2017 Spring Training Thread

[tzill]

Does Marrero have a shot? I have not heard his name since the first game. And I understand you don't think Parker has a shot, I believe you are in the minority on the opinion. He has the inside track, and needs to be grossly outplayed by multiple players to not make it.

I just said JPark has a shot. I was of the opinion BEFORE that he didn't. I've revised my thinking. You may well be right that the FO thinks he's the favorite to get the LF gig; I don't think he's the strongest fit but they know a ton more than I.

As for Marrero, he just keeps hitting and looking good doing it. He might force his way onto the 25, just like Hwang might.

It's odd, b/c I have very little problem with the default #5 guy being Cain, but a much harder time accepting that JPark is the default LF. Most, I think, would be of exactly the opposite opinion.

 

[SFGRTB]

Does Marrero have a shot? I have not heard his name since the first game. And I understand you don't think Parker has a shot, I believe you are in the minority on the opinion. He has the inside track, and needs to be grossly outplayed by multiple players to not make it.

Yes, he has a very good shot. He's overshadowing Morse and Ruggiano big time, who are both well know to most Giants fans (Ruggiano for being a Giants killer). He can play OF and 1B, and bats right-handed. I'm really rooting for him to make the club, think he can be a nice player.

 

[tzill]

Yes, he has a very good shot. He's overshadowing Morse and Ruggiano big time, who are both well know to most Giants fans (Ruggiano for being a Giants killer). He can play OF and 1B, and bats right-handed. I'm really rooting for him to make the club, think he can be a nice player.

I'm not sure that he has played OF. /checks BBR

Nope, not in the majors. /checks MiLB

Yup, about 20% of his games in the minors he started in the OF (192 games). 170 of those games in LF.

 

[calsnowskier]

One of the real weaknesses of this team over the last decade or so was the lack of a bench bat, though (Morse and Ishikawa are exemptions, of course). If Marrero has enough of a bat to be a feared tool in the 8th inning (plus), than I would be OK with it. But my general opinion is to have defense-first players on the bench to allow for flexibility in the late innings. That is why I like Nunez and Gorkys.

 

[LHG]

I find it interesting that Hwang has gotten over twice the playing time in spring than Gillaspie has. I'm starting to wonder if they pull an Ishikawa on Gillaspie.

Marrero is showing some better pop (3 HRs in 5 Hs) than Williamson (2 HRs in 6 Hs) but Williamson is getting on base a lot more (.375 vs Marrero's .273). I'd rather see Marrero start at Sac and go with Parker and either Williamson or Hernandez (if they only carry 4 outfielders, both if 5) and if Williamson struggles, he can be safely optioned. Then they come to figuring out how to fit Marrero on the 40.

As for middle infield, both Beckham and Hill are out hitting Tomlinson so far. Have to wonder if one of the two vets make the team as well.

This could well be the position portion of OP:
Posey - c
Hundley - c
Belt - 1b
Panik - 2b
Crawford - ss
Nunez - 3b
Hwang - 3b
Beckham - 2b
Parker - lf
Span - cf
Pence - rf
Hernandez - of
Williamson - of (if only 12 pitchers are carried, but I have my doubts on that).

The one thing with both Hwang (or Gillaspie) and Beckham making the roster is lack of infield flexibility, unless Hwang beats out Nunez for 3rd base and Nunez becomes the super sub.

 

[LHG]

I haven't heard anything about Neil Ramirez' chances of making the team, but in 4 innings (4 appearances) so far, he's given up 1 hit, no walks and struck out 6. Crick, meanwhile, has a 1.36 WHIP in 3 appearances. That's higher than 16 other pitchers in camp, including Morris, Ramirez, Dominguez, Okert, Black (sent down), Kontos, Blach and Suarez. I still of the persuasion of him going down for more seasoning. He may show some better control than 2016 but it still seems too shaky to make the team.

 

[Stokes1931]

I haven't heard anything about Neil Ramirez' chances of making the team, but in 4 innings (4 appearances) so far, he's given up 1 hit, no walks and struck out 6. Crick, meanwhile, has a 1.36 WHIP in 3 appearances. That's higher than 16 other pitchers in camp, including Morris, Ramirez, Dominguez, Okert, Black (sent down), Kontos, Blach and Suarez. I still of the persuasion of him going down for more seasoning. He may show some better control than 2016 but it still seems too shaky to make the team.

Well, that's not going to be difficult, as he had no control in 2016.

Still, his Spring numbers look encouraging for a SSS. He's only 24, and has the physical tools.

 

[LHG]

Well, that's not going to be difficult, as he had no control in 2016.

Still, his Spring numbers look encouraging for a SSS. He's only 24, and has the physical tools.

I still think his numbers don't merit a spot on the roster, considering all the other guys in camp pitching better. I'd much rather see Crick go to Sacramento and show what he can do there. If he warrants a promotion, and a need opens up in the SF bullpen, then call him up.

 

[Stokes1931]

I still think his numbers don't merit a spot on the roster, considering all the other guys in camp pitching better. I'd much rather see Crick go to Sacramento and show what he can do there. If he warrants a promotion, and a need opens up in the SF bullpen, then call him up.

Totally concur. He begins the season in Sacramento. If he mucks up there, he returns to Richmond. Dude has serious talent but no control. He averaged about a walk per inning pitched last year.

 

[tzill]

I find it interesting that Hwang has gotten over twice the playing time in spring than Gillaspie has. I'm starting to wonder if they pull an Ishikawa on Gillaspie.

Marrero is showing some better pop (3 HRs in 5 Hs) than Williamson (2 HRs in 6 Hs) but Williamson is getting on base a lot more (.375 vs Marrero's .273). I'd rather see Marrero start at Sac and go with Parker and either Williamson or Hernandez (if they only carry 4 outfielders, both if 5) and if Williamson struggles, he can be safely optioned. Then they come to figuring out how to fit Marrero on the 40.

As for middle infield, both Beckham and Hill are out hitting Tomlinson so far. Have to wonder if one of the two vets make the team as well.

This could well be the position portion of OP:
Posey - c
Hundley - c
Belt - 1b
Panik - 2b
Crawford - ss
Nunez - 3b
Hwang - 3b
Beckham - 2b
Parker - lf
Span - cf
Pence - rf
Hernandez - of
Williamson - of (if only 12 pitchers are carried, but I have my doubts on that).

The one thing with both Hwang (or Gillaspie) and Beckham making the roster is lack of infield flexibility, unless Hwang beats out Nunez for 3rd base and Nunez becomes the super sub.

I think the FO knows what they have in Gillaspie; they don't necessarily know with Hwang. Conor is a fringy, 24th/25th guy on the roster at best -- Hwang may end up being a starter. Interestingly, Marrero is playing in LF today.

 

[tzill]

I still think his numbers don't merit a spot on the roster, considering all the other guys in camp pitching better. I'd much rather see Crick go to Sacramento and show what he can do there. If he warrants a promotion, and a need opens up in the SF bullpen, then call him up.

I think the odds of Crick making the roster are slim and none.

 

[Stokes1931]

Cain vs Reds today

3.0 IP

6 H

5 ER

2 BB

2 K

1 HR

ERA now is 9.58

 

[calsnowskier]

I can't imagine Cain is given a full 6 weeks. He has been completely ineffective, and it isn't fair to the rest of the roster to continue trotting him out there with Blach and Beede breathing down his neck.

If he does "win" the job, I see him getting a very short leash (4-6 starts).

 

[LHG]

More cuts in camp today. One position player, Kyle Blanks, got re-assigned to minor league camp, along with Sam Coonrod and Matt Reynolds. Clayton Blackburn, Joan Gregorio and Chris Stratton got optioned to Sacramento.
Blanks was having a good spring. His OPS ranked 8th among all position players. If healthy, he actually seems like the best type of power bench bat in camp.
Stratton was also having a good camp, making 3 relief appearances, giving up 1 run on 4 hits (no walks) with 6 strikeouts in 5 innings pitched. A little strange that he wasn't given a longer look, considering he is on the 40 man roster already.

 

[msgkings322]

Didn't think this merited its own thread so just leaving it here:

Buster Posey making noise for Team USA

 

[calsnowskier]

Didn't think this merited its own thread so just leaving it here:

Buster Posey making noise for Team USA

Craw is having a coming out party, though. He is getting quite a bit of national attention for his D.

 

[SFGRTB]

I haven't heard anything about Neil Ramirez' chances of making the team, but in 4 innings (4 appearances) so far, he's given up 1 hit, no walks and struck out 6. Crick, meanwhile, has a 1.36 WHIP in 3 appearances. That's higher than 16 other pitchers in camp, including Morris, Ramirez, Dominguez, Okert, Black (sent down), Kontos, Blach and Suarez. I still of the persuasion of him going down for more seasoning. He may show some better control than 2016 but it still seems too shaky to make the team.

Neil Ramirez has made some noise, as you point out with his numbers. He has fantastic stuff, in 2014 when everything was working he was dominating hitters. Injured caused him to lose his fastball. This spring, he has it back. He's a hard thrower in the mid-high 90s.

Kontos and Gearrin better look out. They are the favorites right now, but Ramirez, Hernandez, Dominguez, Morris are right there. All of them arguably have better stuff than the former.

 

[SFGRTB]

Yikes, I didn't realize just how bad Ruggiano has been until I checked his numbers:

2-19 with 9 K's, 1 BB. He still has time to find his strike zone, but he has a severe up-hill climb with McParker, Morse and Marrero all making a lot of noise so far.

 

[calsnowskier]

Yikes, I didn't realize just how bad Ruggiano has been until I checked his numbers:

2-19 with 9 K's, 1 BB. He still has time to find his strike zone, but he has a severe up-hill climb with McParker, Morse and Marrero all making a lot of noise so far.

I think his real competition is from Gorkys. But yea, he has dug himself a hole.

 

[LHG]

I think his real competition is from Gorkys. But yea, he has dug himself a hole.

Not like Gorkys is doing himself any favors - 4 for 28 with 2 walks but no strikeouts. His slash is worse than Ruggiano's:

Hernandez - .143/.200/.250
Ruggiano - .136/.208/.318