Two in a row!

SF 5  NYM 1

Logan Webb retired the first eight hitters he saw tonight on ground balls. He added seven more over the course of eight scoreless frames in a dominant performance. Mets starter Luis Severino matched Webb with four perfect innings but gave up four singles in the 5th for a 3-0 Giants lead. They added two more in the 7th with a couple of extra-base hits. Tyler Rogers had an ugly 9th, giving up three hits and spoiling the shutout, but Camilo Doval bailed him out and saved the win.

Webb followed up rookie Keaton Winn's strong start with an even better one. Not only that, the lineup gave them each five runs to work with. That's a good combination! We'll see if Blake Snell can keep it going. He needs to deliver a good performance and a sweep would be sweet. I try not to read too much into a small subset of games but I like what I saw tonight and last night. The Giants potentially have a really good starting rotation. This looks like a pitching-and-defense club with a solid if unspectacular offense, so if they are to succeed in 2024 the starters will have to lead the way.

It's a getaway game tomorrow so a 12:45 PT start. Off-day Thursday and the Pirates come to town Friday.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Giants Winn!

SF 5  NYM 2

The Giants put up a couple of crooked numbers early and rode another strong start from rookie Keaton Winn to their 11th victory. Winn dominated through six, dinged only by Mets slugger Pete Alonso's solo shot in the 5th, but ran out of gas in the 7th. Sterling Marte singled to open the frame and Francisco Lindor walked to bring up Alonso. Manager Bob Melvin responded with Ryan Walker who induced an infield fly for the first out. Brett Baty lined out and DJ Stewart grounded out to end the threat. Tyler Rogers had a clean 8th while Camilo Doval had an ugly 9th but they got the last six outs to seal the win.

Winn threw 87 pitches to 21 batters. His final line was 6+ IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 W, 6 K. He's lowered his ERA to 3.54 which is bested only by Logan Webb (2.93) and Jordan Hicks (1.61).

Webb goes tomorrow night (6:45 PT) and Blake Snell is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon (12:45). It's an off-day Thursday and then the Pirates come to town for three over the weekend.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Bailey's Big Day Boosts Giants

SF 7  ARI 3

It was Patrick Bailey Bobblehead Day at the ballpark and the young catcher made the most of it, going 4-for-4 including a homer and two doubles to help the Giants to a bounceback win. Yesterday's stink-o start from veteran lefty Blake Snell led to a lopsided loss. Today's shaky start from rookie lefty Kyle Harrison was rescued by stellar bullpen work and a 16-hit attack. (The Giants need to get their southpaw starters going!)

I was particularly happy to see Jung-Hoo Lee get a couple of key extra-base hits. He led off the game with a homer and then smacked an RBI double in the 8th after a nine-pitch battle. LaMonte Wade, Jr. continues to rake, he's slashing .388/.483/.510 so far. But the day belonged to the backstop and his slash line rose to .340/.397/.560 with that almost-hit-for-the-cycle performance.

Harrison gave up six hits and three runs in four frames. At this point Keaton Winn looks more polished, and further along in his development. Winn is a few years older and played some college ball. I have to remember that Harrison is only 22! The relievers picked up the slack (unlike yesterday) and the lineup delivered a steady attack.

Tomorrow it's Jordan Hicks at 1:05 PT. It's a good matchup with Merrill Kelly.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Giants blank D'backs

SF 5  ARI 0

Logan Webb gave up hits to the first two batters he faced tonight and then got 19 straight outs (a career high). After a one-out walk in the 7th he picked that guy off and then got the final out of the inning. Giants win two in a row for only the second time this season. And they get their first shutout. A sacrifice fly from LaMonte Wade, Jr. in the 3rd scored Patrick Bailey (who had doubled) with the game's first run. It stayed 1-0 until the 8th when the Giants finally broke through. A pinch-hit double from Wilmer Flores to score two was the big blow, and Mike Yastrzemski added a two-out hit for two more.

Webb whiffed five to go along with 13 groundouts. Tyler Rogers pitched a scoreless 8th and Ryan Walker struck out the side in the 9th for a satisfying win against a key division foe. The two teams now have identical 9-11 records.

Blake Snell matches up with Jordan Montgomery tomorrow night (7:15 PT). It's Montgomery's debut for Arizona. Snell's had two forgettable outings so far and everyone is eager to see something better.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Giants Win with Winn!

SF 3  MIA 1

Rookie Keaton Winn came into today's start with a 3.93 FIP against a 5.06 ERA (and 0-3 W-L record) which I think indicates he's pitched a little better than it looks. Today he got that elusive good result with a sterling six-inning effort that subdued the Marlins. His only blemish was a two-out, two-strike solo shot in the 6th from Bryan De La Cruz. He's Florida's DH and was seeing Winn for the third time. Winn threw 81 pitches to 21 batters, allowing four hits, one walk, and whiffing four. Whatever else happens in this season I'm excited by the young arms on the staff. Winn dropped his ERA by a run and picked up his first W. Rookie Erik Miller threw a scoreless 7th, Tyler Rogers ground-balled his way through the 8th, and Camilo Doval (he's only 26) had a dominant 9th for the save.

It was 1-1 when Winn left but the Giants scored a run in the 7th and another in the 8th to take the game and the series. The offense did just enough today to back up the strong start and solid relief.

Logan Webb (only 27) takes the hill at home against the Diamondbacks tomorrow night (6:45 PT).

Go Giants!

--M.C.

1st inning: 7-11

MIA 6  SF 3

1st inning: 7-11

Giants starter Jordan Hicks cruised through the first three frames before running into trouble in the 4th and giving up two runs. In the 5th he had to work hard to put up a zero and manager Bob Melvin chose to replace him in the 6th. It didn't work out. Ryan Walker and Taylor Rogers gave up a three-spot and that was the game. The Giants saw their 2-2 tie become a 5-2 deficit. Both teams scored in the 7th but the damage was done. The Giants will send out rookie Keaton Winn in the rubber match/getaway game scheduled for tomorrow morning (9:10 Pacific).

It has not been the early-season start that Giants fans were hoping for. The team has struggled to score runs—only 76 in 18 games for a paltry 4.22 rpg average. That sort of near-league average production works fine if you have a dominant pitching staff. But so far the hurlers are not clicking as a group. Overall the pitchers have allowed 90 runs which comes out to exactly 5.00 per game. Last time I checked 5.00 > 4.22 and that inequality needs to go the other way. You know, RS (runs scored) needs to be >>> than RA (runs allowed). It does seem that the fielding has been improved. Matt Chapman is certainly as good as advertised and Nick Ahmed and Jung-Hoo Lee have been solid defenders as well.

I feel like all the pieces are there for this to be a good team. But the April version of the club is what I will charitably call a "work in progress." There are 144 games left. That's plenty of time for the cold bats to warm up. And plenty of time for the rotation to come together and the 'pen to sort itself out.

The high-flying Dodgers are a mere 11-8 so the Giants are only 3-1/2 games back. The Padres (10-9) and Diamondbacks (8-9) aren't lighting the world on fire, either. Nothing a ten-game winning streak wouldn't cure!

--M.C.

Late rally lifts Giants

SF 4  MIA 3

This Giants team seems to have all the necessary parts but they don't quite add up yet. Tonight some pieces came together for a nail-biting win. Marlins starter Edwin Cabrera dazzled the Florida crowd with a 10-strikeout performance in his six innings. The Giants managed a run when Jung-Hoo Lee walked to lead off the 4th, moved to third on a single from Jorge Soler, and scored with two outs on a single from Michael Conforto. Otherwise the lineup was silent until the 7th. Lefty Kyle Harrison gave up three runs in the 2nd but held the Marlins in check through the 6th.

In the winning frame Thairo Estrada doubled with one out against reliever George Soriano and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Mike Yastrzemksi walked and Patrick Bailey made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly. A walk to Nick Ahmed followed and that was it for Soriano. Marlins manager Skip Schumacher went with lefty Andrew Nardi to face leadoff man Lee. It was a good battle and Lee fouled off several tough pitches before poking a single to left and tying the game. Wilmer Flores pinch-hit for LaMonte Wade, Jr. and singled to make it 4-3 Giants.

Tyler Rogers handled the 7th and Ryan Walker got the first two outs of the 8th. Manager Bob Melvin then appeared to signal for Camilo Doval but Taylor Rogers came out of the bullpen. He was stopped before taking the mound and the closer got the ball. Schumacher didn't seem to like that and he was tossed. Doval nonetheless came through with the four-out save and the Giants had a come-from-behind win.

Tomorrow's game is at 3:40 Pacific and Jordan Hicks will get the start.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Bats back Webb for big win

SF 11  TB 2

After yesterday's discouraging loss the team rebounded with a sound thumping of the Rays. The lineup delivered a barrage of extra-base hits and the Giants cruised behind a stellar start from Logan Webb. I found myself thinking "who is our garbage time guy?" and it turned out to be Nick Avila. He gave up a run in the 8th. Erik Miller had a clean 9th.

Webb's line (7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 W, 4 K) included 12 groundouts with two double plays, one of which plated the only run he allowed. He threw 96 pitches (61 strikes) to 27 batters and earned his first W of the season.

LaMonte Wade, Jr. and Thairo Estrada continued their hot hitting. Wade is in a real good groove right now. His two-run shot in the 5th was the key blow. The team finished with 13 hits, five of which were doubles (Conforto, Lee, 2 by Bailey) and another five were homers (2 by Estrada, Wade, Soler, Chapman). When it rains, it pours. Let's hope this is a good sign and the Giants will get their offense going. Before today they managed only 54 runs in 14 games, a feeble 3.86 rpg.

Big-time FNG Blake Snell gets the start tomorrow morning (10:40 Pacific).

Go Giants!

--M.C.

That's a winning formula

SF 7  WSH 1

Let's see . . . combine great pitching with lots of run-scoring hits and . . . it's a win! This is a formula the Giants should get behind. Team MVP Jordan Hicks threw another good game. He's the best move of the off-season so far. Here's a piece on FanGraphs about the adjustments he's made to move from the bullpen to the starting rotation. Mostly, he's sacrificed some velocity on his big sinker to gain more command. And he's added a splitter. His career path is an unusual one and so far it is paying off for the Giants. I like rooting for this guy.

The youth brigade of Ryan Walker, Landen Roupp, and Erik Miller closed out the last three frames. They were overpowering. Hicks was pulled after six innings and 79 pitches—it was 6-1 by then. A solo homer from Joey Gallo was the only blemish. Speaking of homers, the Giants did not hit one. But they did steal three bases, two of those in one inning by rookie Tyler Fitzgerald. He and the other fellow at the bottom of the lineup (Nick Ahmed) combined for six hits, five runs scored, and three batted in.

Jung-Hoo Lee got the day off. He went through a long slump after a hot start. He had two hits yesterday but he is still making too many easy outs. I don't think he'd missed an inning of the first twelve games so this was a smart time to give him a break. There's an off-day tomorrow and then they go to Tampa Bay for three. Keaton Winn is scheduled for Friday at 3:50 Pacific.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Giants eke out a win

SF 3  SD 2

Logan Webb gave up a lot of contact today—12 groundouts and 10 hits, nine of them singles—but didn't walk anyone and kept the ball in the yard. He got 21 outs and gave up two runs. It looked like that would be enough for San Diego to take the rubber match. But the over-matched Giants lineup got some help from Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim who made errors in the 6th and the 8th that led to runs. It was enough to overcome an otherwise feeble offensive effort.

A struggling Jung-Hoo Lee reached base leading off the 6th on Kim's first error, a bad throw. With the bases loaded and one out an infield chopper from Matt Chapman plated the run. In the 8th Wilmer Flores (pinch-hitting for LaMonte Wade, Jr.) singled with one out. Tyler Fitzgerald, pinch-running, raced to third on a blooper from Jorge Soler, just beating Fernando Tatis' throw. Michael Conforto hit a grounder to first and Jake Cronenworth stepped on the bag for the second out and threw to second for the tag play to end the inning. Kim then missed the ball for his second error. Fitzgerald scored and Soler, who never stopped running, made it to third. Giants finally had a little luck go their way. They capitalized on the break with a hit from Chapman that scored the go-ahead run.

Ryan Walker looked really good in a scoreless 8th and Camilo Doval struck out two batters in the 9th, gave up a hit, then got a strikeout to end it.

We finally get to see Thirty-million Dollar Man Blake Snell. He's listed as the starter tomorrow night (6:45 Pacific) against the visiting Washington Nationals.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Walk-off win snaps skid

SF 3  SD 2

Things were looking a bit bleak for the home side in their Home Opener but Thairo Estrada's one-out double in the 9th saved the day. Matt Chapman, who'd been hit by a pitch, scored the winning run from first base to send the crowd home happy. It was a close play and a thrilling moment. Estrada's hit was only the fifth for the team and three of those were from Michael Conforto. Jung Hoo Lee and LaMonte Wade, Jr. were both hitless in the one-two spots but two walks led to two runs (RBIs from Conforto and Chapman). Otherwise the star of the day was FNG Jordan Hicks. The free agent reliever-turned-starter stymied the Padres once again to lead the Giants back to the win column. The righty threw 90 pitches to 25 batters over seven frames yielding five hits and two runs with no walks and five whiffs. His own error led to one of the runs. It was an impressive showing in his home debut with the club. Tyler Rogers threw a scoreless 8th and Camilo Doval was awarded the win with a scoreless 9th.

Keaton Winn gets the start tomorrow night (6:05 Pacific). He lasted five against the Dodgers and allowed three runs but he got burned by Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman. The Padres are good but they don't have those three guys. I'm looking forward to a better outcome for him. But the lineup really needs to get things going and back up the starters. It was good to see a struggling Estrada get a clutch knock.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Three in a row

The Giants opened the season with three good starts and they won two of those games. They then followed that with three lousy starts including last night's stinker from ace Logan Webb. Naturally they lost all three games.

I think the lineup is a big improvement even if it is not yet firing on all cylinders. The fielding was terrible in 2023 and it ought to be quite a bit better in 2024. The bullpen—who knows? But the strength of the team I think will be the starting pitching. There is a lot of depth and talent there. The rotation will make or break this season so I hope it gets in a groove real soon.

The Joey Bart era is over. He was traded to the Pirates for a minor-league righty named Austin Strickland. It's too bad things didn't work out for him in San Francisco. I think there's still a good chance he'll be a quality major-leaguer.

Kyle Harrison gets the start in LA tonight (7:10 Pacific).

Go Giants!

--M.C.

The lineup

I like the addition of Jung Hoo Lee at the top of the lineup for 2024. He should be a solid everyday player with good defense in centerfield. Lee is signed for six years (through 2029) but has an opt-out after four. The only other player with a commitment from the team that long is Logan Webb who is signed through 2028. Jorge Soler will be the everyday DH. He's on a three-year deal. He should bring The Big Stick the Giants have been lacking. LaMonte Wade, Jr. will man first base and likely hit third against righties with Wilmer Flores spelling him against lefties. Matt Chapman is also on a three-year deal but can opt-out next year. He brings a solid bat and superb defense at third base. Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski will handle the outfield corners with Austin Slater getting starts against southpaws and coming in for defense. Thairo Estrada will man second base. Offensively it is an above-average group.

At the bottom of the lineup will be catcher Patrick Bailey who was the best fielder in baseball last year. Backup Tom Murphy supplies some offense at the position. It remains to be seen how the young switch-hitting Bailey will fare with the bat this season. Nick Ahmed supplies the glove at shortstop but is not a hitter (.234/.288/.376 career line). Marco Luciano did not make the cut this spring but remains an option.

Tyler Fitzgerald, a 2019 4th-rounder from Louisville, looks like the guy for the final bench spot. He's listed as a third baseman and a centerfielder. He flashed some pop at AA and AAA. I'm eager to see what he can do.

The 2024 Giants should be better than the 2022 and 2023 Giants. The only problem is that there are three other tough clubs in the NL West (LA, AZ, SD) and all of them have made big moves in the off-season. It's going to be a battle for a playoff spot but I think the Giants have a good group and a real shot to make the post-season.

They open tomorrow in San Diego. Logan Webb will face Yu Darvish at 1:10 PT. Unfortunately I will be "away from my desk" for the next several days and I'm not sure if I will get to post in a timely manner. Regardless, be sure to chime in on the comments.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

The bullpen

Camilo Doval slots in as the closer and he is among the game's best. Get this: in 2022 Doval threw 67-2/3 IP in 68 appearances and allowed 54 hits and 27 runs while whiffing 80 and walking 30. In 2024 he also threw 67-2/3 innings (in 69 games) while allowing 51 hits and 32 runs to go along with 87 whiffs and 26 walks. Let's just say he is easy to project! He had 27 saves in 2023 and led the league with 39 last year. That takes care of the 9th inning.

The Brothers Rogers remain as the set-up men. Righty submariner Tyler will see a lot of work and is still a hard guy to square up. I love watching him pitch! Tyler has been a valuable guy in the late innings and I expect that to continue. His hard-throwing southpaw brother Taylor is very tough on lefties but has struggled with walks lately and is increasingly vulnerable to right-handed hitters. He's the only lefty in the 'pen right now. He's also signed through next year. Taylor is an important veteran arm so let's hope he has a strong season.

Luke Jackson and Ryan Walker round out the top relief spots. The 2024 Giants will be without Jakob Junis and John Brebbia, both solid guys, but some potential replacements are emerging. Non-roster invitees Juan Sanchez, Nick Avila, and Daulton Jeffries seem poised to pick up the final spots (assuming 13 pitchers, 8 in the 'pen). Sanchez is a young (23) lefty from Venezuela, signed as an amateur free agent. Avila is 2019 pick (26th rd.) from Long Beach State. Jeffries is a former Cal star and 1st rounder (2016 #37 overall, Oakland) who has 56 IP of big-league ball under his belt.

We'll see who sticks after this weekend.

--M.C.

Young arms

The Giants have gathered together an intriguing group of young starting pitchers. Three of them were drafted in 2018: Sean Hjelle (rd. 2, no. 45), Keaton Winn (5/130), and Ryan Walker (31/916). They've each had a taste of the majors. All of them are on the 40-man and are competing for the fifth starter spot. (Winn seems to have the inside track.) Tristan Beck, before his injury, was also in the mix. Beck came via the Mark Melancon trade and was also a 2018 draft pick (Braves, 4/112). Another youngster, Mason Black, was picked up in the third round (#85) in 2021. He was a non-roster invitee this spring but is definitely part of the team's plans going forward.

The star pupil of the group is of course 22-year old southpaw phenom Kyle Harrison. He was selected in the 3rd round (#85 overall) of the 2020 draft. Harrison had seven starts last season. They plugged him in to the second slot in the rotation behind Logan Webb in the off-season and only the acquisition of 2023 NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell bumped him down a notch or two.

The Giants picked up a young (turns 28 in September) flamethrower in free agency named Jordan Hicks. They are converting him to a starter. He is intriguing because of his raw talent (tops 100 mph regularly) and his "fresh" arm (only 243-1/3 IP in five seasons). He was a third-round pick in the 2015 draft (Cardinals, 105). Another 27-year old (he'll be 28 in November) anchors the staff. Ace Logan Webb is a fully established star.

That's an enviable group for any ballclub to have all together at one time. Now mix in the aforementioned Snell and two capable veterans returning from injury and you have the potential for a great pitching staff. Rotation stalwart Alex Cobb has pitched his best baseball since donning the orange-and-black in 2022. The 36-year old is currently ahead of his rehab schedule and may join the team in May. Lefty Robbie Ray, like Snell a Cy Young Awardee (AL, 2021), is signed through 2026. He is recovering from TJS and likely won't be ready until late in the season.

I'll take a look at the bullpen next.

--M.C.

Giants Sign Blake Snell

Like Matt Chapman, the Giants have been linked to Blake Snell for the entire off-season. Like Matt Chapman, it wasn't just talk. Today it became official. Snell signs a two-year, $62M deal that pays him $15M for 2024 and a $17M bonus down the road if he takes $30M for 2025. It's a crazy Zaidian thing, I know, but it's just fine by me. The Giants needed to beef up the rotation and they signed the best player they could get. Snell is a wild card: when he's good he's the very best; when he's not, he's ordinary. But the reigning NL Cy Young Awardee joins second-place finisher Logan Webb to make a dandy tandem at the top of the rotation. Does this make us contenders?

It's all about Snell's health, of course. If he can pitch he's a dominant presence. Like a lot of today's aces (Jacob deGrom comes to mind) he is often unavailable. That's the risk you take. But it's a worthwhile risk in my mind.

This is the craziest off-season ever, I think. It's a heapin' pile of FNGs!!

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Hullo, Chap!

Matt Chapman has reportedly signed a three-year deal with the Giants. It's $54M with opt-outs. They've been linked to him for the entire off-season but it took until March to get the deal done. He's the first of the 'Boras Four' to break the ice. According to MLBTR the Giants are "still interested" in Blake Snell.

This is exciting news. Chapman immediately improves the team. It's getting crowded on the infield bench, though. They'll have to move someone--I wonder who? Roster Resource is a great place to ponder such questions. Here's the link.

Snell or not, the Giants need another starter.

--M.C.

BCraw

It is always sad to see a beloved player depart. Brandon Crawford, the greatest shortstop in San Francisco Giants history, will be wearing another uniform this season. It is not a surprise. After two injury-plagued, disappointing seasons the 37-year old lost his spot on the depth chart to young Marco Luciano. I can't fault the team for wanting to move on. At some point all ballplayers show their age. This one is hard because Crawford has been such a fun player to watch all these years. He delivered so many great plays with such routine nonchalance that we all got spoiled and expected him to get everything. A hit past BCraw was a real hit! Speaking of hits, he had a heapin' pile of clutch hits. It seemed like he really thrived in the dramatic moments. And of course he was a key man in a bunch of great teams and two World Series championships. Add in the local boy background and the chill vibe, not to mention the luscious locks, and you have yourself an all-time fan favorite. He will be missed. Best of luck, BCraw!

--M.C.

Youth Movement?

The Giants opened their Spring Exhibition season with a uninspiring loss to the Cubs. Speaking of the Cubs, Cody Bellinger returns to Chicago on a three-year, $80M deal. Lest you think only the Giants have a thing for opt-outs, Belli's deal includes opt-outs after the first two years. The Giants were linked to J.D. Martinez but opted for Jorge Soler instead. Martinez is still unsigned but will catch on somewhere. Boras Boys Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery are still "in the wings."

Farhan Zaidi has hinted that the Giants are going with the gang they have. We shouldn't expect any more additions to the roster. So, rather than think the club has a glaring hole at shortstop, I've decided FZ & Co. are all-in on the youth movement! Marco Luciano is not yet 23 and has a mere 14 games on his ML-résumé. He signed with the Giants as an international free agent (from the Dominican Republic) in 2018. Young catcher Patrick Bailey has a veteran backup—Tom Murphy—but there isn't a veteran shortstop behind Luciano. The main backup at this point seems to be 25-year old utilityman Otto López who was picked up for cash from the Blue Jays. Or 25-year old 2020 2nd-rounder Casey Schmitt. Not a grizzled mug in the bunch.

Speaking of grizzled, two veteran hurlers are on the shelf until after the All-Star Break. Both FNG Robbie Ray and returning stalwart Alex Cobb are recovering from off-season surgeries. Rather than view this as a glaring hole in the starting rotation, I'm joining the Front Office in their enthusiastic embrace of the youth movement. I like the signing of flamethrowing Jordan Hicks and think his transition from the 'pen could really work. I suspect they'll run him out there until the Break as a stopgap. Hicks will pitch like hell then blow out his arm but the return of the aforementioned Big Two will pick up the slack. He's the rabbit in the race.

After that it is lefty phenom Kyle Harrison, who is also not yet 23, and has 34-2/3 IP in the bigs under his belt. From there it is take-your-pick of Keaton Winn (26, already injured), Tristan Beck (27), Erik Miller (26), Sean Hjelle (26), Kai-Wei Teng (25) and a plethora of up-and-comers like Carson Wisenhunt (23), Landen Roupp (25), Mason Black (24), and Hayden Birdsong (22). Logan Webb is certainly an ace but right now it is a one-man rotation. I really thought they'd sign another veteran arm but it seems clear they will go with the kids. (And the Hicks Experiment.)

This is either folly or supreme self-confidence, I can't tell. I actually love youth movements in general. It is fun to watch young players develop their game. The Giants have been an old, slow bunch lately and that needs to change. But it seems unnecessarily risky to have key spots (SS, SP) manned by inexperienced players. It could all go south in a hurry. I'm okay with that, actually, but on one very important condition. I think the Giants should tell us so. That FZ should say "yes we are entrusting these big responsibilities to rookies." Use the words "youth movement" and "rebuild" in public. He can add "we really like our rookies and expect them to get the job done." That would help!

But teams can't do that. They have to pretend they have a playoff-caliber squad even if they don't. Right now I am excited by Jung-Hoo Lee and Patrick Bailey. I'm intensely interested in Marco Luciano. And of course there is Logan Webb, one of the best in the business. Camilo Doval is among the game's top closers. Thairo Estrada has established himself as the everyday second baseman. There's a lot to like and to be interested in. The rest of the roster is familiar: Slater, Yaz, Wade, Davis, Flores, and Conforto. If healthy, it's a solid mix, and Soler's right-handed pop is a good addition. But after last season's stumbling finish I have to wonder if they did enough despite having an active off-season.

The 1986 team had an advertising slogan: "You Gotta Like These Kids." They ought to think about bringing it back for 2024.

What say you?

--M.C.

Bopper

The Giants sign Jorge Soler for three years and $42 million. The righty slugger will slot in as the primary DH and will give the lefty-leaning lineup a real power threat. He hit homers in Miami which is a hard place for right-handed power hitters so I expect the adjustment to Oracle Park will not be a problem. He's a limited player defensively but if he can hit the ball hard regularly he will help the team.

--M.C.

Cool Giants

The Giants signed flame-throwing Jordan Hicks on the 12th of January. It looked like things were heating up. Alas, it has since been quiet on the player acquisition front. There have been a few smaller moves, at least one that's intriguing, but nothing addressing the team's weak spots. The Giants picked up a 26-year old righty named Tommy Romero who was once a notable prospect in the Rays system. His MLB time is scant (8-1/3 IP, 44 TBF) but scary (9 BB, 7 HR). Like I said, intriguing. They added Cooper Hummel, a switch-hitting left-fielder who also catches. He's the backup for Blake Sabol, I suppose. Does this put Joey Bart on the trade block? MLBTR thinks so. (They also think teams are "showing interest" in Brandon Crawford.)

While Zaidian tinkering around the edges of the roster is necessary, it doesn't fill the fans with enthusiasm. They need another starter. They need another infielder—a shortstop, actually. Don't you think? And it wouldn't hurt to add a bat, just to give the fans something to get excited about. J.D. Davis is the only arb-eligible player who is unsigned. I wonder if that's just a small sticking point in negotiations as the Giants usually wrap all that stuff up early. If they are really interested in Matt Chapman, as has been reported all off-season, that would make Davis redundant. Are they positioning themselves for a trade? Davis led the team in games (144), plate appearances (546), strikeouts (152), and grounding into double plays (16). His .248/.325/.413 is solidly league average (104 wRC+). FanGraphs credited him with good defense and 2.2 fWAR while Baseball-Reference knocked his glove and pegged him at 0.9 bWAR. Chapman is a slight hitting upgrade but is usually rated very high for his fielding. Both men turn 31 in April.

I suppose I'll leave the strategic thinking to the team brass, after all they get paid to do it. This blogging stuff is strictly amateur. I've been away from my desk and unable to write but there's been nothing noteworthy so I didn't miss anything. We all saw the Dusty Baker news. The Giants have this unfortunate image of the team nobody wants to play for. It's bullshit of course, just media jive, but you have to deal with it. Dusty is well-loved all over the game and he puts a welcoming face on the Giants brand. That'll help.

The calendar says February 15th for the first Pitchers & Catchers workout and February 20th for the first Full Squad workout. The first Spring Game is on the 24th. I'm ready for some baseball, how about you?

--M.C.

Big Heat

Jordan Hicks throws as hard as anyone in baseball. He averages just over 100 mph on both his four-seam fastball (which has hit 105!) and his bread-and-butter, a sinking two-seamer. He also has an 86-mph slider. His career 60% ground ball rate is Webb-like. It's easy to see why the Giants are interested, and in fact they signed him to a four-year, $44M deal.

Hicks has logged only 243 innings in 212 games over five seasons with the Cardinals and Blue Jays. He made eight starts in 2022 but has otherwise been a reliever. He turned 27 in September. Like a lot of flamethrowers he walks a lot of guys and is an injury risk. He had TJS in 2019.

Oh, but that talent! I think that's what this deal is all about. Reaching free agency at a relatively young age makes Hicks a better-than-average risk. The peak years for most ballplayers are ages 26-29 or thereabouts. The Giants see starter potential and want to put him in the rotation.

I was reading something on Tom Tango's blog about predictive wOBA (I know, pretty nerdy stuff), and he introduced the column with this tidbit:

Hitting a 450 foot HR is very indicative of a batter's talent. It shows that he has raw power and it shows that he can really put the barrel on the ball. Hitting a 110 mph high popup to an outfielder for an easy out is also a good indication of a batter's talent. It shows that he has raw power and that a small mistiming is what kept him from hitting a 450 foot HR.

A bloop hit is a better outcome for the team than a pop-out, but a lucky Texas-leaguer doesn't tell you anything about the batter's talent. The major-league pop-up does.

I think the same logic applies to this deal. Hicks has some serious pitching talent. Maybe the outcomes haven't been there, but all the indicators are certainly there. A relatively modest deal for a young major-league arm with lots of upside is OK by me. The rotation is still full of question marks after Logan Webb, but at least the pool of possible answers is getting bigger. I would still like to see them go after Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, and I keep wondering about shortstop, but at least the Hicks signing is something to talk about.

--M.C.

Hey, Robbie Ray

The Giants make their first move of the new year by trading for Seattle lefty Robbie Ray. Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani go to the Mariners.

It's no secret that the Giants need starting pitching. Ray was the AL Cy Young awardee in 2021 and has delivered a mostly strong body of work over his ten seasons. He's thrown 1228 innings in 226 games (222 starts) with excellent strikeout numbers (1505 total, 11 K/9, 28.9%). Lifetime he sports a 3.96 ERA and 4.07 FIP. He made one start last year before a flexor strain (followed by Tommy John surgery) ended his season.

It's an interesting risk for the Giants. Ray is 32 and missed a lot of playing time in 2020 as well. He's signed (@$25M/yr.) through 2026. They relieved themselves of some salary by sending away Haniger ($20M) and DeSclafani ($12M). The Giants are sending cash ($3M) to the Mariners as well. If Ray is healthy he will be a solid addition. Unfortunately I'm not clear on when Ray will be available to pitch--recovery from TJS takes a long time. Alex Cobb will open the season on the IL and the other arms after ace Logan Webb are unproven rookies (Kyle Harrison, Keaton Winn, Tristan Beck).

I'm glad to see the transaction wire heating up in San Francisco. I hope they will continue to pursue another starter, and they'll have to do something about shortstop, don't you think?

Meanwhile, welcome to the Giants, Robbie Ray!

--M.C.