Blogger's Note

 I am not going to post a depth chart for Closers.  Camilo Doval RHP is the undisputed Closer.  Beyond that, relief pitchers are so fungible and there are so many possibilities in the minors a depth chart has little relevance.  

I am going to be taking a break until a week from Sunday.  By that time the World Series will be played out and we'll be into the Hot Stove League season.  I'll finish up the minor league season reviews and monitor Hot Stove League machinations when I get back.

Stay safe everyone!

Giants 2022/2023 Hot Stove League Depth Charts: Starting/Bulk Innings Pitcher

 Other than YtY at the top, the RF depth chart is identical to LF so we'll move on to Starting Pitcher(or Bulk Innings in Kapspeak).  

Despite the impending free agency of Carlos Rodon LHP, the Giants have 6 starting pitchers on their MLB depth chart going into the Hot Stove Season which is 5 more than last season.  Add in Kyle Harrison LHP who FZ has already said he expects to be in the majors early in the season and they have 7.

Logan Webb RHP- 15-9, 2.90, 192 IP, 49 BB, 163 K.  Webb was credited with more Wins, had a lower ERA and pitched over 40 inning more than 2021 although his K rate was lower and FIP higher.  Still, a darn impressive follow up campaign.  The only nagging doubt being a small but significant drop in velocity.

Alex Cobb RHP- 7-8, 3.73, 149.2 IP< 43 BB, 151 K, FIP= 2.80, xFIP= 2.89.  That's near ace level pitching.  Although the gap between his ERA and FIP got narrower as the season progressed, it's still a remarkable difference.

Alex Wood LHP- 8-12, 5.10, 130.2 IP, 30 BB, 131 K.  Wood has had an up and down career generally associated with whether he is healthy or injured.  He finished the season on the 60-day IL.  You have to wonder how many full-seasons of pitching he has left in the tank.

Anthony DeSclafani RHP- 0-2, 6.63, 19 IP, 4 BB, 17 K.  DeSclafani had a bad ankle at the end of the 2021 season and it was still bothering him in 2022.  He was shut down for surgery after 5 ineffective starts.  If the surgery was successful he is a solid #4/4 SP for 2023.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 1-2, 5.76, 25 IP, 8 BB, 28 K.  Hjelle seems to be the forgotten man in 2023 rotation projections.  The ERA is ugly but over his last 3 appearances he allowed just 3 ER in 13 IP with 3 BB, and 13 K's.  Whether it's in the starting rotation or a "bulk inning" role after on opener, this kid is ready to give 4-5 innings every 5 days. Could be the odd man out due to options.

Jakob Junis RHP- 5-7, 4.42, 112 IP, 25 BB, 98 K.  The overall line doesn't look too bad but the second half was a struggle.  FZ says he sees him in more of a "swingman" role.  Out of options so has to stay on the active roster or be exposed to waivers.  Also arbitration eligible.  I see the Giants trying to sign him pre-arbitration but if they can't, I could seen them non-tendering him too.

From the bullpen, I could see Thomas Szapucki LHP being stretched out to a bulk inning role.

Notable Minor Leaguers:

AA Kyle Harrison LHP- 4-3, 2.71, 113 IP, 49 BB, 186 K.  Arguably the Giants #1 overall prospect.  He seems to be on the Bumgarner development track which means we should see him in the majors in 2023.  FZ says likely sooner than later.  Has another year before he's Rule 5 Draft eligible so won't be added to the 40 man roster until he is actually called up and placed on the Active Roster.

AA  Landon Roupp(2 levels) RHP- 10-3, 2.60, 107.1 IP, 152 K.  Fast mover who could be ready by midseason.

A+  Mason Black RHP(2 levels)-  6-4, 3.21, 112 IP, 36 BB, 136 K.  Third round pick from 2021. Another potential fast mover.

A+ Trevor McDonald RHP(2 levels)- 6-3, 2.31, 101.1 IP, 42 BB, 120 K.  HS draftee from 2019 so has another year pre-Rule 5 eligibility.  I saw him pitch in May this season. He got knocked around but his stuff looked good.  He broke out after that.  If he continues his current trajectory should be a no brainer for the 40 man next year this time.

A+ Carson Seymour RHP(3 teams)- 7-8, 3.08, 111 IP, 31 BB, 135 K.  J.D. Davis for Darin Ruf was a clear win for the the Giants.  Add in Seymour, Szapucki and Zwack....well, it's hard to fathom how lopsided this trade is.  Seymour may turn out to be the centerpiece.  Met's 6'th round draft pick in 2021.  has 2 more seasons before eligible for Rule 5 Draft.

A  Carson Whisenhunt LHP(2 levels)- 0-0, 0.00, 7.2 IP, 1 BB, 14 K's.  Top tier college pitcher who fell to second round probably only because he missed the 2022 college season with a suspension.  Potential to be a very fast mover in the system.

A Eric Silva RHP- 3-7, 5.88, 85.2 IP, 39 BB, 99 K's.  4'th round draft pick from 2021 out of HS.  Above-slot bonus.  A bit undersized for a SP and may have worn down over a full pro season but has time to get stronger and develop. When he's rested, the stuff is there.

A Will Bednar RHP- 1-3, 4.19, 43 IP, 22 BB, 51 K.  Bednar looked like a first round draft pick at times but was plagued by bouts of wildness and his velocity was down from what we expected.  Missed the second half of the season with an undisclosed injury.  More struggles in the Arizona Fall League.  Gotta wonder if he's trying to pitch through UCL damage.  Too early to give up on him but very disappointing first full pro season.

R Reggie Crawford LHP-  Crawford did not pitch in 2022 post TJ surgery but had a triple-digit FB before the injury.  Giants drafted him as a 2-way player and he got some PA's as a DH post-draft.  Widely expected that pitcher will be his primary position.

Despite the depth on paper, there are enough question marks that if the Giants seriously want to compete in 2023, they should add at least a mid-rotation SP via trade or free agency.  Re-signing Rodon or adding an equivalent talent would be even better but of course that will be costly.

Giants 2022/2023 Hot Stove League Depth Charts: Center Field

 Trying to get the depth chart series done before take a week-long break to visit family.  By the time I get back the World Series could be over and the Hot Stove fired up.  

Here's the thing about depth charts:  You can't have one player be the first stringer at more than one position.  If the season were to start today, the Giants would not have the luxury of platooning YtY and Slater in CF.  YtY would have to cover RF which leaves Slater as the starting CF.

Austin Slater- .264/.366/.408, 7 HR, 12 SB, 325 PA.  Most likely Slater will be in a platoon role by the end of the Hot Stove League season but going in he is first stringer.

Bryce Johnson- .111/158/.111, 19 PA.  Johnson's calling card is he can cover a lot of ground in CF.  He has hit for average with no power in the minors.  That may not play in MLB against pitchers who can pound him up in the zone and dare him to hit it.  No guarantee he's on the 40-roster by the start of the season.

Heliot Ramos- .100/.182/.100, 22 PA.  Same thing I said in the LF depth chart.  Ramos was no better than Johnson in extremely SSS MLB stints and wasn't nearly as good in AAA but undoubtedly has way more leash due to draft pedigree.

Minor Leaguers of Note:

A+  Vaun Brown- ditto LF analysis.  Brown has the tools to play CF and played all 3 OF positions last year.

A+  Luis Matos- .215/.280/.356, 12 HR, 11 SB, 415 PA.  In an ideal world, Matos is the CF of the future.  He had a tough season but was young for the level.  Got off to a hot start in the Arizona Fall League but has cooled off lately.  Maybe not quite a hot a prospect as this time last year but still reason for high hopes.

A+  Hunter Bishop- .233/.318/.404, 13 HR, 20 SB, 360 PA.  First round draft pick in 2019.  Showed some improvement this season but still missed time with injury and not the stat line you look for from a former first rounder who is now Rule 5 Draft Eligible.

A  Grant McCray- .289/.383/.514, 23 HR, 43 SB, 569 PA.  Breakout season for the 2019 third round draft pick.  Since he was a HS draftee, he has another year before Rule 5 eligible.  If he has another season like 2022, he'll be a no brainer to add to the 40 man next Hot Stove Season.

A  Alexander Suarez- .231/.296/.412, 12 HR, 13 SB, 346 PA.  Interesting prospect with some upside who has the tools to play CF and moved into that role after McCray's late season promotion.

What I think will happen in the Hot Stove League is the Giants will acquire at least one and possibly two big corner OF bats with Slater and YtY moving into a CF platoon.  Now we'll see if that plays out.

Giants 2022/2023 Hot Stove League Depth Charts: Left Field

Joc Pederson was the first stringer in 2022.  He's a free agent which leaves the position dramatically understaffed going into the  Hot Stove League.  

Lamonte Wade Jr.- .207/.305/.359, 8 HR, 251 PA.  Frustrating injury plagued season.  The Willie Mac Award winner from 2021 would be a legit LF.  This version, not so much.  Which one is the real LWJ?

Luis Gonzalez- .254/.323/.360, 4 HR, 350 PA.  Tailed off later in the season after a hot start.  More gap than HR power.  Athletic in the field but seems prone to mental mistakes in the field and on the basepaths.

Heliot Ramos- .100/.182/.100, 22 PA.  AAA numbers weren't all that much better in an extremely disappointing season.

Austin Dean- .375/.444/.375, 9 PA.  More of a candidate to get washed out in The Churn than to make the active roster.

Prospects of Note:

AA Tristan Peters- .212/.302/.303, HR, 5 SB, 149 PA.   FZ was able to flip Trevor Rosenthal RHP for this under-the-radar prospect at the trade deadline.  Much better numbers at A+ level before the trade.  Aggressive placement in AA by the Giants.  Still has 2 years before Rule 5 eligible.

AA Armani Smith- .228/.321/.304, 2 HR, 302 PA.  Numbers dropped off after promotion to AA.  Rule 5 eligible.

A+  Vaun Brown(3 levels)- .346/.437/.623, 23 HR, 44 SB, 458 PA.  Listed on AA Richmond roster but only played 1 game there.  Will likely start 2023 in AA.  Drafted as a college senior but seems to bring more than maturity and experience to the table.  Domination of A+ ball in his first full season particularly impressive.

A+  Jared Dupere(3 levels)- .250/.323/.504, 15 HR, 7 SB, 266 PA.  Drafted round 13 in 2021.  Got a late start to 2022 season starting out in June in rookie ball.  Dominated A level then struggled a bit after promotion to A+.

A+  Jairo Pomares- .254/.330/.438, 14 HR, 386 PA.  Oldest and least athletic of the "big 3" international signings from the 2018 period.  Not sure if Rule 5 eligible since he did not appear in games until 2019, but probably.

A+ Carter Williams(2 levels)- .336/.406, .525, 11 HR, 8 SB, 342 PA.  Signed as an UDFA in 2020.  Not getting any attention as a prospect but quietly put up very nice numbers in 2022.  Has another year before Rule 5 eligible.  

A  P. J. Hilson(2 levels)- .309/.384/.561, 11 HR, 15 SB, 255 PA.  Toolsy but raw prospect who finally found some traction in his 5'th pro season.  Now Rule 5 eligible(have I ever said how much I hate the Rule 5 Draft?).

A  Wade Meckler(2 levels)- .367/.500/.544, HR, 2 SB, 100 PA.  8'th round draft pick out of Oregon St in 2022.  Should be ready for A+ ball next spring.  More of a contact/gap power hitter than HR power.

With Pederson a free agent, LF is a clear opportunity for upgrade in the Hot Stove League.

Giants 2022/2023 Hot Stove League Depth Charts: Shortstop

 The Giants have dilemmas and conundrums at almost every position and shortstop might be the biggest of all.  The best shortstop in Giants history is coming off an injury-marred down season and entering the final year of a 2-year contract at age 36, which is approximately 63 in shortstop years.   At the same time, the current shortstop free agent class is as good as it's ever going to get and much better than next year's class(I looked ahead).  So here's the current depth chart:

Brandon Crawford .231/.308/.344, 9 HR, 458 PA.  The Giants lack of depth at the position at the MLB level was exposed when they first had to play Donovan Walton at the position despite disastrous fielding lapses and later had to trade Raynel Espinal RHP to the Cubs for Dixon Machado.  Machado actually held his own, both in the field and at the plate but for just 5 games until Crawford could rush back.  Both management and ownership have all but said they are going after one of the top tier free agent shortstops and are not going to let Crawford's contract get in the way.  The tougher question is how will they deploy Crawford if they successfully land one?  Will they risk offending a near-franchise icon by telling him to take his $16 M and live life?

Thairo Estrada- .260/.322/.400, 14 HR, 21 SB, 541 PA.  Estrada won over the fanbase with a plucky performance and by playing the game with passion and enthusiasm.  He was one of the few Giants who looked like he was having fun out there.  He filled in at SS well but when he did, 2B was weakened by his absence on the right side of the infield.

Ford Proctor- .111/.182/.460, HR, 22 PA.  Hard to envision Proctor playing SS except in a dire emergency.

Shortstop Prospects of note:

AAA Will Wilson(3 levels)- .250/.346/.452, 13. HR, 289 PA.  Just as Wilson seemed to be gaining some serious traction at the plate, he went down with a hamate injury and missed two months.  He ended up with a decent season and probably should be in line to be added to the 40-man roster this winter.  There is still a question whether he is a SS at the next level.  If not, the bat may not be quite enough for an alternate position.  Rule 5 draft eligible.

AA Tyler Fitzgerald- .229/.310/.424, 21 HR, 20 SB, 519 PA.  Intriguing power/speed combo if he can bring the BA up just a smidge.  Rule 5 draft eligible.

A+ Marco Luciano- .269/.350/.467, 11 HR, 257 PA.  Currently listed on the AA Richmond roster, Luciano played the full season(when healthy) at A+ Eugene.  Maybe just a tad disappointing on the performance side and missed 2 months with a back injury.  Ticketed for AA in 2023.  If he plays well there, he could MLB ready before the end of 2023.  Rule 5 draft eligible and will have to be added to the 40-man roster.

A  Aeverson Arteaga- .270/.345/.431, 14 HR, 11 SB, 565 PA.  International bonus baby in his own right.  Some analysts believe Arteaga, not Marco Luciano, is the Giants SS of the future due to being a superior fielder.  Impressive batting line for a 19 yo in A ball.

2022/2023 Giants Hot Stove League Depth Charts: Third Base

The Giants go into the Hot Stove League with third base as their deepest position, but like many other positions on their roster, the depth chart is unsettled without a clear first stringer.

MLB:

Evan Longoria- .244/.315/451, 14 HR, 298 PA.  If/when Longo is on the roster and healthy, he's still likely the first stringer both by pay scale and performance.  That is probably as good an argument as any to pay the extra $8 M to bring him back for a final year on his contract. The problem is injuries have kept him off the field for half the games last two seasons.

Wilmer Flores- .229/.316/.394, 19 HR, 602 PA.  As we have said several times already, Wilmer was overused and over-depended on for power.  Needs to go back to being a true back up at multiple positions with a target of around 300 PA's. 

J.D. Davis- .263/.361/.496, 8 HR, 158 PA.  Probably the best all around hitter of this group and 3B is his best fielding position where he is approximately average.  If the Giants buy out Longo's option Davis and Villar should compete for the starting 3B job.  If Longo stays, Davis moves to 1B or DH.  Could/should he be flipped in a trade?

David Villar- .231/.331/.455, 9 HR, 181 PA.  Villar put on quite a show at the end of the season to force the Giants to seriously consider him for a starting position in 2023.  His minor league track record suggests he is for real and can sustain or even build on his rookie success.  On the other hand, he has options which could enable the Giants to send him back to AAA as depth, especially if Longo comes back.

Jason Vosler- .265/.342/.469, 4 HR, 111 PA.  Batting LH is Vosler's ace-in-the-hole which gives him a leg up on a utility role.  It doesn't hurt that he can play multiple positions.

AAA:

Casey Schmitt(3 levels):  .293/.365/.489, 21 HR, 526 PA.  Schmitt raked through A+ and AA and kept it going through 16 PA's at AAA at the end of the season.  Rated as a plus defender at 3B with a legendary arm(he was a 2-way player in college).  Gotta think he's the Giants 3B of the future and the future could be now.

AA:  

Sean Roby- .219/.286/481, 25 HR, 353 PA.  Light tower power but way too much swing and miss in his game and generally not rated as a good defender.

A+:

Luis Toribio- .209/.309/.429, 21 HR, 437 PA.  Lefty-hitting version of Sean Roby.  Played more 1B than 3B for the Ems.

A:

Yorlis Rodriguez- .258/.291/.425, 16 HR, 459 PA.  Pretty good season for SJ but has been in the organization a long time.

Down on the Farm: 2022 Eugene Emeralds Season Review

The Giants A+ affiliate, the Eugene Emeralds, won the Northwest League Championship for the second year in a row.  Despite disappointing individual performances from several younger prospects who seemed to struggle with an aggressive placement.

On the offensive side, the Ems featured the "big three" from the international class of 2018:

Marco Luciano SS- .263/.339/.459,10 HR, 257 PA.  Luciano's season was interrupted by an extended IL stay due to a back issue.

Luis Matos CF- .211/.275/.344, 11 HR, 11 SB, 407 PA.  A strong month of August saved his season from complete disaster.  Young for the level at age 20.

Jairo Pomares LF- .254/.330/.438, 14 HR, 386 PA.  Slow start but finished the season strong.

The Ems also featured two former first round draft picks:

Hunter Bishop OF(2019)- .235/.320/.406, 13 HR, 20 SB, 358 PA.  Looked like he was building toward something with a .284/.393/.547 line in June but collapsed in the second half.  Rule 5 draft eligible.  

Patrick Bailey C- .225/.342/.419, 12 HR, 15.1 BB%, 22.2 K%, .253 BABIP, 325 PA.  Pretty solid ratios here.  Low BABIP suggests some upside in the numbers but had a similar number in Eugene last year.

The biggest news out of Eugene was the breakout season for Casey Schmitt 3B- .273/.363/.474, 17 HR, 383 PA.  He kept that going after a promotion to AA Richmond and looks like he has a shot at the majors as early as midseason 2023.

Vaun Brown OF also raked after a promotion from San Jose- .350/.454/.611, 9 HR, 21 SB, 194 PA.

Overall, Ems batters had low BA's, lots of HR's and lots of K's.  They had 9 players with double-digit HR's

The big news on the pitching side was Kyle Harrison LHP- 0-1, 1.55, 29 IP, 10 BB, 59 K.  Earned a quick promotion to AA and appears poised to make his MLB debut in 2023.

Other pitching performances of note:

Cole Waites RHP- 1-1, 3.55, 12.2 IP, 4 BB, 27 K.  Made his MLB debut late in the season.  Triple digit FB.

Randy Rodriguez RHP- 2-3, 3.38, 50.2 IP, 24 BB, 71 K.  Added to the 40-man roster last offseason.  Kind of forgotten this year but put up a solid line.  Just hoping for a bit faster movement up the system.

Nick Avila RHP- 2-1, 0.95, 28.1 IP, 8 BB, 31 K, 13 Saves.  Outstanding on the Closer role.  Rule 5 eligible.  Do the Giants have room for him on the 40 man roster?

2022/2023 Giants Hot Stove League Depth Charts: Second Base

 Thairo Estrada emerged as the Giants first-string 2B when he wasn't subbing at SS to give Brandon Crawford an occasional rest.  His value may increase without having to improve anything as new rules place a premium on fielding range, particularly at 2B.  

MLB:

Thairo Estrada .260/.322/.400, 14 HR, 21 SB, 541 PA.  Those are close to his career averages.  I think he's the clear favorite of the fanbase but that may be uncertain as long as Tommy La Stella stays on the roster.

Wilmer Flores  .229/.316/.394, 19 HR, 602 PA.  Wilmer was overused and obviously felt pressure to provide power.  Never a great defender at any position, new rules my limit him even more.  That contract extension is not looking so good right now.  Still a useful bat off the bench but probably should have more around 400 PA's than 600.

Ford Proctor .111/.182/.278, 22 PA.  Bats LH and can play C.  Has options so probably destined to be depth in AAA.

Tommy La Stella .239/.282/.350, 195 PA.  Coming off bilateral Achilles tendon surgeries last offseason.  Never seemed completely healthy and mostly DH'd.  Still has 1 year left on backloaded 3-year contract.  Almost certainly does not have the range for 2B with new rules and does not have enough bat for other positions.  Would the Giants consider releasing him and eating the contract?

Jason Vosler and David Villar both played some 2B but 3B is primary position for both.

Notable Second Base Prospects:

AA  Carter Aldrete- .231/.277/.413, 6 HR, 156 PA.  .289/.369/.545, 279 PA in A+ prior to promotion.  Drafted out of college in 2019 so Rule 5 eligible.

AA Brett Auerbach- .220/.311/.398, 17 HR, 12 SB.  UDFA in 2020.  Plays multiple positions including C, but spent most innings at 2B.  Intriguing power/speed combo.  Slumped badly midseason before finishing strong in Aug and Sept.

A+ Hayden Cantrelle- .238/.401/.414, 6 HR, 19 SB, 320 PA(4 levels).  Drafted in 2020 round 5 by the Brewers.  FZ churned Luke Williams to the Marlins for Cantrelle.  Not Rule 5 eligible for another year.

A+ Damon Dues- .384/.539/.500, 13 SB, 214 PA(3 levels).  UDFA signed in August of 2021.  Has a scrappy, underdog feel to him.

A+ Simon Whiteman- .175/.305/.220, 21 SB, 320 PA(2 levels).  Drafted in 2019 so Rule 5 eligible.  Probably at greater risk of being released by the Giants than being drafted.

As you can see, not a whole lot of depth behind Thairo Estrada.  Most 2B are ex-SS's who don't have quite enough arm for SS.  I could see a future with Marco Luciano at 2B and Aeverson Arteaga at SS.

Down on the Farm: 2022 San Jose Giants Season Review

 The 2022 San Jose Giants team had a split personality with the position side of the roster made up mostly of former HS draftees and younger international prospects moving up the ladder while the pitching side was dominated by 2021 college draft picks.  

The California League has a very weird playoff seeding system where the division winners of the first and second half play round one.  But the Fresno Grizzlies(Rockies) won both halves so the Giants made the playoffs due to finishing with the second best full season record in the North Division.  Got that?  They lost in round 1 to the Grizzlies.

The three biggest story lines from the SJ Giants season were breakout performances by outfielders Grant McCray and Vaun Brown and an extremely disappointing full season debut from 2021 first round draft pick, Will Bednar RHP. 

Here are some of the more notable performances from the SJ Giants 2022 season:

Grant McCray CF, 21 YO- .291/.383/.525, 21 HR, 35 SB, 436 PA.  Perhaps no Giants prospect was hurt by the COVID shutdown of 2020 more than Grant McCray.  Third round draft pick out of HS in 2019.  Known up front to have raw tools that would require time to develop, then the shutdown happened.  He struggled in 2021 but had a huge breakout in 2022 showing off both power and speed while maintaining a BA close to .300.  Another strong season in 2023 will put him in position to be added to the 40-man roster in time to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Vaun Brown OF, 24 yo.  .346/.427/.636, 14 HR, 23 SB, 262 PA.  Looks old for the level but was a lower round college senior draft pick out of a smaller program.  Usually these guys are drafted as roster-filler but Brown appears to be a legit prospect with a nice combination of power, speed with a high revving motor.  He hit just as well after a mid-season promotion to Eugene and even got a couple of PA's in AA at the end of the season.  Like with so many hitting prospects, AA is likely to be the acid test in 2024.  If he gets over that hump, he could be in the majors by late in the season.

Averson Arteaga SS, 19 yo.  .270/.345/.431, 14 HR, 11 SB.  565 PA.  Former $1 M international bonus baby.  Pretty impressive to play a full season, almost every day as you can by the PA's, at age 19 and not get worn down.  Slick fielding SS who already handles the bat well and should mature into more power.  If you ask me who was the best prospect on this team, I would say Arteaga.

Landon Roupp RHP 24 yo.  5-2, 2.59, 48.2 IP, 17 BB, 69 K.  Pitching counterpart to Vaun Brown.  Older when drafted in round 12 in 2021.  Starting in San Jose, he worked his way through 3 levels and looks like he could start next season in AAA.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 6-3, 2.39, 90.1 IP, 40 BB, 102 K.  HS draftee from 2019.  Finally found traction and got steadily stronger as the season progressed.  1.64 ERA in 11 IP after promotion to A+.

Jose Cruz RHP- 2-1, 2.06, 52.1 IP, 23 BB, 86 K.  Pitched exclusively in relief but more multi-inning roles later in the season.  Another Rule 5 eligible player.  Giants will be hard pressed to find room on the 40-man roster but in serious jeopardy of being selected if they can't.  A bit mystifying why he was not promoted midseason.

Mason Black RHP, 22 yo- 1-1, 1.57, 34.1 IP, 8 BB, 44 K. Third round draft pick in 2021.  Conservative placement.  Not as dominant after midseason promotion to A+, but maintained strong K rate.

Don't sleep:

Adrian Sugastey C 19 yo- .240/.329/.333, 5 HR, 340 PA.  Reportedly a strong defensive C.  Held his own in an aggressive placement.  Getting more PA's in Arizona Fall League and doing well so far.

Alexander Suarez OF 20 yo- .231/.296/.412, 12 HR, 13 SB, 346 PA.  I believe he is Luis Matos' cousin but a little bigger physically.  Adjustment to full season ball. Seemed to get stronger as the season progressed.  Intriguing power/speed combo. 

Eric Silva RHP 20 yo- 3-7, 5.88, 85.2 IP, 39 BB, 99 K's.  HS draftee, above-slot bonus in round 4.  A bit undersized for a pitcher.  Seemed to wear down a bit as the season progressed.  Has time to get stronger although probably won't get much bigger.

Evan Gates RHP 24 yo- 5-1, 0.76, 23.2 IP, 6 BB, 28 K.  Older undrafted FA in 2021.  Pitched successfully through 3 levels.

Spencer Bivens RHP 28 yo- 2-1, 2.70, 30.0 IP, 18 BB, 36 K.  Older UDFA signed out of indy ball. 6'5", 205 lbs.  Got roughed up after promotion to AAA.  Getting extra innings in AFL and performing well.

2022/2023 Giants Hot Stove League Depth Charts: First Base

 Brandon Belt has been the unquestioned starting first baseman for the Giants for over 10 years now.  Whether he is back in 2023 or not, that run is nearing it's end.  As it stands, unless the Giants work out a contract for lower salary he'll be a free agent when he is taken off the 60-day IL which he is on for a second surgery on an arthritic knee, which by itself is not a great prognostic sign.  On to the Depth Chart:

J.D. Davis:  .263/.361/.496, 8 HR, 158 PA(Giants).  .248/.340/.418, 12 HR, 365 PA(Overall).  Primary position is 3B where he grades out as a much better fielder per Fangraphs.  K rate over 30% is annoying, but all other boxes check off.  Minimal L/R split.  Giants numbers are remarkably close to 2019 which is last he got regular PA's with the Mets.  So the bat is there. 

Wilmer Flores:  .229/.316/.394, 19 HR, 602 PA.  Wilmer seemed to wear down a bit in the second half and may have felt too much pressure to hit for power.  It looked like he was trying to jerk everything down the LF line.  Re-signed for at least 2 more seasons.  Giants need to manage his playing time better and not rely on him so much for power.

Lamonte Wade Jr:  .207/.305/.359, 8 HR, 251 PA.  Minus Belt, Wade Jr is the only lefty B/T who can play 1B.  Bat was marginal for the position in 2021, clearly not adequate in 2022.  Was that due to injuries or is that who he is?

David Villar:  .231/.331/.455, 9 HR, 181 PA.  Toonder in the bat and he got better as the season went along.  Minor league record suggests he could blossom into a 30+ HR guy as early as 2023.  Is his primary position 3B or 1B?  He mostly played 3B in the minors. If the Giants bring Evan Longoria back, will that hold Villar back or would Longo's mentorship help?

Taylor Jones:  AAA- .262/.270/.453, 12 HR(2 teams).  6'7" 1B.  Strong minor league track record.  Seems like huge upside.  Signed off waiver wire into The Churn late in the season.  Problem is he is out of options so has to make the 26 man roster or be re-exposed to waivers.  Churn theory says there's a enough chance of him clearing waivers to make the pickup worthwhile.

Key Prospects:

AA:

 Frankie Tostado:  .284/.330/.459, 11 HR, 315 PA.  Sleeper JC player drafted in later rounds.  Rule 5 eligible.

A+:  

Luis Toribio:  .209/.309/.429, 21 HR, 437 PA.  Impressive power but contact challenged. Rule 5 eligible.

A:  

Garrett Frechette:  .255/.298/.346, 4 HR, 408 PA.  Sweet swing but light on power. 

 

Victor Bericoto:  .265/.353/.395, 12 HR, 487 PA.  Pretty good all-around RH hitter with some power.

Logan Wyatt:  Second round draft pick in 2019.  Missed most of season with apparent injury.  Playing in Arizona Fall League.  Has not hit for average or power so far in pro career.

There are a couple of problems with this depth chart:  1.  The best hitters are all RH.  2.  1B is not primary position for any of them and it shows in defensive metrics.  Can any of them get better if they make it their primary position?  When Belt is healthy he's a plus fielder but will he ever be completely healthy again?  Top free agent target is Josh Bell but he's no great shakes on defense either.

Another subtle, under-the-radar tough decision for FZ.

Down on the Farm: 2022 ACL Season Review

 Back in the "old days" when the annual amateur draft was held about a week before the short seasons started, most of the college draftees were assigned to short season A ball while rookie leagues were made up of high school draftees and DSL graduates.  Since the draft was moved to the All-Star break, the complex is used for an initial evaluation of almost all drafted players while the players who started the season either get promoted to A ball or see significant cuts to their playing time.  I'm not going to try to keep up with the bewildering comings and goings of draft picks.  There are a handful of younger players who merit a mention.

P. J. Hilson CF- .295/.381/.563, 5 3B, 9 HR, 13 SB, 210 PA's.  Hilson was the undisputed star of the Giants Black squad.  He's long been one of the more tooled up players in the Giants organization but very raw when drafted in 2018.  He finally found traction in 2022 and continued to produce after a promotion to A San Jose.  On the other hand, he's now 22 yo and already Rule 5 Draft eligible so his future is a bit hazy.

Elian Rayo 3B- .238/.359/.419, 6 HR, 192 PA.  Kind of a 3-true-outcomes guy with some power.  DSL graduate. 19 yo.

Onil Perez C- .275/.345/.383, 171 PA.  I maybe should have mentioned him in the catching depth chart post.  Contact hitter without much power so far.  DSL graduate.  20 yo.  M

Anthony Rodriguez SS- .251/.338/.389, 6 HR, 201 PA.  $800 K bonus baby from 2019.  Got a late career start due to COVID lockdown in 2020.  Improved numbers from 2021 while showing some power.  20 yo.

Mauricio Pierre OF- .232/.293/.297, 151 PA.  Faltered after a hot start.  I think he has a lot of upside just based on his size.  Size matters but it isn't everything.

Nomar Medina LHP- 6-0, 2.22, 65 IP, 16 BB, 70 K.  19 yo southpaw.  Approximately doubled his IP from 2021 with similar results.  Should move up to San Jose for 2023.

Miguel Mora RHP- 4-4, 3.29, 54.2 IP, 26 BB, 78 K.  20 yo DSL graduate.

Mikell Manzano RHP- 3-3, 3.93, 55 IP, 17 BB, 81 K.  19 yo DSL graduate.  No scouting report but gets lot of K's.  Got a cameo with SJ late which didn't go so well.

Gerelmi Maldonado RHP- 0-2, 2.27, 39.2 IP, 19 BB, 59 K.  18 yo DSL graduate with markedly improved numbers over 2021 DSL campaign.  May be a better prospect than Manzano.

Diego Velasquez SS- .277/.369/.352, 7 SB.  $1 M bonus baby.  Switch-hitter.  Projectable body.  ACL holdover.  Substantially improved numbers.

The Giants Black squad not only won the Eastern Division championship, they won the championship final agains the Rockies 2-1 in best of 3 series.  

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Great news out of the Arizona Fall League where Luis Matos OF is raking it after struggling in A+ ball for much of 2022.

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And finally, it's a happy day for us Giants fans who perversely find as much or more pleasure in the Dodgers losing as the Giants winning.  Buh-bye Dodgers!

2022/2023 Giants Hot Stove League Depth Charts: Catcher

 Catcher is an under-the-radar tough decision for FZ to ponder as he and new GM Pete Putila prepare for the Hot Stove League.  Joey Bart has as high a ceiling as any catcher in baseball but how long do the Giants give him to reach it?  What if they have a chance to sign, say, Aaron Judge, but Judge says he'll only sign if they upgrade the catcher position?  The 2022 dropoff in wins was spread across a wide board, but losing Buster Posey's WAR and Bart's growing pains were a major contributor.  Speaking of Buster Posey, he's an owner now and apparently a very influential one.  He undoubtedly has thoughts on the issue.  On to the depth chart:

MLB:

Joey Bart .215/.296/.364, 11 HR, 8.9 BB%, 38.5 K%, 291 PA.  This line comes with a BABIP of .326 so it's tough to project much improvement unless he can reduce the K rate.  Second half split was better and he hit .328 in August but tailed off badly again in September after missing some time with a concussion.  

Austin Wynns  .259/.313/.358, 3 HR, 5.6 BB%, 21.5 K%, 177 PA.  Wynns improved his numbers as the season progressed hitting .283 in the second half, .356 in September and was catching almost every other game by the end of the season.  Could he and Bart flip roles?  

Ford Proctor.  MLB:  .111/.182/.278, HR, 9.1 BB%, 13.6 K%, 22 PA.  AAA(Giants):  .267/.390/.448, 6 HR, 16.9 BB%, 26.8 K%, 142 PA.  Primary position is 2B but added C to a utility resume.  Has options so may stay on the 40-man roster but start the season in AAA.

Prospects of Note:

Brett Auerbach AA.  .220/.311/.398, 17 HR, 12 SB, 11.3 BB%, 32 K%, 425 PA.  Athletic multipositional player.  Aggressive placement after a nice run in MLB spring training.  Started off hot but went through a brutal midseason slump with a late season rebound.  Nice power/speed combo.  K rate needs to come down.  I'm thinking AAA to start 2023.

Patrick Bailey A+.  .225/.342/.419, 12 HR, 15.1 BB%, 22.2 K%, 325 PA.  This line is a lot better than you might think from the BA.  Switch hitter who is much better from the left side, but that is not a terrible split as a catcher.

Andy Thomas A+.  .264/.400/.444, 9 HR, 16.2 BB%, 24.9 K%, 265 PA(Mariners).  .174/.304/.221, HR, 14.7 BB%, 24.5 K%, 102 PA(Giants).  Acquired midseason from the Mariners along with Micheal Stryfeller RHP for Curt Casali and Matthew Boyd.  Lefty batter with solid plate discipline and some power.  Getting extra PA's in the Arizona Fall League.  2 years before Rule 5 eligibility.  Nice under-the-radar trade for FZ.

Adrian Sugastey A.  .240/.329/.333, 5 HR, 8.8 BB%, 15.6 K%, 340 PA.  Pretty solid numbers for a 19 yo C in A ball.  Getting a few extra PA's in the Arizona Fall League.  Should move up to A+ next season.

Juan Perez R(DSL).  .222/.312/.294, 3 HR, 173 PA.  International bonus baby.  Age 17 season.

Depending on how strong the win-now pressure is, FZ could consider signing Willson Contreras who would be the clearest and quickest upgrade.  The A's may be looking to trade Sean Murphy to make room for Shea Langeliers but will be looking for a massive haul in return.  Beyond that it's tough to find any appealing options beyond giving Bart another year to develop and move on to one of the prospects if he crashes and burns.

Hot Stove League Preview: MLBTR Arbitration Projections

MLBTR posted their annual arbitration projections for 2023.  The reason why this has become a significant event each year is how incredibly accurate their track record is.  Whatever the formula is for arbitrators to calculate player value, MLBTR has it figured out and their algorithm works.

The Giants have a whopping 13 arbitration eligible players going into the Hot Stove League.  If the Giants were to tender them all contracts the total projected payroll obligation would be $33.3 M, not a trivial amount.  In fact, the Giants could pay a very high-priced free agent for 1 season for the combined cost of their arbitration eligible players.  Of course, some of those players, like Logan Webb, they want to keep around because his projected salary is far less than his value on the open market.  There are some, however, who may not be worth their projected salary and they might not want to tender them a contract, making them free agents.  

What we are going to do here is list the arbitration eligible players, their MLBTR salary projections and then my opinion of whether the Giants should offer them a contract.  Note:  This is not a prediction of whether the Giants will actually offer them a contract or not.  

Jarlin Garcia LHP  $2.4 M.  2022:  1-4, 3.74, 65 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 7.8 K/9, FIP= 4.27.  Although he had some value as a multi-inning middle-inning reliever, he was not reliable in high leverage situations and by FIP was lucky to have as low an ERA as he did.  Thomas Szapucki LHP is cut out of a similar cloth but is a lot cheaper.  No.

Scott Alexander LHP  $1.1 M.  2022:  0-0, 1.04, 17.1 IP, 1 BB, 10 K, FIP= 2.88.  Alexander excelled as an Opener, Closer and lefty setup man in just 17 appearances.  He had sub-3.00 ERA's in 2020 and 2021 in small samples with the Dodgers.  FIP was a bit higher but still sub-3.00.  Yes.

John Brebbia RHP  $1.9 M.  2022:  6-2, 3.18, 68 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 7.1 K/9, FIP= 3.13.  Workhorse in his first full season back from TJ surgery.  Opened 11 games with a 0.00 ERA.  Could probably Close if he had to but also probably more effective as a setup man and Opener.  Yes.

Jakob Junis RHP $3.3 M.  2022:  5-7, 4.42, 112 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 7.9 K/9, FIP= 3.65.  Effective bulk innings guy who collapsed a bit at the end of the season.  Out of options.  Sean Hjelle RHP can play for league minimum, has options and can play a similar role with a lot more upside.  No.

Austin Slater OF.  $2.7 M.  2022:  .264/.366/.408, 7 HR, 12 SB, 325 PA.  Easy Yes.

J. D. Davis OF.  $3.8 M.  2022(Giants):  .263/.361/.496, 8 HR, 158 PA.  One of the best hitters in MLB after coming over in the Darin Ruf trade.  Clear trade win for the Giants as they also got 3 promising pitching prospects.  Yes!

Jharel Cotton RHP.  2022(Giants). $1.1 M.  2-0, 6.75, 8 IP, 4 BB, 8 K's.  Eh, it's only a couple hundred K above minimum salary but he looked like a replacement pitcher in an extremely SSS.  No.

Mike Yastrzemski OF.  $5.7 M.  2022:  .214/.305/.392, 31 2B, 2 3B, 17 HR, 5 SB, 558 PA.  Not enough bat for a corner OF, but LH hitters who can play CF and hit 17 HR's don't grow on trees.  With Aaron Judge manning RF, a straight L-R platoon of YtY/Slater in CF makes a lot of sense.  A bit expensive but Yes.

Zack Littell RHP.  $900 K.  2022:  3-3, 5.08, 44.1 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 7.9 K/9.  Minimum Salary but I really don't want to see Zack Littell on a mound wearing a Giants uniform again.  I'm guessing Gabe Kapler doesn't either.  No.

Logan Webb RHP.  $4.8 M.  2022:  15-9, 2.90, 192.1 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 7.6 K/9, 56.6 GB%.  No.......just kidding.  Obviously Yes!

LaMonte Wade Jr OF.  $1.4 M.  2022:  .207/.305/.359, 8 HR, 251 PA.  Depends on who else they plan to bring in.  Frustrating season but injury may have been the major factor.  Not a terrible price for a 5'th OF and not a terrible use of the roster spot.  Yes.

Tyler Rogers RHP.  $1.8 M.  2022:  3-4, 3.57, 75.2 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 5.8 K/9, 55.6 GB%.  Found his footing in the second half and Kapler found a new role for him:  Multi-inning, middle-inning reliever.  Pretty cheap price to pay for a guy who can eat innings like that.  Yes.

Thairo Estrada SS.  $2.4 M.  One of my favorite players on the team and one I think might have a next level he can take his game to.  Yes!

Down on the Farm: 2022 DSL Season Review

It wasn't a great summer for the Giants DSL complex teams as they finished at the bottom of the South division.  The Orange squad was a little better with a 26-32 record compared to 22-38 for the Black squad.  The DSL tends to be an inscrutable place for prospect watchers because many of the players are so young and physically underdeveloped and sample sizes tend to be small.  The Giants top 3 international signees from 2022* all struggled in their pro debuts in their age 17 seasons:

Ryan Reckley SS- .194/.370/.222, 3 SB, 46 PA.

Juan Perez C-  .222/.312/.294, 3 HR, 173 PA

Dennys Riera SS- .154/237.279, 118 PA.

Don't despair over these not great numbers.  I used to think any DSL player over 17 yo had no chance but it seems like the elimination of short season leagues in the states has pushed older players down the ladder.  19 yo is still probably a bit old for the league but think of it this way:  If these players come back next year and do well at age 18, they still have a great chance to be in San Jose by age 20 which is about right for the level.

Other performers of interest:

Estanlin Cassiani CF 19 yo- .375/.422/.415, 15 SB, 195 PA.  2'nd DSL season. High contact with some speed.  Power challenged.  Should get a shot in Arizona next season.

Jose Ramos SS 19 yo- .272/.400/.422, 3 HR, 22 SB, 181 PA.  2'nd DSL season.  Improved his walk rate considerably.  A bit of power.  Should also be in AZ next season.

Lazaro Morales CF 18 yo- .299/.385/.433, 9 SB, 156 PA. Cuban player. First DSL season.  Is it enough for a ticket to AZ?

Jorge Martinez RHP, 20 yo- 2-3, 3.42, 50 IP, 22 BB, 67 K.  2'nd DSL season with improved numbers.

Mauricio Estrella RHP, 18 yo- 2-3, 3.29, 63 IP, 15 BB, 64 K.  Top performing pitcher from 2022 signings.

Guillermo Williamson 1B, 18 yo- .234/.344/.426, 7 HR, 224 PA.  Prodigious power.  First DSL season.  From Mexico.

Eliam Sandoval LF 18 yo- .314/.392/.535, 5 HR, 97 PA. 2'nd DSL season with dramatic improvement in numbers.

Moises De La Rosa RF 17 yo- .265/.438/.408, 64 PA. Top position performer among 2022 signees

*2021 J2 signing period pushed back to Jan 2022.  Not sure if this is a permanent change or an adjustment to COVID.

More Thoughts on The Churn: By the Numbers

 One of my concerns with The Churn is how much cumulative playing time it gives to sub-replacement players.  Each one might not stick around long but if you add them all up it can have a significant impact, or so it goes in theory.  I decided to try to quantify The Churn effect by adding up all the PA, IP and fWAR of all the "churned" players for a whole season.  

To get started, I had to define a "churned" player.  I looked at players who were acquired as minor league FA's, waiver-wire claims or minor league trades since the end of last season who at some point made the Active Roster.  I started with those players who are now no longer on the roster but realized that may exclude the more successful ones who stuck and and are still on the roster, so I added those.  Here's what I found:

There were a total of 23 players who met the criteria.  15 were off the Active Roster by the end of the season* with 8 remaining, mostly pitchers.  Here's the list followed by PA or IP and fWAR.

Position Players:

Lewis Brinson OF:  39, 0.1

Yermin Mercedes UT:  83, -0.2

Donovan Walton IF:78, -0.7

Willie Calhoun OF: 9, -0.2

Austin Dean UT: 9, 0.1

Stuart Fairchild OF: 8, -0.2

Mike Ford UT: 4, 0

Andrew Knapp C:  7, 0

Dixon Machado SS:  17, 0

Kevin Padlo UT:  12, -0.3

Mike Papierski C:  10, -0.2

Kai Tom OF:  1, 0

Luke Williams OF:  12, 0.1

Ford Proctor C/IF:  22, 0.0

Austin Wynns C:  177, 0.4

Total PA's:  498.  Total fWAR:  -1.0

Pitchers:

Mauricio Llovera RHP:  26.1, 0.1

Alex Young LHP:  26.1, 0.4

Shelby Miller RHP:  7 IP, 0.4

Scott Alexander LHP:  17.1, 0.3

Jharel Cotton RHP:  8, 0.2

Luis Ortiz RHP:  8.2, 0.1

Andrew Vasquez LHP:  2, 0.1

Total IP:  94.  Total fWAR:  1.6.

*Walton and Llovera are on the injured list but I counted them as off the roster as I highly doubt they will be back.

As you can see, The Churn worked better for pitchers than for position players.  FZ impressively rebuilt the bullpen, particularly the left side by adding Young and Alexander, using The Churn.  On the position side, Austin Wynns was the only added player who accumulated more than 0.1 fWAR.  Overall the average "churned" position player was worse than replacement.

As for why "churned" pitchers produced better than position players, it may have just been luck, but I think it's easier to tweak a pitcher's delivery or grip and see immediate results than swing adjustment with hitters who often need to accumulate some PA's to get their timing down.

This is admittedly data for just one season and a down one at that.  It would be interesting to do the same study for all 4 years of FZ's tenure.  My impression is while The Churn produced a handful of productive players, most notably YtY, it also gave a whole lot of cumulative playing time to sub-replacement level players.  That impression would appear to be correct based on the above data.

Thoughts on FZ's End-of-Season Presser

FZ held his traditional end-of-season presser yesterday.  I've tried to find the full recording but have only seen summaries and clips.  He had a few interesting things to say but was understandably vague responding to questions about specific players he might pursue or not when the Hot Stove League opens.  I'll go into more depth about what the Giants offseason needs are when we get into our depth chart analysis.  What I'd like to do here is recap the points the beats are talking about and then pose a few questions I would have asked.  Maybe they were asked but I have not seen them in any of the summaries.

 FZ expects Carlos Rodon LHP to opt out which creates an opening to add a pitcher, which could be Rodon but he'll have no shortage of offers on the free agent market and won't come cheap.  FZ prefers to keep Jakob Junis RHP in a swing role.  Kyle Harrison LHP will likely join the rotation next season, possibly earlier than later.  No mention of Sean Hjelle RHP.  

Q:  Is Sean Hjelle ready to compete for a spot in the regular starting rotation?

FZ is looking for younger, more athletic up-the-middle players.  He is open to signing a shortstop regardless of Brandon Crawford's situation.  

Not really a question but this creates a dilemma.  Crawford does not really have the bat to move off SS and it might be a challenge to convince a top FA SS to move off the position, even temporarily.  They will have plenty of offers from teams happy to have them immediately play SS.

FZ is open to bringing back Evan Longoria 3B and Brandon Belt 1B.  Indicated they might have a reduced role.  

Q:  There are only 26 roster spots.  If you bring everybody back, where's the roster room for additions?

FZ expects to hire a GM before the GM meetings.  

Q:  What qualities would GM candidates have to bring in new ideas to the organization?  Comment:  The Giants seems to have more than enough number crunchers.  A candidate with a strong scouting background but who also understands the numbers like A's Assistant GM Billy Owens, who worked with FZ in Oakland, would seem like an ideal candidate.

Another question I didn't see:  Are you satisfied with the current catching situation going into next season?

Blogger's Note

Thanks to everybody for all the kind words that poured in yesterday and a few more today.  I am grateful for all the folks who find the blog worth reading and even more worth commenting on.  I may take a few days to rest up and regroup but don't worry, you all know I can't not write about the Giants for long.  

We'll have our usual offseason topics:  Positional depth charts are always well received as well as news from the Hot Stove League when it gets started.  Then there is the Top 50 prospect countdown after the winter meetings.  I'm thinking about starting out with some minor league season reviews.  Still trying to figure out a format in my head but the Giants minor league system, while disappointing this season in some ways, is not the wasteland some have made it out to be and we'll somehow show that.  

Game Wrap 10/5/2022: Giants 8 Padres 1

 David Villar DH hit 2 HR's to lead the Giants offense in a battle of bullpen games to send his stock into the stratosphere going into the offseason.  

Villar finished the season with a very respectable .231/.331/.455 slash line with 9 HR's, but it was really the tale of two callups.  In his first MLB experience which lasted from July 4- Aug 4, he batted just .175 with 1 HR.  He was sent back to AAA with some things to work on.  He must have taken that to heart because his second callup starting from Sept 2 went spectacularly better:  By my calculations his Sept/Oct slash line is .269/.327/.656 with 8 HR.  He combined for a total of 37 HR's between AAA and MLB.  Casual reminder that he slashed .275/.404/.617 with 20 HR's last season at AA Richmond.  Villar has to be penciled in for everyday PA's at some position or combination of positions for next season. 

Here are a few other selected lines from today's season finale:

Lamonte Wade Jr LF- 3 for 5, SB(1).  BA= .207.  Wonder what Wade Jr would have done had he not missed close to half a season with a bad knee and probably was never 100%.  Can the knee get to 100% with an offseason of healing?  

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 3, 2B, BB, SF.  BA= .214.  After a decent April and a terrific May, YtY's season absolutely tanked for the next 3 months with a BA well below the Mendoza Line.  Sept/Oct have been much better with respective slashes of .261/.320/.511 and .222/.286/.444 with 5 HR's. Way too little, too late for this season but will it buy him a ticket to next year's roster?

Austin Slater CF/LF- 2 for 5, HR(7), SB(12).  BA= .264.  Slater's ability to play CF and bat from the R side would seem to put him in a strong position to stay for next season.

Yunior Marte RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.44.  Marte has top of the line raw talent.  It's been a roller-coaster ride but put up a 2.16 ERA over his last 7 appearances.  I really want to see if he can take it to the next level.  

Alex Young LHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.36.  Young and Scott Alexander LHP stabilized the left side of the Giants bullpen after an on-the-fly late-season rebuild.  Alexander is a free agent but Young should definitely be back.

Andrew Vasquez LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 6.23.  This was Vasquez' only appearance of the season with the Giants.  He put up an 8.10 ERA in 6.2 IP for the Blue Jays earlier in the season.

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No game tomorrow or the next day or the day after that. The Giants 2022 season is in the books.  They finish at exactly .500 for the first time in franchise history going all the way back to New York era.  I just want to thank everybody for coming here, reading and commenting for the 13'th season of Game Wraps since When The Giants Come To Town started before the historic 2010 season.

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Great news out of the Arizona Fall League where Luis Matos homered for the second straight game and is batting .357 with a 2B, 3B, 2 HR's over his the first 3 games.

Game Wrap 10/4/2022: Padres 6 Giants 2

Alex Cobb RHP allowed just one run in 5 IP with great peripherals.....and took the loss.  So, what else is new under the sun?  I don't have the strength or interest to spend more time recapping this wretched game except to say that Cobb was moved up a day in the rotation because guess what?  Carlos Rodon LHP, who was the scheduled SP conveniently fell ill and was placed on the IL a day after his agent, Scott Boras proclaimed he had passed his innings limit.  That's right, his agent.

OK, I am officially over Carlos Rodon.  It's one thing to call off sick when you really aren't and quite another when that puts your teammate's health in jeopardy who also has a career to worry about.  There are other way to allocate his salary next season. 

Game Wrap 10/3/2022: Padres 7 Giants 4

 Another bullpen failure in the 8'th inning spoiled a sensational pitching performance by Sean Hjelle and a 9'th inning rally fell about 5 feet short on a bases loaded deep fly to RF by J.D. Davis 1B.  

Sean Hjelle RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 5.76.  Per Pavs on NBC Sports Bay Area, Hjelle had his best velocity of the season topping out at over 96 MPH in a dominant bulk-inning role.  Take out the disaster start on 9/17 against the Dodgers, Hjelle's ERA would be 3.60.  He's allowed just 3 ER in 15 IP in his last 3 appearances(1.80) with 13 K's, 3 BB's and a dominant groundball rate.  Is he ready to take the next step and fill a rotation slot next season?  What a boost to the organization that would be!

Shelby Miller RHP followed Hjelle and got through the 7'th inning in order, but the wheels came off in the 8'th as he gave up 2 doubles to start the inning then, after a groundout, he intentionally walked Juan Soto and then issued two more unintientional walks.  Jarlin Garcia LHP then brought his handy gas can to the mound and gave up a double and HR, a 3-run blast to Giants nemesis Wil Myers, who BTW is a free agent after the season.

This was Miller's first poor outing after 4 strong appearances since getting called up.  Will he get another appearance to shake it off in the last two games of the season?  He is also a free agent after the season.

David Villar DH- 2 for 3, HBP.  BA= .227.  Villar is now 4 for 5 over his last 2 games which raises his BA since being recalled on 9/2 to .264 with an OBP of .319 and SLG% of .517.  Put this performance with his minor league track record and Villar should be a big part of the the Giants future.  They have a logjam of non-SS infielders.  Maybe this gives the Giants courage to move on from Evan Longoria?

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Speaking of Longoria, turns out he fractured a finger in the 10'th inning of yesterday's game and went back on the IL to finish the season.  Really!  Thomas Szapucki LHP joined him on the IL with a R hip strain.  Bryce Johnson OF and Andrew Vasquez LHP were called up with Alex Wood LHP going to the 60-day IL to make room for Vasquez on the 40-man roster. Got all that?  Good!

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Carlos Rodon LHP is scheduled to start tomorrow's game against Sean Manaea LHP, but just a casual reminder that Rodon's agent is Scott Boras.  Boras public today proclaiming that Rodon has exceeded his innings limit for the season and should be shut down like Logan Webb.  Of course, Webb is under contract for next season and Rodon is not.  While it is a meaningless game, Rodon is in the conversation for a Cy Young Award as well as close to some strikeout milestones, so the start might not be meaningless for him. How will this drama impact the Giants chances of resigning Rodon?  I'll guess none since I don't think he'll be back next season and I think that decision has already been made on both sides.

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Camilo Doval RHP was named the NL Reliever of the Month for September.  He appears to have solidified the Closer role for next season making one less key position the Giants have to fill in the Hot Stove League.

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AFL Update:  Opening Day today.  Giants minor leaguers assigned to Scottsdale Scorpions.

Luis Matos CF- 1 for 4, 3B, BB.  

Logan Wyatt 1B- 1 for 3, BB.

Tyler Myrick RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. 

Game Wrap 10/2/2022: Giants 4 D' Backs 3

David Villar PH/1B's two-RBI hit gave the Giants a walk-off win in extra innings to send a Fan Appreciation Day crowd home happy.

The Giants used 8 pitchers, all relievers, in a bullpen game.  The first 3 were all LHP's against a left-leaning D'Backs lineup.  The D'Backs had 9 hits/11 baserunners through 6 innings but 3 GIDP's, all started by Brandon Crawford SS helped hold them to just 1 run.

Austin Slater PH/CF hit a leadoff PH HR in the 7'th inning to give the Giants a temporary 2-1 lead.

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As mentioned yesterday, the Giants shut down Logan Webb RHP for the season by placing him on the IL for a low back strain.  They also optioned Jakob Junis to AAA Sacramento since he pitched bulk innings yesterday and would be unavailable for the last 4 games anyway.  The Giants brought back Sean Hjelle RHP and Luis Ortiz RHP to the active roster.

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The Giants final series of the season is on the road against the Padres.  John Brebbia RHP opens another game tomorrow evening with Hjelle likely in line for bulk innings work.  Joe Musgrove RHP starts for the Padres.

Game Wrap 10/1/2022: D'Backs 8 Giants 4

 The Giants dim playoff hopes were snuffed out in a familiar witches stew of subpar fielding and bullpen failure as a five spot for the D'Backs in the 7'th inning broke a close game open and late Giants rallies were too little, too late.

Scott Alexander RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.10.  Alexander performed his Opener act as drawn up retiring 4 with the only baserunner reaching on and error.

Jakob Junis RHP- 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.42.  If you allow enough baserunners, bad things are going to happen, but with a little luck, Junis' line might have looked a whole lot better.  The last two runs in the D'Backs 3-run 4'th inning scored from first and second on a soft liner to left that tailed just out of the reach of a diving Jason Vosler and got past him.  It was a tough play but my thought was a more experienced LF might have gotten a better jump or a LF wearing his glove on the right hand like, say Joc Pederson RF/LF, might have had a better angle. Then, the first batter of the 7'th inning reached on an IF single and scored after Jarlin Garcia LHP proceeded to give up 3 straight hits and a walk with Sergio Alcantara, who drove in those two runs in the 4'th inning, doubling in the final two runs.

Mike Yastrzemski  CF/RF- 1 for 4, HR(17).  BA= .214.  YtY is 13 for 42(.310) with 5 HR's since Sept 18 the final game of the disastrous home sweep to the Dodgers.  Too little, too late for this year but is it enough for a tendered contract for next season?

J.D. Davis DH- 2 for 4, HR(12).  BA= .257.  Davis' line since joining the Giants is .287/.379/.549 with 8 HR.  That's better than his previous best season in 2019 with the Mets but not by that much.  He has two arbitration years left and keeping him is a no-brainer.  Is his best position DH, though?

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Churn Watch:

Jarlin Garcia was activated from the paternity list(gotta wonder if that had something to do with his rough appearance).  Sean Hjelle RHP was optioned to AAA Sacramento.  But wait!  Immediately after the game, the Giants announced they were shutting Logan Webb RHP down for the season for precautionary reasons to make sure he is healthy next season which makes today's game another bullpen game.  Will they bring Hjelle back to be the bulk innings guy?  He last pitched 4 innings on 9/28 and the Giants should want to protect his arm too.  More likely the innings will get picked up by Shelby Miller RHP who threw for 2 innings on the 28'th and Jharel Cotton RHP who the Giants probably want to get more of a read on before the end of the season.

Game Wrap 9/30/2022: Giants 10 D'Backs 4

 Alex Cobb RHP was not at his best allowing 4 ER in 5 IP, but this time he got more than enough run support and four shutout innings from the bullpen to even his W-L record at 7-7.

Joc Pederson LF- 2 for 3, 2B, 3B, 2 BB.  BA= .276.  Pederson is on a tear and seems to have found a sweet spot leading off.  His leadoff slash line split is .360/.450/.800.  It's probably no coincidence the Giants have been on a tear over the same time frame.  He's .316/.390/551 since the All-Star break.  While his numbers are not as good against LHP's, they have not been terrible with an OPS of .729.  Can the Giants resign him or will he join a growing list of players who parlayed single seasons with the Giants into bigger paydays with other teams?

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(16), BB.  BA= .214.  YtY is another player whose numbers have perked up with a slash of .292/.357/.625 over his last 7 games, but his overall OPS of .696 remains dismal.

Evan Longoria 3B- 2 for 4, 2 HR(14).  BA= .247.  Longo is slashing .400/.429/.750 over his last 7 games.  When healthy, he's played pretty well but has appeared in just 88 games with 294 PA's due to injuries.  In the 5 seasons since the trade to the Giants he has yet to reach 130 games played.  The Giants can keep him around for $13 M or buy out the final season of his contract for $5 M which gives them a net cost of $8 M.  His performance is probably worth $8 M even for just half a season but is there opportunity to upgrade his roster spot?

Austin Wynns C- 2 for 4, HR(3).  BA= .264.  Another guy who is on a tear batting .476 over his last 7 games, .381 over his last 15 and .314 over his last 30.  He can be retained as back up C for the league minimum which seems like a no-brainer.

Alex Young LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 2.31.  Young and Scott Alexander LHP have solidified the left side of the Giants bullpen.  Alexander is a FA but Young can be kept at the league minimum salary.

Thomas Szapucki LHP and Yunior Marte RHP also threw scoreless innings.  Their contracts can both be renewed at the league minimum.  Marte has options but Szapucki does not.

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The Giants try to keep hope alive this afternoon with Scott Alexander leading off a bullpen game(is it Jakob Junis RHP's turn for bulk innings?  They will face Drey Jameson RHP the rookie with electric stuff.