Spring Training Game Wrap: Giants 6 Reds 4

Madison Bumgarner got his work in.  Clayton Blackburn got off to a sensational start to his spring.  Minor league free agent and former first round draft pick Chris Marrero hit a walk-off 3 run HR.  Giants win!  Key Lines:

Brandon Crawford SS- 0 for 2.  Denard Span will almost surely lead off when he plays, but what about when he doesn't?  I'm pretty sure Bochy did not pencil Crawford's name in the leadoff spot by accident.  Craw has always been a guy who battles and sees a lot of pitches.

Christian Arroyo SS- 1 for 1.  Arroyo entered the game late and singled ahead of Marrero's bomb in the 9'th.

Chris Marrero 1B- 2 for 3, HR.  The Giants targeted Marrero this offseason and called his agent within 5 minutes of him officially becoming a minor league FA, according to Alex P at CSN Bay Area.  I have to admit the Marreo signing slipped under my radar, but he's an interesting story.  Marrero was a first round draft pick, #15 overall, way back in 2006 by the Washington Nationals.  If you look at his stat lines in the minors they are not bad at all.  In fact, they are pretty good, but it was apparently never good enough for the Nationals to promote him as he languished in A+ ball for 3 seasons.  The problem was he was an average to below average fielder at first base and just didn't hit quite enough to overcome that.  The Giants scouts apparently feel he can play a passable 1B and LF and the Giants are giving him a hard look as a RH bat off the bench or maybe even a RH half of a platoon in LF.  His stat line from AAA last year in the BoSox organization:  .284/.344/494, 30 2B, 2 3B, 23 HR, 8.5 BB%, 15.6 K%, 544 PA.

Hunter Pence RF- 1 for 2, 2B.  Pence was Full Throttle and hit one off the wall his first AB.  Good news!

Jae-Gyun Hwang 3B- 0 for 2, 2 K, E.  Rough start for Hwang who came into the game after Gillaspie took 2 AB.  It's just one game and the first game of spring training, but first impressions can either help or haunt you.

Steven Duggar PR-LF- 1 for 2, 2B.  Nice first game for Duggar who I think is almost criminally underrated by most prospect analysts.

Nick Hundley C- 1 for 1, BB.  Speaking of first impressions, as reported by Alex P, Hundley asked for video of every pitcher on the 40 man roster when he signed including prospects on the 40 man.  Bumgarner has insisted that Buster Posey catch him, but expressed admiration for Hundley's backstopping skills including a nice block of a scud with a runner at 3B.  Even more impressively, he seemed to know how to bring out the best in Clayton Blackburn who lit up the park with a dominating 2-inning performance.

Madison Bumgarner LHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K.  A bit ragged, but Bummy has earned the right to ease himself into game shape and was undoubtedly just getting in his work here.

Clayton Blackburn RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, GO/AO- 3/0.  Terrific performance from Blackburn who had a disappointing season last year.  A few more outings like this and he could move back up the depth chart.

Steven Okert LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  Okert is probably competing with Josh Osich for the other lefty reliever roster spot behind Will Smith, unless Smith's injury turns out to be more serious than it seems right now.

Derek Law RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K.  Law probably has the inside track on a bullpen spot, but the competition will be fierce.

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Matt Cain was supposed to follow Bumgarner today, but was moved to the starting gate for tomorrow's game against the Cubs in Scottsdale with Ty Blach getting bumped back to being the second pitcher in the game after Cain.