OK, let's all take a deep breath and say together: Spring Training games don't count and spring stats don't matter. Another deep breath and repeat.....Hey! Blake Sabol and Casey Schmitt want spring stats to count....for something! Blake Sabol and Casey Schmitt starrred in a dismal losing game for the Giants in Scottsdale. Key Lines:
Blake Sabol DH- 3 for 3, HR(3), 2 BB, SB(1). BA= .529. Oh my! Not only did Sabol hit his third HR of the spring, but he also bunted for a base hit then stole 2B. Not quite a cycle or 5 for 5, but he reached base all 5 PA's which might actually be a better line in the long run. Giants gotta find a place on the roster for him, right? I mean if you take a peek at his AA and AAA numbers from last season what we are seeing this spring is no fluke and the Pirates had to be out of their minds to not protect him. Postgame, Kap said he'll get some reps in the OF and possibly even at 1B.
Casey Schmitt SS- 3 for 4. BA= .455. Schmitt minor league numbers from last season also tend to confirm the realness of what we're seeing from him offensively this spring. He started at SS for the first time in the spring but only handled one chance, a pop fly he caught for a putout.
Isan Diaz 2B- 1 for 3, HR(2). BA= .333. Diaz and Brett Wisely would seem to be in competition for the same role on the roster but it's not clear that role even exists.
J. D. Davis 1B- 1 for 3, 2B. BA= .296. Davis is quietly having a solid spring. BTW, Lamonte Wade Jr is batting .143.
Will Wilson 2B/SS- 1 for 2, 2B. BA= .308. Wilson is also quietly having a solid spring. Barring more injuries, he is almost certain to start the season in AAA but could be a sleeper to play an important role this season.
Alex Cobb RHP= 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 6.75. Cobb breezed through 3 scoreless innings against the Dodgers scrubs but Miguel Vargas led off the 4'th inning with a line drive off Cobb's knee which forced him out of the game. Fortunately X-rays were negative and the damage is limited to a bruise which he'll hopefully shake off in time for his next start.
Melvin Adon RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 6.00. Adon reportedly touched triple digits in his inning of work.
Forever Giant Steven Duggar played RF and batted cleanup in this game. He went 2 for 4 with a double and HR. Please don't tell me Duggar is going to turn into a star with the Hated Ones!
David Villar 3B was a late scratch today with left hip tightness. He is listed as DTD. Ford Proctor took his place at 3B and had two hits with a double.
New daddy Ross Stripling RHP takes the mound tomorrow afternoon against the A's in Scottsdale.
Duggar was 0-14 when he hit the HR. Dodgers were split-squad and won both games. Giants & Sam Long were one strike from getting out of the 4th with a 1-0 lead when the roof caved in for 2 HRs and 5 runs. Jose Cruz walked 4 batters in the 6th, all scored. Cruz was nearly unhittable last year at San Jose but gave up more walks than hits. He has something to work on this year!
ReplyDeleteTake out the 5 runs Long gave up with 2 outs and the 4 by Cruz, the Giants win 8-4.
Half empty or half full?
Again, most of the damage was done against pitchers who were never projected to be on the Opening Day Roster so half full.
DeleteIt's still fun to remember LateNight LaMonte's heroics in 2021, at least up to the last week of August in that incredible season.
ReplyDeleteIt kinda hurts to remember Wade since: 1 HR in his last 121 ABs to finish out the 2021 regular season, his painful performance in the post season against the Dodgers, his forgettable 2022, and a slow start this Spring.
With the premium on opening day spots, Wade needs to prove himself in Sacramento – certainly before returning Sabol to Pittsburgh!
Wade had a great June and July in 2021. In June his OPS was .811 and July was better at 1.027. Those are fantastic numbers, but when you look at his career, honestly, what we saw in 2022 was more of what he's been since AAA. In August it was .681 and Sep/Oct it was .733. And that Sep/Oct was one of his better OPS numbers (they have been significantly worse sometimes).
DeleteSure we want to believe it was injuries or some such. But his, career since AAA (2018) , has been, basically, as a bad defender with a OPS that's a couple of percents below league average. And that's not adjusted for position, if we do that, it's worse as the average LF has an OPS of .769, the RF OPS average is.796 and the 1B OPS is .768. (Those are all National League averages based on the 2011 season, they do fluctuate somewhat.)
Two good months, out of five years of substandard hitting for his position coupled with negative defense. He was a great story, it was wonderful, but I believe he was just a flash in pan and I will not be surprised to find him on a minor league contract or traded to another team, like when they sent Duggar away.
At some point you have to give up on the ceiling and go with a player you you have more confidence will produce. Right now I want to see the majority of 1B innings go to J. D. Davis.
DeleteKinda surprised that you didn't post a rememberance of Jesus Alou who passed away on Friday. He played a lot of years for the Giants.
ReplyDeleteI posted something on my FB page about Jesus Alou, one of my favorite Giants names as a kid. I just kind of ran out of time to repost it here. I'll see if I can cut and past it over. JPL
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