Spring Training Game Wrap 3/10/2018: Giants 11 Angels 7; Giants 9 Angels 8

Giants hitters overcame disappointing performances by their top 2 pitching prospects to sweep a split-squad doubleheader.

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Brandon Belt, Jarrett Parker and Nick Hundley all went deep to overcome 5 runs allowed by SP Andrew Suarez in an 11-7 spring training win in Scottsdale.  Key Lines:

Joe Panik 2B- 1 for 3, BB, SB(1).  BA= .333.  SB's are probably the least important skill for a leadoff hitter.  Panik is almost perfect for the role in every other respect and he even stole a base in this one.

Brandon Belt 1B- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(2).  BA= .440.  Belt's dinger on Friday was an Arizona HR.  This one was crushed and a HR in any ballpark.  Great spring so far for The Belter.

Nick Hundley C- 3 for 4, 2 2B, HR(2).  BA= .467.  The Giants need a great backup catcher as Buster Posey's playing time at the position starts to wind down.  Hundley was a rare bright spot last year and he's having a stupendous spring.

Jarrett Parker RF- 2 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .233.  Parker is not giving up his roster spot without a fight.  personally, I would rather have Parker coming off he bench with Williamson starting everyday in Sacramento as I think Williamson has more longterm power potential.  It may be all moot if Duggar wins the CF job with Austin Jackson and Gregor Blanco serving as the 4'th and 5'th OF's.

Steven Duggar CF- 1 for 2, Assist(3B).  BA= .286.  Duggar broke his 0'fer with a single and added to his defensive rep with an assist at 3B.

Andrew Suarez LHP- 4 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 9.00.  Suarez shows pretty convincingly he needs to go to Sacramento for some more salt.

Julian Fernandez RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 38.57.  Disappointing follow up to his impressive inning in his previous appearance.

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Tyler Beede ran into a BABIP buzzsaw but Mac Williamson had a big day to help the Giants road squad outscore the Angels 9-8 in Tempe.  Key Lines:

Kelby Tomlinson SS- 2 for 3, BB, 2 SB(2).  BA= .292.  The reserve middle IF role should be Kelby's to lose.  He's not losing it so far.

Kyle Jensen 1B- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .389.  Jenson's sensational spring continues.  Unfortunately, there is a roster numbers crunch and they don't work in his favor.

Pablo Sandoval 3B- 1 for 3, SF.  BA= .348.  Pablo Sandoval is one big reason why Kyle Jensen won't end up on the Opening Day roster.

Mac Williamson DH- 3 for 4, 3B, HR(4).  BA= .424.  Huge game for Mac. The dinger reportedly cleared the batter's eye wall in CF.  Mac is definitely getting the ball in the air more this spring where the triple digit exit velocity can create more dingers.  See discussion for Jarrett Parker above for roster analysis.  Only realistic path to an Opening Day roster spot is probably an injury to either Pence or Cutch in which case Mac should be the starting replacement.

Josh Rutledge 2B- 3 for 3, 2B.  BA= .402.  Rutledge is having a terrific spring.  There is probably room for just 2 Inf reserves, and Kelby and Pabs are ahead of him on the depth chart.

Tyler Beede RHP- 2.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 12.27.  Beede looked good through the first out of the 3'rd inning, then gave up 7 consecutive singles.  It was definitely a bad BABIPing, but he had given up a couple of loud outs in the second inning and lack of a strikeout pitch hurt him badly.  Mike Trout's 2 hits might have jammed lesser batters, but he was able to pull his arms in and get enough barrel to hit line drives to the OF.  Beede needs to go to Sacramento and work on a put away pitch.

Steven Okert LHP- 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. ERA- 1.92.  Okert allowed one of Beede's runners to score, but then got out of the 3'rd inning.

Josh Osich LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.  The O'Boys are probably both headed to Sacramento and will likely ride the Sacramento-SF shuttle all summer.

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Fantasy Focus:  Around the League

Rich Hill, SP, Dodgers- 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 1.29.

Devin Mesoraco, C, Reds- 1 for 3, HR(1).  BA= .300.  Deep sleeper alert.  After several lost seasons to injury, Mesoraco seems to be healthy again.

Sal Romano, SP, Reds- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 3.00.  Another deep sleeper.  Romano pitched well for the Reds last year and has 15 K's in 12 IP, so far this spring.  I had never heard of him before looking up today's boxscores.  Impressive size at 6'5", 270 lbs.

Mike Minor, SP/RP, Rangers- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.84.  Another sleeper.  Minor is a former first round draft pick who excelled as a multi-inning reliever last year.  The Rangers signed him with the idea of making him a SP again.

Brent Suter, SP,  Brewers- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.  Another sleeper and another guy I had never heard of before.  Suter had a 3.42 ERA in 81.2 IP last year.

Lucas Giolito, SP, White Sox- 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 3.00.  Post-hype sleeper.  Did you know that Giolito had a 2.38 ERA in 45.1 IP, for the ChiSox last year?

Kyle Hendricks, SP, Cubs- 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 4.00.

Dallas Keuchal, SP, Astros- 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.38.

Nate Eovaldi, SP, Rays- 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 1.42.

Vince Velasquez, SP, Phillies- 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.52.

Andrew Heaney, SP, Angels- 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 5.59.  Heaney looked sharp agains the Giants spring travel squad.

Mike Foltynewicz, SP, Braves- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.  Folty struggled last year, but still has the raw talent to be a frontline pitcher.