What a difference a day makes! The Giants followed up a scoreless tie yesterday by losing a slugfest. Key Lines:
Ismael Munguia PR/CF- 1 for 2, HR(1). Munguia hit a 2-run HR in the 6'th inning to give the Giants 9-7 lead which they gave away in the top of the 7'th. Is Munguia a sleeper in the system?
Jorge Soler DH- 2 for 2. Soler singled twice in his preseason debut. The hits were a sharp grounder up the middle and a looper that he was off-balance and reaching for but used his strength to muscle it over SS.
Cooper Hummel PR/DH- 2 for 2, 2B. BA= .667. Giants DH's went 4 for 4. Hot Stove League acquisition who is listed as a C but played more games at 1B and RF last season in the Mariners organization. He is a switch-hitter giving him near max versatility.
Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 1 for 3, HR(1). BA= .250. Fitz hit a grand slam HR in the 5'th inning to tie the game at 7.
Joey Bart C- 2 for 2. BA- .667. Bart is off to a hot start at the plate. Should note the Angels stole 5 bases on the afternoon. 3 off Bart and 2 off Sabol. The SB's were off 5 different pitchers. Something to keep an eye on.
Wade Meckler CF- 1 for 3, 3B. BA= .143. The Triple went to CF so he must have put a charge into it.
Mason Black RHP- 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K, GO/AO= 3/2. Not a great line until you look at some others from the day. We'll call it rookie jitters since he came back with a scoreless second inning.
Ethan Small LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. Dominant appearance for the lefty competing for a lefty reliever roster spot.
Trevor McDonald RHP- 0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 0 K. We'll call this one rookie jitters too. Remember McDonald has not pitched above A+ ball.
Camilo Doval RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. Spring debut for the Giants Closer.
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The Giants signed Nick Ahmed SS to a minor league deal. Ahmed has struggled with injuries and a weak bat for several years now but is still a plus defender at SS per Fangraphs. Is he a better option for a reserve MI role than Tyler Fitzgerald, just to name one?
The Brandon Crawford era is officially over in San Francisco and what an era! Crawford is by far the best Giants SS in my memory and I go back to 1965. He might be the best in franchise history. Starting SS for two World Series winners. Signed with the Cardinals today. Wish him the best but it will be a bit tough to see him wearing another uniform.
Reggie Crawford LHP and Thomas Szapucki LHP were reassigned to minor league camp. Neither are expected to make the Giants Opening Day roster.
Ahmed? What’s the plan? Either FZ is basically thinking about keeping him at the major league level — above younger players like Fitz — or stashing him in AAA, which only serves to take a roster spot from a young prospect with at least some future upside. Not a good look?
ReplyDeleteThe Giants dearly need Ethan Small or Eric Miller from the left side to be a revelation this year like Ryan Walker last year.. I guess the Ahmed moves is no lose but he seems like a totally worthless player, is not a Lefty bat needed for the iF, and can not be considered as a replacement for a likely to be hurt/struggling Luciano ...and announced on the same day as Crawford signs elsewhere? Bad all around in my book..FZ and his "I think I m smarter than everybody but results prove otherwise"" damn churn
ReplyDeleteOn the bright side, loved Harrison's outing from 2 days ago!
SteveVA
It appears Small has taken an early lead in the lefty RP race.
DeleteMy MAIN worry the past few months has been the pathetic shape FZ has left the rotation for, at the least, the first 5 months of the season...Webb and nothing but question marks...A converted closer and a boat load of exciting but likely to be hurt and/or inadequate (at times, at least) youngsters...and all with likley inning/pitch counts..Winn has already been hurt...now supposedly back but when does his next injury happen? and now word about TRSITAN BECK? ----- "Giants right-hander Tristan Beck has left the team’s spring complex and is traveling back to San Francisco to undergo testing after experiencing discomfort in his right hand, the team announced to reporters (X link via Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). The team will provide further updates in the coming days.".....It has the potential to be a HUGE clusterfudge from Day 1.......Now, you don't sign Snell/Monty/Lorenzen/??? to long term contracts just becasue of an injury (ies)..but another starter should have been part of a plan from the beginning...FZ and the Gants getting caught with his pants down is definetely a possibility
ReplyDeleteSteveVA
I have said all along the Giants need at least one more reliable SP to start the season.
DeleteCan Ethan Small start?
ReplyDeleteProbably not. He's had command/control issues which would likely catch up to him as a SP.
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