'Tis the season, so it's churn, churn, churn, with apologies to the Bard of Duluth. I've come to appreciate the churn, actually, as baseball is a war of attrition and you have to have the most guys still standing at the end of the season.
Rule V pick RH reliever Dedniel Nuñez, who had a good shot at making the team, needs Tommy John surgery. Ah, that pesky ulnar collateral ligament! Perhaps we should replace them earlier, say in utero, and then these fellows will be better prepared for their pitching careers. Alas, I don't mean to make fun. Here's wishing our FNG a successful procedure and a speedy recovery. I'm not sure what happens to him, with his Rule V status, as the final rosters get set. I'm assuming that decision will come up after the 60-day IL stint expires.
Southpaw starter Alex Wood, expected to be one of the Starting Five, may not be ready for the opening of the season. He's had a history of back injuries and has missed time the last two years. No one expected him to log 30 games, but his track record suggests he's still very effective and can give the team a number of quality outings, so let's hope he gets back soon. It creates an opening for young Logan Webb, and Webb has two options remaining, and that's something the brass likes. Something else the brass likes? How about 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 W, 10 K (22 TBF) this spring!
The Giants picked up another lefty reliever, this time Phil Pfeiffer, a Vanderbilt teammate of Mike Yastrzemski and Tyler Beede. (Walker Buehler was also on that team.) He's 28 and has no ML-time but has over 300 IP in the minors, mostly in the Atlanta Braves system. The Giants have a solid group of lefty bullpen guys, with Jake McGee, Jarlin García, Sam Selman, and the recently acquired José Álvarez. There are also three other NRI southpaws in camp: Scott Kazmir, Sam Long, and Anthony Banda. Hollister's own Conner Menez, LHP, is slated for AAA but he's on the 40-man roster.
It's a good thing they are putting names on the home jerseys this year!
--M.C.
4 comments:
Steven Duggar has had a good spring but he was optioned to AAA. Looks like Slater and Ruf are the other two OFs besides Yaz, Dubon, and Dickerson. Duggar is on the 40-man roster. I suspect he'll be the first guy called up if any of the above get hurt. Ruf is the only one without options.
Jason Krizan, Sam Long, Heliot Ramos, and Anthony Banda (all NRIs) are re-assigned. Long and Ramos both had good springs.
Giants reduce the spring roster to 42 players. Nine spring games remaining. The real thing starts April 1st in Seattle.
Digger seems to offer around a 250 average, a left handed bat, and solid doubles power. He also has decent speed and good defense. On the downside he seems to be very fragile and easily injured.
Sure could use a glove like his. So far he has not been able to hit ML pitching (.236/.281/.349 and 133 K in 469 PA) enough to seriously challenge for a steady job. I'd love to see him play his way on to the team but it will be hard to displace Dubon or Slater or Ruf. With Yaz and Dick both lefty hitters it gets harder to see his path to the bigs, barring an injury to one of those guys.
Rico Garcia needs TJS surgery. The 27-year old RH starter was a non-roster invitee to camp. He appeared as a reliever in 12 G (10 IP) for the Giants last season. He was not expected to make the team but would likely have be assigned to AAA Sacramento.
Post a Comment