Sunday, March 16, 2014

Spring Training Game Wrap 3/16/2014: Indians 5 Giants 1

Not much to say about todays Cactus League loss.   Key Lines:

Juan Perez- 1 for 2, 3B.  BA= .325.  Perez left the game after fouling a ball off his foot.  Barring serious injury, it sure looks like he is in the driver's seat for the 5'th OF roster spot.

Tim Hudson- 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 4 K.  ERA= 4.73.  Uncharacteristic wildness from Huddy.  He did get his work in throwing 100 pitches.

David Huff- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.25.  Huff seems to have recovered nicely from his initial shoulder soreness and has pitched well in his opportunities.

Heath Hembree- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.25.  Hembree has also been pitching well.  A Bullpen spot should be his to lose.

I think we've hit the dog days of spring training.  Hard to believe we still have 2 weeks to go while the official regular season starts in just 8 days in Australia for just 2 teams.  Man, am I glad the Giants aren't the ones doing that.  On the other hand, I don't think a whole 2 more weeks of spring training are really necessary.

10 comments:

  1. These games gonna start counting soon! So we still have 5th OF, 6th IF and a couple rotation spots in play. Just got to stay healthy, and hope the 2B situation doesn't get grim. Pagan getting back out is a good thing.

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  2. I love it when the teams play 'for-reals' games that count in the standings, then come back and play a couple of exhibition games. That's good stuff.

    How 'bout Perez is in competition for the 4th OF spot which is just an injured calf away from opening day starting left fielder?

    What me worry about Hembree? As long as there's competion for the 2-3 spots that in play, the games have some intrigue. Like you said about Huddy, getting his work in.

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  3. So it was nice to finally get a chance to see the Giants on TV this Saturday. I have been watching MLB network every day and have yet to see a Giants game shown. One thing I noticed that I am almost shocked I haven't seen anyone bring up here is how similar Susac looks to Posey at the plate! They have really similar stances with where they hold the bat and their approach. His swing even looks a little like Posey's through the zone which could be a sign of very good things to come.

    I'm wondering if 2B is going to be our achilles heal this year. If you think about it, 2B was one of the most important positions for us both years we won the WS. Both times we had our 2B batting 2nd and setting the table for the middle of the lineup. We don't have a guy like that right now with any of the options in camp. I think I read that Bonifacio got released or is on waivers and could be worth taking a flyer on. Not that he is going to turn into the next Sanchez or Scutaro but he could be a lot better option than anything we have ready right now.

    Last thing Dr. B, have you had a chance to see Javier Baez swing the bat yet? I drafted him late in one of my keeper leagues and am wondering how long I have to sit on him before he comes up and starts hitting bombs this year. I heard June, anyone else who might be coming up around then that I should keep my eye on? My offense is looking solid but my pitching is going to be a work in progress so looking for young arms that can come up and help me out!

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    1. I haven't see much video of Baez, but by all accounts, he's a beast. Only reason to send him down at the start of the season is his arbitration clock. He should be the starting 3B for the Cubs on Opening Day, IMO.

      Agree Bonifacio is starting to look better every day.

      Yup, Susac is a mini-me of Buster.

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    2. When I saw Susac's AFL game last fall (and his opposite field HR), I thought the similarities to Posey at the plate were uncanny. The quiet, compact stroke is there, and now the power is starting to show through. He absolutely tattooed that ball the other night! He's just got to stay on the field, and good things should happen.

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  4. So, how would you order the depth chart now for MI and 4th/5th OF?

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    1. At this point, I have to think Juan Perez is in the driver's seat for 5'th OF. He's played exceptionally well and Colvin hasn't done a thing. That could all change over the next 2 weeks, but if ST ended today, I have to think Perez has won his spot.

      MI is murkier. Right now, it seems like the most likely scenario is Scooter starts the season on the DL. That leaves 3 players vying for 2 spots: Abreu, Adrianza and Hicks. Adrianza wowed early but has cooled off. Abreu has not shown much, but has last year in his pocket. Hicks has been fantastic, but this is most likely a ST mirage. Too close to call at this point.

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    2. I think each individual is different, and while many seem ready to go, guys like Colvin and Noonan (last year), among others, will be glad to have another 2 weeks.

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    3. I love what Perez had been doing, and let's not forget that he's been playing being expectations for a long time now - since he got drafted out of community college, where he was the league HR champion. The kid just seems to have that Sergio Romo complex, I.e. Small guy, overachiever, but never stops putting up great numbers.

      And hey, did anybody catch David Huff's first appearance? Boy, I came away impressed. Seemed like he had zip on his pitches, and controlled the zone well with an aggressive approach. Looking forward to seeing more from him.

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    4. *beyond expectations.

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