Game 1: Maybe it was the loooong bus ride to Surprise or maybe it was just a throwaway, get-your-work in start, but Madison Bumgarner was raked for 7 runs in 2 IP and the Royal overwhelmed the traveling half of the Giants split squad. Key Lines:
Henry Ramos CF- 1 for 1. BA= .250. Ramos hasn't had a great spring, but right now he's the only guy left in the major league camp behind Steven Duggar with any recent experience playing CF.
Alen Hanson SS- 0 for 4, 2 K's. BA= .170. Hanson has some speed and versatility, but since the All-Star Break last season, Hanson has pretty much not hit.
Pablo Sandoval 3B- 0 for 4. BA= .225. To many observers, Sandoval is the guy who went on the bubble with the Conner Joe trade. If so, he did not help his cause in this game. Quick reminder that spring training performance is a terrible way to make these decisions.
Mac Williamson LF- 0 for 3, 2 K's. BA= .231. Mac is the other guy who might have reason to worry about the Conner Joe trade. If so, he also didn't help himself here.
Mike Gerber RF- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .435. Gerber has played some CF, but like Steven Duggar, he bats lefthanded(more on that later). Was this a one-off gig because of the split squads or is he back in the picture?
Donovan Solano 2B- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB. BA= .250. Nobody is talking about Donovan Solano, but he's still in camp and has had come big hits this spring.
Aramis Garcia C- 1 for 3, 2B. BA= .233. Aramis Garcia keeps getting hits when he has opportunities. Gotta be starting the season in AAA, though.
Madison Bumgarner LHP- 2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 8.27. Bummy has looked sharp up to now and he has these games once in awhile, so not worry. Besides, it was a loooonnnngggg bus ride to Surprise and a get-your-work in day to keep his arm loose for Opening Day.
Andrew Suarez LHP- 4 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 6/1. ERA= 6.06. Suarez continues to have really good secondary stats and a really bad ERA.
Trevor Gott RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. ERA= 0.00. Gott has certainly done everything you could ask to win a roster spot. This may come down to the Giants willingness or not to eat Mark Melancon's contract.
Steven Okert LHP- 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR. ERA= 6.23. Barring a couple of late injuries, the odds were already long on Okert making the roster. He's out of options. This appearance did not enhance his trade value.
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Game 2: The two Venezuelans Pablo Sandoval recruited for the Giants, Gerardo Parra and Yangervis Solarte, tightened their grip on roster spots even as Pablo's appeared to be slipping away. Key Lines:
Gerardo Parra CF- 3 for 3, 3B. BA= .325. Parra has played sensational RF this spring while hitting well. He hasn't played CF for over 2 years and it showed tonight as he allowed a triple to get down that some observers felt Steven Duggar would have easily gotten too(I didn't see it).
Matt Joyce RF- 1 for 3. BA= .200. It's really tough to see how Matt Joyce fits on this roster as a LH batter who exclusively plays corner OF. On the other hand, the man can hit.
Yangervis Solarte DH- 1 for 3, HR(2). BA= .314. Solarte would seem to be a lock for 1 reserve IF slot. He's played a little OF too.
Conner Joe LF- 0 for 3. BA= .256. Everyone assumes Pablo's roster spot is on the bubble after the Conner Joe trade, but I think it might be Mac who has the most to worry about. The fact that Joe started in LF might tell us something here. Joe was hot early in the spring for the Reds, but has cooled off a lot, which may explain whey they were willing to trade him. He did not appear to be an upgrade on either Pablo or Mac in this game. Another quick reminder that spring training performance is a terrible way to make these decisions.
Chris Stratton RHP- 3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K's. ERA= 4.60. Stratton is definitely on the bubble. This performance may not have helped his cause.
Mark Melancon RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. ERA= 9.45. If the Giants are looking for reasons to keep Melancon, he gave them one here.
Pat Venditte LHP/RHP- 1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 12.15. Nope, again.
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Derek Holland makes the Giants final Cactus League start for 2019 this afternoon against the D'Backs in Scottsdale facing LHP Robbie Ray.
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Earlier in the day, the Giants released OF Cameron Maybin who was brought in on a minor league deal to try to win a reserve OF role. He didn't hit and a DUI early in the spring probably did not help his cause. The Giants also reassigned C Joey Bart to minor league camp after a terrific spring for the 2018 first round draft pick. Don't worry. Bart will be back, if not in 2019 shortly thereafter.
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The contracts of Parra, Solarte and Vincent have been picked up by the Giants.
ReplyDeleteVincent is a good pitcher, but Trevor Gott has had the more impressive spring. I'm guessing this does not bode well for Ty Blach, especially if they can't find an injury to lay on Mark Melancon or aren't willing to eat the rest of his contract.
DeleteGiants probably won't pencil in Blach in the first LA series anyway since it's just the 2nd time through the rotation -- assuming Bumgarner, Samardzija (or Drod), Holland, Rodriguez (or Shark), and Pomeranz.
DeleteStill have 2 LHP in LA if that matters as much as it used to.
Whatever Zaidi didn't do (yet) obtaining the RH OFer, gotta like signings of Parra, Solarte, Holland, Pomeranz, Gott, Vincent, Bergen, Gerber, Vogt, Rivera, and even Joyce to some degree -- maybe Green, Michael, Solano, and Andreoli, too.
Certainly has built up the reserves.
And there's still Slater and Jones.
Rebound of Stratton and especially Beede, make the whole pitching staff (including Sac) look pretty good with or without Blach to open the season with the Giants. Or Melancon.
As for Williamson, unless the Giants are considering themselves to be serious contenders and every game is crucial (a win in April is the same as a win in September?), IMO Mac should be in LF until he spectacularly fails or hurts himself (again). He hasn't earned it this Spring but maybe he has over the years albeit thwarted by injury.
If he can just make contact, hit the ball into the air, and not pop up -- he will be Big Mac!
Never give up, never give up, never!
..
IDK, I guess I feel like Bobby Evans or pretty much any GM could have signed all those players or their equivalents. I'm still waiting for Zaidi to make a signing or trade that impresses me.
Delete..and I'm sorry, but if Bobby Evans was presiding over the current roster mess we are seeing, we'd all be loudly proclaiming it a giant cluster$%&#!
DeleteAlthough, other than Crawford, the Giant LH batters did very well this spring, are the majors so chock full of lefty hitters that the Giants can't trade one of theirs for a RH hitting OFer?
ReplyDeleteSolarte did everything possible to win a starter role except beat the other starters. Crawford is going no where else.
Gerber might have won a spot had he hit the other way -- a trade?
Your mission, Farhan, should you accept it, is to trade for a 3 WAR OFer. Or better..
So..according to all the scribes, the Giants have told Parra , Salarte and Nick Vincent that they have made the opening day team. Parra and Salarte were a given the way they have performed and I kind of though VINCENT and hs track record would be there also despite not pitching as much ( or even as well) as some in the spring gmaes.
ReplyDeleteThe question is, after Smith, Watson, Bergen, Moronta, Dysaon and Vincent, what ONE or TWO pitchers make the squad out of Blach, Stratton, GOTT and MELANCON....Gott has been the best,,Stratton out of options, Melancon terrible except for last night..Of course, a trade is still desperatley needed for an OF, so maybe one or two of the 1st 6 (actually just Watson, Smith or Dyson) get dealt?
And a trade still is deperately needed for an OF..not bargain basement bin/dumpster diving for players like Connor Joe, who doesnt absolutley nothing for me. I do not understad giving up any assets for a player likek this..players like him can be had for free..But, Obviously, he's a Farhan special form his Dodger Days and being aquired this late as a rule 5 kinda has to make the team, especially if assets were paid to get him..Oh well, not gonna agree with everything...More importantly is, in light of ditching MAYBIN (well deserved), who does this knock off..Pablo? MAC? BOTH depending on how many pitchers are kept? neither have had a great spring but i dont like losing eirther for a Connor Joe..A real player is anther storry..OTOH, MAC and Pablo arent doing themselves any favors with their spring performance....
SteveVA
Ironically, Hunter Pence would look really good in a Giants uniform right now.
DeleteSo true...and hope we arent saying the same about MAC in the not too distant future..we'll see...
DeletesteveVA