Down on the Farm (2023)

[calsnowskier]

Loud rumors that Schmitt will be in the lineup tonight.

Looking at the roster, my quick guess for a corresponding move would be Diaz to the 60 (maybe DFA’d?)

 

[tzill]

Ruf DFA'd.

Stevenson sent down

Schmitt starting at SS

 

[tzill]

In other news, pitching prospect John Bertrand was promoted to High-A. Bertrand posted a 2.65 ERA with 12 strikeouts against 2 walks across 17 innings for the San Jose Giants. He was a 10th round pick in 2022 out of Notre Dame.

Ragsdale has definitely pitched well enough to earn a promotion from A+. Though, finding room in AA will be tough. It might take a promotion in AA first from him to be moved up.

 

[tzill]

Schmitt is called up. Bailey, Harrison, Winn, Fitz are at AAA. Brown and Luciano returning to the field. Matos raking. Kai-Wei Teng shoving. Meckler is hot. Whisenhunt is Him. I am happy.

 

[LHG]

Loud rumors that Schmitt will be in the lineup tonight.

Interesting. I don't quite think he is ready (his offensive numbers, by AAA standards, are a bit underwhelming) but I do love the idea of him getting a shot at the big league level.

By the way, he started getting time at 2nd base in AAA, in addition to games at both short and 3rd.

 

[LHG]

In other news, pitching prospect John Bertrand was promoted to High-A. Bertrand posted a 2.65 ERA with 12 strikeouts against 2 walks across 17 innings for the San Jose Giants. He was a 10th round pick in 2022 out of Notre Dame.

Ragsdale has definitely pitched well enough to earn a promotion from A+. Though, finding room in AA will be tough. It might take a promotion in AA first from him to be moved up.

Ragsdale is old enough that he needs to be promoted. I'm sure that they can make room for him in Richmond.

 

[tzill]

Wade Meckler is slashing .482/.531/.679 (229 wRC+) with nearly as many walks (7) as strikeouts (6) in 64 plate appearances in High-A. The only Giants prospect I can recall coming remotely close to that type of production at that level is Brandon Belt in 2010, who slashed .383/.492/.628 (191 wRC+) in 333 plate appearances. At that time, the Giants were a little more rigid in wanting prospects to get a lot of experience at each level, so it will be interesting to see how long Meckler stays in High-A.

 

[LHG]

Wade Meckler is slashing .482/.531/.679 (229 wRC+) with nearly as many walks (7) as strikeouts (6) in 64 plate appearances in High-A. The only Giants prospect I can recall coming remotely close to that type of production at that level is Brandon Belt in 2010, who slashed .383/.492/.628 (191 wRC+) in 333 plate appearances. At that time, the Giants were a little more rigid in wanting prospects to get a lot of experience at each level, so it will be interesting to see how long Meckler stays in High-A.

How about Vaun Brown last year? Across 3 levels, he hit .346/.437/.623 in 458 PAs. However, his walks to K ratio was 47/119.

Belt did go from San Jose to Fresno in 2010. After 77 games, he moved up to Richmond on July 1st, hit .337/.413/.623 in 46 games there and then got moved up again to Fresno, on August 25th, hitting .229/.393/.563 in 13 games.

By the way, Brown started this season on the IL but has continued his hitting abilities in 4 rehab games each at San Jose and Eugene (.364/.462/.546 in 39 PAs). I assume he'll be in Richmond soon.

 

[tzill]

Whisenhunt has a 0.69 ERA, 11.1 K/9, and an 8.00 SO/W in 3 starts since his promotion. He won't be in Eugene for long if those numbers continue.

 

[tzill]

Richmond, just now:

Luis Matos and Marco Luciano with back-to-back homers in the 4th

 

[Stokes1931]

All four farm teams won today.

Matos was 4-4 with a homer and 3 RBI (now hitting .304)

Fitzgerald went 3-3 with a double and a triple, now hitting .326 for Sacramento

Hjelle pitched 4 strong shutout innings.

Meckler was 4-5 with a homer (2) and 2 RBI (now hitting .456 for Eugene)

Bericoto went 2-5 with a homer (7) and 2 RBI (now hitting .321 for Eugene)

 

[calsnowskier]

So what do we do with Fitz/Schmitt/Villar? Fitz and Schmitt are glove-wizards, with acceptable bats, while VR is an acceptable glove with a potential 30 HR bat.

I think each of them could fetch a decent piece at the deadline, but do we want to that, or concentrate on moving VR to 1B or LF?

 

[tzill]

So what do we do with Fitz/Schmitt/Villar? Fitz and Schmitt are glove-wizards, with acceptable bats, while VR is an acceptable glove with a potential 30 HR bat.

I think each of them could fetch a decent piece at the deadline, but do we want to that, or concentrate on moving VR to 1B or LF?

Id think LWJ has 1b locked down for now.

 

[LHG]

So what do we do with Fitz/Schmitt/Villar? Fitz and Schmitt are glove-wizards, with acceptable bats, while VR is an acceptable glove with a potential 30 HR bat.

I think each of them could fetch a decent piece at the deadline, but do we want to that, or concentrate on moving VR to 1B or LF?

If Villa can handle left field, I'd say move him there. Haniger isn't looking good right now (worse than what Villar posted). I'd be okay with Schmitt at 3rd, Fitzgerald at short, Estrada at 2nd, Wade at 1st and Villa at left field. Of course, that would assume Fitzgerald hits at the big league level and Villar can overcome his early season woes.

 

[calsnowskier]

Id think LWJ has 1b locked down for now.

I don’t like his glove, but you can’t argue his bat or his salary. I am very pleasantly surprised by his production.

 

[calsnowskier]

If Villa can handle left field, I'd say move him there. Haniger isn't looking good right now (worse than what Villar posted). I'd be okay with Schmitt at 3rd, Fitzgerald at short, Estrada at 2nd, Wade at 1st and Villa at left field. Of course, that would assume Fitzgerald hits at the big league level and Villar can overcome his early season woes.

Fitz looks good, but putting him into this discussion is admittedly a bit premature. But he has gotten a lot of helium over the last 6-8 months.

And putting VR in left is an issue, but that is where I am pencilling Luciano playing.



Basically, these are good problems to have.

 

[LHG]

Fitz looks good, but putting him into this discussion is admittedly a bit premature. But he has gotten a lot of helium over the last 6-8 months.

And putting VR in left is an issue, but that is where I am pencilling Luciano playing.



Basically, these are good problems to have.

Villar, if his bat can play in the big leagues, could be leveraged into a super utility role. Good gloves aren't usually needed if the player is simply willing to play multiple positions and can hit.
Yes, this is a good problem.

Edit: And hopefully Vaun Brown makes it even a more of a good problem for the Giants.

 

[Stokes1931]

All four Giants' farm teams are above .500.

Sacramento (AAA) 20-19
Richmond (AA) 17-15
Eugene (A+) 18-14
San Jose (A) 22-11

Nice to see.

 

[tzill]

If Villa can handle left field, I'd say move him there. Haniger isn't looking good right now (worse than what Villar posted). I'd be okay with Schmitt at 3rd, Fitzgerald at short, Estrada at 2nd, Wade at 1st and Villa at left field. Of course, that would assume Fitzgerald hits at the big league level and Villar can overcome his early season woes.

Where does that put JDD?

 

[calsnowskier]

Where does that put JDD?

Great. Introduce ANOTHER problem…