Giants Depth Charts: Third Base

 The Giants seem set at 3B again with a returning starter in J. D. Davis and some depth.  Stop me if you have heard this before:  Davis falls smack in the middle of the pack for WAR value but it's tough to see any significant upgrades on the market.  

MLB:

J. D. Davis:  .248/.325/.413, 18 HR, 546 PA, fWAR= 2.2.  Arbitration Eligible.  Ranked right at median fWAR for MLB 3B.  One more position where Giants have a league average player tough to upgrade from.  Should be offered arbitration.  Should bring back a lot more in trade than the Giants gave up, which would be churning at its finest.

Wilmer Flores:  See 1B post,  can fill in at 3B but probably not a long term backup option.

Casey Schmitt:  .206/.255/.324, 5 HR, 2 SB, 4.7 BB%, 23.5 K%, fWAR= -0.6.  Age- 24.  2 Options.  Two of those HR's came on final game of season.  If he can learn to be more selective at the plate, particularly recognizing sliders in the dirt, he could turn into the 3B of future.

David Villar:  MLB:  .145/.236/.315, 5 HR, 7.9 BB%, 32.1 K%, 140 PA, fWAR= -0.2.  Age- 26.  1 Option.  AAA: .272/.371/.498, 17 HR, 13.2 BB%, 26.6 K%, 334 PA.  Looked overmatched at MLB level early in season.  Fell off organizational radar after that.  Minor league numbers look like they should translate.    Will the Giants give him another shot or will he become the next Adam Duvall?

Tyler Fitzgerald and Marco Luciano could play the position but are probably in line for bigger roles at other positions.

AAA:  

None

AA:  

Carter Aldrete:  .223/.282/.384, 13 HR, 7.6 BB%, 26.4 K%, 409 PA.  26 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Round 15 draft pick in 2019.  Has never really found traction.  Would add to 40-man roster.

Sean Roby: See 1B.  Agee- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Toonder in bat but K rated of 35% won't let you access it enough.  More of a candidate to be released than added to 40-man roster.

Shane Matheny:  AA- .236/.359/.434, 11 HR, 8 SB, 324 PA.  AAA- .221/.362/.302, 3 HR, 9 SB, 213 PA.  Age- 27.  Rule 5 Eligible.  3 true-outcomes with not enough power.  SB's add some intrigue but just doesn't make enough contact.  More of a candidate to be released than added to 40-man roster.

Brady Whalen:  .259/.303/.434, 5 HR, 3 SB, 156 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Injury reclamation project.  Listed as a 1B but played multiple positions with a plurality at 3B.  Kind of a beanpole at 6' 6", 180 lbs.  Interestingly enough keeps his K%  down in mid-teens.  Would not add to 40-man roster but let's see if he can stay healthy and find some traction.

A+:

Luis Toribio:  See 1B.  Age 23.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Extreme 3 true-outcomes corner IF.  That profile is OK at MLB level but don't translate when you seem them in the minors.

A:

Anthony Rodriguez:  .221/.273/.338, 4 HR, 5 SB, 5.5 BB%, 35.3 K%, 238 PA.  21 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible per Fangraphs but I don't think he is, but what do I know?  Switch-hitter with some pop signed as SS.  High K rates and iron glove are big challenges.

Justin Wishkoski:  ACL:  .375/.500/.563, HR, 15.0 BB%, 1.7 K%, 60 PA.  A:  .209/.346/.302, HR, 13.5 BB%, 9.6 K%, 52 PA.  Age 22. Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2026.  Drafted in 16'th round 2023.  Love the size and K/BB.  Now do it at higher levels!

Charlie Szykowny:  ACL- .250/.391/.462, 2 HR, 14.1 BB%, 21.9 K%, 64 PA.  A:  .239/.340/.304, 53 PA.  Age 23.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.  Lefty hitter.  Nice size.  Needs to show what he can do at higher levels.

Giants Dept Charts: Second Base

Thairo Estrada settled into the starting 2B role nicely and emerged as the best all-around player on the team as well as stepping up in a leadership role in the clubhouse.  Second base is another position that teams don't emphasize in drafting and player development because most second basemen are converted shortstops who can hit but maybe don't quite have the arm or range to field SS.  

MLB: 

Thairo Estrada:  .271/.315/.416, 14 HR, 23 SB, 4.2 BB%, 22.6 K%, 530 PA, fWAR= 3.9.  Age- 27.  Arbitration Eligible.  See Intro above.  Aggressive hitter who squares up the ball.  Singles are more valuable than walks.

Casey Schmitt:  .206/.255/.324, 5 HR, 2 SB, 277 PA, fWAR= -0.6.  Excellent defender who can play multiple positions.  Almost identical K/BB as Estrada but not the results.  Gonna have to learn to recognize sliders in the dirt earlier.

Tyler Fitzgerald:  AA:  .324/.410/.588, 2 HR, 3 SB, 78 PA.  AAA:  .287/.358/.499, 20 HR, 29 SB, 466 PA.  MLB:  .219/.265/.469, 2 HR, 2 SB, 34 PA, fWAR= 0.2.  Drafted and developed as a SS.  FZ talked like he sees Fitz as the Giants CF of the future after the season.  Has played a little 2B in the minors.  It would probably be him or Schmitt if Estrada were to miss an extended period.

Wilmer Flores:  See 1B.  Can fill in at 2B in a pinch but does not have the range to play it longterm.

Brett Wisely:  AAA: .285/.417/.466, 6 HR, 7 SB, 16.8 BB%, 22.9 K%, 280 PA.  MLB:  .175/.231/.267, 2 HR, 2 SB, 6.9 BB%, 30.5 K%, 131 PA.  fWAR= -0.5.  24 yo, 2 options.  Pretty good numbers in AAA but overmatched in MLB.  I would not keep him on 40-man roster over, say, Grant McCray.

AAA:  

Donovan Walton. 29 yo.  No options.  Missed first half of season then worked his way up rehab ladder.  Would not add to 40-man roster.  Might be worth a spring training invitation.  

AA:

Hayden Cantrelle:  AA:  .215/.390/.305, 4 HR, 14 SB, 18.5 BB%, 21 K%, 357 PA.  24 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Would not add to 40-man roster.

Jimmy Glowenke:  A+:  .313/.413/.542, 3 HR, 12.4 BB%, 14.3 K%, 105 PA.  AA:  .251/.355/.389, 11.1 BB%, 21.1 K%, 289 PA.  24 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Underdog to root for but would not add to 40 man roster.

Will Wilson:  AA:  .215/.276/.354, 5 HR, 2 SB, 6.4 BB%, 18.6 K%, 156 PA.  AAA:  .234/.304/.408, 13 HR, 2 SB, 9.1 BB%, 25 K%, 340 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Former first round draft pick FZ bought from Angels by taking on a sunk contract.  Has never found traction.  Might be time to start thinking about releasing him?

A+:

Damon Dues:  .290/.398/.362, 0 HR, 25 SB, 14.4 BB%, 20.8 K%, 250 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible Dec, 2024.  Undrafted free agent signing.  Intriguing speed but zero power.  

Ghordy Santos:  .227/.331/.435, 12 HR, 8 SB, 13.2 BB%, 37 K%, 303 PA.  24 yo, Rule 5 Eligible.  Santos appears to have tools but has never found traction after years in the lower levels of the Giants system.  Probably a release candidate?

Thomas Gavello:  A:  .249/.408/.468, 10 HR, 6 SB, 11.4 BB%, 26.6 BB%, 263 PA.  22 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2025.  A+:  .217/.311/.272, HR, SB, 6.6 BB%, 35.8 K%, 106 PA.  Listed as a C but played more 2B.  A level is a very conservative placement for 2022 college draftee.

A:  

Diego Velasquez:  .298/.387/.434, 8 HR, 23 SB, 10.8 BB%, 15.9 K%, 517 PA.  20 yo(Oct 2023).  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Now we're talking.  My nomination for SJ Giants MVP in age 19 season.   Also plays SS.  High hopes for this kid.

Quinn McDaniel:  ACL:  .250/.471/.479, 3 HR, 6 SB, 70 PA.  A:  .267/.364/.511, 3 HR, 2 SB, 55 PA.  21 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.  Interesting college numbers and first (partial) pro season.  We'll see what he does next year.

Dilan Rosario:  .251/.298/.372, 4 HR, 7 SB, 4.9 BB%, 28.9 K%, 225 PA.  22 yo. Rule 5 eligible.  Been around awhile and has never hit much.  Would not add to 40-man roster.  Maybe a release candidate?

Giants Depth Charts: First Base

The Giants are in pretty good shape at first base at the MLB level with a strict platoon of Lamonte Wade Jr and Wilmer Flores with J. D. Davis sliding across the diamond in a pinch.  LMWJ and Wilmer were the two best hitters on the roster and racked up a combined fWAR of 4.6 while starting 149 games at 1B between them.  It should be noted that first base was not the original position for any of the current Giants 1B and the Giants have not made drafting/signing the next Willie McCovey or Will Clark or even Brandon Belt a priority down on the farm.   

MLB: 

Lamonte Wade Jr:  .256/.373/.417, 17 HR, 519 PA, fWAR= 2.1.  Age- 29.  Arbitration eligible.  No Options.  Easy decision for the Giants to offer arbitration and playback the LMWJ/Wilmer platoon in 2024. 

Wilmer Flores:  .284/.355/.509, 23 HR, 454 PA, fWAR= 2.5.  Age= 32.  Under Contract(Year 3 of 3 yr/$16.5 M with player/team option for $8.5 M in 2025).  Wilmer accumulated some of his value at DH, 3B and 2B but his primary responsibility was filling the weak side of the 1B platoon.  

J. D. Davis: .248/.325/.413, 18 HR, 546 PA, fWAR= 2.2.  3B was Davis primary position where he was a positive defender and close to average offensively.  He started 9 games and played in 15 at 1B.

AAA:  

Armando Alvarez:  .313/.383/.581, 18 HR, 8 SB, 298 PA.  29 yo.  Minor league FA?  He's listed on River Cats roster and was not listed as electing free agency.  Strictly an organizational player and deep insurance policy.  Can also play some 3B.

Yoshi Tsutsugo:  AA:  .311/.436/.578, 4 HR, 55 PA.  31 yo.  FZ can't quit the extreme 3 true outcomes guys.  Signed as a minor league FA after release from Rangers AAA team.  Churn on!

AA: 

Logan Wyatt:  A+:  .259/.371/.430, 8 HR, 229 PA.  257/.339/442, 9 HR, 236 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Pretty much the only guy drafted as a 1B in the organization.  Another 3 true outcomes guy from the 2019 draft who looked like a bust up until this season.  Power finally showed up and he finally stayed healthy.

Sean Roby:  3 Levels:  .239/.306/.474, 14 HR, 234 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Seems like he has been around forever.  Light-tower power but struggles to make contact. 3B seems to be primary position.

Brady Whalen:  .259/.303/.434, 5 HR, 156 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Ditto Wyatt and Roby above.

A+:

Andrew Kachel:  A:  .289/.376/.437, 6 HR, 7 SB, 332 PA.  A+:  .250/.317/.361, 3 SB, 41 PA.  22 yo, Drafted 2022 Round 16.  Rule 5 eligible Dec. 2025.  Listed as 2B but played more 1B.  A numbers look great except A ball a conservative placement for a college draftee.

Luis Toribio:  A+:  .232/.333/.432, 17 HR, 412 PA.  23 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Another guy with power but has trouble tapping into it due to swing and miss in his game.  May be running out of time.

A:  

Javier Francisco:  ACL:  .280/.442/.542, 7 HR, 189 PA.  A:  .241/.303/.345, 33 PA.  20 yo, Rule 5 eligible Dec 2024.  Played multiple positions but largest number of PA's at 1B.  Breakout watch.

Giants Depth Charts: Catcher

I don't remember a season when I was less emotionally invested in the postseason.  I think the Twins advanced and know the Rays didn't.  No clue who else is even playing.  At least temporarily we will disinvest from staring at the steaming wreckage of Giants management and spend the next couple of weeks reviewing Giants depth charts and minor league seasons(I don't think anyone wants another rehash of the Giants MLB season).  

FZ was widely questioned and even criticized after the 2020 draft when, in spite of Joey Bart being Buster Posey's heir apparent, he drafted another catcher in the first round, Patrick Bailey. Fans saw the wisdom of that move this season as Bailey took over from a struggling Bart and ran up a 2.8 fWAR and starts the 2024 season at the top of the catching Depth Chart.  

MLB(40-man roster):  

Patrick Bailey:  .233/.285/.359, 7 HR, 353 PA, fWAR= 2.8.  Age- 24.  Options- 3.  Arbitration Eligible- 2027.  Bailey's offense followed a typical rookie trajectory with an initial burst until pitchers got a scouting report on him after which he struggled.  His WAR value was entirely attributed to his defense in spite of 13 throwing errors.  He threw out 25 of 88 baserunners(29%).  How much did the extra bases allowed on the errors lead to extra runs?  I guess you would have to go back and review each incident.  Bailey admitted to exhaustion near the end of the season which may have contributed to some of his later season struggles.  He has an offseason to rest up, work on his hitting approach and meditate on risky throws.  He is the Giants presumptive starting catcher for the next 5 or 6 seasons.

Blake Sabol:  .235/.301/.394, 13 HR, 4 SB, 344 PA, fWAR= 0.7.  Age:  25.  Options- 3.  Arbitration Eligible- 2026.  Sabol was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Reds then traded to the Giants.  The Giants still had to keep him on the active roster all season, trade him or offer him back to the Pirates.  They kept him on the roster all season where he served as a back up in LF and catcher as well as a lefty bat off the bench.  He struggled defensively at both positions but showed flashes of toonder in his bat.  Interestingly, his one area of positive fWAR value came from baserunning.  As long as he stays on the 40-man roster the Giants now have 3 option years to work with but his lefty bat and defensive versatility give him an advantage in the reserve catcher battle.  

Joey Bart:  .218/.283/.346, 1 HR, 32 PA, fWAR= 0.0.  Age:  26.  Options- 0.  Arbitration Eligible- 2025.  Former #2 overall draft pick and Giants catcher of the future.  Was not able to tap into his raw power due to huge swing and miss in his bat.  Cloudy future is even murkier due to being out of options next season which means the Giants have to either keep him on the active roster or expose him to waivers.   Gotta think Sabol is ahead of him on the depth chart which means he is a potential trade candidate this offseason.  I still think Bart will be a decent catcher for some MLB team but probably not with the Giants.

Roberto Perez(60-day IL):  .133/.235/.133, 17 PA, fWAR= -0.1.  Age:  33.  Options- 0.  Arbitration Eligible- Not.  Oft injured veteran brought in to put Joey Bart on notice he was not going to be handed the starting catcher gig.  Perez was awful for all of 5 games and unsurprisingly hit the IL for season-ending rotator cuff surgery.  Gotta think he'll be released off the 40-man roster as soon as he comes off the IL.  Reminder to FZ the #1 predictor of injury is a history of injury.

AAA:  None.  I am pretty sure all catchers listed on the roster are minor league free agents.  

AA:  

Andy Thomas:  .226/.325/.360, 11 HR, 5 SB, 448 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible- Dec 2024.  Lefty bat with strong walk rates and occasional power.  Has another season to prove he deserves to be added to a 40 man roster.

Brandon Martorano:  .190/.323/.307, 6 HR, 248 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible- now.  Similar profile to Andy Thomas.  Strictly an organizational player at this point.

A+:  

Zach Morgan:  A:  .254/.376/.383, 4 HR, 258 PA.  A+:  .292/.326/.427, 2 HR.  Age- 23.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Giants 7'th round draft pick in 2022.  Slow start in A ball but improved and continued to hit well after promotion to A+.  He is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League.  Could be fast riser if he continues to hit.

Adrian Sugastey:  A+:  .298/.333/.423, 4 HR, 264 PA.  Age: 20.  Rule 5 Eligible- now.  Solid contact skills but limited power and doesn't walk.  Rule 5 eligibility at age 20 shows unfairness of the rule.  Unlikely to be selected.

Onil Perez:  A:  .300/.364/.403, 2 HR, 21 SB, 283 PA.  A+:  .289/.333/.333, 2 SB, 48 PA.  Age:  21.  Rule 5 Eligible- now.  Similar profile to Sugastey.  Surprising speed for SB's for catching prospect.  Also unlikely to be selected in Rule 5 Draft.

Thomas Gavello:  A:  .249/.408/.468, 10 HR, 6 SB, 263 PA.  A+:  .217/.311/.272, HR, 106 PA.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible:  Dec 2025.  13'th round draft pick 2022.  Lefty bat.  Positional versatility also playing 2B and 3B.  Longshot future as a utility player.

Brett Auerbach:  A+:  .229/.295/.371, 5 HR, 15 SB, 193 PA.  AA:  .153/.211/.190, HR, 6 SB, 175 PA.  Age:  25.  Rule 5 Eligible- Now.  Regressed at AA this season and was demoted to A+.  Main skill is versatility. Plays multiple positions.  Running out of time.  No risk for Rule 5 selection and and unfortunately a candidate to be released.

A:  

Luke Schliger:  A:  .298/.403/.351, 67 PA.  Age: 22.  Rule 5 Eligible:  Dec 2026.  Drafted in 2023 round 6.  Conservative placement.  Hit well as a lefty bat.

Jack Payton:  ACL:  .400/.483/.480, 29 PA.  A:  .184/.244/.263, 41 PA.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible- Dec 2026.  Drafted in 2023 round 11.  Mixed results in very conservative placement and SSS.

Drew Cavanaugh:  ACL:  .300/.475/.333, 40 PA.  A:  .250/.333/.250, 24 PA.  Age- 21.  Rule 5 Eligible- Dec 2026.  More mixed results in very conservative placement and SSS.

Overall Outlook:  Although Patrick Bailey is a candidate for the dreaded Sophomore Jinx, the free agent market is barren.  Giants may bring in a veteran backup to allow them to use options on Sabol, especially if Bart gets traded, but right now it looks like Bailey or bust.  Giants have a nice stream of catching prospects in the pipeline but none of them look like sure things.  Keep an eye on Zach Morgan.

State of the Giants: What Do We Do Now?

The title is a reference to the final scene of The Candidate, a 1972 movie starring Robert Redford.  If that movie were to be remade today, I could envision kind of a reverse version telling the story of the Giants 2023 season and ending with Farhan Zaidi meeting with his bosses after firing Manager Gabe Kapler and asking the same question.  Because after listening to FZ's post-firing comments and his extremely awkward postseason press conference in which he fielded questions alone, I'm pretty sure he has no idea what to do now.  He comes across as a man who is not comfortable in his own skin right now, who has little insight into what went wrong and even less into what will fix it.  He knows he has to hire an new Manager but doesn't really want to because the manager he really wants is the guy he just fired!  The reason why FZ hired Kap and was so comfortable with him is they think alike and relate to people in the same way.  Part of FZ seems to want another Manager just like Kap while part of him knows he needs a Manager who is the opposite of Kap.

Part of me wants FZ to wake up to the fact that he is in a near-impossible situation and get out of Dodge.  The other part wants him to grow a spine and give his version of the "I'm not an idiot" speech.  The operation that produced a team that collapsed down the stretch in 2023 is the same as the one that won 107 games in 2021.  It can win 107 games again and BTW, the kids are alright and coming in droves, you wait and see.  Instead, we get a guy who is trying to figure out how to please his bosses, the press, the fans who write or comment on blogs, Buster Posey and Logan Webb.  

Lost in all of this is GM Pete Putila.  What does he think and what role did he or does he play in the these decisions?  Peppermint Pete, as I call him, may be the guy who turned the valves of the minor league pipleline to wide open but beyond that he's a phantom.  I don't know if Pete is a better people person than FZ and Kap, possibly not, since FZ hired him too and if he was, I would think we might have heard more from him by now.  But maybe FZ should consider telling Pete it's his job to hire the Field Manager and go back to his spreadsheets.  Which brings me to my short list of managerial candidates which does not include Buster Posey for more reasons than I'm pretty sure Field Manager is the last thing in the world Buster wants to do with the rest of his life.  Buster may be old school but have you ever heard Buster give in interview?  It's usually a little less comfortable than when FZ gives one.  

Kai Correa:  Kai is the interim manager and the players just seem to like him a whole lot better than they liked Kap.  A manager who thinks strategically like FZ and Kap but who the players actually like might be a great fit.  On the other hand, Kai has to overcome the perception that he is just a Kap mini-me.  

Ron Wotus:  Wotus is old school and goes way back in the organization.  He is analytical though as the guy who pretty much invented defensive positioning.  He was also the guy who FZ imported to give a motivational speech to the players midseason when it was obvious Kap couldn't give that speech.  That little answer to a trivia question is a huge reason why Wotus is actually the obvious choice.

Donnie Ecker:  The Giants biggest problem this season was hitting and it may not be a coincidence that it collapsed after Ecker left the organization.  Coming back as Manager would be a promotion.  If the problem was the hitting and if the hitting is fixable, Ecker needs to come back and the way to accomplish that is offer him a career advancement by making him the Manager.

Buck Showalter:  Buck is a guy who has control issues himself but who shows a capacity to learn from his mistakes and has been on a career-long personal growth curve.  Buck would almost certainly not accept the offer unless FZ agreed up front to stay the hell out of Buck's clubhouse which is the reason why Buck should be offered the job and why he won't be.

Stephen Vogt:  Retired catcher:  check.  Clubhouse leader and mentor:  Check.  Spent most of his career playing in analytically oriented organizations and seems comfortable with the approach: Check.  Lifelong Giants fan:  Check.  Would jump at the opportunity:  Check.

The actual pick is most likely none of the above but that's my list and I'm sticking to it.

Game Wrap 10/1/2023: Dodgers 5 Giants 2

 Brandon Crawford and Giants fans celebrated his extraordinary career as the longest tenured shortstop in Giants history and winner of 2 World Series Championship rings.  Oh!  And a ballgame was played.  A 5-spot by the Dodgers in the 6'th inning was too much for the Giants to overcome as they marked their eighth consecutive game scoring 2 runs or less.  Key Lines:

Brandon Crawford SS- 0 for 4.  BA= .194.  Tough season for Crawford at what appears to be the end of a career he can be proud of.  He sure is acting like this is the end.  His 4 kids took turns throwing the first pitch.  Gotta say, the lefty girl already has quite an throwing arm!  Crawford has not committed to whether he will retire or not.  That is his decision to make.  As a fan, I would like to see him retire.  He does not have anything left to prove.  He can be proud he played his entire career with the team he grew up rooting for and for playing a major role in 2 of the 3 World Series Championships.  He may be the most forever of the forever Giants.  I would love to see him have a role in the organization whenever he's ready for that.

Casey Schmitt 3B- 1 for 3, 2 HR(5).  BA= .206.  A whirlwind season for Casey Schmitt who started the season in AAA and tore it up, had a resounding start to his MLB career then hit a wall after pitchers discovered they didn't have to pitch him in the strike zone.  There were a couple of ups and downs but it did seem like he made some progress in his approach late in the season.  The two homers send him off on a big positive note.

Kyle Harrison LHP- 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's, 3 HBP.  ERA= 4.15.  A bit of a walk on the wild side for Harrison but no hits allowed against one of the elite lineups in MLB.  I saw 3 quality pitches from him:  FB, breaking ball and changeup.  Just needs to refine the command.  Hopefully this is a springboard to starting next season in the rotation.  If the Giants trade him this offseason they better get a heckuva young hitter in return.

Ross Stripling RHP- 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.36.  By his own admission, Stripling has not pitched well enough to opt out of his modest second and final year of his contract.  He finishes this season on a positive note. Hopefully he can figure out what went wrong in the offseason and be better next year.

So, another season of Game Wraps comes to a close.  I may take a day off here and there but we have plenty to write about and discuss in the offseason.  The end-of-season press conference should be a hoot.  What are your odds FZ will be part of that?

Game Wrap 9/30/2023: Giants 2 Dodgers 1

The Giants scored the same number of of runs as they did Friday Night but this time it was enough as the pitchers shut down the Dodgers lineup.  Key Lines:  

Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 1 for 3, HR(2).  BA= .250.  Fitz is probably still in the "honeymoon phase" many rookies experience but it's nice to see for those of us who have rooted for him in the minors this season. 

Tristan Beck RHP- 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.92.  Kai didn't try to get a 6'th inning out of him and it seems like that was the right move.  Beck has been solid this season in multiple roles and finishes with a sub-4 ERA.  Was he auditioning for a rotation spot with the Giants next season or in a showcase for the Reds scouts?

Ryan Walker RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.23.  Walker has also been solid when he wasn't gassed from overuse.   Looks like he could be part of latter day "core four" bullpen crew for several years.

Camilo Doval RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save(39).  ERA= 2.93.  Going into the final game of the season, Doval is the NL Saves leader by 1 over David Bednar.  Let's hope he can get #40 today.  

It's Brandon Crawford farewell day(probably).  Kyle Harrison LHP get the final start against Bobby Miller RHP.  

Churn Watch:  Brandon Crawford SS comes off the 10-day IL to take his bows for what might be his final game in Giants uniform.  Heliot Ramos OF gets optioned out to make room.