First base is not a huge need for the Giants what with Brandon Belt around and having trouble breaking in. Both Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey could move to 1B in the future too. The system is a bit thin at first base in the lower minors, so if the BPA happens to be a first baseman, no harm in pulling the trigger. Here's how BA ranks them in terms of talent by round:
First Round:
CJ Cron, Utah- .448/.520/.855, 14 HR's. I'm always suspicious of offensive numbers from the mountain west, but the scouts seem to think Cron is the real-deal calling him the best hitter in the draft. He moved off catcher this year due to injuries and will probably stay at first base. Not a great defensive player at any position, but if you have the best bat in the draft it may not matter. I've seen one mock draft with Cron going to the Giants at #29, but most of them have him going earlier.
Supplemental Round:
2. Ricky Oropesa, USC- .322/.402/.481, 7 HR, 3 SB, 2 CS. I work with Ricky's mom, so am a huge fan. He has enormous raw power and hit for both power and average his first two years at USC. He led the Cape Cod League in HR's with 7, but his BA was near the Mendoza line. He has tended to strike out a lot. He was not able to get a BBCOR bat of the size he is used to until a month into the college season this year. He also tried a more controlled approach at the plate with more of a line drive swing that he had some trouble adjusting to so his numbers this year were a bit disappointing. One thing about Ricky that is not well know is he probably could have been a pitching prospect too. BA rates his arm as the best of any position player in the draft. That's why there is still a thought that he could play 3B or even corner OF. He does have some speed, probably enough to play corner OF, but it's not his biggest plus by far. I would be happy if the Giants took Ricky in the Supplemental round although I'm not sure he fits the profile of the type of player the Giants are looking for that high in the draft and pitching is a bigger organizational need.
3. Aaron Westlake, Vanderbilt- .354/.467/.624, 14 HR. Westlake is probably a better all-around hitter than Oropesa but does not have Ricky's power potential, IMO. He's a good defensive first baseman. He would be a solid selection in the supplemental round with the same disclaimers about the Giants MO and organizational needs.
Second Round: None
Third/Fourth Rounds:
4. Dan Vogelbach, HS- Kid looks like the Pillsbury Doughboy but has prodigious power and is a much better athlete than he looks like. Would the success the Giants have had with Pablo Sandoval make them less afraid of Vogelbach's size?
5. Cody Stubbs, JC- No info.
Fifth/Sixth Rounds:
Nick Ramirez, CS Fullerton- .286/.386/.500, 9 HR's Kind of a sleeper type. Could be a steal this late in the draft.
Overall it's an extremely thin year for corner players in general and first basemen in particular. A team might want to reach for the top 2 or 3 if there is an organizational need, otherwise it might be better to punt the category this year and concentrate on other positions, like pitching for instance.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Down on the Farm: 6/4//2011
AAA Fresno Grizzlies postponed due to weather.
AA Richmond Flying Squirrels edged the Reading Phillies 3-2:
Charlie Culberson(2B)- 1 for 4, 2B. BA= 276.
Roger Kieschnick(RF)- 2 for 4. BA= .241.
Justin Fitzgerald(RHP)- 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 2.93.
Dan Otero(RHP)- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save(1). ERA= 1.56.
Culberson holding steady. Kieschnick's BA is slowly on the rise.
San Jose Giants postponed due to weather.
Low A Asheville Tourists beat the Augusta Greenjackets 10-5:
Raynor Campbell(CF)- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB. BA= .250.
Adam Duvall(3B)- 2 for 3, 2 HR(14), 2 BB. BA= .251.
Jeff Arnold(C)- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .215.
Duvall leads the organization in HR's by a significant margin.
DSL Giants downed the Blue Jays 4-2:
Alberto Robles(2B-3B, 20 yo)- 2 for 3, 3B. BA= .385.
Hector Mercedes(RF, 19 yo)- 2 for 4. BA= .300.
Luis Vasquez(C, 20 yo)- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .316.
Carlos Cartegena(LF, 17 yo)- 2 for 4. BA=.143.
Marvin Barrios(RHP, 18 yo)- 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 0.00.
Barrios was a 6 figure bonus baby last year. Cartegena from this year.
AA Richmond Flying Squirrels edged the Reading Phillies 3-2:
Charlie Culberson(2B)- 1 for 4, 2B. BA= 276.
Roger Kieschnick(RF)- 2 for 4. BA= .241.
Justin Fitzgerald(RHP)- 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 2.93.
Dan Otero(RHP)- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save(1). ERA= 1.56.
Culberson holding steady. Kieschnick's BA is slowly on the rise.
San Jose Giants postponed due to weather.
Low A Asheville Tourists beat the Augusta Greenjackets 10-5:
Raynor Campbell(CF)- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB. BA= .250.
Adam Duvall(3B)- 2 for 3, 2 HR(14), 2 BB. BA= .251.
Jeff Arnold(C)- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .215.
Duvall leads the organization in HR's by a significant margin.
DSL Giants downed the Blue Jays 4-2:
Alberto Robles(2B-3B, 20 yo)- 2 for 3, 3B. BA= .385.
Hector Mercedes(RF, 19 yo)- 2 for 4. BA= .300.
Luis Vasquez(C, 20 yo)- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .316.
Carlos Cartegena(LF, 17 yo)- 2 for 4. BA=.143.
Marvin Barrios(RHP, 18 yo)- 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 0.00.
Barrios was a 6 figure bonus baby last year. Cartegena from this year.
Game Wrap 6/4/2011: Rockies 2 Giants 1
When you play as many close, low-scoring games as the Giants you are going to lose a few like this. It's still frustrating to waste a good pitching performance, especially when the difference is an unearned run. Key Lines:
Cody Ross- 1 for 4, HR(5). BA= .276. Ross is hot, but no one else helped him out today except Nate who reached base a couple of times.
Madison Bumgarner- 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K's. ERA= 3.42. Bum has pitched 8 consecutive Quality Starts with an ERA of 2.02 in that span. He just might be the Giants #2 starter right now. The W-L is not at all indicative of how he has pitched and is due to atrocious run support.
With the Loss, the Giants again exchange places with the Arizona D'Backs who moved into first place in the NL West by 0.5 games with a 2-0 win over the Nats. The Rockies gained 0.5 games on first place to 5 games behind with the Win. The Dodgers outslugged the Reds 12-8 to also gain 0.5 games to 6 back. The Pesky Padres won again 6-3 over the 'Stros to also gain 0.5 games on the lead to 7 back in last place.
Ryan Vogelsong tries to keep the magic going tomorrow against Jason Hammel tomorrow afternoon.
Bad news for Brandon Belt who had an MRI that revealed a fracture in his wrist that was not seen on plain X-ray right after the HBP. He'll be out for about 1 month. Conor Gillaspie gets the callup. It will be interesting to see how Gillaspie is used and how much PT he will get. I believe he has only played 3B in the minors.
Cody Ross- 1 for 4, HR(5). BA= .276. Ross is hot, but no one else helped him out today except Nate who reached base a couple of times.
Madison Bumgarner- 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K's. ERA= 3.42. Bum has pitched 8 consecutive Quality Starts with an ERA of 2.02 in that span. He just might be the Giants #2 starter right now. The W-L is not at all indicative of how he has pitched and is due to atrocious run support.
With the Loss, the Giants again exchange places with the Arizona D'Backs who moved into first place in the NL West by 0.5 games with a 2-0 win over the Nats. The Rockies gained 0.5 games on first place to 5 games behind with the Win. The Dodgers outslugged the Reds 12-8 to also gain 0.5 games to 6 back. The Pesky Padres won again 6-3 over the 'Stros to also gain 0.5 games on the lead to 7 back in last place.
Ryan Vogelsong tries to keep the magic going tomorrow against Jason Hammel tomorrow afternoon.
Bad news for Brandon Belt who had an MRI that revealed a fracture in his wrist that was not seen on plain X-ray right after the HBP. He'll be out for about 1 month. Conor Gillaspie gets the callup. It will be interesting to see how Gillaspie is used and how much PT he will get. I believe he has only played 3B in the minors.
Scouting the Draft: Ranking the Catchers
Two weeks ago, I would have said catcher is the least of the Giants worries and they should not even consider drafting one early. All that has, obviously, changed dramatically. I'm not advocating drafting a catcher thinking he's going to enable the Giants to move Buster Posey to another position next year or to take his place if, God forbid, he's not able to come back at all. It's just that if there is a catcher who is the BPA at any given draft slot, you take him because much like pitching, you can never have too much catching in your system. Here's a rundown of BA's catcher rankings by round of talent level with my own comments:
First Round:
1. Blake Swihart, HS- Athletic catcher on the smallish side at 6'0", 175 lbs. May be more of a third baseman. Led Team USA in batting. Switch-hitter.
2. Austin Hedges, HS- Top defensive catcher prospect in the draft. Some scouts doubt his offense will develop.
3. Andrew Susac, Oregon State- .320/.453/.552, 5 HR. Might be available at #29 and I've seen at least on mock draft that has him going to the Giants there. Seems to be a pretty good all-around talent, but not a standout in any one area.
Supplemental Round: None
Second Round:
4. Brett Austin, HS- Switch-hitter with some power. 6'1", 190 lbs. Not athletic so has to make it at catcher.
5. Cam Gallagher, HS- 6'3", 210 lbs. Average hit tool with plus power who might stick at catcher.
6. Nick Delmonico, HS- More of an offensive catcher who might not stick at the position. One early mock draft had him going to the Giants in round 1.
Third/Fourth Rounds:
Peter O'Brien, Bethune Cookman- .308/.384/.564, 14 HR. Love the power here. Might be too tall at 6'5", 225 lbs.
8. James McCann, Arkansas- .308/.393/.477, 6 HR, 9 SB, 6 CS. Nice size at 6'3", 210.
Fifth/Sixth Round:
9. Riley Moore, HS- No info.
10. John Hicks, Virginia- .340/.382/.519, 7 HR, 5 SB, 4 CS. 6'2", 205 lbs. Has played multiple positions.
11. Pratt Maynard, NC State- .328/.418/.482, 5 HR. 6'0" 220 lbs. I like catchers with a low center of gravity.
12. Jake Lowery, James Madison- .364/.450/.808, 23 HR. 6'0", 200 lbs. This guy might be worth a flyer in rounds 5 or 6 on his college offensive stats alone. No scouting report, but that's some mighty impressive hitting. Lefthanded bat to boot.
13. Aramis Garcia, HS- No info.
It's generally not a good idea to take catchers high unless they have overwhelming talent and I don't see anyone here who fits that description, so it's hard to see any of them being the BPA in the first 2 rounds. Lowery's numbers intrigue me, although I'm sure there is a reason he is ranked in the 5'th/6'th rounds by BA.
First Round:
1. Blake Swihart, HS- Athletic catcher on the smallish side at 6'0", 175 lbs. May be more of a third baseman. Led Team USA in batting. Switch-hitter.
2. Austin Hedges, HS- Top defensive catcher prospect in the draft. Some scouts doubt his offense will develop.
3. Andrew Susac, Oregon State- .320/.453/.552, 5 HR. Might be available at #29 and I've seen at least on mock draft that has him going to the Giants there. Seems to be a pretty good all-around talent, but not a standout in any one area.
Supplemental Round: None
Second Round:
4. Brett Austin, HS- Switch-hitter with some power. 6'1", 190 lbs. Not athletic so has to make it at catcher.
5. Cam Gallagher, HS- 6'3", 210 lbs. Average hit tool with plus power who might stick at catcher.
6. Nick Delmonico, HS- More of an offensive catcher who might not stick at the position. One early mock draft had him going to the Giants in round 1.
Third/Fourth Rounds:
Peter O'Brien, Bethune Cookman- .308/.384/.564, 14 HR. Love the power here. Might be too tall at 6'5", 225 lbs.
8. James McCann, Arkansas- .308/.393/.477, 6 HR, 9 SB, 6 CS. Nice size at 6'3", 210.
Fifth/Sixth Round:
9. Riley Moore, HS- No info.
10. John Hicks, Virginia- .340/.382/.519, 7 HR, 5 SB, 4 CS. 6'2", 205 lbs. Has played multiple positions.
11. Pratt Maynard, NC State- .328/.418/.482, 5 HR. 6'0" 220 lbs. I like catchers with a low center of gravity.
12. Jake Lowery, James Madison- .364/.450/.808, 23 HR. 6'0", 200 lbs. This guy might be worth a flyer in rounds 5 or 6 on his college offensive stats alone. No scouting report, but that's some mighty impressive hitting. Lefthanded bat to boot.
13. Aramis Garcia, HS- No info.
It's generally not a good idea to take catchers high unless they have overwhelming talent and I don't see anyone here who fits that description, so it's hard to see any of them being the BPA in the first 2 rounds. Lowery's numbers intrigue me, although I'm sure there is a reason he is ranked in the 5'th/6'th rounds by BA.
Down on the Farm: 6/3//2011
AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox defeated the Fresno Grizzlies 5-3:
Thomas Neal(LF)- 1 for 2, 2 BB. BA= .378.
Tyler Graham(CF)- 2 for 4, 3B, SB(26). BA= .272.
Dan Runzler(LHP)- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 0.00.
Marc Kroon(RHP)- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. ERA= 2.95.
Runzler started, but didn't stay in very long. Kroon has a 2.08 ERA over his last 10 appearances, 9 K's and 4 BB's in 8.2 IP.
AA Reading Phillies blanked the Richmond Flylng Squirrels 5-0:
Eric Surkamp(LHP)- 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 1.92.
David Quinowski(LHP)- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. ERA= 2.10.
Off night for Surkamp.
A+ San Jose Giants crushed the Visalia Rawhide 13-1:
Gary Brown(DH)- 3 for 6, HR(6). BA= .368.
Francisco Peguero(CF)- 4 for 5. BA= .500.
Pablo Sandoval(3B)- 0 for 3. BA= .000.
Ryan Cavan(2B)- 2 for 4, 2B, HBP. BA= .277.
Hector Sanchez(C)- 3 for 5. BA= .304.
Carter Jurica(SS)- 4 for 5, HR(3). BA= .241.
Craig Westcott(RHP)- 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 2.40.
Brown's dinger was a grand slam. I assume this is a rehab assignment for Peguero, but it looks like he and Brown are on a collision course for CF in Richmond. Gotta think Brown has the lead for the position in the long run, so Peguero would be the one to move to a corner. Great to just see Pablo's name in a box score again. Love what we're seeing from Hector Sanchez this year.
Low A Asheville Tourists bombed the Augusta Greenjackets 13-5:
Carlos Willoughby(2B)- 2 for 5, 2B. BA= .284.
Ryan Lollis(RF)- 1 for 4, HR(1). BA= .375.
Rafael Rodriguez(LF)- 3 for 3, BB. BA= .255.
Chris Lofton(CF)- 1 for 3, BB, SB(8). BA= .257.
Mike Kickham(LHP)- 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 5.11.
Brett Bochy(RHP)- 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K. ERA= 2.79.
Seth Rosin(RHP)- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 3.83.
McKenzie Dickerson(LF, Tourists)- 3 for 3, 3 HR(12), 2 SF, 10 RBI's. BA= .283 with 12 HR's.
Haven't called RafRod's name for awhile. That's good to see. Kickham and Melonhead Jr. had rough outings. Rosin gets used 2 games in a row. They aren't making a reliever out of him, are they? I would be disappointed in that. Never heard of Dickerson before but the Rockies seem to keep coming up with great hitting prospects. He was drafted out of JC last year and has put up big numbers so far.
DSL Giants topped the Phillies 4-3:
Alberto Robles(3B, 20 yo)- 2 for 4, 2B, SB(3). BA= .348.
Randy Ortiz(CF, 17 yo)- 1 for 2, BB, 3 SB(4). BA= .214.
Adalberto Mejia(LHP, 17 yo)- 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 0.82.
Mejia was signed as a FA this offseason. He's listed at 6'3", 195 lbs. He's had two good starts now with an overall line of 0-0, 0.82, 11 IP, 1 BB, 10 K's. Definitely someone to keep an eye on.
Side note: When I was looking up Brandon Crawford's minor league numbers, I clicked onto Evan Crawford's stat page. He was the kid I was pretty high on who the Giants traded for Mike Fontenot. Well, he's currently assigned to the Cubs high A team in the Florida State League and has a line of .345/.412/.460 with 13 SB's. Not begrudging the trade because Fonty helped win a WS, but I think Evan Crawford is going to have a decent career.
Thomas Neal(LF)- 1 for 2, 2 BB. BA= .378.
Tyler Graham(CF)- 2 for 4, 3B, SB(26). BA= .272.
Dan Runzler(LHP)- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 0.00.
Marc Kroon(RHP)- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. ERA= 2.95.
Runzler started, but didn't stay in very long. Kroon has a 2.08 ERA over his last 10 appearances, 9 K's and 4 BB's in 8.2 IP.
AA Reading Phillies blanked the Richmond Flylng Squirrels 5-0:
Eric Surkamp(LHP)- 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 1.92.
David Quinowski(LHP)- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. ERA= 2.10.
Off night for Surkamp.
A+ San Jose Giants crushed the Visalia Rawhide 13-1:
Gary Brown(DH)- 3 for 6, HR(6). BA= .368.
Francisco Peguero(CF)- 4 for 5. BA= .500.
Pablo Sandoval(3B)- 0 for 3. BA= .000.
Ryan Cavan(2B)- 2 for 4, 2B, HBP. BA= .277.
Hector Sanchez(C)- 3 for 5. BA= .304.
Carter Jurica(SS)- 4 for 5, HR(3). BA= .241.
Craig Westcott(RHP)- 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 2.40.
Brown's dinger was a grand slam. I assume this is a rehab assignment for Peguero, but it looks like he and Brown are on a collision course for CF in Richmond. Gotta think Brown has the lead for the position in the long run, so Peguero would be the one to move to a corner. Great to just see Pablo's name in a box score again. Love what we're seeing from Hector Sanchez this year.
Low A Asheville Tourists bombed the Augusta Greenjackets 13-5:
Carlos Willoughby(2B)- 2 for 5, 2B. BA= .284.
Ryan Lollis(RF)- 1 for 4, HR(1). BA= .375.
Rafael Rodriguez(LF)- 3 for 3, BB. BA= .255.
Chris Lofton(CF)- 1 for 3, BB, SB(8). BA= .257.
Mike Kickham(LHP)- 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 5.11.
Brett Bochy(RHP)- 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K. ERA= 2.79.
Seth Rosin(RHP)- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 3.83.
McKenzie Dickerson(LF, Tourists)- 3 for 3, 3 HR(12), 2 SF, 10 RBI's. BA= .283 with 12 HR's.
Haven't called RafRod's name for awhile. That's good to see. Kickham and Melonhead Jr. had rough outings. Rosin gets used 2 games in a row. They aren't making a reliever out of him, are they? I would be disappointed in that. Never heard of Dickerson before but the Rockies seem to keep coming up with great hitting prospects. He was drafted out of JC last year and has put up big numbers so far.
DSL Giants topped the Phillies 4-3:
Alberto Robles(3B, 20 yo)- 2 for 4, 2B, SB(3). BA= .348.
Randy Ortiz(CF, 17 yo)- 1 for 2, BB, 3 SB(4). BA= .214.
Adalberto Mejia(LHP, 17 yo)- 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 0.82.
Mejia was signed as a FA this offseason. He's listed at 6'3", 195 lbs. He's had two good starts now with an overall line of 0-0, 0.82, 11 IP, 1 BB, 10 K's. Definitely someone to keep an eye on.
Side note: When I was looking up Brandon Crawford's minor league numbers, I clicked onto Evan Crawford's stat page. He was the kid I was pretty high on who the Giants traded for Mike Fontenot. Well, he's currently assigned to the Cubs high A team in the Florida State League and has a line of .345/.412/.460 with 13 SB's. Not begrudging the trade because Fonty helped win a WS, but I think Evan Crawford is going to have a decent career.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Game Wrap 6/3/2011: Giants 3 Rockies 1
The Giants mounted a 3 run rally in the fourth inning against Rockies rookie pitcher Juan Nicasio and the pitching made it stand up for a 3-1 victory over their division rivals. Key LInes:
Emmanuel Burriss- 3 for 4. BA= .333. Burriss played 3B tonight. He didn't score or drive in a run but 3 for 4 is almost certainly more than what the Giants would have gotten out of Miggy T.
Cody Ross- 2 for 3, 2 2B. BA= .276. Ross was the linchpin of the Giants offense tonight driving in 2 runs and scoring 1. He's on one of the hot streaks he is known for with 10 hits in 20 AB's over his last 5 games. Diggin' the shoes too! Maybe Cody doesn't mean anything when he flips his bat but don't try to tell me he's not a hot dog. The shoes said it all tonight!
Brandon Crawford- 1 for 2, 2B, BB. BA= .292. Crawford grew up in a family of Giants fans and attended many games as a young fan in AT&T Park. Tonight, his family was in the stands watching and got a big thrill when he drove in the insurance run with a double down the RF line that hit flush at the base of the foul pole. The BB was intentional. His first AB, that ended in a flyout, was prolonged allowing him to see all of Nicasio's pitches and I'm sure it helped him in his subsequent AB. I really like what I'm seeing of Crawford. He's hit very well, but hasn't gone unconscious like some rooks do. This actually looks sustainable. I'm sure there will be rough spots, but he looks like he's for real in the long run. BTW, Brandon's mother is a very charming lady who even caught a foul ball tonight that the TV cameras showed.
Matt Cain- 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 7 K's. ERA= 3.64. Cainer just pounded the zone with fastballs with great location. They are still scratching their heads over at fangraphs.com over how Cain in particular and Giants pitchers in general have such a low HR/FB ratio. They scoffed at me for saying it's all about fastball command and not giving in to the hitters. Dave Cameron interviewed Rags this spring and claims that Rags denied telling his pitchers to not give in to hitters. Well, on the postgame press conference, somebody asked Bochy about the 4 walks. His response was the walks can be strategic. It's not that they are trying to walk batters to pitch around them. They are trying to get them out, but they insist that the hitter hit the pitcher's pitch. If it misses and the batter walks, it's not what they wanted, but it's also not the end of the world and they just go after the next batter the same way. After watching literally hundreds of Giants games over the years, it's so obvious. I don't know exactly how Cameron asked the question or exactly what Rags' response was because Cameron has not posted a transcript of the interview, but I guarantee you, the reason why Giants pitchers can suppress HR/FB is due to fastball velocity, command and refusing to give in to hitters.
Javier Lopez- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 2.61. Lopez dominated the 8'th inning against the heart of the Rockies' lineup which happened to include 2 LH batters. He made the lefties look silly and Tulo was out on a soft flyball to Torres.
Brian Wilson- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, Save(16). ERA= 3.12. Wilson added his familiar drama. He was just barely missing with the two seam fastball, the 4 seamer was sailing high, so he chucked those and got the last two batters out with the cutter breaking back over the arm side corner of the plate. Wow! Dude has 3 different fastballs. 2 weren't working, but the one he did have was was unhittable.
With the W, the Giants stayed 0.5 games up on the D'Backs who blanked the Nats 4-0. With the Loss, the Rockies dropped 5.5 games behind the pacesetting Giants. The Dodgers lost to the Reds 2-1 to slip 6.5 games behind. The Pesky Padres topped the 'Stros 3-1 to stay 7.5 games back in last place in the NL West.
Madison Bumgarner takes the mound tomorrow afternoon against Jhoulys Chacin who can be a tough customer himself.
Emmanuel Burriss- 3 for 4. BA= .333. Burriss played 3B tonight. He didn't score or drive in a run but 3 for 4 is almost certainly more than what the Giants would have gotten out of Miggy T.
Cody Ross- 2 for 3, 2 2B. BA= .276. Ross was the linchpin of the Giants offense tonight driving in 2 runs and scoring 1. He's on one of the hot streaks he is known for with 10 hits in 20 AB's over his last 5 games. Diggin' the shoes too! Maybe Cody doesn't mean anything when he flips his bat but don't try to tell me he's not a hot dog. The shoes said it all tonight!
Brandon Crawford- 1 for 2, 2B, BB. BA= .292. Crawford grew up in a family of Giants fans and attended many games as a young fan in AT&T Park. Tonight, his family was in the stands watching and got a big thrill when he drove in the insurance run with a double down the RF line that hit flush at the base of the foul pole. The BB was intentional. His first AB, that ended in a flyout, was prolonged allowing him to see all of Nicasio's pitches and I'm sure it helped him in his subsequent AB. I really like what I'm seeing of Crawford. He's hit very well, but hasn't gone unconscious like some rooks do. This actually looks sustainable. I'm sure there will be rough spots, but he looks like he's for real in the long run. BTW, Brandon's mother is a very charming lady who even caught a foul ball tonight that the TV cameras showed.
Matt Cain- 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 7 K's. ERA= 3.64. Cainer just pounded the zone with fastballs with great location. They are still scratching their heads over at fangraphs.com over how Cain in particular and Giants pitchers in general have such a low HR/FB ratio. They scoffed at me for saying it's all about fastball command and not giving in to the hitters. Dave Cameron interviewed Rags this spring and claims that Rags denied telling his pitchers to not give in to hitters. Well, on the postgame press conference, somebody asked Bochy about the 4 walks. His response was the walks can be strategic. It's not that they are trying to walk batters to pitch around them. They are trying to get them out, but they insist that the hitter hit the pitcher's pitch. If it misses and the batter walks, it's not what they wanted, but it's also not the end of the world and they just go after the next batter the same way. After watching literally hundreds of Giants games over the years, it's so obvious. I don't know exactly how Cameron asked the question or exactly what Rags' response was because Cameron has not posted a transcript of the interview, but I guarantee you, the reason why Giants pitchers can suppress HR/FB is due to fastball velocity, command and refusing to give in to hitters.
Javier Lopez- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 2.61. Lopez dominated the 8'th inning against the heart of the Rockies' lineup which happened to include 2 LH batters. He made the lefties look silly and Tulo was out on a soft flyball to Torres.
Brian Wilson- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, Save(16). ERA= 3.12. Wilson added his familiar drama. He was just barely missing with the two seam fastball, the 4 seamer was sailing high, so he chucked those and got the last two batters out with the cutter breaking back over the arm side corner of the plate. Wow! Dude has 3 different fastballs. 2 weren't working, but the one he did have was was unhittable.
With the W, the Giants stayed 0.5 games up on the D'Backs who blanked the Nats 4-0. With the Loss, the Rockies dropped 5.5 games behind the pacesetting Giants. The Dodgers lost to the Reds 2-1 to slip 6.5 games behind. The Pesky Padres topped the 'Stros 3-1 to stay 7.5 games back in last place in the NL West.
Madison Bumgarner takes the mound tomorrow afternoon against Jhoulys Chacin who can be a tough customer himself.
Scouting the Draft: Ranking the Outfielders
Just a couple of years ago, OF was the thinnest position in the Giants organization, by far. Right now, it might be the best stocked The possible conversion of Brandon Belt to OF makes it even more crowded. Still, John Barr has said the Giants will draft the best player available regardless of the position, so if there's an OF who is clearly the better player, there is always room for one more and you can always make trades down the road if you have to. BA separates the OF prospects into CF and Corner OF categories. The Giants have always shown a strong preference for taking the athletic CF types and then moving them to the corner when needed. That's not a bad strategy for a team playing in the NL West where the ballparks demand that OF's cover a lot of ground.
CENTERFIELDERS
First Round:
1. Bubba Starling, HS- A true 5 tool threat as he can hit 95 on the radar guns as a pitcher and has a football scholarship to Nebraska, no less, as a running QB. Some scouts wonder whether his bat will fully develop. Comp is Drew Stubbs of the Cincinnati Reds. Will be tough to sign and there is some risk, but almost a sure thing to be drafted in top 10.
2. George Springer, Connecticut- .361/.462/.644, 12 HR's, 31 SB's, 7 CS. Big guy with power who is athletic enough to stay in CF. Tends to get a long swing that can make him vulnerable on the inside corner. Probably top 10 pick, almost certainly top 15.
3. Mikie Mahtook, LSU- .383/.496/.709, 14 HR, 29 SB, 9 CS. If you are looking for a guy who produced in college, Mahtook is your man. At 6'1", 192 lbs, some scouts worry he could become too big to play CF and he might not have enough bat for a corner. Most mock drafts have him in the 15-25 range but he could fall to the Giants and they may not mind that he's not a true CF. Doubt he goes that low, especially if there is a first round run on position players as is rumored.
Supplemental Round:
4. Jackie Bradley, South Carolina- .259/.361/.468, 6 HR. Bradley was projected as a top 10 or even top 5 pick in pre-season rankings. He had some trouble adjusting to the BBCOR and then injured his left wrist in early May and underwent surgery. This is the type of player the Giants have gone for in rounds 2-5 in the recent past. Whether they would take him as early as #49 in the supplemental round, I don't know. The wrist injury involved ligaments and tendons. The Giants recent experience with Mark Derosa might make them shy away here.
5. Brandon Nimmo, HS- Nimmo is one of the more intriguing figures in the draft. He's from Wyoming, which doesn't have HS baseball, so there is limited game action for scouts to go on. He looks terrific in scouting videos I've seen. I've seen his name all the way from around #20 to the early supplemental rounds. This is purely a scouting pick so who knows?
6. Brian Goodwin, JC- This is a player I keep coming back to as possibly the BPA when the Giants pick. He's a 5 tool player, although none of the tools are really outstanding and he is probably more of a corner OF than CF. He does have a track record which is, again, good but not eye-popping. He hit .291/.409/.511 as a freshman at UNC, which is very good for a college freshman, especially at a major program. He then hit .281/.364/.360 in the Cape Code League which is generally a pretty extreme pitcher's league. He transferred from UNC to JC due for academic reasons and has put up good numbers there. John Klima posted a video on baseballbeginnings.com that looked mighty impressive. Optioned to Fresno posted another video that didn't look so hot as he was way off balance on a lot of his swings, especially off-speed stuff. Most mock drafts have him goint anywhere from #25 to the early supplemental Round. Strong possibility he's available at #29, probably not at #49. Do the Giants take him at #29 and look for pitching later? if they do go hitter, would you take Goodwin over, say, Kolton Wong? I'm very intrigued but not quite sold.
7. Kes Carter, Western Kentucky- .344/.430/.549, 7 HR, 8 SB, 1 CS. 6'2", 205 but with lots of athleticism. Left handed bat who sometimes struggles against LHP's.
8. Williams Jerez, HS- Immigrant from the Dominican Republic. Great frame at 6'4", 190 lbs. Some scouts question his age and bat. This would be purely a scouting pick.
Second Round:
9. Charlie Tilson, HS- Burst onto the scene at the Area Code showcase games where he hit the only HR and stole 7 bases in 3 games. Apparently the HR was a fluke and area scouts are not as high on him as the scouting directors and crosscheckers who saw him at the showcase event.
10. Zach Cone, Georgia- .284/.340/.389, 3 HR, 12 SB, 3 CS. Another guy who was ranked high in the first round in pre-season rankings after he hit .363 in sophomore season. His numbers and stock have taken a major hit this year. He was involved in an OF collision that left a teammate partially paralyzed which seemed to take a psychological toll understandably. Again, the Giants have a recent history of drafting guys like this who fall, so don't be surprised to see his name in Round 2 or 3 if he drops that far.
11. Johnny Eierman, HS- A HS shortstop who will almost certainly move to the OF. Has enough athleticism to play CF. His bat sounds like less than a sure thing.
Third/Fourth Rounds:
12. Keenyn Walker, JC- No info.
13. Shawon Dunston, Jr., HS- Here's a name for you! The Giants have a strong track record of taking care of their own and Dad is certainly part of the Giants family. I have a hard time seeing the Giants pass on Junior if he is there in round 3. My concern is they may reach for him even earlier because of his pedigree. Fortunately, he sounds like a good enough player that a pick as high as the supplemental round probably wouldn't be a disaster.
14. Senquez Golson, HS- No info
15. Jo-El Bennett, HS- No info. I think I've read somewhere that some scouts are pretty high on him, though.
16. Bobby Crocker, Cal Poly- .339/.431/.497, 5 HR's, 9 SB, 3 CS. I'm partial to players from second tier conferences in California, and Crocker seems intriguing.
Fifth/Sixth Rounds:
17. Roman Quinn, HS- No info.
18. Zeke DeVoss, Miami- No info.
19. Drew Martinez, Memphis- .331/.413/.389, 20 SB, 5 CS. A guy I've been tracking all season. A hit and boogie player, AKA slap and dash, with no power to speak of.
20. Ronnie Richardson, Central Florida- No scouting report.
CORNER OUTFIELDERS
First Round:
1. Josh Bell,HS- A huge talent. A switch-hitter with power from both sides of the plate. Has reportedly sent a letter to the MLB Scouting Bureau stating he intends to go to college at Texas. There is some skepticism about this because Scott Boras is his advisor, but I'm pretty sure Boras advised Austin Wilson last year and he ended up at Stanford. I would think this drops him out of the first 5 rounds at least and possibly top 10, unless some team has some inside information that this is a bluff and is willing to pay the price.
2. Alex Dickerson, Indiana- .367/.440/.540, 9 HR. One of the best bats in the draft, but would be a defensive liability even in LF.
3. Dwight Smith, Jr., HS- Has a great bat, but may be a tweener in the field with not enough speed to play CF and not quite enough bat for a corner.
4. Granden Goetzman, HS- Tall angular athlete with Jayson Werth and Jay Buhner as comps. Strong power potential with athleticism.
Second Round:
5. Derek Fisher, HS- Some power potential and athleticism, but has been inconsistent at the plate.
6. Kyle Gaedele, Valpraiso- .312/.417/.511, 7 HR, 23 SB, 4 CS. If this name looks familiar, he is the great-nephew of Eddie Gaedel the 3'7" dude who got 1 AB as a publicity stunt for Bill Veeck. Don't worry, though. This kid is 6'3", 220 lbs. Has enough speed and athleticism for an outside chance at CF. Mixed opinions with projections as high as the supplemental first round and as low as the 4'th round.
7. Larry Greene, HS- 6'2", 235 lbs. One great tool, power! Comp is Russell Branyan. Probably more of an AL type draft pick.
8. Tyler Gibson, HS- Somewhat athletic, projectable body who hit 2 HR's in the World Wood Bat event.
Third/Fourth Rounds:
9. Dante Bichette, Jr., HS- Another kid with pedigree. A chlp off the old block as he is pretty much all bat. Showed prodigious power in the Las Vegas HR contest. Reminds me a lot of Tommy Joseph, so John Barr may see something he likes here.
10. Carl Thomore, HS- One mock draft had him going to the Giants in round 3 or 4. I tried looking him up and couldn't find much. Seems to have some power projection and may be more athletic than some other options in this range.
11. Gabriel Rosa, HS/college?, Puerto Rico- No information.
12. Billy Flamion, HS- Not much info. I seem to remember Klima's reviews were mixed.
13. Jacob Anderson, HS- No info.
14. Bryson Miles, Stephen F. Austin State- .411/.484/.581, 8 HR, 53 SB!, 15 CS. 6'0", 225 lbs. No scouting report but gotta love that stat line.
15. Jason Coats, TCU- .332/.410/534, 8 HR, 8 SB, 2 CS. Good college hitter! HIt .361 in 2010.
16. Aaron Brown, HS- No info.
Fifth/Sixth Rounds:
17. Michael Reed, HS- No info.
18. Preston Tucker, Florida- .308/.382/.504, 10 HR's. Pure college hitter. Hit .331 in 2010. Not sure about his D, but my impression is it would be a liability except at first base where he may not have enough power.
19. Nick Martini, Kansas State- .326/.446/.433, 24 SB, 4 CS. More of a speed guy which makes his listing as a corner OF problematic.
20. Ryan Garvey, HS- No info. Steve Garvey's kid. Slightly taller than the old man, but has the same solid stocky frame and a similar short, strong battng stroke.
21. Mason Robbins, HS- No info
22. Brandon Meredith, San Diego State- .272/.418/.471, 5 HR, 7 SB, 2 CS. I really like this guy as a 6'th or 7'th round pick. I love the size, power, plate discipline, and arm. The big questions are whether he will hit for enough average and whether he has the range for the OF. Reminds me some of Thomas Neal.
CENTERFIELDERS
First Round:
1. Bubba Starling, HS- A true 5 tool threat as he can hit 95 on the radar guns as a pitcher and has a football scholarship to Nebraska, no less, as a running QB. Some scouts wonder whether his bat will fully develop. Comp is Drew Stubbs of the Cincinnati Reds. Will be tough to sign and there is some risk, but almost a sure thing to be drafted in top 10.
2. George Springer, Connecticut- .361/.462/.644, 12 HR's, 31 SB's, 7 CS. Big guy with power who is athletic enough to stay in CF. Tends to get a long swing that can make him vulnerable on the inside corner. Probably top 10 pick, almost certainly top 15.
3. Mikie Mahtook, LSU- .383/.496/.709, 14 HR, 29 SB, 9 CS. If you are looking for a guy who produced in college, Mahtook is your man. At 6'1", 192 lbs, some scouts worry he could become too big to play CF and he might not have enough bat for a corner. Most mock drafts have him in the 15-25 range but he could fall to the Giants and they may not mind that he's not a true CF. Doubt he goes that low, especially if there is a first round run on position players as is rumored.
Supplemental Round:
4. Jackie Bradley, South Carolina- .259/.361/.468, 6 HR. Bradley was projected as a top 10 or even top 5 pick in pre-season rankings. He had some trouble adjusting to the BBCOR and then injured his left wrist in early May and underwent surgery. This is the type of player the Giants have gone for in rounds 2-5 in the recent past. Whether they would take him as early as #49 in the supplemental round, I don't know. The wrist injury involved ligaments and tendons. The Giants recent experience with Mark Derosa might make them shy away here.
5. Brandon Nimmo, HS- Nimmo is one of the more intriguing figures in the draft. He's from Wyoming, which doesn't have HS baseball, so there is limited game action for scouts to go on. He looks terrific in scouting videos I've seen. I've seen his name all the way from around #20 to the early supplemental rounds. This is purely a scouting pick so who knows?
6. Brian Goodwin, JC- This is a player I keep coming back to as possibly the BPA when the Giants pick. He's a 5 tool player, although none of the tools are really outstanding and he is probably more of a corner OF than CF. He does have a track record which is, again, good but not eye-popping. He hit .291/.409/.511 as a freshman at UNC, which is very good for a college freshman, especially at a major program. He then hit .281/.364/.360 in the Cape Code League which is generally a pretty extreme pitcher's league. He transferred from UNC to JC due for academic reasons and has put up good numbers there. John Klima posted a video on baseballbeginnings.com that looked mighty impressive. Optioned to Fresno posted another video that didn't look so hot as he was way off balance on a lot of his swings, especially off-speed stuff. Most mock drafts have him goint anywhere from #25 to the early supplemental Round. Strong possibility he's available at #29, probably not at #49. Do the Giants take him at #29 and look for pitching later? if they do go hitter, would you take Goodwin over, say, Kolton Wong? I'm very intrigued but not quite sold.
7. Kes Carter, Western Kentucky- .344/.430/.549, 7 HR, 8 SB, 1 CS. 6'2", 205 but with lots of athleticism. Left handed bat who sometimes struggles against LHP's.
8. Williams Jerez, HS- Immigrant from the Dominican Republic. Great frame at 6'4", 190 lbs. Some scouts question his age and bat. This would be purely a scouting pick.
Second Round:
9. Charlie Tilson, HS- Burst onto the scene at the Area Code showcase games where he hit the only HR and stole 7 bases in 3 games. Apparently the HR was a fluke and area scouts are not as high on him as the scouting directors and crosscheckers who saw him at the showcase event.
10. Zach Cone, Georgia- .284/.340/.389, 3 HR, 12 SB, 3 CS. Another guy who was ranked high in the first round in pre-season rankings after he hit .363 in sophomore season. His numbers and stock have taken a major hit this year. He was involved in an OF collision that left a teammate partially paralyzed which seemed to take a psychological toll understandably. Again, the Giants have a recent history of drafting guys like this who fall, so don't be surprised to see his name in Round 2 or 3 if he drops that far.
11. Johnny Eierman, HS- A HS shortstop who will almost certainly move to the OF. Has enough athleticism to play CF. His bat sounds like less than a sure thing.
Third/Fourth Rounds:
12. Keenyn Walker, JC- No info.
13. Shawon Dunston, Jr., HS- Here's a name for you! The Giants have a strong track record of taking care of their own and Dad is certainly part of the Giants family. I have a hard time seeing the Giants pass on Junior if he is there in round 3. My concern is they may reach for him even earlier because of his pedigree. Fortunately, he sounds like a good enough player that a pick as high as the supplemental round probably wouldn't be a disaster.
14. Senquez Golson, HS- No info
15. Jo-El Bennett, HS- No info. I think I've read somewhere that some scouts are pretty high on him, though.
16. Bobby Crocker, Cal Poly- .339/.431/.497, 5 HR's, 9 SB, 3 CS. I'm partial to players from second tier conferences in California, and Crocker seems intriguing.
Fifth/Sixth Rounds:
17. Roman Quinn, HS- No info.
18. Zeke DeVoss, Miami- No info.
19. Drew Martinez, Memphis- .331/.413/.389, 20 SB, 5 CS. A guy I've been tracking all season. A hit and boogie player, AKA slap and dash, with no power to speak of.
20. Ronnie Richardson, Central Florida- No scouting report.
CORNER OUTFIELDERS
First Round:
1. Josh Bell,HS- A huge talent. A switch-hitter with power from both sides of the plate. Has reportedly sent a letter to the MLB Scouting Bureau stating he intends to go to college at Texas. There is some skepticism about this because Scott Boras is his advisor, but I'm pretty sure Boras advised Austin Wilson last year and he ended up at Stanford. I would think this drops him out of the first 5 rounds at least and possibly top 10, unless some team has some inside information that this is a bluff and is willing to pay the price.
2. Alex Dickerson, Indiana- .367/.440/.540, 9 HR. One of the best bats in the draft, but would be a defensive liability even in LF.
3. Dwight Smith, Jr., HS- Has a great bat, but may be a tweener in the field with not enough speed to play CF and not quite enough bat for a corner.
4. Granden Goetzman, HS- Tall angular athlete with Jayson Werth and Jay Buhner as comps. Strong power potential with athleticism.
Second Round:
5. Derek Fisher, HS- Some power potential and athleticism, but has been inconsistent at the plate.
6. Kyle Gaedele, Valpraiso- .312/.417/.511, 7 HR, 23 SB, 4 CS. If this name looks familiar, he is the great-nephew of Eddie Gaedel the 3'7" dude who got 1 AB as a publicity stunt for Bill Veeck. Don't worry, though. This kid is 6'3", 220 lbs. Has enough speed and athleticism for an outside chance at CF. Mixed opinions with projections as high as the supplemental first round and as low as the 4'th round.
7. Larry Greene, HS- 6'2", 235 lbs. One great tool, power! Comp is Russell Branyan. Probably more of an AL type draft pick.
8. Tyler Gibson, HS- Somewhat athletic, projectable body who hit 2 HR's in the World Wood Bat event.
Third/Fourth Rounds:
9. Dante Bichette, Jr., HS- Another kid with pedigree. A chlp off the old block as he is pretty much all bat. Showed prodigious power in the Las Vegas HR contest. Reminds me a lot of Tommy Joseph, so John Barr may see something he likes here.
10. Carl Thomore, HS- One mock draft had him going to the Giants in round 3 or 4. I tried looking him up and couldn't find much. Seems to have some power projection and may be more athletic than some other options in this range.
11. Gabriel Rosa, HS/college?, Puerto Rico- No information.
12. Billy Flamion, HS- Not much info. I seem to remember Klima's reviews were mixed.
13. Jacob Anderson, HS- No info.
14. Bryson Miles, Stephen F. Austin State- .411/.484/.581, 8 HR, 53 SB!, 15 CS. 6'0", 225 lbs. No scouting report but gotta love that stat line.
15. Jason Coats, TCU- .332/.410/534, 8 HR, 8 SB, 2 CS. Good college hitter! HIt .361 in 2010.
16. Aaron Brown, HS- No info.
Fifth/Sixth Rounds:
17. Michael Reed, HS- No info.
18. Preston Tucker, Florida- .308/.382/.504, 10 HR's. Pure college hitter. Hit .331 in 2010. Not sure about his D, but my impression is it would be a liability except at first base where he may not have enough power.
19. Nick Martini, Kansas State- .326/.446/.433, 24 SB, 4 CS. More of a speed guy which makes his listing as a corner OF problematic.
20. Ryan Garvey, HS- No info. Steve Garvey's kid. Slightly taller than the old man, but has the same solid stocky frame and a similar short, strong battng stroke.
21. Mason Robbins, HS- No info
22. Brandon Meredith, San Diego State- .272/.418/.471, 5 HR, 7 SB, 2 CS. I really like this guy as a 6'th or 7'th round pick. I love the size, power, plate discipline, and arm. The big questions are whether he will hit for enough average and whether he has the range for the OF. Reminds me some of Thomas Neal.
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