Hot Stove Update: Padres Put Pedal To The Metal

 One day after stirring up the fire in the Hot Stove with the blockbuster trade for Blake Snell, the Padres kept right on dealing signing Ha-Seong Kim IF, a very talented infielder from the KBO, and then swung a trade for Yu Darvish RHP in a move to further bolster their rotation.

The deal for Kim is 4 years/$25 M with an additional $5 M going to his former team in a posting fee.  Kim has mostly played SS in the KBO but is believed to be talented at multiple defensive positions.  Most analysts think he will start at 2B for the Padres or else fill a "super-utility" role.  Over the last 2 KBO seasons, Kim has slashed a .307/.393/.500 line with 49 HR and 56 SB's in 1247 PA.  Kim hits RH while Jake Cronenworth, they guy he is seeming to displace at 2B is a LH batter who slashed .285/.354/.477 himself, so the Padres have some serious juggling to do.  Gotta think Kim will hit leadoff in the Padres lineup.

The deal for Yu Darvish is interesting in that the Padres send Zach Davies RHP the other way along with 4 second tier prospects.  Darvish has a far stronger K/9 than Davies but Davies is a savvy pitchability guy who racks up Quality Starts and keeps his team in games.  Davies career ERA is only a few ticks higher at 3.79 to 3,47 for Darvish and while Darvish had a spectacular 2.01 in 2020, Davies was not shabby at 2.79.  So the Padres may not be getting as much of an upgrade as most people seem to think and the still might need to add a SP before the Hot Stove embers die out. The Padres also acquired Darvish' personal catcher from the Cubs in Victor Caratini.  

Not much to talk about from the Cubs end.  They made it clear they are rebuilding and looking to shed payroll while collecting minor league talent in volume.

Overall, the Padres are a better team than they were 3 days ago, and they were already very good.  They did pay a big price for that upgrade, but the probably don't care as they appear to have locked in a seriously contending roster for the next 3 seasons.

Hot Stove Update: Padres Acquire Blake Snell

The Padres signaled they are all in for competing immediately with the Dodgers in the NL West with a blockbuster trade in which they sent 4 highly regarded prospects to the Rays for pitching star and former Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell LHP.  The prospects going to the Rays are Luis Patino RHP, Francisco Mejia C, Blake Hunt C and Cole Wilcox RHP.  

Snell needs not introduction as he is coming off a stellar postseason run and was the center of a controversial manager decision in the final game of the World Series when Kevin Cash pulled him with 1 out and a runner on first base in the 6'th inning against the Dodgers.  The Padres needed a frontline SP after losing Mike Clevinger for the entire 2021 season to Tommy John surgery.  Snell bolsters a rotation that included Dinelson Lamet RHP, Zach Davies RHP and Chris Paddack RHP.  Top pitching prospect Mackenzie Gore also remains in the picture.  Snell comes with 3 years on a relatively team friendly contract which will pay him a total of $39 M.

While this is a terrific win-now trade for the Padres, it comes with a big price as they give up a significant portion of their impressive farm system although as mentioned they retain their top pitching prospect in Gore.  Snell is not without his downsides either.  Despite ace level performance when he's in games, he has averaged less than 5 innings per start over his career and has an elbow surgery of his own(removal of loose bodies in 2019) in his rearview mirror.  

The trade is more of a head-scratcher from the Rays side and has to be frustrating for their fanbase.  After coming this close to winning it all in 2020 and Snell signed for a decent cost certainty over the next 3 years, the conventional wisdom would be to add on and make another run in 2021.  Instead, the Rays lose both Charlie Morton to free agency and now Snell, albeit for a huge haul in prospects.  It's very hard to see them replacing those two for a lower price in 2021.  It's possible the Rays see themselves taking a step back in 2021 while building for another run in 2022 or 2023. 

*************************************************************************************

Sad to report the passing of yet another HOF player from my childhood in Phil Niekro RHP.  Niekro was famous for his dancing knuckleball and incredible longevity in the game.  He made 26 starts in his age 48 season.  Sad to say there have been so many passings over the past year I have not been able to keep up with posts for all of them.  RIP Phil Niekro.  

Hot Stove Update: Pirates Dump Josh Bell to the Nationals

 Hey team!  Hope everybody is having a peaceful and safe holiday season.  The Pirates gave their fans a lump of coal to put in their Christmas stocking with a Christmas Eve trade of Josh Bell 1B to the Nationals for a couple of second tier pitching prospects, Eddy Yean and Will Crowe.  Bell had a breakout season in 2019 hitting 37 HR's but 27 of those came in a huge first half.  He's been in a sustained slump every since and slashed just .226/.305/.364 with 8 HR's in 223 PA in a shortened 2020.  On top of all that, Bell is 1B only defensively and not a good one at that with strongly negative defensive metrics for his full career.  Although he is a switch-hitter, he has a severe split favoring the left side of the plate(.271 to .233) which further limits his effectiveness.  

Given all that, it's not surprising Bell did not bring more back in return.  He is arbitration eligible for 2021 and 2022 and is due a raise on his $4.8 M salary from 2020.  The Pirates did not want to take that one and were willing to accept a couple of arms in return.  On the Nationals end, they are taking a relatively small risk on some big upside if Bell can return to 2019 form.  They can still re-sign Ryan Zimmerman as a RH bat off the bench and R side of a 1B platoon.  If the DH is here to stay, Bell's potential value increases even more.

Wil Crowe is a high floor/low ceiling former 2'nd round draft pick.  He had a rough 3 appearances in the majors in a 2020 MLB debut but projects as a 4/5 SP who can eat some innings.  Yean is a hard-throwing 19 yo RHP who has not appeared above A ball.  He may have a higher ceiling than Crowe but a longer path to reach it.

Overall, this is a reasonable yet disappointing trade return for the Bucs which does not seem to do much to jumpstart their rebuild while the Nationals did not give up much to take a chance one some serious offensive upside, especially if the DH comes back to the NL in either 2021 or 2022.  The Giants could use Bell's power potential, but don't have roster room for another 1B-only type right now, so this trade does not impact them.

*************************************************************************************

The Rangers signed the less well known Japanese FA pitcher, Kohei Arihara, to a 2-year contract for $6.2 M.  They will pay an additional 20% posting fee of $1.24 M to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters which keeps the total package under $10 M.  Arihara reportedly has a 7 pitch mix with a FB that sits in the low 90's.  He depends on command and deception to get results which are modest by Nippon Professional Baseball League standards with a career ERA of 3.74 with a 6.7 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 which is close to his 2020 season line.  Arihara's signing is within the price and peformance range that the Rangers have shopped in over the past several seasons.  He should keep the Rangers in most games he pitches and eat significant innings for a modest price.  The Giants could use a pitcher of like Arihara but there are still lots of other options on the FA market for a similar price.

*************************************************************************************

I hope everybody is staying vigilant practicing social distancing and mask wearing.  For those of you who recall my posts early in the pandemic, nothing happening now is even slightly surprising.  The fundamentals of SARS-2 Coronovirus have not changed a bit since Day 1.  It is a virus spread through respiratory droplets which is approximately twice as contagious as seasonal influenza and 10-100 times as deadly. That is really all you need to know about it.  Hospitals across the nation, especially in California, are packed with extremely sick patients and in danger of running out of nursing staff and, get this, oxygen!  Yep, when we are blowing 40 liters per minute per patient that is a whole helluva lot of the life-saving gas! I don't want to even think about the consequences of running out.

I got the first dose of the vaccine through my hospital on Monday.  I barely felt the injection going in but woke up that night with a very sore shoulder.  The discomfort was already starting to wane by morning and was completely gone by 72 hours.  I did not experience any fever or constitutional symptoms.  Most of my colleagues have had very similar experiences.  The vaccine rollout is going much slower than expected with only approximately 2 million doses given out of 10 million shipped  and out of the 20 million target for the end of the year.  Unfortunately the biggest barrier to a higher vaccine rate is hesitancy on the part of potential recipients.  Since the main initial target is healthcare workers, I find this deeply disturbing.  We should know better and set a positive example.  I strongly urge all of my readers to get vaccinated as soon as possible unless you have a specific contraindication which should be listed clearly on consent forms and online information sites.

Stay safe, everybody!

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign John Brebbia

 John Brebbia RHP.   DOB:  5/30/1990.  6'1", 200 lbs.  

Career:  6-7, 3.14, 175 IP, 10.2 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 2 Saves.  

The Giants signed Brebbia to a 1 year/$800 M contract after he was non-tendered by the Cardinals.  He was a stellar reliever for the Redbirds for 3 seasons before missing 2020 with TJ surgery in June 2020.  June 2021 is the absolute earliest he will be available to pitch for the Giants and more likely not until August or September, but the Giants now control his contract through the arbitration process through 2023.  

Interesting that with Anthony DeSclafini, the Giants appeared to want to defer money away from a risky 2021 revenue year to a presumably more stable future.  In this case, they are willing to make a modest up front investment to gain control of a players contract into the future.  Intriguing signing which suggest FZ and the Giants are willing to pursue any angle to get a value deal.

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign Anthony DeSclafani

The FZ era Giants have had a remarkable string of success with signing down-on-their-luck pitchers to modest 1 year contracts, getting bounceback performances while turning it all into a bigger payday for the pitcher the following season.  The latest bid for such a turnaround is Anthony DeSclafani RHP.  He is coming off a wretched 2020 campaign after a solid prior track record.  Let's first look at a capsule profile of the Giants new pitcher:

Anthony DeSclafani RHP.   DOB:  4/18/1990.  6'1", 195 lbs.  

2019(Reds):  9-9, 3.89, 166.2 IP, 9.02 K/9, 2.65 BB/9.

2020(Reds):  1-2, 7.22, 33.2 IP, 6.68 K/9, 4.28 BB/9.

Career:  37-39, 4.29, 656.1 IP, 7.98 K/9, 2.54 BB/9.

2021(Steamer Projection):  9-10, 4.46, 163 IP, 7.90 K/9, 2.83 BB/9.

What's interesting about DeSclafani's Pitch Type list on Fangraphs is his FB velocity has gone up every year starting in 2014:  93.5, 93.7, 93.8, 94.1, 94.9, 95.2(his cutter is a tick slower which explains his lower total FB velocity than his main FB velocity).

So why was DeSclafani's 2020 season such a disaster?  Sample size?  Certainly his K/9 and BB/9 suggest he lost control of the strike zone but Eno Sarris, in a tweet reproduced on MCC, points out that both his slider and curveball flattened out in 2020, the slider more than the curve.  This may have made them more hittable within the strike zone forcing him to move them out of the zone to try for swing-and-miss pitches and thus the loss of command. 

Fixing Anthony DeSclafani seems to be a fairly straightforward project for the Giants cadre of coaches:  Maintain FB velocity while getting back the depth on the breaking pitches which should enable him to have more confidence in throwing them for strikes and harder for batters to lay off pitches that dive out of the zone.

I am totally down with this signing.  $6 M for one year is not zero risk but it is extremely low with a reasonable chance he turns in a Kevin Gausman 2020 type performance.  If FZ signs a couple more contracts like this along with a couple of minor league contract dumpster dives, I'll consider it a successful offseason.

*************************************************************************************

Speaking of minor league dumpster dives....word is Andrew Suarez LHP is close to signing a contract with a KBO team.  Since Suarez is not a FA, the Giants would get some compensation in return.

Hot Stove Update: Giants Load Up In Rule 5 Draft

As most of you know by now, I am not a big fan of the Rule 5 Draft.  It just might be the single most irrelevant event in all of sports and yes, I am aware that Johan Santana was once a Rule 5 Draftee.  Over the years, the Giants have been reasonably active in the Rule 5 Draft.  I can't recall one draftee who ever made a significant impact on the organization.  With that out of the way, let's go ahead and take a look at the players who won't likely make an impact this year.  The Giants selected Dedniel Nunez RHP from the Mets in the major league phase and made 3 selections in the minor league phase.  On the other side of the coin, they lost just one player, Jalen Miller, in the minor league phase.  Miller's path to the major leagues stalled out long ago so his exit from the organization should have close to zero impact.  Here is the breakdown for the Giants acquisitions:

Dedniel Nunez RHP.   DOB:  6/5/1996.  6'2", 180 lbs.  

2019(A/A+):  5-4, 4.39, 80.0 IP, 94 K, 23 BB.   Nunez has been a SP in the minors with a 3-pitch mix of a low-mid 90's FB, slurvy curveball and a changeup.  He reportedly had his FB up to 97 in fall instructional league prompting the Giants to think he could be a reliever at the MLB level now.  As with all Rule 5 draftees in the major league phase, Nunez will have to stick on the active roster all season or be offered back to the Mets for $50 K.  

Vince Fernandez OF.  DOB:  7/25/1995.  B-L, T-R.  6'3", 210 lbs.  

2019(AA):  .257/.346/.543, 15 2B, 3 3B, 15 HR, 10.6 BB%, 32.7 K%, 263 PA.  I scouted Fernandez before the 2016 draft out of UC Riverside and liked his college numbers.  He ended up going in round 10 to the Rockies.  As you can see from his line, he is a 3-true outcomes guy who is the latest to have an outside shot at turning into the Giants version of Max Muncy.  He does not have a great fielding reputation but will have an easier path to the majors if the NL permanently adopts the DH which may not happen in 2021 but seems to be eventually inevitable.  Minor league phase Rule 5 Draftees can be placed anywhere without being offered back, but Fernandez will likely start out in AAA.

Ronnie Williams RHP.  DOB:  1/6/1996.  6'0", 1709 lbs. 

2019(A+):  3-2, 3.70, 24.1 IP, 8.14 K/9, 2.96 BB/9, 1 Save.                                                                            2019(AA):  2-3, 4.24, 34.0 IP, 9.53 K/9, 5.56 BB/9, 1 Save.

Last scouting report I could find was in Fangraphs from 2017.  FB 88-93, potential plus changeup, average curveball.  Probably an organizational arm.

Mitchell Tolman 2B.  DOB:  6/8/1994.  B-L, T-R.  5'10", 195 lbs.  

2019(AA):  .254/.340/.344, 18 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 10 SB, 10.2 BB%, 21.7 K%, 461 PA.                                  2019(AAA):  .273/.368/.576, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 13.2 BB%, 18/4 K%, 38 PA.

Probably an organizational player but intriguing plate discipline, a little speed and a smidgen of AAA experience.  Can the Giants development gurus unlock some power?

*************************************************************************************

There was a fairly dramatic announcement of a reshuffling of the lower minor leagues.  The Giants retain their affiliation(I think they actually own the team) with the San Jose Giants, but the Cal League is downgraded to low A.  The Northwest League gets a big upgrade from Short Season A to A+ with the Giants affiliate moving from Salem-Keizer to Eugene.  The Eugene Emeralds have historic ties to the Giants and have state of the art facilities funded by Nike.

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign Wisler; Re-sign Tromp

Righthanded and late-inning relievers are fairly high on the Giants Hot Stove shopping list this winter.  On Day 2 of the virtual Winter Meetings, they signed recently non-tendered Matt Wisler RHP to a 1 year/$1.15 M contract with up to $500 K in incentives.  Wisler is known mostly for who he's been traded for, from the Padres to the Braves for Craig Kimbrel and from the Braves to the Reds for Adam Duvall.  Now, there's a name that's a trigger for some Giants fans!  That trade may make some Giants fans think we've come full circle with it.  Hm....maybe we can now finally forget about Adam Duvall and his trade?  

Wisler started his career as a SP racking up innings for the Braves, but with very mixed results and ultimately unacceptably high ERA's. He reinvented himself as a reliever and boy did he ever!  He's gone from a fairly standard 4-pitch mix SP to a 2-pitch reliever, except with a severe reverse split on the usage of his FB and Slider.  Here are those percentages over the course of his career(taken from Fangraphs):

2015:  FB 61.8%(93.3), SL 23.4%, CB 5.3%, CH 9.5%.

2016:  FB 59.2%(92.8), SL 29.2%, CB 5.7 %, CH 5.8%.

2017  FB 56.0%(92.5), SL 37.3%, CB 4.6%, CH 1.8%.

2018:  FB 49.7%(92.3), SL 46.9%, CB 3.0%, CH 0.5%.

2019:  FB 29.2%(92.8), SL 70.5%, CB 0.3%.

2002:  FB 16.6%(91.9), SL 83.4%.

His ERA's over that span:  4.71, 5.00, 8.36, 4.28, 5.61, 1.07.  

FIP's:  4.93, 4.85, 5.20, 4.69, 4.23, 3.35.  

Now, his slider is a swing and miss pitch as his K/9 rates testify:  5.94, 6.61, 6.12, 7.20, 11.05, 12.43.

It is also a pitch that is a bit hard to command as his walk rate ballooned up to 4.97 in 2020.  Add in a LOB of 99.3% and a HR/FB that dropped from 18..2% to 5.7% and you can see why the Twins may have thought that ERA was not sustainable.  On the other hand, a 1 yr/$1.15 M contract won't generally buy you a 1.07 ERA so it's not like that's what the Giants paid for here.

One thing that may have drawn FZ's attention is 25.1 IP in 18 Appearances with 4 "Openings" included.  11 of his 18 appearances lasted more than 1 inning.

A couple of Comps:  1.  Remember Luke Gregerson and his steady diet of sliders when he was with the Padres?  His slider usage with the Padres ranged from 49.6%(2009) to 68.6%(2012).  It dropped way off with future teams.  2.  Sergio Romo has averaged a 54.1% Slider rate over the course of his career with 3 seasons greater than 60%.  

So, heavy slider use is sustainable but I am not aware of any precedent for over 70% let alone 83.4%.

Matt Wisler's pitch mix and level of success will be an interesting storyline for 2021.

*************************************************************************************

The Giants also re-signed Chadwick Tromp C presumably to a minor league contract after non-tendering him as a non-arbitration eligible player earlier in the Hot Stove season.

Hot Stove Update: Giants Make Arbitration Decisions

 Arbitration Deadline Day came for the Giants on Wednesday evening.  As usual, the Giants played it close to the vest and did not reveal their decisions until late in the day.  Here's the final scorecard:  The Giants avoided arbitration by coming to terms with 6 players, offered arbitation to 2 others and "non-tendered 2.  They also created some extra 40-man roster space by "non-tendering 3 pre-arbitration eligible players.  BTW, I did not know they could even do that!  Here's the breakdown:

AGREED TO TERMS:

Alex Dickerson OF:  $2.1 M.  Dick has had more than his share of injury issues but when he's been healthy has always raked.  $2.1 M on a 1 year deal is a major bargain for the Giants.

Darin Ruf OF/1B:  $1.25 M.  It's not entirely clearly where and how Ruf fits if there's no DH, but like Dick, he rakes and wasn't half bad in the field either.  The bat alone is worth the money with minimal risk in a 1 year contract.

Austin Slater OF:  $1.15 M.  Slater's bat came alive last season but he also once again missed significant time with injury.  Maybe FZ figures he can get 1 full season out of Slater and Dick combined for a total cost of $3.25 M?  That's actually a pretty good deal!

Jarlin Garcia LHP:  $950 K.  The 3-batter rule has made LHP's who can get RH batters out incredibly valuable.  Garcia had a 0.49 ERA in 18.1 IP last year.  This deal is a steal for the Giants.

Wandy Peralta LHP:  $925 K.  Ditto Garcia.  Peralta did not have the gaudy ERA but made 25 appearances last for 27.1 IP.  Another steal for FZ.

Trevor Gott RHP:  $700 K.  Not sure what the fascination is with Gott.  He's not been very good in 2 stints with the Giants.  This is one I might have passed on. but not because of the money which is minimal.

AGREED TO ARBITRATION:

Donovan Solano 2B:  MLBTR Projected Salary- $2.2-3.8 M.  I keep waiting for "Donnie Barrels" to wake up from his coma but he just keeps barreling 'em up in his sleep.  This is a good deal even if the Giants have to pay up on the top end of the range.

Reyes Moronta RHP:  MLBTR Projected Salary- $800 K.  Of course the two sides can continue negotiation up to the moment they enter the arbitration hearing. lt seems like it would make a lot of sense for both sides to agree to $800 K and avoid the drama.  Giants obviously willing to gamble that much on Moronta's health for next season.

"NON-TENDERED":

Daniel Robertson UT:  This was widely expected but disappointing to me.  Robertson is a rare utility guy who will give you at least league average D at shortstop and he hit very well in an extremely small sample after a late acquisition last year.   I have a feeling Robertson is going to latch on somewhere and blossom but FZ seems to have his heart set on a lefty hitting utility IF and Robertson hits from the wrong side of the plate.

Tyler Anderson LHP:  Anderson did not pitch great for the Giants last year but swingmen who can eat innings don't necessarily grow on trees and the Giants are woefully short of "bulk innings" guys.  On the other hand, there was a lot of cost uncertainty in offering arbitration and pitching is plentiful on the FA market, especially after "non-tender" day.

PRE-ARBITRATION "NON-TENDERS":  

Melvin Adon RHP:  Stinks for Adon as he just blew out something in his arm after hitting 101 MPH on a pitch in winter ball.  Word is the Giants will re-sign him to a minor league deal and just wanted to clear out the 40-man roster spot.  But, would that have happened without the injury?

Rico Garcia RHP:  Just wasn't very good.  Fungible asset.  Giants have better uses for the 40-man roster spot.

Chadwick Tromp C:  Flashed a bit of power but not much else.  Look for FZ to sign a lefty hitting C to back up Buster Posey with Joey Bart getting a sprinkle of salt in Sacramento.  

*************************************************************************************

The White Sox hired away the Giants Assistant Pitching Coach, Ethan Katz, to be their head pitching coach.  The Giants responded by hiring J.P. Martinez who had been the Twins Assistant Pitching Coordinator.  Maria Guardado of sfgiants.com astutely points out that FZ and Kap are dedicated to continuing player development at the MLB level and have shown a strong preference for young coaches with a player development background.

Scouting The Hot Stove: International Free Agents and a Non-Tender Candidate

Hey team!  Hope everybody had a happy and safe Thanksgiving.  Not much action around the Hot Stove since Kevin Gausman accepted his Qualifying Offer.   Talk of replacing that with a negotiated long term deal has died down and it's looking like KG will pitch for his $18.9 M payday and enter free agency again next year without the QO.

Meanwhile, let's take a look at a couple of emerging options on the international market as two Japanese pitching stars take the posting plunge.  With Gausman secured, I expect FZ to mostly sit back and let the rest of the market come to him, but Japanese pitchers that come through the posting system have proven to be solid, if unspectacular values over the years.  I expect FZ to at least kick the tires on both of these players.

Kohei Arihara RHP.  28 yo.  6'2", 210 lbs.  

2019:  2.46, 164.1 IP, 161 K, 40 BB.

2020:  3.46, 137.2 IP, 106 K, 30 BB.  

Sturdily built RHP with a strong lower half who looks like he can be a workhorse.  On video, looks like a bigger version of Kenta Maeda who will succeed with solid command of several pitches and changing speeds to keep hitters off balance.

Tomayuki Sugano RHP.  31 yo. 6'1", 185 lbs.

2020:  1.97, 137.1 IP, 131 K, 25 B.  

Ace pitcher in the Nippon league.  Coming off a stronger season than Arihara but 3 years older.  Similar profile.  Delivers from a lower arm angle than Arihara.  

For whatever reason, the Giants have never been a significant factor in the Asian market.  Personally I think it's about time FZ did something about that.  I could see either one or both of these pitchers helping the Giants a lot and being a solid investment.

*************************************************************************************

The Non-Tender deadline is expected to dump a large cohort of additional free agents on the market.  That's an area where FZ might be lurking to grab some upside potential.  One name I find intriguing is Carlos Rodon LHP, who fits the profile of a former elite prospect who has seen their value drop due to injures and/or ineffectiveness.  If you recall, Rodon was a #3 overall draft pick by the White Sox on 2014.  Since making his MLB debut in 2015, he has seen his ERA rise every season:  3.75, 4.04, 4.15, 4.18, 5.19, 8.22.   It is very unlikely the White Sox will tender him a contract with an estimated arbitration value of over $ 4 M.  Two reasons he may be a bounceback candidate with some fresh coaches and new scenery, especially in Oracle Park and the NL West:  1.  His FIP's for the past two seasons are considerable better than his ERA at 3.62 and 4.89 respectively.  2.  His average FB velocity was still a very respectable 92.9 last season.  

He would definitely be worth a low level MLB contract or a MILB contract with a spring training invitation.  Between the coaching staff and Oracle Park, the Giants are a destination team for pitchers looking to rebuild they market value.

*************************************************************************************

Who do you have on your Hot Stove radar?

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign Minor League Free Agents And Reset 40-Man Roster

 The Giants made some minor league free agent signings this week.  Let's get to know them a bit better:

Sam Long LHP.  DOB:  7/8/1995.  6'0", 180 lbs.  

2019 A(White Sox):  8-5, 97.0 IP, 10.39 K/9, 2.60 BB/9.

Another in a long line of LHP signings by FZ.  Long had a distinguished college career at Sacramento St and was drafted in round 18 of the 2016 draft by the Rays.  He put up excellent numbers in 2019 but at a low level for his age.  As with most minor leaguers now, we have no recent data to analyze.  Long is assigned to the AAA Sacramento roster.  

*************************************************************************************

Jason Krizan OF.  DOB:  6/28/1989.  B-L, T-R.  6'0", 185 lbs.

2019 AA(Mets):  .257/.335/.443, 22 2B, 12 HR, 10.4 BB%, 9.8 K%, 367 PA.

2019 AAA(Mets):  .365/.467/.603, 9 2B, 2 HR, 15.8 BB%, 11.8 K%, 76 PA.

Krizan is a grizzled minor league veteran who was drafted in round 8, 2011 by the Tigers.  He has spent parts of 5 seasons in AAA not counting 2020.

*************************************************************************************

Daniel Alvarez RHP.  DOB:  6/28/1996.  6'2", 190 lbs.  

2019 AA(Yankees):  7-2, 2.31, 58.1 IP, 11.7 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 21 Saves.

Alvarez was an IFA signed out of Venezuela by the Yankees and made is pro debut way back in 2014, but is still just 24 yo.  He put up nice numbers as the Closer for the AA Trenton Thunder in 2019.

*************************************************************************************

Andy Sugilio OF/3B/SS.  DOB:  10/26/1996.  B-L, T-R.  6'2", 170 lbs.

2019  A+(Reds):  .294/.331/.360, 11 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 23 SB, 485 PA.

Thin, weak hitting OF whose speed is comped to Billy Hamilton.  Some analysts think he could turn his career around with a total revamping of his swing.  If so, the Giants coaching and development staff seems like the ticket.  Gotta say, FZ seems to have a fascination with top-end speed at the fringes of his roster building strategy.

*************************************************************************************

There were many new minor league free agents created yesterday as teams approached the deadline for protecting minor leaguers eligible for the Rule 5 Draft by adding them to the 40 man roster.  No big surprises for the Giants as they dropped Chris Shaw 1B/OF, Aramis Garcia C and Jordan Humphreys RHP.  In case you are wondering who Jordan Humphreys is, he was acquired from the Mets for OF Billy Hamilton.  

These moves plus 2 open roster spots allowed the Giants to add Alexander Canario OF, Kervin Castro RHP, Camilo Doval RHP and Gregory Santos RHP to the 4 man roster as well as Jason Vosler IF who had previously agreed to a MLB contract.  The main surprise here is keeping Kervin Castro over Tyler Cyr RHP as Cyr seems much closer to helping at the MLB level.  

Hot Stove Update: Drew Smyly Moves On And Up

Giants fans who were hoping to keep both Kevin Gausman and Drew Smyly for 2021 got a shock today when the Braves signed Smyly for 1 yr/$11 M.  This is a very nice raise for Smyly who made $4 M last year and more than doubles MLBTR's prediction of a 1 yr/$5 M free agent contract which seemed very low to me considering how well he pitched in 2020.  On the other hand, he has an extensive injury history and 2020 was not exception as his missed significant time with a finger strain and pitched only 26+ innings.  Smyly was reportedly seeking a 3 yr/$30 M deal but with a veritable tidal wave of non-tenders looming, apparently decided to grab the generous 1 year offer from the Braves while it was still on the table.

So far in the current free agency cycle, teams seem to be more willing to overpay on 1 year deals than take the risk of a multi-year deal, at least for pitchers.  Smyly becomes the third free agent pitcher to sign a 1 year contract for significantly more than MLBTR's prediction after Robbie Ray signed with the Blue Jays for 1 yr/$8 M and Kevin Gausman accepted a 1 yr/$18.9 M qualifying offer contract from the Giants(Gausman and the Giants may still negotiate an extension at a lower AAV).  

Alex P of NBC Bay Area points out that the Giants and Oracle Park have become a destination for pitchers looking to build value out of a 1 year contract after Drew Pomeranz, Gausman and now Smyly parlayed modest 1 year contracts into substantial raises in free agency.  There are already a large number of free agent pitchers who would seem likely to benefit from a deal like that and Fangraphs is projecting a "deluge" of coming non-tenders via the arbitration process.  I am sure FZ is pouring over secondary stats PitchFx data as I write this.  Churn on!

Hot Stove Update: Kevin Gausman Accepts Giants Qualifying Offer

Kevin Gausman RHP.   DOB:  1/6/1991.  6'3", 190 lbs. 

2020:  3-3, 3.62, 59.2 IP, 11.92 K/9, 2.41 BB/9, 3.09 FIP.

Kevin Gausman accepted the Giants Qualifying Offer and is under contract for 2021 for $18.9 M.  While that is a large number, Gausman's numbers in 2020 put him in the top 15 most valuable pitchers in all of MLB so you knew he was going to get a large raise in free agency from his $9 M last season.  $18.9 M is not that far off from what Gausman could expect to get in AAV even in a multi-year FA contract.  FZ was starting the offseason without one reliable SP.  If he is serious about believing the Giants can contend for the postseason in 2021, he had to get a frontline SP and Kevin Gausman was always the surest target for that role.  The one year contract does not preclude the two sides from continuing to work on a longer contract.  While Gausman would logically want the security of a longer contract and the Giants might want a slightly lower AAV, this is a great deal for both sides, as is.  

*************************************************************************************

Since I am writing a post anyway, the Giants signed Silvino Bracho RHP to a minor league contract.  Bracho was released by the D'Backs after pitching just one inning in 2020, but he posted a 3.19 ERA in 31 IP as recently as 2018.

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign Jason Vosler

One of Farhan Zaidi's stated priorities for the offseason is finding a lefty hitting third baseman to essentially platoon with Evan Longoria.  Yesterday, he turned to The Churn to sign a player who fits that description.  If you are hoping for a clone of Max Muncy, you might have found your guy in Jason Vosler.

Jason Vosler  DOB:  9/6/1993.  B-L, T-R.  6'1", 220 lbs.  

2017 AA(Cubs):  .241/.343/.429, 21 HR, 10.0 BB%, 22.6 K%, 531 PA.

2018: AA(Cubs):  .238/.351/.477, 12 HR, 13.1 BB%, 24.8 K%, 282 PA.

2018:  AAA(Cubs):  .263/.306/.458, 11 HR, 5.2 BB%, 31.3 K%, 252 PA.

2019:  AAA(Padres):  .291/.367/.523, 20 HR, 10/6 BB%, 23.9 K%, 426 PA.

Vosler spent the 2020 season as a member of the Padres player pool.  The Giants signed him to a MLB contract despite a lack of experience at the MLB level although MLB roster spots are often short-lived in The Churn.  He projects to be a classic 3 true outcomes hitter who can play 3B with limited range.  His arm is rated by Fangraphs as his best defensive tool.  

Vosler would not be able to help in the middle infield so does not represent a challenge to Daniel Robertson's roster spot.  If Vosler were to make the 25-man active roster, the Giants would likely carry 3 reserve infielders, Vosler, Daniel Robertson and Wilmer Flores with Darin Ruf and Austin Slater competing for a single reserve OF role(Robertson can also help in the outfield).  

*************************************************************************************

Mac Williamson filed a lawsuit against Oracle Park, which is a subsidiary of the Giants, for negligence in the placement of the bullpen mounds which contributed to his concussion injury which he states in the suit he is still experiencing symptoms from.  Given multiple public statements by multiple people as well as the reconfiguration of the stadium to move the mounds behind the OF fence, it seems like Mac may have a preponderance of evidence on his side.

Hot Stove Update: Giants Give Gausman A Qualifying Offer

 The Hot Stove is officially lit.  The Giants, as I (sort of) predicted, extended a Qualifying Offer to RHP Kevin Gausman.  The offer is for $18.9 M for one season.  That is a lot of money for a pitcher with mixed past performances, but makes a lot of sense when you consider he made $9 M last year and performed in near-dominant fashion in a shortened season:  3-3, 3.62, 59.2 IP, 16 BB, 79 K.  That performance extended over a 162 game schedule would be a no-brainer for a QO!  

Fangraphs Craig Edwards has Gausman ranked as the #14 FA for 2020-2021 and the #5 ranked pitcher behind Trevor Bauer RHP, Mashahiro Tanaka RHP,  Marcus Stroman RHP and James Paxton LHP with a projected contract of 2 years/$28 M.  While free agent economics is extremely difficult to project in this economy, I think that is way low and Gausman will command a much larger long term deal on the open market, even with the QO!  

Even so, Gausman has publicly said he wants to return to the Giants and particularly wants to play with Buster Posey and the QO certainly signals that the Giants think highly of him to the point of being willing to pay him if he accepts the QO.  Word from the beat writers is both sides are working on a longer term agreement, presumably at a lower AAV which is how I predict this will work out.  Either the QO or a longer term contract appears to be a good deal for both sides with Gausman being the linchpin of rebuilding a decimated starting rotation.

*************************************************************************************

The Giants really need to bring in at least 4 other staring pitchers this offseason as I don't see how they can count on any one of Johnny Cueto, Logan Webb or Tyler Anderson.  All three need to be competing for a spot rather than being considered established starters.  

*************************************************************************************

The Giants also reinstated Tyler Beede RHP, Reyes Moronta RHP, Aramis Garcia C and Joey Rickard OF from the 60 day DL.  Rickard was then outrighted to AAA Sacramento.  He is eligible to declare himself a free agent.  Tyler Heineman C and Anthony Banda LHP were also outrighted to Sacramento.  I read a note that Banda has agreed to a minor league contract with the Giants.  These moves leave the Giants with 37 players on their 40 man roster.  

Thoughts on Kevin Cash's Conundrum

 In the 6'th inning of Game 6 of the World Series, Rays Manager Kevin Cash faced a conundrum.  In case you are wondering, a conundrum is defined in the dictionary as a confusing or difficult problem.  I tend to define it as a problem for which solutions produce a new problem which is as difficult or more difficult than the original problem.  Cash's conundrum was what to do about his starting pitcher, Blake Snell, who was about as dominant as possible through the first 5 innings of the game.  

Snell made a first inning 1-0 lead hold up through those 5 innings while allowing just one hit and striking out 9.  He had thrown 73 pitches, well below the usual pitch limit for a SP.  With one out in the 6'th, Snell allowed a single to the 9'th batter in the lineup, Austin Barnes which brought one of the best RH batters in the game, Mookie Betts, to the plate.  Betts had already struck out twice against Snell, so it seemed like a no-brainer for Snell to face Betts again with only 1 runner on at 1B, but those two previous AB's were the problem as now Snell had pitched through the Dodgers lineup twice and was now turning over for a third round.

It is a fact that most pitchers are not nearly as effective when they face batters who have already batted twice against them in the same game.  The Rays, possibly more than any other organization, believe in that data and do not like to allow their pitchers to face batters who have had those two previous plate appearance.  But wait, you say.  Blake Snell is different.  He is their ace pitcher.  He was dominant up to that point.  It's an elimination game.  There were lots of reasons for Cash to see if he could get Mookie Betts out one more time then face the lefty hitting Corey Seager to get the game to the 7'th inning.

Blake Snell is the ace of the Rays staff, but he's no workhorse or innings eater in the mold of Madison Bumgarner to pick just one comparison.  In 108 career Starts, Snell has pitched 556 innings for an average of just over 5.1 innings per Start.  2020 was no different with 50 IP in 11 Starts.  For comparison sake, Bumgarner has averaged well over 6 innings per start over the course of his career.  Snell's failure to go deep into games is very likely due mostly to the Rays pitching philosophy, but do we know what happens when he does go deeper into games?

First of all, Snell does not have a significant L-R split, so Mookie Betts' righthandedness was not a reason to pull Snell.  There is, however, a significant difference when facing batters for the third time in a game.  Here's the breakdown(from B-R):

First Time Through Order:  .205/.280/.312.

Second Time Through Order:  .234/.316/.396.

Third Time Through Order:  .247/.329/.413.

But what about his pitch count which was at 73?  He certainly still had some gas left in the tank, right?  Lets look at his pitch count splits(again from B-R):

1-25:  .221/.288/.341.

26-50:  .209/.291/.354.

50-75:  .215/.307/.349.

76-100:  .255/.329/.401.

Hello!  Note the even more striking deterioration in effectiveness starting with pitch #76.  OK, but this game was different.  Snell was fired up and dealing.  Certainly you put your faith in him to at least face Mookie Betts in a relatively low-leverage situation when he's been so good, so far, right?  

Craig Edwards of Fangraphs addressed this question with some pitch analysis.  The pitch he got AJ Pollock out on to start the inning was a 78 MPH curveball he hung over the middle of the plate.  That pitch was a full 4 MPH lower than is average curveball velocity earlier in the game.  Pollock popped it up for an easy first out.  Snell then threw a 94 MPH FB which Austin Barnes lined into CF for the 1-out single.  94 MPH is still pretty good heat, but Snell had been sitting 96-97 MPH all game.  So, in addition to the pitch count concerns, Kevin Cash was also looking at two pitches which were considerably degraded from Snell's baseline stuff.

To summarize:  1.  At 5.1 IP, Blake Snell was past his average IP/Start.  2.  Snell is significantly less effective when facing batters for the third time in a game.  3.  Snell was close to the pitch count where his effectiveness is statistically significantly diminished.  4.  Snell pitches showed significant deterioration in quality.  Conclusion:  Kevin Cash was justified in removing Blake Snell from the game at that point.

When I started this, I intended to point out that the Dodgers had seen a whole lot of the Rays bullpen already in the series which could have the same effect of familiarity as seeing a starting pitcher 3 times in the same game.  In fact, the expanded rosters allowed the Rays to space out the use of their relievers so the Dodgers were not seeing the same ones game after game.  The Rays relievers just weren't that effective, probably mostly because the Dodgers are just a really good hitting team, so that was Kevin Cash's Conundrum: Does he stick with a SP who appears to be fading fast or does he go to a bullpen that has been on average less than effective all series?  I think reasonable people could argue both sides.

Giants Depth Charts: Starting Pitching

 The Giants two top SP's from 2020 are free agents while several years of emphasizing hitting in the draft and international market have left the minor league cupboard shelves almost empty.  This is where FZ is going to earn his paycheck this winter.  

1.  Johnny Cueto R.  DOB:  2/15/1986.  5'11", 229 lbs.  2-3, 5.40, 63.1 IP, 7.96 K/9, 3.69 BB/9.

2.  Logan Webb R.  DOB:  11/18/1996.  6'2", 220 lbs.  3-4, 5.47, 54.1 IP, 7.62 K/9, 3.98 BB/9.

3.  Tyler Anderson L.  DOB:  12/30/1989.  6'3", 215 lbs.  4-3, 4.37, 59.2 IP, 6.18 K/9, 3.77 BB/9.

4.  Tyler Beede R.  DOB:  5/23/1993.  6'3", 211 lbs.  DNP(TJ surgery)

Minor Leagues:  Sean Hjelle R, Seth Corry L, Tristan Beck R, Matt Frisbee R, Jake Wong R(surgery), Jose Marte R, Gregory Santos R, Kai-Wei Teng R, Kervin Castro R, Caleb Kilian R, Trevor McDonald R, Nick Swiney L, Kyle Harrison L, Juan Sanchez L, Jesus Gomez L.

Tyler Beede is not expected back before May or June 2021 so FZ is starting out the offseason with just 3 SP's projected to be available on Opening Day.  If FZ wants to compete for the postseason in 2021, he cannot depend on The Churn alone.  He is going to have to be hunting for arms of every description, right, left, expensive, mid-range, bounceback candidates, dumpster dives.  Getting Kevin Gausman and Drew Smyly back would be a strong start, but he's going to have plenty of competition in getting them re-signed.  He should strongly consider a QO for Gausman but who knows what COVID has done to prices in the free agent market?  

As you can see, there is a smattering of interesting names in the minors, none of whom are expected to be ready to start in the majors by Opening Day.  Sean Hjelle could see a midseason callup.

Giants Dept Charts: Right Field

 A total of 11 players patrolled the slightly shortened Triples Alley in 2020, which when you figure there were only 60 games in the season is.....well, a lot!  YtY was the runaway leader in RF innings with about half of the total.  He is the likely full time starter for 2021, while others like Hunter Pence and Jaylin Davis most likely will not be back.  RF Depth Chart:

1.  Mike Yastrzemski  DOB:  8/23/1990.  B-L, T-L.  5'11", 180 lbs.  .297/.400/.568, 14 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 225 PA.

2.  Austin Slater DOB:  12/13/1992.  B-R, T-R.  6'2", 197lbs.  .282/.408/.506, 2 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 104 PA(Arbitration Eligble).  

Others:  Joey Rickard(Arbitration Eligible), Luis Alexander Basabe, Daniel Robertson(Arbitration Eligible), Darin Ruf(Arbitration Eligible), Steven Duggar, Joe McCarthy, Jaylin Davis.

Minor Leagues:  Sandro Fabian, Franklin Labour, Harrison Freed, George Bell, Bryan Hernandez.

It's possible the Giants only carry 4 OF's on a 26-man roster.  If that is the case, those 4 will probably be Alex Dickerson, Mauricio Dubon, YtY and Austin Slater with Daniel Robertson swinging between the IF and OF.  I thought I read somewhere that Darin Ruf is a FA, but it seems he is arbitration eligible, which increases the likelihood he will be a 5'th OF which would leave Robertson on the bubble to fight it out with the almost mythical LH infielder for the final positional roster spot.

Again, the Giants RF of the future probably comes out of the pool of elite OF prospects, Heliot Ramos, Hunter Bishop, Luis Matos, Alexander Canario and Jairo Pomares,  but none of them are listed as RF in their minor league roster lines.

Giants Dept Charts: Center Field

Mauricio Dubon emerged as the Giants everyday CF over the shortened course of the 2020 season with Mike Yastrzemski sliding over from RF as the main backup.  

1.  Mauricio Dubon  DOB:  7/19/1994.  B-R, T-R.  6'0", 160 lbs.  .274/.337/.389, 4 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 2 SB, 177 PA.

2.  Mike Yastrzemski DOB:  8/23/1990.  B- L, T-L.  5'11", 180 lbs.  .297/.400/.568, 14 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 2 SB, 225 PA.

3.  Steven Duggar  DOB:  11/4/1993.  B- L, T-R.  6'2", 189 lbs.  .176/.222, .235, 2 2B, SB, 36 PA.

4.  Heliot Ramos  DOB:  9/7/1999.  B-R, T-R.  6'0", 188 lbs.  Remote Camp.

Minor Leaguers Listed As CF:  Bryce Johnson, Alexander Canario, Jairo Pomares, Tyler Forner, Richgelon Juliana, Grant McCray, Najee Gaskins, PJ Hilson, Carter Williams, Javeyon Williams.

Mauricio Dubon could well be the Giants CF of the forseeable future if he continues to improve.  He needs to smooth out the rough edges on defense and show a bit more power.  It remains to be seen whether any of the Giant top tier OF prospects starting with Heliot Ramos are CF long term.  Right now, if Dubon got hurt or regressed, YtY would likely slide over to RF to cover.  Duggar just hasn't shown he can stay healthy or hit.  There is a lot of buzz that 2021 is the year Heliot Ramos makes his MLB debut

Giants Depth Charts: Left Field

 Nine different players patrolled left field for the Giants in 2020, with Alex Dickerson and Darin Ruf getting the bulk of the innings in a L-R platoon.  Dick is arbitration eligible and will almost certainly be back while Ruf is a free agent who has said he wants to come back.  Here is my Depth Chart as it stands now:

1.  Alex Dickerson  DOB:  5/26/1990.  B-L, T-L.  6'3", 235 lbs.  .298/.371/.576, 10 2B, 3B, 10 HR, 170 PA(Arbitration Eligible).

2.  Austin Slater  DOB:  12/13/1992.  B-R, T-R.  6'2", 197 lbs.  .282/.408/.506, 2 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 8 SB, 104 PA(Arbitration Eligible).  

3.  Daniel Robertson  DOB:  3/22/1994.  B-R, T-R.  5'11", 200 lbs.  .333/.417/.333, 24 PA(Arbitration Eligible).

4.  Steven Duggar  DOB:  11/4/1993.  B-L, T-R.  6'2", 189 lbs.  .176/.222/.235, 36 PA.

5.  Luis Alexander Basabe  DOB:  8/26/1996.  B-S, T-R.  6'0", 160 lbs.  .143/.333/.143, 2 SB, 18 PA.

6.  Joe McCarthy  DOB:  2/23/1994.  B-L, T-L.  6'3", 220 lbs.  .000/.000/.000, 10 PA.

Minor League Outfielders Listed as LF:  Heath Quinn, Jacob Heyward, Ismael Munguia, Diego Rincones, Kwan Adkins, Tyler Flores.

Dickerson and Ruf formed an effective L-R platoon in LF in 2020.  Ruf is a FA and wants to come back but Austin Slater could fill the right sided role if he can finally stay healthy.  The position side of the 2021 roster is probably pretty much set except for FZ's "white whale" search for a lefthanded hitting IF.  If he finds one, Slater and YtY are versatile enough that he could go with just 4 OF's plus Robertson, but then there would not be enough room to re-sign Ruf.  So it comes down to Ruf, Robertson and the LH hitting IF competing for the last 2 positional roster spots on a 26 man roster.

It is likely that none of the listed minor leaguers are the Giants LF of the future.  That designation probably belongs to one of the more elite OF prospects from the pool of Heliot Ramos, Hunter Bishop, Luis Matos, Alex Canario and Jairo Pomares although they are all listed at other OF positions for now.  Of course, FZ could just continue to churn through the Alex Dickersons and Darin Rufs out there to fill the position.

Giants Depth Charts: Shortstop

Brandon Crawford will be back at SS for the final year of his contract, but the future of the position is as good as any in baseball.  

1.  Brandon Crawford  DOB:  1/21/1987.  B-L, T-R.  6'2", 227 lbs.  .256/.326/.465, 12 2B, 8 HR, 193 PA.  

2.  Daniel Robertson  DOB:  3/22/1994.  B-R, T- R.  5'11", 200 lbs.  .333/.417/.333, 24 PA.(arbitration eligible).

3.  Mauricio Dubon  DOB:  7/19/1994.  B-R, T-R.  6'0", 160 lbs.  .274/.337/.389, 4 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 177 PA.

4.  Donovan Solano  DOB:  12/17/1987.  B-R, T-R.  5'10", 205 lbs.  .326/.365/.463, 15 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 203 PA.(arbitration eligible).

5.  Will Wilson DOB:  7/21/1998.  B-R, T-R.  6'0", 184 lbs. DNP(Remote Camp).

6.  Marco Luciano DOB:  9/10/2001.  B-R, T-R.  6'2", 178 lbs.  DNP(Remote Camp)

7.   Tyler Fitzgerald DOB:  9/15/1997.  B-R, T-R.  6'3", 205 lbs(2019 draftee).

8.  Jimmy Glowenke DOB:  6/5/1999.  B-R, T-R, 5'10", 185 lbs(2020 draftee).

Others:  Ghordy Santos, Dilan Rosario, Ryan Howard, Aeverson Arteaga, Simon Whiteman.

Brandon Crawford is a lock to be the starting SS one more season.  Mauricio Dubon is probably the starting CF while Solano will likely be back as the starter at 2B.  Daniel Robertson played very well in a SSS after being picked up by the Giants.  The dilemma is FZ wants a lefty hitter for is utility IF and its very difficult to see how Robertson and a lefty hitter both stay on a 26-man roster.  

Marco Luciano is a budding superstar and is a near-lock to be the starting SS from 2022 on unless he moves off the position, but Will Wilson seems more likely to be the one who moves.  Arteaga is an international bonus baby but has a long, long way to go to reach the majors.

Giants Depth Charts: Third Base

 Barring injury, the Giants are set at third base, for better or worse for the next two seasons for which Evan Longoria has a guaranteed contract.  What they lack is depth at the position in the wake of Pablo Sandoval's subpar season and ultimate release.

1.  Evan Longoria  DOB:  10/7/1985.  B-R, T-R.  6'1", 215 lbs.  .254/.297/.425, 10 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 209 PA.

2.  Daniel Robertson DOB:  3/22/1994.  B-R, T-R.  5'11", 200 lbs.  .333/.417/.33, 24 PA.

3.  Will Wilson?  DOB:  7/21/2020.  B-R, T-R.  6'0", 184 lbs.  DNP(Sacramento Remote Camp).

3.  Luis Toribio   DOB:  9/28/2000.  B-L, T-R.  6'1", 165 lbs.  DNP(Sacramento Remote Camp).

4.  Casey Schmitt. DOB:  3/1/1999.  B-R, T-R.  6'2", 200 lbs.  DNP(Round 2 Draft Pick).

Others:  David Villar, Sean Roby, Jacob Gonzalez, Abdiel Layer, Yorlis Rodriguez, Jean Pena.

Donovan Solano and Wilmer Flores both logged more innings at 3B than Pablo Sandoval so I suppose they should be included in the depth chart, but they were terrible defensively FZ is almost certainly going to search for a better option this winter.  Daniel Robertson only played 6 innings at the position in 2020 but played there more in prior years with acceptable defensive numbers.  It's just that he bats RH and FZ openly says he is looking for a LH option to back up 3B, but FZ is going to have to accept he can't have a full platoon at every position, especially if rosters are pared back to 26 for 2021.  I saw some positive reports about Luis Toribio from remote camp and he appears to be a hitting machine in the making.  Casey Schmitt is likely to get plenty of chances as an FZ round 2 draft pick.  As for the "others", Sean Roby impressed with the bat in spring training while David Villar may not have the right plate approach to please FZ and the Giants development gurus.

Giants Depth Charts: Second Base

 Donovan Solano stabilized the second base position for the Giants in 2020 appearing in 45 of 60 games at the position.  

MLB:

1.  Donovan Solano  DOB:  12/17/1987.  B-R, T-R.  5'10", 205 lbs.  .326/.365/.463, 15 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 203 PA.

2.  Wilmer Flores DOB:  8/6/1991.  B-R, T-R.  6'3", 205 lbs.  .268/.315/.515, 11 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 213 PA.

3.  Daniel Robertson DOB:  3/22/1994.  B-R, T-R.  5'11", 200 lbs.  .333/.417/.333, 24 PA.

4.  Mauricio Dubon DOB:  7/19/1994.  B-R, T-R.  6'0", 160 lbs.  .274/.337/.389, 4 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 177 PA.

Minors:

Carter Aldrete DOB:  10/12/1997.  B-R, T-R.  6'2", 205 lbs.  DNP.

Solano is in his final year of arbitration eligibility.  MLBTR projects his arbitration value $2.2-3.8 M which seems like a great deal from the Giants perspective, so I assume they will find a way to bring him back.  He's coming off his second consecutive fantastic season.  His approach depends on insane BABIP's but they don't call him "Donnie Barrels" for nothing.  At this point, Flores is more of a 1B/DH, but can move over to 2B in a pinch.  Robertson is entering his first year of arbitration eligibility and is projected to get $1.1-1.3 M.  The Giants could cut a below-market deal with him, but FZ openly wants a LH hitting utility guy who could handle both 3B and 2B.  You can't have a full L-R platoon at every position, Farhan!  Mauricio Dubon's future seems to be more in CF than 2B.

The cupboard is bare in the minors.  I believe Kean Wong and Jalen Miller are both minor league FA's who may or may not be back.  Future 2B will likely come from SS prospects who move to 2B or lower cost FA's.  If they bring back Donnie Barrels, they probably don't have to worry about minor league depth for another season.

Giants Depth Charts: First Base

 1.  Brandon Belt.  DOB:  4/20/1988.  B-L, T-L.  .309/.425/.591, 13 2B, 3B, 9 HR, 179 PA.  

2.  Wilmer Flores.  DOB:  8/6/1991.  B-R, T-R.  .268/.310/.439, 11 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 213 PA.

3.  Chris Shaw.  DOB:  10/20/1993.  B-L, T-R.  DNP.

4.  Logan Wyatt DOB:  11/15/1997.  B-L, T-R.  DNP.

FZ has not made first base a priority in his first two years as GM.  That's probably because he actually really likes Brandon Belt and saw an opportunity get more out of him than the previous regime.  For his part, Belt seems to be listening to the new voices and responded with the best season of his career, albeit a very shortened one.  Belt will be back next year for the final season of his contract.  Wilmer Flores who takes a lot of pressure off Belt by more or less platooning with him against lefies will also be back, so there is absolutely not urgency at first base for 2021.  Darin Ruf is another RH bat who is a free agent FZ may try to bring back.  Buster Posey can also play the position although the preference will likely be for Buster to get complete rest on his off days from catching.

It seems pretty obvious that Chris Shaw is not a favorite of the new regime and it's no lock that he will still be on the 40 man roster come December.  It would not shock me if Logan Wyatt is ahead of Shaw on FZ's depth chart.  His hitting profile is significantly more typical of FZ targets.  

Looking past 2021, I believe 1B is a position FZ will fill with low cost FA's like Flores and Ruf and concentrate his drafting and development resources on up-the-middle talent.

Giants Depth Charts: Catcher

It's been a recent tradition here to set up the offseasons with a review of the Giants organizational depth charts for each position.  That's something that can get my juices flowing again.  No set schedule but we'll work our way through it in due time.  We'll start off with the Catcher position. 

1.  Buster Posey:  DOB 3/27/1987.  B-R, T-R.  DNP(Restricted)

2.  Joey Bart:  DOB 12/15/1996.  B-R, T-R.  .233/.288/.320, 5 2B, 2 3B, 2.7 BB%, 36.9 K%, 111 PA.

3. Chadwick Tromp:  DOB 3/21/1995.  B-R, T-R.  .213/.219/.426, 2B, 4 HR, 1.6 BB%, 31.3 K%, 64 PA.

4. Tyler Heineman:  DOB 6/19/1990.  B-S, T-R.  .190/.292/.214, 2B, SB, 8.0 BB%, 12 K%, 50 PA.

5. Aramis Garcia:  DOB:  1/12/1993.  B-R, T-R.  DNP(60 Day IL)

6. Patrick Bailey:  DOB 5/29/1999.  B-S, T-R. Alternate Camp

7.  Ricardo Genoves:  DOB 5/14/1999.  B-R, T-R. Alternate Camp

8. Rayner Santana:  DOB 8/15/2002.  B-R. T-R.  DNP.

First let me say in my opinion Buster Posey absolutely did the right thing in opting out of the season for the sake of his family.  At the same time, given how much his replacements struggled, we have to wonder if his presence behind the plate and in the lineup might have made the difference between getting into the postseason and falling just short.  Now, I am not convinced that a normal 2021 season is a given, but assuming it is, it is exciting to think what having Buster back for the final guaranteed year in his contract as the starting catcher will mean for the season.

I imagine the question of whether it's better for Joey Bart to back up Buster at the MLB level or go back for a little more salt in AAA is the best approach to his development and to the backup catcher situation will be a topic of much discussion.  It appeared that Joey has some issues in his game that could stand some  more polish including game calling, pitch framing and pitch recognition/plate approach on offense.  

Chadwick Tromp showed flashes of impressive power and seemed to improve his D a bit as the season went along.  He would not be a terrible backup to Buster but in FZ's perfect world, the backup catcher hits lefty with some pop.  

Aramis Garcia probably needs to show some serious game in his comeback from injury to stay with the organization given the presence of two first round draft picks in the Giants depth chart.

It would be reasonable to expect Patrick Bailey to start 2021 in San Jose or Richmond.  Ditto, Ricardo Genoves who has been in the organization forever, but it still only 21 yo.

Rayner Santana made some noise in the DSL as a 16 yo but the jump from the DSL to the AZL is always a challenge and he lost a year of potential development due to COVID shutdown.

Look for FZ to acquire a lefty hitting catcher with a little more pop than Tyler Heineman to serve as Buster's back up with Joey Bart going to Sacramento to polish up his game with an eye on 2022.

Blogger's Note

I am back from a long overdue purely R&R vacation which unfortunately started the final day of the regular MLB season.  Also unfortunately, the Giants came up short.  As un-normal as this season was, I found a lot to like about it.  While the Giants were not a good team and were in contention only because of a greatly expanded playoff format, they were still better than I expected, especially if you discount their horrific 8-16 start.  It's generally more rewarding to watch the team you root for get better as the season progresses than to watch them collapse.  

As for the MLB season as a whole, I applaud  MLB for pulling this off.  I honestly did not think they would be able to finish any schedule without a complete shutdown.  That they did, and that over the last month they had zero positive tests, took a lot of planning, hard work and an amazing level of discipline and cooperation by the players.  Maybe, just maybe, we can all look to MLB as model for how to live with this virus, which is still as deadly as ever and does not appear to be going away anytime soon.

As for new rules, I loved the addition of the DH to the NL.  It produced a better, more interesting entertainment product on the field.  I may write more about that in an upcoming post.  The extra-innings rule....well, I can take it or leave it.  I generally stop caring who wins after it goes into extras and I turn games off when that happens.  I kept on turning them off this season, so only got to see the runner at 2B thing a couple of times anyway.  I like the 3-batter minimum rule.  There is nothing more boring in later innings than watching pitching changes.  This rule effectively reduced those changes and did not otherwise take away from the game-watching experience.  

Finally, for the first time since I started blogging 11 years ago, I did not miss the grind of writing daily posts when I was on my R&R. In fact, it was difficult to get started writing this post, but I felt my readership deserved an explanation and roadmap for the future.  I apologize for not being able to give you a more definitive vision for the future of the blog.  I am not closing the door to resuming daily posts at some point in the future, but I need a break.  I will likely still write posts from time-to-time but only when I feel like it and have something I need to say.  If I think of a series of posts to write about, they may resume on a daily basis for a given series, but I am not going to hold myself to any set schedule.  I will make a decision about resuming daily Game Wraps when the time comes next spring but at this point my inclination is it's just not fun anymore, which is the only reason why I have ever blogged.

In the meantime, I look forward to what FZ has up his sleeve for the offseason.

Game Wrap 9/26/2020: Padres 6 Giants 2

 The Giants scored two runs in the 8'th inning to cut the Padres lead to 3-2, but the Padres answered with a 3-spot in the 9'th to put the game away.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4.  BA= .289.  YtY won the Willie Mac Award earlier in the evening and did his part with 2 hits at the top of the lineup. 

Brandon Belt 1B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .315.  Belt continued his hot hitting and had the Giants only XBH on the evening.

Mauricio Dubon CF- 1 for 4.  BA= .275.  Remember when we all thought Dubon had a high baseball IQ?  So much for that!  Although he has improved as a player in many ways, Dubon continues to make mental mistakes like trying to steal 3B on his own with 1 out and YtY at the plate and Alex Dickerson on deck.  Tragic!

Johnny Cueto RHP- 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.40.  Overall, Cueto was much more effective than in his last start with better velocity(I saw one pitch the TV gun called 94 MPH and there were multiple 93's).  Cueto has given up more than his share of crooked numbers this season.  It wasn't Fernando Tatis Jr's solo HR to lead off the inning that hurt so much, it was the 3 singles and sac fly that followed that seemed like an ace pitcher should not have given up.  Is it just me or has Cueto seemed to lose his composure out there a bit too often this season?  Oh, and maybe the Giants will get a player like Fernando Tatis Jr someday?

Tony Watson LHP- 0.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 2.50.  Watson seems to be gassed giving up 3 rockets to the 3 batters he faced in the 9'th inning which put this one out of reach.

*************************************************************************************

This one wasn't as winnable as Game 2 of Friday's doubleheader, but it was a tough loss.  The Giants are back to 1 game under .500 at 29-30 with 1 to play.  They are tied with the Brewers for 8'th place in the NL but the Brewers hold the tiebreaker advantage so if they remain tied, the Giants are out.

*************************************************************************************

Drew Smyly gets the ball for the finale today in a must-win game.  The Giants also need the Cardinals to beat the Brewers for the Giants to get the final playoff spot.  If the Giants win and the Cardinals lose, the Cardinals would have to play a makeup doubleheader agains the Tigers and would have to lose both games for the Giants to sneak in. Got all that?

*************************************************************************************

I didn't quite see the Giants DFA'ing Jeff Samardzija one day before the season ended.  He was the 29'th man for the doubleheader and would not have been available out of the bullpen after starting on Friday.  The move opens a spot on the 40-man roster but not on the 28 man active roster.  Kinda sad that we all feel a sense of relief to have his contract coming off the books this winter.  He had his moments but overall his Giants tenure was a disappointment highlighted by injuries and way too many gofer balls.

*************************************************************************************

Hunter Pence announced his retirement from baseball.  Pence is not a hall-of-famer by any stretch, but was a very good player for a long time.  He did things his way with an extremely awkward looking, unorthodox batting stance and swing, but made up for it with size and extreme athleticism.  He was also a good natured but emotional leader in the clubhouse whose exhortations almost certainly helped the Giants win 2 more championships than they maybe should have on talent alone.  Hunter Pence will be missed as a player and personality on the field and in the dugout and clubhouse.

*************************************************************************************

One day after blowing a 2-run 9'th inning lead, Sam Coonrod RHP hit the IL with a right shoulder strain.  Still not Camilo Doval RHP as Rico Garcia RHP got the call to replace Coonrod.

*************************************************************************************

I will be away from my computer for most of next week so my next post may well come after the Giants season has ended.  

Game Wrap 9/25/2020: Giants 5 Padres 4; Padres 6 Giants 5

The Giants split one of those 7-inning apiece doubleheaders against the Padres in Oracle Park with one game officially a home game and the other a roadie due to prior postponements and the crazy schedule.  

*************************************************************************************

Game 1:  The Giants got a Quality Start from Tyler Anderson and home runs from Brandon Crawford, Wilmer Flores and Mike Yastrzemski to build a 5-1 lead then held off a late rally by the Padres to take Game 1 5-4.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(10). BA= .290.  First start after a long DTD injury, YtY didn't miss a beat.  His 2-run splash hit HR was the blow that chased Padres starter Chris Paddack.  

Wilmer Flores DH- 2 for 3, HR(10).  BA= .267.  Flores is kryptonite for LHP's but he's not helpless against RHP's.  He'd homered off Chris Paddack in San Diego earlier in the season and as Kruk and Kuip like to say, "ownage is ownage."  Flores took Paddack deep again to lead off the 4'th inning to put the Giants ahead and start the winning 4-run rally.

Brandon Crawford SS- 1 for 3, HR(7).  BA= .267.  Crawford's bat has gone quiet of late, but he got the Giants their first run with a HR to dead CF.

Tyler Anderson LHP- 1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.37.  Anderson worked in and out of trouble all evening but kept the Padres at bay into the 7'th when he came out after a leadoff ground-rule double to Jurickson Profar.  Reminder: Giants control Anderson's contract through arbitration for 1 more season. 

Tony Watson LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K. ERA= 1.00.  The Giants bullpen is gassed and it was do or die with Watson.  He held on, barely.  A throwing error by Watson on a tapper by Manny Machado did not help, but again, all's well that ends well.

*************************************************************************************

Game 2:  The Giants looked like they were headed for a doubleheader sweep after Wilmer Flores crushed a 3-run HR off Drew Pomeranz in the 6'th inning to take a 5-3 lead but Trent Grisham matched that effort with a 3-run dinger in the 7'th, a walk-off because the Padres were officially the home team in game 2.  Key Lines:

Wilmer Flores DH- 1 for 3, HR(11).  BA= .268.  The Giants were trailing 3-2 going to the 6'th inning.  Drew Pomeranz got two quick outs before losing control of the strike zone and putting 2 runners on base.  That brought up Flores who was born for this situation.  First, Pomeranz is a lefty and as Kruk mentioned on the TV broadcast, Flores likes to ambush first-pitch fastballs and Pomeranz throws mostly fastballs.  The first pitch was very high, an easy take, but Flores was ready for the second pitch fastball that came right down the pipe.  He timed his swing perfectly and sent it waaay back into the bleachers down the LF line.  It was dramatic and were it not for the crushing ending, this HR would rank right up there with the Brian Johnsons as a pivotal moment in Giants history.

Jeff Samardzija RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 9.72.  Shark made his comeback from the IL and got through the first two innings, but fell apart in the 3'rd with Fernandon Tatis Jr's 2-run HR the big blow.  This may well have been Shark's last start as a Giant.  It's been a mixed bag but overall they probably could have made better use of the $90 M they've paid him over the last 5 seasons.  I am sure FZ is very relieved to see that contract come off the books.  

Sam Coonrod RHP- 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 9.82.  Coonrod has dominant stuff but gets a wild hair up his nose.  He was flying open on the fastball sending sailing up and away to the arm side.  He never got it under control so had to rely on his 90 MPH changeup as his only pitch.  He got one in the middle of the strike zone to Grisham for the walk-off.  Crushing!

*************************************************************************************

The doubleheader split left the Giants at .500, 29-29 and in sole possession of 8'th place in the NL which is a playoff spot if they can hang on over the last two games of the season.

*************************************************************************************

Gabe Kapler has not announced the SP for tonight's game.  TBD will face Zach Davies RHP in the penultimate game of this shortened, crazy season.

Game Wrap 9/24/2020: Rockies 5 Giants 4(11 innings)

The Giants have played surprisingly well this season, but the ironic part of that is they really should have a much better record than they do were it not for missed opportunities.  This was one of those games that will be remembered painfully not so much because they lost but because they could have and should have won.  Key Lines:

Brandon Belt 1B- 1 for 4, HR(9), BB.  BA= .312.  Belt continued to rake with a game-tying HR in the 8'th inning that ultimately went for naught. 

Steven Duggar RF- 2 for 3.  BA= .176.  Duggar was the only Giants hitter with more than one hit.  He was lifted for PH Mike Yastrzemski later in the game.

Kevin Gausman RHP- 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 9 K's.  ERA= 3.68.  Gausman had another strong start which could have been his last a Giant.  With just 3 days to go, he won't get another start in the regular season and the Giants are teetering on the edge of not making the postseason.  Gausman says the reason he signed with the Giants was to play with Buster Posey and he wants to come back next season and do just that.  On the other hand, these things always come down to money and Gausman is going to get paid this offseason.  Get it done, Farhan!  Speaking of..... FZ should consider a QO for Gausman as a 1 year contract in that range would be a pretty good deal for the Giants.

Sam Coonrod RHP- 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 8.16.  In the wake of Trevor Gott's ill-fated run as the Closer, Gabe Kapler has used a system of rotating Closers.  Of the guys in the Closer rotation, Coonrod seems like the obvious choice  in the long run, but has to figure out how a guy who throws 100 MPH cheese can be so inconsistent.  Would he maybe do better in a defined Closer role? Coonrod reminds me a little of an early Brian Wilson and have to think Bruce Bochy, who had an eye for Closers, would be putting him in that role more consistently than Kap.

*************************************************************************************

The Loss set the Giants record back to .500 at 28-28 and alone in 8'th place in the NL which is the last playoff spot.

*************************************************************************************

The Giants now open a very tough season-ending 4-game series against the Padres with a dreaded doubleheader in which they will once again be the visiting team in their own ballpark for one of those games.  They will face Dinelson Lamet RHP and Chris Paddack RHP.   The Giants have not announced their SP's for any of the weekend games.

Game Wrap 9/23/2020: Giants 7 Rockies 2

 Gabe Kapler continued to pull the right strings as Caleb Baragar's Opener assignment seemed to take pressure off Logan Webb.  They combined to hold the Rockies to 2 runs into the 7'th inning while the offense did the rest.  Key Lines:

Alex Dickerson LF- 3 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .307.  Leadoff Hitter, Austin Slater went 0 for 5 after getting on base 5 times in game 2 of the series, but Dickerson picked him up out of the 2-hole with 3 hits in game 3.  Dickerson's all-out assault on Rockies' pitching continues with a .483 BA against them.   He is 7 for 10 with 3 doubles and 2 HR's in this series so far.

Brandon Belt 1B- 3 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .313.  It was Belt's turn to get on base 5 times. He is OBP'ing .429 with an OPS of 1.018 after this game.

Evan Longoria 3B- 1 for 2, HR(7), 2 BB.  BA= .263.  Longo got the Giants their first run in the 4'th inning with a solo bomb over the CF wall while his family cheered him on from a Zoom cam in their home which showed on the TV broadcast.  Even the family mutt was celebrating with a lot of licked faces.

Mauricio Dubon CF- 1 for 3, HR(3), BB.  BA= .286.  One of the more exciting developments of this season, no matter how it turns out in the standings, is watching Dubon grow and become more confident as a player.  He looks like a huge breakout candidate for next season.

Joey Bart C- 1 for 4, 3B.  BA= .244.  Speaking of growing.....Bart has 3 doubles in his last 2 games and appears to be controlling his AB's a lot better since a day off to clear his head.

Steven Duggar RF- 1 for 3, BB, SB(1).  BA= .129. Duggar gets the callup as Luis Basabe hits the IL.

Caleb Baragar LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.35.  Kapler hasn't used an Opener for awhile but called on Baragar in this game, apparently to take some SP pressure off Logan Webb and allowing him to face the second half of the Rockies order in his first inning of work.  That strategy seemed to backfire when the lefty hitting Charlie Blackmon doubled off Baragar to lead off the second inning forcing Webb into the game with a runner already on 2B.  Webb calmly got out of it with 3 GB outs while working around a fielding error by Brandon Crawford.

Logan Webb RHP- 5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 13/0.  ERA= 5.50.  Webb had the Rockies killing worms at Oracle Park and took the game into the 7'th inning earning the W.  Q: Do "Bulk Innings" pitchers have a better chance for W's following an Opener or as SP's?

*************************************************************************************

The Win got the Giants back above .500 at 27-28 and into a tie with the Reds and BrewCrew for the 6'th best record in the NL, but the Marlins are in 2'nd place in the NL East at .500 so if the season ended now, the Giants would still be left out due to tiebreaker rules.

*************************************************************************************

Kevin Gausman RHP tries to maintain traction today facing Chi Chi Gonzalez RHP in an afternoon game.

Game Wrap 9/22/2020: Giants 5 Rockies 2

 Austin Slater led the offense and Drew Smyly had a near-quality start as the Giants evened their record once again in a win over the Rockies in Oracle Park.  Key Lines:

Austin Slater DH- 2 for 2, HR(5), 3 BB, SB(8).  BA= .324.  Slater's OPS stands at 1.033 on the season in a very SSS.  He's 27 yo and it's taken awhile, mainly due to injuries but he seems like he's on the verge of a huge breakout next season....if he stays healthy.  If the DH stays, it gives him an additional path to playing time.

Brandon Belt PH/1B- 1 for 2, 2B.  BA= .298.  Belt delivered a PH 2-run double in the pivotal 7'th inning that was smoked off the L-CF wall.  Belt is locked in as the out was also hit hard to the warning track in CF.

Daniel Robertson SS/LF- 1 for 1, BB.  BA= .368.  Robertson was pressed into service in LF after Basabe pulled a hammy running to 1B and responded with a nice OF assist at 2B.  Looks like The Churn turned up another keeper in Robertson.  

Alex Dickerson PH/LF- 1 for 1, HR(10), BB.  BA= .295.  Gabe Kapler pulled the right strings when he sent Dick up to PH for Robertson when lefty starter Kyle Freeland was pulled for Jairo Diaz RHP.  Dick crushed one over the CF fence to give the Giants their final lead which they added onto later in inning.

Joey Bart C- 2 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .244.  Bart has been struggling but gave a glimpse of what he is capable of with two smoked doubles.  The second despite an unbalanced, leaning swing.  I think the kid is going to be alright once he makes the adjustment every rook eventually has to make after pitchers get a book on them.

Drew Smyly LHP- 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.38.  Smyly has been terrrific. Hopefully FZ finds a way to keep him around for next season.

Sam Coonrod RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 7.24.  Wow!  Coonrod looked like a real Closer out there confidently blowing 100 MPH FB's past batters to slam the door.

*************************************************************************************

The Win once again evened the Giants record at 27-27 and put them in tie for 7'th place in the NL, but they come up short to both the Reds and Brewers in tiebreakers so they would be out of the playoffs if the season ended last night.

*************************************************************************************

The Giants SP for today is still listed as TBA facing Ryan Castellani RHP.

Game Wrap 9/21/2020: Rockies 7 Giants 2

 The Giants hopes for a playoff spot took a large hit as the Padres built up a big lead against SP Johnny Cueto and cruised to a lopsided win.  Key Lines:

Alex Dickerson LF- 3 for 4, 2B, HR(9).  BA= .290.  The new dad came back from paternity leave raking at the top of the lineup.  The top three batters had a combined 6 hits and an additional walk, but the rest of the lineup managed just 3 walks in 25 PA's.  

Johnny Cueto RHP- 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.33.  In a game earlier in the season, Cueto and Joey Bart were clearly not on the same page and Chadwick Tromp became Cueto's personal catcher.  When Cueto's start got pushed back and Tromp caught Tyler Anderson on Sunday, the beat writers said the plan was for Tromp to also catch Cueto in this game.  Instead it was Bart. Whether it was discomfort with his catcher or just not having his best stuff, Cueto got hit early and never settled down.  On the final pitch, he and Bart ran through the signs several times and Cueto was obviously struggling to keep his composure on the mound.  On the other hand, when Cueto has been at this best this season, his FB has hit 93 MPH.  The fastest pitch I saw on the TV gun was 90 MPH.  Not sure what the issues are between Cueto and Bart but I would expect a veteran ace to stay in control and overcome rookie mistakes from his batterymate.

*************************************************************************************

The loss dropped the Giants record to 26-27 and into a tie for 9'th place in the NL with the top 8 teams making the playoffs.

*************************************************************************************

Drew Smyly LHP tries to get the Giants back to .500 tonight facing Kyle Freeland LHP.

Game Wrap 9/20/2020: Giants 14 A's 2

 Tyler Anderson fell one out short of a Quality Start and the Giants rode the three true outcomes to a lopsided win to salvage 1 game out of the 6 games they played against the cross-bay rivals this season.  Key Lines:

Austin Slater DH- 2 for 5, BB.  BA= .304.  Slater was 0 for 6 in his previous 2 games but filled the leadoff role well as the DH.

Brandon Belt 1B- 1 for 3, 3 BB.  BA= .296.  So 3 true outcomes:  The Giants lineup struck out 14 times but drew 8 walks and hit 3 HR's.  Belt did not homer but walked 3 times and scored 2 runs.  BTW, of those 8 walks, 3 scored ahead of HR's, another scored ahead of a hit and one came with the bases loaded to drive in a run.

Darin Ruf LF- 2 for 4, HR(5), 2 BB.  BA= .303.  Darin Ruf continues to rake.

Brandon Crawford SS- 2 for 5, 2B, HR(6).  BA= .283.  The Crawford renaissance rolls on.  Hitting .391 over his last 7 games and .330 over his last 30.  His BA stood at .171 on August 9.

Luis Alexander Basabe RF- 1 for 4, BB, SB(2).  BA= .200.  Basabe scored the first run when he walked, stole 2B which seemed to distract Mike Minor enough to give up a 2-run dinger to the next batter, Chadwick Tromp.  He also made several very nice running catches in RF including a very tough one up against the wall in foul territory.

Chadwick Tromp C- 3 for 5, HR(4).  BA= .213.  Tromp has definitely had his moments and he had a particularly good game today.  Johnny Cueto's start was pushed back but Tromp started at C anyway because Joey Bart needed a day to clear his head.  Does Tromp catch tomorrow night too?

Tyler Anderson LHP- 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 8/1.  ERA= 4.53.  After giving up 4 runs in the second inning and getting ejected from his last start, Anderson came back strong in this one by keeping the ball on the ground.  He gave way to Shaun Anderson after loading the bases with 2 outs in the 6'th falling one out short of a QS.  Shaun Anderson did not allow any of his inherited runners as he got the first batter he faced on a ground force out.

*************************************************************************************

The Win evened the Giants record again at 26-26. They are tied with the Reds and BrewCrew for 8'th place in the NL but the Reds hold the tiebreaker.  Not clear what the tiebreakers situation is with the BrewCrew.

*************************************************************************************

The Giants come home to Oracle Park for their final 8 games, 4 against the Rockies and 4 next weekend against the Padres.  Johnny Cueto RHP starts game 1 of the Rockies series facing German Marquez RHP, who has pitched very well for the Rockies this season.

Game Wrap 9/19/2020: A's 6 Giants 0

The Giants took a slightly different route but ended up at the same place as they matched 6-0 losses to the A's in consecutive games.  This time they got 6 innings of stellar starting pitching from Kevin Gausman and the bullpen got blown out.....and of course they didn't hit a lick.  Key Lines:

Kevin Gausman RHP- 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.76.   The Giants are paying Gausman $9 M this season.  He has pitched to a value well above that, but in a very short season.  Had he done this over a full season, he would likely be a slam-dunk for QO.  Giants may want to consider it anyway.  Gausman on a 1 year contract for the QO would actually be quite a bargain.

*************************************************************************************

The loss dropped the Giants back below .500 at 25-26 and into a tie for 9'th place in the NL with the BrewCrew.  Not sure who holds the tiebreaker there.  Top 8 teams make the playoffs.

*************************************************************************************

Tyler Anderson LHP tries to avoid the sweep today....and he wasn't very good his last start.  Mike Minor LHP goes for the A's.

Game Wrap 9/18/2020: A's 6 Giants 0

The Oakland A's dominated the Giants in all phases of the game and the final score made the game appear closer than it was.  Key Lines:

Logan Webb RHP- 3.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 90 Pitches.  ERA= 5.73.  Webb had no command, poor defensive play behind him and a power hitting team in front of him.  That's a prescription for what happened which was 90 pitches and 6 runs allowed in just 3.1 IP.  Webb's had some good starts and seems to have the basic talent to succeed at this level.  Consistent command is what is eluding him.  Hopefully this is a learning experience and he comes back next year as an ace.  Sometimes it's hard to apply things you learn on the fly and an offseason helps crystallize it.

*************************************************************************************

The Loss dropped the Giants back to .500 at 25-25.  The Reds and Cardinals also have .500 records which is 7'th best in the NL, but they both hold tiebreakers so the Giants are actually sitting in 9'th place which would be out of the playoffs if the season ended today.

*************************************************************************************

Kevin Gausman RHP will test his right elbow in an afternoon start against Jesus Luzardo LHP.

Game Wrap 9/17/2020: Giants 6 Mariners 4

 The Giants overcame a Mariners 4-spot in the second inning for another come-from-behind win as the visiting team in Oracle Park.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 0 for 1.  BA= .285.  YtY tweaked his calf on a swing in a first-inning AB.  He later felt tightness in the dugout after a long run for a foul pop-up. He's schedule for an MRI.  Keep fingers crossed!

Luis Alexander Basabe RF- 1 for 2, 2 BB, SB(1).  BA= .333.  Basabe replaced YtY, got on base 3 times and recorded his first MLB SB.  While his BA's tended to run in the .250's in the minor leagues, he also maintained OBP's about .100 higher.

Wilmer Flores 1B- 2 for 4, 3B, BB.  BA= .288.  Flores was brought in to destroy LHP's, which he has done, but he's also hit RHP's very well.  His 2-run triple came off Kendall Graveman RHP.  

Darin Ruf LF- 1 for 2, HR(4).  BA= .297.  Another guy who was brought in to destroy LHP's.  He's also done that, but has done even better against RHP's.  This HR came of lefty Nick Margevicius.  

Mauricio Dubon CF- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .292.  Dubon is hitting .318 since an 0 for 10 to start the season.

Tyler Anderson LHP- 2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 5.06.  Anderson came out for the 3'rd inning despite giving up a 4-spot in the 2'nd.  He threw one pitch and barked at the ump and got tossed.

Wandy Peralta LHP- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.91.  Longest stint of the season for Peralta who has an ERA of 0.96 over 9.1 IP over his last 7 appearances.

Sam Selman LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, Save(1).  ERA= 2.70.  Selman converts his first Save Op of the season as Kap continues to rotate his Closers.

*************************************************************************************

With the Win, the Giants moved back over .500 at 25-24 good for 6'th place in the NL with 8 teams making the playoffs.

*************************************************************************************

The Giants start another interleague set against cross-bay rivals, the A's, with Logan Webb RHP facing Chris Bassitt RHP in the opener tonight.

Game Wrap 9/16/2020: Giants 9 Mariners 3

 The Giants offense unleashed a withering attack through the first 4 innings allowing them to cruise to an easy victory in a road game played at Oracle Park.  Key Lines:

Alex Dickerson LF- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .279.  Dick is hitting .333 over his last 7 games and .388 over his last 15.

Brandon Belt 1B- 2 for 5, HR(8).  BA= .305.  Belt had been in a mini-slump and is hitting just .167 over his last 7 games.

Evan Longoria 3B- 2 for 5, HR(6).  BA= .282.  Longo had also been slumping(the whole team did in San Diego) and is hitting .217 over his last 7 games.

Brandon Crawford SS- 3 for 5, 2 2B, HR(5).  BA= .281.  Crawford's resurgence continues.  He was hitting just .171 on August 9.  He's hitting .344 since and showing no signs of cooling off.  He's put up an fWAR of 0.6 in 144 PA which projects to about 2.5 over a full season.  That would be his best season since 2016.  

Drew Smyly LHP- 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 3.94.  Smyly dominated for 3 innings before running into trouble in the 4'th.  He left the game with 2-outs, a run in and runners on 2'nd and 3'rd.  Then Caleb Baragar uncharacteristically walked 3 consecutive batters to drive in the 2 inherited runners before Trevor Cahill got out of the inning.

Trevor Cahill RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.68.  After three rough starts, Cahill pitched 2 effective innings in relief.  Maybe he and Smyly make a pair of tandem starters?

*************************************************************************************

The Win got the Giants record back to .500 at 24-24.  That is good for a tie for 6'th place in the NL with the Phillies with the top 8 teams making the playoffs.

*************************************************************************************

Tyler Anderson LHP tries to build on his last excellent start for a sweep of the 2 game road series at home in an afternoon game facing Nick Margevicius LHP.