The nightcap of the Giants split-squad doubleheader was an unmitigated disaster as SP Clayton Blackburn could not get out of the first inning and it all pretty much went downhill from there. No point in posting Key Lines. Hunter Pence and Brandon Crawford got 2 hits each. It's bad enough that spring training is waaaay to long, then to schedule split squad games this late in the spring takes the cake for pointlessness.
*********************************************************************************
Jeff Samardzija takes the mound against his old team, the Cubs, and John Lackey today at 1:00 PM. It's at the Cubs park.
*********************************************************************************
Some skinny on the Giants roster plans from the beatwriters: Seems Bochy is seriously considering carrying 13 pitchers, at least until Bumgarner and Cain get fully stretched out. That would leave just 4 positional bench spots. The consensus is those will likely go to Trevor Brown, Kelby Tomlinson, Ehire Adrianza and Gregor Blanco. No big bat off the bench.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Given that Bumgarner and Cain are still unready, and Cueto and Samardzija have been spotty, why do you say that ST is way too long? For the Giants' rotation, it threatens to be way too short. Also, doesn't a long ST give the managerial staff a chance to look at a lot of young players and NRIs, and in turn permit those guys to strut their stuff adequately for them to have a chance at the 25-man roster? I'm thinking of Gorkys Hernandez as possible fifth OF this year: could he, or Blanco or Belt in previous years, have distinguished themselves in a variety of conditions, enough for Bochy to trust them, when there are so many players to consider?
ReplyDeleteBumgarner and Cain have been slowed by injuries which can happen at any time in spring training or in season. Recovery from injuries is not a reason to prolong spring training.
DeleteGiven the small sample sizes and a playing environment that is not at all like most of the MLB ballparks, spring training performance is a rather poor way of making roster decisions, not that the Giants have never done that or that it has never worked out for them.
The argument that persists for a long spring training is the need to slowly ramp up the starting pitchers. I really don't have enough information to dispute that notion except to note that they don't have spring training for college ball and the minor league spring training is several weeks shorter and they seem to do just fine out of the gate.
I think Adrianza (now that he can hit the ball with more authority), Brown and Blanco are as close to being locks to make the 25-man roster as one could reasonably assert. I think Tomlinson has the inside track for #4, but I'm less sure because there are other roster factors that may cause him to be sent down initially.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wouldn't mind if they let Tomlinson get seasoning in AAA and have a vet backup third/pinch hit.
DeleteTomlinson does not give you as much power off the bench as might be ideal. On the other hand, he's a very tough out and if you are sending up someone to pinch hit and you need a hit, I'm not sure I would rather have anyone else up there.
DeleteIt's off topic but belongs to the concerns of this blog: Baggs has today, the 26th, a detailed discussion of Gustavo Cabrera, as to what happened and what was done. I found it both fascinating and moving.
ReplyDelete