10 Questions For Spring Training
Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on Saturday, and Still Orange & Black is back. We'll try to be a little more consistent with our posting in 2009. We begin the new year with a look at the biggest questions facing the Giants as we get ready for another season.
10. Who are the new kids?
The Giants have several young pitchers in camp for the first time, including Henry Sosa, Kevin Pucetas, Joseph Martinez, Jesse English, and Waldis Joaquin. Sosa has the biggest upside of the group, but he battled injuries last year and will need to prove himself healthy to regain his top prospect status. Pucetas and Martinez could see big-league time if any holes open up in the rotation, and it will be intriguing to see how they fare against major league hitters. Don't rule out the possibility that Brian Sabean is simply trying to showcase these pitchers as trade bait.
9. How's Fred's foot?
Fred Lewis was severely limited in the second half of last season by a bunion on his foot, yet he was still one of the team's most productive hitters. He had offseason surgery to have the bunion removed, and claims to be feeling great. The Giants plan to bat Lewis in the middle of the order, likely fifth, and expect more power from the left fielder, who hit just nine home runs last year. Will Lewis try to be more aggressive to hit more home runs? If yes, will this come at the sacrifice of one of his best attributes, his ability to get on base?
8. What will Nate Schierholtz's role be?
It's a make or break year for outfielder Schierholtz, who turns 25 on February 15 and is out of minor league options. With Randy Winn's contract up after this year, the Giants want to see if Schierholtz will be able to step in. He's expected to be at least a fourth outfielder, and could see more playing time if Fred Lewis struggles or Aaron Rowand needs more days off. Schierholtz has nothing left to prove in the minors, and nobody doubts his power, but he needs to work on his plate discipline (3 BB in 81 PA last year) if he is ever going to be an everyday major leaguer.
7. How much will we see of Buster Posey?
The 2008 first-round draft pick earned an invite to Spring Training. The question is whether he will see serious playing time or if he is simply an extra catcher to handle the extra pitchers in camp. He will start the year either in San Jose or Connecticut, but the Giants must be curious to see how advanced his bat and game-calling skills are. They would love to be able to slot him in as the Opening Day catcher in 2010.
6. What's new with Barry Zito?
Few Giants need a good spring more than Barry Zito. Last year, a disastrous spring carried over into an 0-8 start to the regular season. He doesn't need to be a Cy Young Winner, as for the first time in his career he's a back-of-the-rotation starter. If he can pitch the way he did the second half of 2008, that's good enough. In 2007 Zito showed up in Scottsdale with a new windup. Last year he showed up with a new "wrestler mentality." Let's hope that whatever he shows up with this year will make that contract a little less embarrassing. At this point, I'll settle for that.
5. Who gets the final bullpen spots?
Five pitchers appear to be locks for the bullpen: Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo, Jack Taschner, and new acquisitions Jeremy Affeldt and Bob Howry. That likely leaves two open spots. The front runners would seem to Alex Hinshaw and Keiichi Yabu, but there is plenty of competition. Either Jonathan Sanchez or Noah Lowry could be a long reliever if both are healthy and neither is traded. Billy Sadler and Osiris Matos both spent time with the big club in 2008. Merkin Valdez was dominant last year before getting hurt, and if healthy, deserves a shot. Long shots include non-roster invitees Francis Beltran, Brandon Medders, and Justin Miller, as well as Rule-5 pick Luis Perdomo.
4. Who's on second?
The Giants have said they will let Kevin Frandsen, Eugenio Velez, and Emmanuel Burriss battle it out for the second base job. Conventional wisdom says its Frandsen's job to lose, with Burriss likely starting in Fresno to get regular playing time and Velez being used as a utility-man/pinch runner. Frandsen deserves the first shot because he has a better minor league track record and more power than the other two. But if Velez has the kind of strong Spring he did last year, or if Burriss continues to surprise like he did during the regular season, the Giants could be swayed in another direction.
3. Where's Pablo?
The Giants are committed to starting Pablo Sandoval somewhere in 2009. Right now, it looks like he will be the opening day third baseman. But nobody really seems to believe that Sandoval is defensively capable of playing the hot corner every day. The way the roster shapes up now, I see him playing a similar role to that of Pedro Feliz in 2004, when Feliz hit 22 home runs in 503 at-bats despite not being a regular at any position. Sandoval will likely get most of the at-bats at third, as well as some at first base if Travis Ishikawa stumbles, and catcher when Bengie Molina needs a day off. An alternate plan would be to sign a corner infielder, trade Molina (if possible for another infielder), and give Sandoval the majority of starts behind the plate, where his bat would be more valuable. He could be a nice bridge at the position until Buster Posey is ready to take over.
2. How are the lefties?
Noah Lowry and Jonathan Sanchez will supposedly fight for the final rotation spot. Trainer Dave Groeschner said Lowry is healthy and ready to start Spring Training. Whether or not he's ready to face big-league hitters is another matter. Sanchez showed flashes of brilliance in 2008, particularly during the month of June, when he went 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA. But he battled injuries and ineffectiveness in the second half, and his ERA ballooned to 5.01. He is leaning towards pitching for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, which is a risk for a pitcher who may have been overworked last year, and it may put him at a disadvantage towards earning a rotation spot. If both are healthy, the Giants will face a dilemma. A trade is still possible, though Sanchez carries much more value than Lowry.
1. Is this it?
The Giants have done a lot to upgrade the team this offseason. Affeldt and Howry bolstered the bullpen, Randy Johnson adds depth to the rotation, and Edgar Renteria will almost certainly be an upgrade at shortstop. But the offense as it stands will likely be among the worst in baseball again, which begs the question "Will the Giants look the same in a month as they do now?" The team has offered a contract to third baseman Joe Crede, whose acquisition would further complicate the infield situation. And of course, the Manny Ramirez rumors have not gone away. Many have shrugged off the Giants' interest, but the team appears serious, and while the Dodgers remain the frontrunner, I would not be at all surprised if Brian Sabean jumped at the right deal.
10. Who are the new kids?
The Giants have several young pitchers in camp for the first time, including Henry Sosa, Kevin Pucetas, Joseph Martinez, Jesse English, and Waldis Joaquin. Sosa has the biggest upside of the group, but he battled injuries last year and will need to prove himself healthy to regain his top prospect status. Pucetas and Martinez could see big-league time if any holes open up in the rotation, and it will be intriguing to see how they fare against major league hitters. Don't rule out the possibility that Brian Sabean is simply trying to showcase these pitchers as trade bait.
9. How's Fred's foot?
Fred Lewis was severely limited in the second half of last season by a bunion on his foot, yet he was still one of the team's most productive hitters. He had offseason surgery to have the bunion removed, and claims to be feeling great. The Giants plan to bat Lewis in the middle of the order, likely fifth, and expect more power from the left fielder, who hit just nine home runs last year. Will Lewis try to be more aggressive to hit more home runs? If yes, will this come at the sacrifice of one of his best attributes, his ability to get on base?
8. What will Nate Schierholtz's role be?
It's a make or break year for outfielder Schierholtz, who turns 25 on February 15 and is out of minor league options. With Randy Winn's contract up after this year, the Giants want to see if Schierholtz will be able to step in. He's expected to be at least a fourth outfielder, and could see more playing time if Fred Lewis struggles or Aaron Rowand needs more days off. Schierholtz has nothing left to prove in the minors, and nobody doubts his power, but he needs to work on his plate discipline (3 BB in 81 PA last year) if he is ever going to be an everyday major leaguer.
7. How much will we see of Buster Posey?
The 2008 first-round draft pick earned an invite to Spring Training. The question is whether he will see serious playing time or if he is simply an extra catcher to handle the extra pitchers in camp. He will start the year either in San Jose or Connecticut, but the Giants must be curious to see how advanced his bat and game-calling skills are. They would love to be able to slot him in as the Opening Day catcher in 2010.
6. What's new with Barry Zito?
Few Giants need a good spring more than Barry Zito. Last year, a disastrous spring carried over into an 0-8 start to the regular season. He doesn't need to be a Cy Young Winner, as for the first time in his career he's a back-of-the-rotation starter. If he can pitch the way he did the second half of 2008, that's good enough. In 2007 Zito showed up in Scottsdale with a new windup. Last year he showed up with a new "wrestler mentality." Let's hope that whatever he shows up with this year will make that contract a little less embarrassing. At this point, I'll settle for that.
5. Who gets the final bullpen spots?
Five pitchers appear to be locks for the bullpen: Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo, Jack Taschner, and new acquisitions Jeremy Affeldt and Bob Howry. That likely leaves two open spots. The front runners would seem to Alex Hinshaw and Keiichi Yabu, but there is plenty of competition. Either Jonathan Sanchez or Noah Lowry could be a long reliever if both are healthy and neither is traded. Billy Sadler and Osiris Matos both spent time with the big club in 2008. Merkin Valdez was dominant last year before getting hurt, and if healthy, deserves a shot. Long shots include non-roster invitees Francis Beltran, Brandon Medders, and Justin Miller, as well as Rule-5 pick Luis Perdomo.
4. Who's on second?
The Giants have said they will let Kevin Frandsen, Eugenio Velez, and Emmanuel Burriss battle it out for the second base job. Conventional wisdom says its Frandsen's job to lose, with Burriss likely starting in Fresno to get regular playing time and Velez being used as a utility-man/pinch runner. Frandsen deserves the first shot because he has a better minor league track record and more power than the other two. But if Velez has the kind of strong Spring he did last year, or if Burriss continues to surprise like he did during the regular season, the Giants could be swayed in another direction.
3. Where's Pablo?
The Giants are committed to starting Pablo Sandoval somewhere in 2009. Right now, it looks like he will be the opening day third baseman. But nobody really seems to believe that Sandoval is defensively capable of playing the hot corner every day. The way the roster shapes up now, I see him playing a similar role to that of Pedro Feliz in 2004, when Feliz hit 22 home runs in 503 at-bats despite not being a regular at any position. Sandoval will likely get most of the at-bats at third, as well as some at first base if Travis Ishikawa stumbles, and catcher when Bengie Molina needs a day off. An alternate plan would be to sign a corner infielder, trade Molina (if possible for another infielder), and give Sandoval the majority of starts behind the plate, where his bat would be more valuable. He could be a nice bridge at the position until Buster Posey is ready to take over.
2. How are the lefties?
Noah Lowry and Jonathan Sanchez will supposedly fight for the final rotation spot. Trainer Dave Groeschner said Lowry is healthy and ready to start Spring Training. Whether or not he's ready to face big-league hitters is another matter. Sanchez showed flashes of brilliance in 2008, particularly during the month of June, when he went 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA. But he battled injuries and ineffectiveness in the second half, and his ERA ballooned to 5.01. He is leaning towards pitching for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, which is a risk for a pitcher who may have been overworked last year, and it may put him at a disadvantage towards earning a rotation spot. If both are healthy, the Giants will face a dilemma. A trade is still possible, though Sanchez carries much more value than Lowry.
1. Is this it?
The Giants have done a lot to upgrade the team this offseason. Affeldt and Howry bolstered the bullpen, Randy Johnson adds depth to the rotation, and Edgar Renteria will almost certainly be an upgrade at shortstop. But the offense as it stands will likely be among the worst in baseball again, which begs the question "Will the Giants look the same in a month as they do now?" The team has offered a contract to third baseman Joe Crede, whose acquisition would further complicate the infield situation. And of course, the Manny Ramirez rumors have not gone away. Many have shrugged off the Giants' interest, but the team appears serious, and while the Dodgers remain the frontrunner, I would not be at all surprised if Brian Sabean jumped at the right deal.
Labels: Spring Training
posted by Charlie at
9:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Main Page