Spring training games start today and there are several interesting story lines to watch. Here are burning questions to be answered on the field:
1. Can Buster Posey continue his catching career after hip surgery? The plan is for him to start playing in games after March 1. That's 6 days away. I've never figured out how much difference 6 days makes in a 7 month rehab, but spring training is too long anyway. It's a bad sign if we haven't seen Buster in games by March 15.
2. Can Madison Bumgarner get his mojo back? Last year, he looked terrific and in the best shape of his life until he broke his hand in his final tuneup start. Let's hope we see that same MadBum in spring games this year. It's a bad sign if he has to skip any starts.
3. Will Farhan Zaidi make any major additions between now and Opening Day? It was a very late breaking FA market with Bryce Harper still out there. Zaidi keeps insisting that once Harper signs, wherever, the trade market will open up. It's getting awfully late for big trades. It's a bad sign if Farhan is still inviting people to camp on March 15.
4. Can Bruce Bochy put together a league average or better OF from the cast of characters he currently has in camp? This one partly depends on the answer to #3, but if it's no, it will sure be fun to watch who roams the grass in Petco Park on Opening Day. It's a bad sign if 2 of the 3 starting OF's are Gerardo Parra and Cameron Maybin.
5. How does the starting rotation shake out? While individual stats don't mean anything in spring training, it's a good sign if the rotation stays intact through the spring and dominates games, especially in late March. Lots of question marks here. Besides Madison Bumgarner, it is critically important for Jeff Samardzija and Drew Pomeranz to be throwing well as the season approaches.
What are your burning questions for spring training?
*********************************************************************************
Saw an interview with Tyler Beede who did exactly what I recommended and pared down his repertoire. He's going back to his basic 4-seam fastball, curve and change he came out of college with. Gone are the 2-seam, cutter and slider. He's also tweaked his grips for more life on the fastball and better spin on the curveball. That's a story to follow in camp and in the minors, which is almost certainly where he will be after the season starts.
*********************************************************************************
Still waiting for Bryce. Hot rumor is that Philly owner John Middleton's private jet was spotted at the airport in Las Vegas. On the other hand, it appears to be a solo trip with no deal expected during the visit. I feel like the longer this impasse continues, the more likely some team nobody is talking about swoops in and signs him.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Or is it a sign of Bochy up to his old, well-ingrained, tricks if Parra and Maybin are in the starting OF?
ReplyDeleteOr, combine that with Posey not catching and Bumgarner throwing 89 mph FBs and the 2019 Giants are the 2018 Orioles.
That scenario is within the range of possible outcomes.
Delete"It's a bad sign if Farhan is still inviting people to camp on March 15."
ReplyDeleteI'd say the complete opposite is true. We are rebuilding. Its awesome to have a progressive GM who seemingly strives to be ahead of the curve. Its awesome to have management is constantly tinkering and never stops looking for small improvements.
What makes you say the Giants are rebuilding? Any quotes from management? Any veterans traded for prospects? Would a rebuilding team be in the hunt for Bryce Harper? There is a line between acquiring talent and chaos. Bringing people to camp mid-March is chaos.
DeleteI was also contrasting a potential signing of Bryce Harper or making a trade for a controllable, experienced OF vs continuing to work the waiver wire.
DeleteThey are rebuilding because they haven't been very good lately and they just replaced their longstanding management team/strategy. Any rebuilding teams should have interest in 26 year old star free agents, its probably just not likely that those players/teams represent the best fit, maybe we can create an exception...
DeleteI expect the veterans from prospects trades will come, but its been an undeniably weird (SLOW) offseason and there really isn't a need to rush.
If the Giants bring somebody to camp late, its undoubtedly because they feel it improves the team. So whether that causes some chaos (which seems like an assumption made in a vacuum) or not isn't the point. If anything players need to understand and accept that times are changing in baseball, and the best time to start learning that is now.
Zaidi seems to strive for continual process improvement. Sabean/Evans operated within a rigid, outdated paradigm.
Vacuums? So, you say the Giants are rebuilding just because they haven't been very good lately yet point to not one shred of evidence that the Giants see it that way? Now THAT is assuming things in a vacuum! Q: Is the late signings of Parra, Maybin, Solarte and Gentry a sign of rebuilding?
DeleteAgain, what statements from Zaidi himself or any actions he has taken that show evidence that a rebuild has started?
DeleteGiants over the last 4 years have had no idea whether they're rebuilding or contending and it's been a disaster. Not surprised at fan's inability to decipher which one it really is. Heck of a shame, it's been a boat with 5 captains over the last 4 years and we've done a full circle without getting anywhere.
DeleteI loved the "assumption made in a vacuum" comment. Great example of projection.
DeleteI think that the assumption by Giants FO is that the Giants can contend IF the veteran players play up to their potential. That's probably been the assumption for the past few years, but injuries and regression have made it impossible to compete at the assumed level. I 'assume' Zaidi is trusting the potential of the core players again (just look at them on paper in a vacuum) but trying to back them up with a better depth chart. If it doesn't work, he'll trade off Smith Watson Bumgarner for prospects, he can always sign them again for 2020 and try again. Can we just play the games and see what happens?
DeleteThat's about right, mm.
DeleteWould that the "can't possibly do it" 2019 Giants defy all expectations (except DrB's California dreaming), get to July in the mix, will Farhan reach into his Sorting Hat and pull out the magic Machado that was to bring a rainbow to the 30-year drought in LA?
ReplyDelete“We viewed Manny Machado as a big difference maker, and potentially the biggest difference maker who was going to be available going into this trade deadline,” Zaidi said. “So he was obviously a very high priority for us.”
Well, that didn't work, and it cost the Dodgers 5 prospects, 1 to the Top of Baltimore's best plus 2 others in their top 30, and one now in Scottsdale on the Giants' 40-man roster.
Zaidi (and Friedman) were in their 4th year of trading deadline lifelines. With arguably one of the best farm systems in baseball, they pulled an oh-fer in July.
If the Giants are "in-it" this year, I fear for what Zaidi might do to a far from best system! Pillage and burn!
Do it now, Farhan, when it's only money!
Ironically, trading for Machado at the deadline was a very Brian Sabean/Bobby Evans thing to do.
DeleteDodgers went to the World Series based off of that move. You can't do anything but to get your team to the dance - then the Players need to perform. Ultimately, it's a shame for them - they have the Kurse of Kershaw.
DeleteThey also did not exactly give up the core of their farm system for Machado.
Delete