As expected the Giants parted ways with struggling first baseman LaMonte Wade, Jr. who was DFAd today. Sam Huff got the axe as well. Wade is a free agent after this season. The 31-year old has inexplicably "fallen off a cliff" in his hitting performance. He's been a productive player for the team for the last few years and it is sad to see his decline and departure. "Late-inning LaMonte" is no more.
The Giants desperately need some offense from their backup catcher and Huff has not delivered. He doesn't get to play much, but that's the nature of the job. The Giants desperately need their starting catcher to hit, too.
Former first-rounder Dominic Smith was in the minors with the Yankees but opted out and came to San Francisco on a one-year deal. The soon-to-be 30-year old journeyman lefty has bounced around the bigs for eight seasons and put up roughly league-average numbers as a part-time 1B/OF. He'll be in the lineup tonight, I hope!
Christian Koss and Luis Matos were re-assigned to the minors while C Andrew Knizner and OF Daniel Johnson were promoted. The 30-year old Knizner (KIZZ-ner) has 290 ML games, almost entirely behind the dish. The 29-year old Johnson is a lefty with 95 ML games under his belt. He was, like Jerar Encarnacion, mashing in the Mexican League and got noticed by the Giants.
The team certainly needs something! The two losses to the Padres have been sickening. To waste all that brilliant pitching is a real shame. I forgot to mention that Jordan Hicks went on the 15-day IL. He hasn't had much luck this season. Sean Hjelle takes the spot. Bryce Eldridge was promoted from AA to AAA. That puts him in Sacramento. The 20-year old lefty slugger is on the fast track.
Kyle Harrison tonight (6:45 PT).
Go Giants!
--M.C.
1 comment:
Sickening, indeed. Sorry to LaMonte go, but he was not helping the team. We also should have won at least one more game of the road trip. Even the Roxkies swept the Marlins, putting their sub-.200 record in jeopardy.
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