Raise your hand if you predicted this time last year that Pablo Sandoval would be the Giants starting 3B at the end of the 2017 season. Yeah, I didn't think so. Since the Giants have an option on Sandoval at the league minimum salary for 2018, and because Ryder Jones and Christian Arroyo need more salt in Sacramento and because the Giants are going to spend all their offseason money on a CF, it's pretty much a given that Pablo Sandoval will begin the 2018 season as the Giants starting 3B with Arroyo and Jones next in line when they show they deserve another shot.
AAA: I don't think Jae-Gyun Hwang is going to be back next year, so there is no 3B at the AAA level other than the aforementioned Ryder Jones and Christian Arroyo.
AA: Brandon Bednar and TJ Bennett are organizational players at this point.
High A: Jonah Arenado has a promising bat, but I've seen him play 3B and he ain't no third baseman. Just my opinion.
Low A: Michael Bernal has a little pop in his bat, but not a lot else to recommend him.
Short Season: Shane Matheny is an interesting bat from the 2017 draft who may surprise some people on 2018. He's one of my sleeper picks. Junior Amion just can't seem to get traction on his career.
Rookie AZL: Jacob Gonzalez has a more advanced bat than Heliot Ramos, but may be defensively challenged at 3B.
DSL: Samuel Jorge showed flashes, but his overall record makes him appropriate for repeating the DSL.
The burning question here is whether Christian Arroyo or Ryder Jones is the Giants 3B of the future and how soon will they be ready to take over the position and be an asset? If either of them are, it would make sense to not pursue a long term FA deal or a major trade for a 3B and just let Pablo be the placeholder. Best case scenario, IMO, is if Arroyo takes over the job early in 2017 and doesn't let it go.
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DrB, I'm curious what you mean, specifically, when you say "Gonzales has a more advanced bat than Heliot Ramos."
ReplyDeleteDo I always have to be specific? I do write just for fun.
DeleteAnyway....you might want to take peek at the respective K/BB's.
Doc do you remember a player by the name of Juan Trinidad RH side arm relief pitcher played for SJ Giants just over 10 years ago? Just curious if you had a bio on him from back then. He showed up pitching this year in a mens league I play in and was pretty filthy.
ReplyDeleteVaguely. He put up pretty good numbers as a reliever at 3 levels, the highest being A+ in San Jose, then just disappeared. No idea why.
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