Spring Training Game Wrap: Reds 9 Giants 4

 Not a whole lot to make note of in this stinker of a spring training game.  I hear bus rides out to Goodyear are brutal!  

Wilmer Flores 3B homered in 2 AB.  

Joc Pederson RF makes his Giants debut and goes 0 for 2.  

Heliot Ramos DH doubles and walks in 2 PA's.

Sammy Long LHP gets roughed up for 5 ER in 1.2 IP.  

Sean Hjelle RHP pitches a scoreless 9'th inning with 2 K's.

Gotta say, Kap must have a whole lot of confidence in Joey Bart C as we haven't seen him since the 3'rd inning Friday night.  With the shortened spring training you would think he would be getting as many PA's crammed in as possible.  Hope he's getting in some good work in simulated games.

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

Alex Wood LHP gets the start tomorrow evening against the Brewers facing Adrian Houser RHP.

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

Don't forget, there's still a trade market out there and it's likely to heat up as Opening Day approaches and rosters get crunched.  I hear Kim Ng is looking for a CF for the Marlins.  She wants Bryan Reynolds OF but so does everyone including the Pirates.  I'm thinking a Steven Duggar CF for Garrett Cooper OF/1B is a great match.

Spring Training Game Wrap: Giants 8 Rockies 5

 Tyler Beede's first spring test produced mixed results but the offense scored early and often to secure the Giants first spring win.  

Tyler Beede RHP gave up a leadoff HR to Garrett Hampson and a total of 2 runs on 5 hits in 2 IP.   On the plus side, he reportedly sat 95-96 MPH on the FB and got 6 swinging strikes.  Beede is out of options, fighting for a roster spot and hoping for expanded rosters to start the season, an eventuality the Giants seems to be confident in.

Brett Auerbach's stock is catching serious helium as he moved from catcher to 2B and recorded his second triple in two games.

LaMonte Wade Jr LF stated his case early leading off the game with a double and following that up with a HR.  Just a quick reminder that Wade Jr. had a fWAR of 1.6 last year while Joc Pederson's was 0.6.

Steven Duggar CF hit a HR and made a sensational throw to nab a runner at 3B.  Just a quick reminder Duggar recorded an fWAR of 2.1 last year.  Is there room on the roster for 4 LH hitting OF's?  Maybe with the DH and an expanded roster?

Ricardo Genoves C homered in 2 AB's.  

Alex Blandino 3B went 2 for 2.  

Wyatt Mathisen 1B went 2 for 2 with a 3-run HR.  He signed last last year as a minor league FA.  He may have been one of several the Giants signed to 2 year contracts near the end of last season.  Mathisen hit 23 HR's for the D'Backs organization in 2019, but mostly in Reno, an extreme hitter-friendly environment.

Emmanuel De Jesus LHP pitched a pair of scoreless frames.  The Giants had a LHP prospect named Emmanuel De Jesus a few years ago but I believe this is a different dude.  This guy came up through the Red Sox organization.

Mauricio Llovera RHP struck out 3 batters in 2 IP.  Llovera is a minor league FA signed out of the Phillies Organization.  He recorded a 3.46 ERA for their AAA team last year.

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

Sammy Long LHP takes the mound today against the Reds in Goodyear, AZ.  Joc Pederson OF makes his spring debut while Heliot Ramos OF is slated to hit cleanup as the DH.

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

Check out Roger Munter's Twitter feed for comments and video on Mason Black RHP, the Giants 3'rd round draft pick last year.  Reportedly hit 98 MPH with a nasty breaking ball.  The video shows a perfect pitcher's frame with long, loose arm action.

Spring Training Game Wrap: Cubs 7 Giants 3

I'm not going to hold myself to writing a wrap after every game, but I watched last night's spring opener on mlb-tv streaming for free.  Here are some of the highlights(and a lowlight or two):

Highlight:  Logan Webb RHP was sensational.  5 K's in 2 IP.  Does any pitcher in baseball get more movement on their pitches right now?  FB, slider, changeup, three devastating pitches. Pray for him to stay healthy.  Cy Young Award potential.

Lowlight:  Giants offense did not get a hit until the 8'th inning and didn't look like they were ready to play.  Top four hitters in the starting lineup went a combined 0 for 6 with YtY reaching base with a walk.

Highlight:  Joey Bart C handled Webb's crazy pitches with ease and made reasonably hard contact on a flyout to RF on a night when the ball did not appear to have much carry except maybe down the LF line.

Lowlight:  Bryan Brickhouse RHP and Jhonny Pareda C had a rough night.  Brickhouse gets hard downward plane on the ball but kept spiking it in the dirt around home plate.  Poor Pareda was overmatched.  Krukow seemed to be more critical of Pareda than Brickhouse but Brick got charged with 3 WP's and Pareda no PB's.  Kruk did fill us in nicely on how the Giants teach their catchers to keep one knee on the ground as apparently this creates better framing angles, but it sacrifices lateral mobility.

Highlight:  Raynel Espinal RHP pitched two scoreless frames and was the most impressive of the non-roster pitchers.

Highlight:  Heliot Ramos OF is still built like a stack of bricks but looked like he is in good shape, maybe the best of his life.  He also looked fast on the bases.  

Highlight:  Brett Auerbach C looked agile behind the plate, smoked one into the L-CF gap and ran out a triple on the bases.  

Highlight:  Diego Rincones OF hit the ball hard twice, a GB single up the middle and a smash/carom back at the pitcher for another hit.

Highlight:  Bryce Johnson OF stroked the first hit of the night for the Giants and looked fast on the bases running out a double.

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

Big day for Tyler Beede RHP as he gets the start for the Giants at Talking Stick against the Rockies.

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

Oh, I'm on Twitter now.  My handle is DrBGiantsFan.

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign Another Starting Pitcher

 We'll start off this post with a mea culpa.  After doing some research, I am not able to verify that FZ ever said a RH bat was a Hot Stove priority.  So there's that.

The Giants apparently finished up their Hot Stove League season with another signing which on the surface does not make much sense but there's a twist.  Matthew Boyd LHP is coming off flexor tendon surgery in late September.  His goal is to be ready to pitch again by June 2022.  This means he can be placed on the 60-day IL to start the season and won't be counted as on the 40-man roster.  Of course, this means there will likely be a window sometime midseason when he is ready to pitch and has to be added back on the 40-man and 26 man active roster or be traded or released.  

Matthew Boyd LHP.  DOB:  2/2/1991.  6'3", 234 lbs.  1 yr/$5.2 M with additional $2.3 M in incentives.

2021(Tigers):  3-8, 3.89, 78.2 IP, 7.7 K/9, 2.6 BB/9.

His best season was probably 2019 when he posted a 11.6 K/9 with a 2.4 BB/9.  His effectiveness has been limited by giving up a lot of gofer balls, 39 in 2019.  Comerica Park is generally known to be fairly pitcher-friendly so we can't blame the HR's on home park factors.  With this signing the Giants bank a future option for the starting rotation, perhaps setting up a possible midseason trade of another pitcher.  How the roster maneuvering plays out once Boyd is physically ready may be tricky, though.

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

Remember Jose Godoy?  He's the LH hitting catcher the Giants claimed off waivers from the Mariners just last week.  Well, he got washed along in The Churn with the signing of Joc Pederson.  The Twins immediately claimed him off waivers.  Nice knowin' ya.  Churn on!  

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

Although FZ did not rule out future roster additions if there is a fit, he indicated the Giants Hot Stove season is likely over.  Whether or not FZ ever made a RH bat a priority of if we were all projecting our own analysis onto him, his Hot Stove season feels like it came up just short.  The report that Brandon Crawford reached out to Joc by text message just before he signed is a bit unsettling and seems to imply that FZ and the Giants brass were frustrated with the market.  There are several explanations for why they appeared to come up short in hitting market:

1.  Maybe adding a bat was never the priority we assumed?

2.  The 2021-2022 Hot Stove season turned out to be more of a buyer's market than predicted by many.  Maybe the market was just too hot for FZ's comfort level?

3.  Crawford's outreach to Joc feels like maybe FZ was gunshy about getting turned down again?  Maybe the reputation of the ballpark is too much and hitters just don't want to play their home games in Oracle Park?

If the solution is the trade market, expanded playoffs make it less imperative to win the division which makes getting off to a fast start less of a priority and creates a rationale for delaying a trade until needs become clear as the season progresses.  For example, maybe Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos come on like gangbusters and fill the RH bat need from within?  Maybe Marco Luciano explodes and is ready to launch is MLB career by midseason?

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign.......Joc Pederson?

 Let's for the sake of this discussion ignore the fact that FZ proclaimed back when the ol' hot stove fired up that one of his priorities was finding a RH OF bat, and we'll ignore that two of those potential RH OF bat targets, Kris Bryant and Seiya Suzuki signed with other teams within the last 24 hours or that Freddie Freeman just signed with the Dodgers.  Let's just take a look at the Joc Pederson deal.

Joc Pederson OF.  DOB:  4/21/1992.  B- L, T-L.  6'1", 220 lbs.  1 yr/$6 M.

2021:  .238/310/.422, 18 HR, 0.6 fWAR, 481 PA.

2022(ZIPS):  .240/.318/..466, 23 HR, 1.4 fWAR, 468 PA.

As I have pointed out in previous posts, yes, the Giants already had 3 LH hitting OF's but I also pointed out there is room for an upgrade in that group thus opening the door to a possible LH hitting OF as an upgrade(it's pretty tough to see how the Giants carry 4 LH hitting OF's on the active roster).  So, let's take a look:

YtY:

2021:  .224/.311/.457, 25 HR, 2.2 fWAR, 532 PA.

2022(ZIPS):  .242/.320/.459, 22HR, 1.9 fWAR, 520 PA.

Steven Duggar:

2021:  .257/.330/.437, 8 HR, 7 SB, 2.1 fWAR, 297 PA.

2022(ZIPS):  .243/.310/.387, 8 HR, 10 SB, 1.2 fWAR, 390 PA.

Lamonte Wade Jr:

2021:  .253/.326/.482, 18 HR, 6 SB, 1.6 fWAR, 381 PA.

2022(ZIPS):  .242/.326/.442, 17 HR, 6 SB, 1.0 fWAR, 436 PA.

I just have one question:  Which of these LH hitting OF's already on the team is Joc Pederson a clear upgrade over?

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign Jakob Junis

 The Giants signed Jakob Junis RHP to a major league contract today(1 yr/$1.75 M) but don't have to keep him on the MLB Active Roster because he has an option so they can stash him in AAA until/unless a need arises on the rotation.  He can also be a multi-inning reliever if a need arises for that role.  

Jakob Junis RHP.  DOB:  9/16/1992.  6'3", 220 lbs.  

2021(Royals):  2-4, 5.26, 39.1 IP, 9.38 K/9, 2.75 BB/9, FIP= 4.31, xFIP= 3.88.

I have liked Jakob Junis for awhile now.  I added him to my fantasy baseball team in 2017 and 2018 because of his low WHIP(1.28 and 1.27) combined with adequate K's a W here and there.  His stock dropped off since then mostly due to a high HR/FB.  His peripheral stats were actually quite good last year, a fact I am sure was not lost on FZ's army of number crunchers.  If any coaching staff can help him limit HR's, I would bet on the Giants.  Love the signing.  At worst he can eat some innings if needed during the dog days.

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

Giants DFA'd two pitchers to make room on the 40-man roster for Carlos Rodon LHP and Junis, Hunter Harvey RHP and Caleb Baragar LHP.  Hey!  I'll take that trade off!

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

Tea leaves are starting to read San Diego for Seiya Suzuki OF although he denies having made a decision.  Seems likely no accident FZ is suddenly saying he was never focused on only a RH bat and a feature on Michael Conforto OF appears in Pavs' column.  How about Conforto and Tommy Pham OF?

Hot Stove Update: Giants Sign Carlos Martinez to Minor League Deal

Hey team!  Did I call this one or not?  Don't believe it?  Go to Archives listed on the left and review my post from January 24, 2022.  The Giants signed Carlos Martinez RHP to a minor league deal today in a low risk/high upside move that is pure FZ.  The deal calls for $2.5 M if he makes the team and an additional $1.5 M in inventives.  I'm guessing there is also an opt-out clause and date if it looks like he's not going to make the team out of spring training.  

Martinez was once one of the elite young starting pitchers in the league for the Cardinals, then moved into the Closer role in 2019 and recorded 24 Saves.  He's coming off two disaster seasons marred by injury but a big chunk of his high ERA was inflated by a single disaster start on 6/2/2021 in which he was scorched for 10 ER in 0.2 IP.  He's an extreme groundball pitcher who can also get strikeouts.  If he is fully healthy, there is every reason to expect a nice bounceback season from him.

But, you say, the 5 man rotation is already set with Webb, Rodon, Wood, DeSclafani and Cobb.  Martinez gives them depth in case of injury and has been equally effective out of the bullpen including the Closer Role in the past.  This move does appear to put more pressure on Tyler Beede RHP who is competing for a similar swing role and is out of options.

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

The Giants also claimed Jose Godoy C off waivers from the Mariners.  

Jose Godoy C.  DOB:  10/13/1994.  B-L, T-R.  5'11", 200 lbs.  

2021 AAA:  .285/.330/.413, 7 HR, 5.8 BB%, 17.5 K%, 325 PA.

2021 MLB:  .162/.225/.189, 7.5 BB%, 35 K%, 40 PA.

The Giants bolster their catching depth.  Godoy bats left which is a valuable trait in a catcher.  It's possible rosters will expand to 28 for the first month or two of the season due to the shortened spring training and compression of the schedule which could create opportunity for the Giants to carry 3 catchers.  Barring that, Godoy has 2 options so they can park him in Sacramento as insurance against injury or a meltdown by Joey Bart.

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

Reyes Moronta RHP switched sides and signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers where he will try to bounceback from a series of injuries and get some traction back on his career.

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

Still waiting for the Giants to drop the hammer on a big bat.