The Giants enter the spring training exhibition season with surprisingly few positional uncertainties. The starting players for all eight postions appear to be set. At least 4 of the 5 SP's seem set as well as 7 RP's. That leaves just up to 5 reserve positions including DH, 1 SP and 1 RP for the rest of the roster to compete for. So where are the question marks?
Will everybody remain in The Best Shape Of Their Life through the end of spring training? The biggest health question marks as we approach live games are in no particular order Tom Murphy C(already in the training room), Wilmer Flores 1B/DH, Jung Hoo Lee CF, Mike Yastrzemski OF, Justin Verlander SP, Robbie Ray SP, Keaton Winn RHP. Of course injuries can hit any player at any time, but these are the ones I am kind of holding my breath on. As always, the #1 goal of spring training is to get to Opening Day with the roster intact.
Who is the #5 Starting Pitcher? Logan Webb RHP, Justin Verlander RHP, Robbie Ray LHP and Jordan Hicks RHP are all but named to the rotation. It appears the #5 spot is Kyle Harrison LHPs to lose. Other in the competition include Hayden Birdsong RHP, Landon Roupp RHP and Keaton Winn RHP if he is healthy.
Who is the 8'th member of the bullpen? Ryan Walker RHP(CL), Camilo Doval RHP, Tyler Rogers RHP, Sean Hjelle RHP and Erik Miller LHP appear to be locks. Less certain are Spencer Bivens RHP and Randy Rodriguez RHP but they appear to have the inside track. The last spot is most likely reserved for a LHP. Bob Melvin says he is looking for a lefty pitcher who can go multiple innings. That seems to be a signal that Joey Lucchesi LHP is the man until proven otherwise, but Tristan Beck RHP and Landon Roupp RHP will make their cases. Options, or lack thereof do not seem to be an issue except for Lucchesi.
Who is the back up catcher? We've discussed this in depth in a previous post. If it's Murphy, I hope the Giants find some way to keep Sam Huff in the organization.
Is there room on the roster for both Wilmer Flores and Jerar Encarnacion? When facing LHP's, Wilmer can play 1B and Jerar can DH, but what about against RHP's? LMWJ would play 1B so would you rather have Jerar or Wilmer at DH? If your answer neither and you want a LH bat, then Jake Lamb seems to be the guy and there is definitely not room for Wilmer, Jerar and Lamb.
Who is the reserve middle infielder? Assuming Fitz is the starting 2B the options are Casey Schmitt, Osleivis Basabe and Brett Wisely. Since Adames and Fitz both hit RH, a LH batter would be ideal but Wisely has had a couple of seasons to show he can hit at the MLB level and has not done so. I am curious to see if Schmitt's apparent improved plate discipline is sustained but Basabe is probably the better fielder at SS and therefore more versatile.
Will all 5 positional bench players bat right handed? Probably not ideal which would tend to favor at least one of Wisely, Lamb or Grant McCray making the team.
So here's how it shakes out:
Starting Position Players:
Was the omission of David Villar intentional?
ReplyDeleteI think it's pretty clear that David Villar does not fit into the Giants plans barring multiple injuries to players ahead of him on the depth charts. I guess another Burning Question for spring training is will he get enough playing time to build some trade value?
DeleteAgreed. He's a better stick than Lamb or Flores.
DeleteAlso, a prediction. Hicks is out of the rotation by May and DFAed or IRed by July. Birdsong and Harrison each have breakout seasons.
Hicks had a guaranteed contract until 2027 at $11 million per year. They will not DFA him and $11 million is too high for a reliever. He has most value as a starter so they will give him every opportunity to start.
DeleteWhat will happen to the one of Kyle Harrison or Hayden Birdsong (or both) that is not SP 5? Join the 3 Bullpen guys who don't make Game One?
ReplyDeleteOf course, perhaps not all the Chosen above will be healthy, or could a trade be coming?
I would think AAA assignment for Harrison or Birdsong if they don't make the #5 SP slot.
DeleteJordan Hicks starting rotation experiment needs to end and he shouldn’t be in the rotation over Harrison. Also, I’d prefer the young guys over Hicks. I think Giants just view Hicks as someone who starts the season as a starter while having to expectations at all of him finishing the season as a starter. In fact, I suspect they hope or expect one of the young guys to be in his rotation spot by the end of the year. Hicks just isn’t a starter and gaining muscle weight over the off-season isn’t going to change that. He’s getting close to 30 and he has spent nearly he entire 20’s as a bullpen reliever with limited innings and pitch counts. He relies on a triple digit fastball. The human body is what it is. I knew he would get injured and be gassed last year. And I see that again in his future. No muscle weight is going to change that. Just like how people were trying to hype up horrible Farhan signing Murphy for being in good shape for an older injury prone baseball player then immediately getting hurt, showing how much that “good shape” helped prevent him from getting injured.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in addition to getting bigger and stronger, HIcks needs to adjust his approach to pitching if he is going to be a starter but I am not ready to write him off as such just yet. He was very good until he ran out of gas last year. If he can keep that going longer, he is an asset to the rotation and the team. I don't see him blocking Harrison who I believe is the presumptive #5 SP barring injury or extremely poor spring performance. Birdsong may have to start the season in AAA and serve as a depth option.
DeleteG's have 3 legit power arm controlled closers in Hicks, Walker, and (yeah - I know) Doval.
DeleteI expect an eventual trade (probably packaged with one the young arms) with a team that desperately needs pitching for a serious MLB bat.
The only problem with this theory is neither Hicks nor the Giants consider him a closer. He's a SP in their eyes.
Deletenote that Adames hit 28 of 32 HRs v RHPs, with OPS gap of more than .200 and career-long that gap by him is around .100
ReplyDeleteDon’t forget about Wade Meckler. Great bat to ball skills and looks like he is developing some power. Talk about working him at 2B and he hits left.
ReplyDeleteBob Melvin was quoted today as saying Meckler will work exclusively in the OF this spring. I would say he is the longest of longshots to make the Opening Day roster. I do hope he continues to show power and gets another opportunity down the line.
DeleteLanden Roupp gets the start against the Rangers Saturday afternoon
ReplyDeleteGonna be there, Doc?
i was thinking about that today. I wish I could be there too.
DeleteOnly a long day-trip away? Or overnight, catch 2 games...
Delete