Down on the Farm 2025

[LHG]

A couple of notes from the RiverCats:

Marco Luciano has played 52 games in left field and 1 game at 1st base. Bryce Eldridge is now with the RiverCats. I think the Luciano the first baseman experiment was brief and now over.

In another strange transaction, the Giants released Brett Auerbach from the org. In 41 games, he posted a .722 OPS while playing games at 3rd base, right field, 2nd base, catcher and left field. Primarily the 3rd basemen for the RiverCats, he was hitting worse than the guy who took over the hot corner (Devin Mann, posting a .818 OPS in 23 games for Sacramento). However, the primary right fielder (our first round favorite, Hunter Bishop) has a .641 OPS (50 games), the primary 2nd baseman (waiver claim Osleivis Basabe) has a .638 OPS (51 games), the primary catcher (Logan Porter) a .679 OPS (38 games) and the primary left fielder (Marco Luciano) has a .723 OPS (57 games). It wasn't like Auerbach was the poor hitter on the team. In fact, among the players currently on the RiverCats' roster, Auerbach had the 6th best OPS. Really odd to let go a player with that kind of versatility and a decent bat.

 

[tzill]

In mid May, the Giants released Nick Morreale. Its a bit surprising because he looked good in 8 starts last year with the Flying Squirrels but the org decided to convert him to a reliever and he got hammered early this year. I guess that assumed that 8 relief appearances this year was all that was needed to decide last year was just a mirage.

Or that there were enough good arms in the org already and they needed the spot.

 

[tzill]

A couple of notes from the RiverCats:

Marco Luciano has played 52 games in left field and 1 game at 1st base. Bryce Eldridge is now with the RiverCats. I think the Luciano the first baseman experiment was brief and now over.

In another strange transaction, the Giants released Brett Auerbach from the org. In 41 games, he posted a .722 OPS while playing games at 3rd base, right field, 2nd base, catcher and left field. Primarily the 3rd basemen for the RiverCats, he was hitting worse than the guy who took over the hot corner (Devin Mann, posting a .818 OPS in 23 games for Sacramento). However, the primary right fielder (our first round favorite, Hunter Bishop) has a .641 OPS (50 games), the primary 2nd baseman (waiver claim Osleivis Basabe) has a .638 OPS (51 games), the primary catcher (Logan Porter) a .679 OPS (38 games) and the primary left fielder (Marco Luciano) has a .723 OPS (57 games). It wasn't like Auerbach was the poor hitter on the team. In fact, among the players currently on the RiverCats' roster, Auerbach had the 6th best OPS. Really odd to let go a player with that kind of versatility and a decent bat.

Only explanation I can think of is that they felt he wasn't going to ever get any better so they let him go so that he might catch on with another org.

 

[calsnowskier]

In mid May, the Giants released Nick Morreale. Its a bit surprising because he looked good in 8 starts last year with the Flying Squirrels but the org decided to convert him to a reliever and he got hammered early this year. I guess that assumed that 8 relief appearances this year was all that was needed to decide last year was just a mirage.

He has never been on my radar, but a quick glance at his numbers tells me the was in fact horrible this year, but quite effective at every stop before this year. He seemed to be a bit generous with the walks, but nothing too egregious.

I would guess there is either something else at play here (maybe he decided to hand ‘em up) or our minor league depth is just too strong to carry a middling, aging prospect (he will be 28 next month)

 

[LHG]

Or that there were enough good arms in the org already and they needed the spot.

He has never been on my radar, but a quick glance at his numbers tells me the was in fact horrible this year, but quite effective at every stop before this year. He seemed to be a bit generous with the walks, but nothing too egregious.

I would guess there is either something else at play here (maybe he decided to hand ‘em up) or our minor league depth is just too strong to carry a middling, aging prospect (he will be 28 next month)

He did move slowly through the org but I don't think his release was due to better, younger players getting promoted. After all, Cameron Cotter is still on the Richmond roster and he sticks in spite of some awful numbers. In fact, Dylan Cumming was about the same age and better than Cotter but got cut. It is weird to me how players are cut sometimes.

 

[LHG]

Only explanation I can think of is that they felt he wasn't going to ever get any better so they let him go so that he might catch on with another org.

Possible. He was a spring training darling just a couple of years ago but followed up with some poor numbers that season. However, he has gotten a bit better since then.