Spring Training Game Wrap 3/3/2014: Padres 7 Giants 2

Tim Lincecum pitched 2 scoreless innings in his spring debut, but Yusmeiro Petit got shelled for the second time as the Giants dropped the decision.  Key Lines:

Juan Perez- 0 for 1, BB, 2 Assists.  Little Juan nailed 2, that's right 2, Padre runners at 3B.  Runners still not respecting his arm, still paying the price!

Tyler Colvin- 1 for 2.  Colvin drove in both the Giants runs with a single.  Probably not a coincidence that the 2 guys battling for the last OF roster spot had the 2 highlight lines for the offense in this one.

Tim Lincecum- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  After getting 3 GO's in the first inning, Timmy started elevating his pitches in the second.  He stopped, took a couple of shadow deliveries and settled back in.  Good stuff!

S. Casilla, Sergio Romo, Dan Runzler, Erik Cordier- 1 IP, 0 R.  Romo had 2 K's in his inning of work to bounce back from a  rough outing.  It helps to be able to throw his slider.  Cordier continues to make a run at a bullpen gig.

Yusmeiro Petit- 1.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  The Arizona air is not conducive to Petit's style of pitching, but still, gotta think he's leaving the door cracked open for a dark horse candidate to make the long relief/spot starter role.

Tommy Medica(Padres)- 3 for 3, 2B, HR, SB.  Man!  Gotta hope the Padres are stupid and go with Yonder Alonso as the starting 1B.  This kid is a way better hitter than Alonso ever thought of being.    Major, major sleeper  here!

No box score for the morning B game.  Mike Kickham started.  No word on his final pitching line, but he hit a batter with a cutter he learned from Madison Bumgarner.  Kyle Crick allowed a run in his first inning of work but struck out the side in the second including Javier Baez and Jorge Soler.  Jeremy Affledt pitched a scoreless inning and said his command was "scary good."  He did throw one "scud" in the outing.  Ehire Adrianza continued to impress with 3 hits including a double.  He also threw out a runner at home from the SS position.

Overall, the news coming out of spring training is almost all good.  In fact, it is very good!  Although spring stats do not mean anything, I have learned that if the members of your starting rotation are all throwing down zeros, it usually bodes well for the regular season.  The young players are also shining when given a chance.  On the health front, Scutaro continues to come along slowly but with the way Adrianza is playing, that may be a blessing in disguise as a DL stint to start the season might buy the Giants some time to make a decision about Adrianza vs Abreu.   Brandon Belt's stiff neck does not sound like it should be a lasting problem.  Other than that, pretty much everybody is healthy.

Around the League:

Clayton Kershaw allowed 5 runs in 2 IP as he got shelled in his 3'rd consecutive start dating back to the  final game of the 2013 postseason series against the Cardinals.

Look out in D'Backs land!  Archie Bradley went 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K's against the Dodgers.

Wouldn't you know, ex-Giants farmhand Seth Rosin would wind up playing for the Dodgers and look what his spring line is so far:  5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K's.  Loved that draft pick by the Giants and hated to see him go in the Pence trade, but you gotta give to get and Pence has paid off big time.