's, GO/AO= 4.1. ERA= 3.18. Too many walks but he kept the ball on the ground and worked out of trouble. BTW, all 3 walks came in the first inning.
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Away Game: Tommy Romero RHP gave up 6 runs in 1.2 IP and the Giants could not come back. Key Lines:
Jung Hoo Lee CF- 1 for 3. BA= .368. So far Lee is just what the Giants thought they were getting.
Luis Matos RF- 1 for 3, 2B. BA= .240. Matos' bat had cooled off after a hot start. Will this get it going again? He definitely is flexing his extra-base power.
David Villar DH- 1 for 2, 2B. BA= .238. Villar is a forgotten man but I think he has an option.
Casey Schmitt 3B- 1 for 2, BB, SB(1). BA= .091. 3 walks in 2 games. Is Schmitt improving on his plate discipline?
Carson Seymour RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K. ERA= 7.20. Can Seymour turn the Darin Ruf trade into more than a wash?
Juan Sanchez LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. ERA= 1.80. Sanchez is quietly having a tremendous spring. I read somewhere his FB is up to 96 MPH.
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Logan Webb RHP makes his 4'th start of the spring tomorrow afternoon against the Royals and somebody named Angel Zerpa LHP in Surprise, AZ.