SF Giants TOP 10 PROSPECTS That Can Make A HUGE Impact In 2022!!

As we ramp up for OPENING DAY, it’s time to start considering which prospects will make an impact in 2022 as the injuries mount and re-enforcements are needed! Here is my TOP 10 list of San Francisco Giants prospects who could make an impact in 2022…

10. IF Jason Krizan

At #10, I wanted to give a shout to a prospect who has been floating around the Minor Leagues for about 10 years and is yet to make his big league debut. At 32 years old, he’s not really a typical prospect anymore, but Krizan has an incredible eye at the plate, makes solid contact and puts up impressive numbers. In 480 plate appearances in Triple A last year, he hit .316 with 16 home runs, driving in 73 runs and striking out just 70 times. Back in 2019 in Triple A, he struck out just 45 times in 386 at bats. This is a guy who can be relied upon to put the ball in play, he has some pop and is a solid defender with a great arm. How he has never gotten a promotion is beyond me and as of now, he’s not even on the 40-man roster. However, if he continues to hit well in Sacramento, the Giants should definitely consider promoting him when the injuries start piling up.

9. RP Gregory Santos

Next up is relief pitcher Gregory Santos, whose stats from last season do not look pretty. He gave up a lot of runs in Triple A and the Big Leagues and then was suspended for 80 games for PED’s. However, there were small samples of absolutely devastating stuff that has kept him on the radar for the Giants as a legitimate prospect. He is only 22 years old, has a fastball in the High 90’s and analytical websites and analysists love the guy. The downside is he hasn’t proven much on the field, his strikeout ratio hasn’t been as high as you’d like in the minors and that was with the help of PED’s apparently. Nevertheless, if he pitches well in Triple A this year, the Giants will likely give him another shot as the season wears on and the bullpen needs re-enforcements.

8. RP R.J. Dabovich

In the 4th round of the 2020 MLB Draft, the Giants took R.J. Dabovich out of Arizona State. He's a 6’3” 215 lb hurler with plenty of arm strength, a strong breaking ball and a change-up. In High A Ball last season, he dominated batters to the tune of a 1.42 ERA in 11 appearances, earning a promotion to Double A, where he continued to pitch well. In 20 appearances in Richmond, Dabovich struck out 34 batters in 19 innings, giving up just 13 hits. He also pitched in the Arizona Fall League during the offseason and struck out 15 batters in 10 innings with a 1.69 ERA. If Dabovich continues this type of domination in Triple A, he will definitely be an arm that Giants will want to bring up to provide some strong innings out of the bullpen. His walk rate isn’t the best and there is a likelihood he won’t be a fully effective big league reliever until 2023, but he could still help out this year if the Giants bullpen needs it.

7. SP Sean Hjelle

At 6’11”, Sean Hjelle will tie an MLB record for the tallest player ever when he makes his debut. Hjelle won Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year at Kentucky in 2017, was drafted by the Giants in the second round, and mostly dominated the minors until a rough stretch in Triple-A last year resulted in a 5.74 ERA. Nevertheless, he is still one of the Giants best looking pitching prospects and has a nice toolbox of pitches including an impressive knuckle-curve, a sharp curve and a mid-nineties fastball that looks a lot faster with his the incredible extension and unusual angle he can create due to his height. He also has a sinking changeup he will occasionally throw but his command of this pitch isn’t the best.

Although the Giants have established some strong depth in the rotation, injuries will be a major concern and during the later months of the season, some one will likely have to make the trip from Sacramento to start some very important games. Sean Hjelle could very well be that guy.

6. OF Jairo Pomares

One prospect who was taken at the same time as Marco Luciano and Luis Matos is often forgotten about and it’s outfielder Jairo Pomares. He is a left-handed hitter with incredible bat speed. In 224 plate appearances with the San Jose Giants, Pomares hit an astonishing .372 with 14 bombs and 44 RBI. He was promoted to High A Eugene where he settled down a little but continued to hit well, finishing his season with a .334 batting average at 20 home runs in just 302 at bats. Pomares has incredible potential, along with Matos who I will get to shortly, to become the first homegrown superstar outfielder for the San Francisco Giants in decades. If he continues to rake at the higher Minor League levels this year, it’s not out of the question that he could make his Major League Debut in 2022 although it probably more likely we see him in 2023.

5. RP Kervin Castro

There is one player on this list who has already impressed at the big league level and it’s Kervin Castro. Camilo Doval is not going to be included as a prospect since he exceeded his rookie requirements last season. As for Castro, he pitched well enough in Triple-A to earn a September callup, and allowed zero earned run in 13 1/3 innings of work before making a couple of scoreless Division Series appearances. He struck out 13 in 13 with a fastball that can 98 MPH and a low 80’s curveball. The Giants love how he attacks the zone and he will definitely be a huge bullpen piece for them in 2022.

4. OF Luis Matos

Next up is outfielder Luis Matos, who owns the best bat-to-ball skills in the entire system. He has incredible hand-eye coordination, recognizes most pitches immediately and has an advanced knowledge of the strike zone. Matos has the potential to be a regular .300 hitter who can smash at least 20 home runs per season. In other words, he has All Star potential. His career minor league numbers are impressive. In 702 at bats, he has a .332 batting average with 22 home runs and a .908 OPS. If Matos keeps destroying Minor League pitching in Double A and then Triple A, he may get a late season call up.

3. SS Marco Luciano

Next up is one of the biggest names in the Giants prospect pool - Mr. Marco Luciano. Although the triple threat of Luciano, Matos and Pomares may not see big league action until 2023, all 3 have a chance to get promoted this year. Luciano has a vicious swing that generates incredible power with a natural home-run launch angle. He also has a high baseball IQ, an incredible throwing arm and the athletic ability to play other positions besides shortstop if needed included third base or outfield. In 574 Minor League at bats, he has 29 home runs. That home run ratio should be even better in the future as he does get overly aggressive at times and is improving on his patience at the plate. Luciano is electric, though, and could see his big league debut in September. If not, look for him in 2023.

2. OF Heliot Ramos

The biggest prospect on this list who hasn’t seen big league time yet but certainly will this year is Heliot Ramos. He is still extremely young and will start the season in Triple A to gain more experience, but Ramos has extreme natural power and the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark to all fields. He also has speed and strong instincts in the field. His minor league stats haven’t been as impressive as some of the other prospects, but the Giants are hoping once everything clicks, he can be a big contributor. He was recently cut from big league camp at Spring Training but he was 4 for 10 with 2 doubles and should make his Major League Debut later this year.

1.C Joey Bart

Without a doubt, the prospect that the Giants will most heavily be relying on in 2022 is none other than Joey Bart, the second overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft. He already got a sample of replacing Buster Posey when Posey sat out the 2020 season and he wasn’t great, hitting just .233 without a home run in 103 at bats. With that experience behind him, hopefully Bart will be a more appropriate replacement - although of course no one can completely replace the legend of Gerald Posey. He will also have to work with the pitchers and play strong defense behind the plate - something that has at times been a question mark. Bart has incredible bat speed and raw power and has torn in it up at every single level including Triple A and Big League Spring Training. This could be the season Bart will answer the question every one is asking - is he the real deal or a first round bust?

10 Free Agents The SF Giants Can Target After The Lockout

At the moment the MLB owners decided to lock out the players and freeze all MLB transactions, the San Francisco Giants hadn’t had the most excited offseason up to that point, but had signed a few significant players for 2022. Both Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood were signed to multi-year deals and in an extremely important and somewhat surprising move, Brandon Belt accepted the qualifying offer and will be back in a Giants uniform in 2022. Another addition to the rotation was also made with the signing of Alex Cobb, who had a fantastic 2021 with the Orioles.

However, there are still some holes to fill as the Giants could still use at least one more solid arm for their rotation and another outfielder to replace the recently released Alex Dickerson. Furthermore, a solid bullpen are or two couldn’t hurt. So let’s take a look at 10 potential free agent targets after the lockout for the San Francisco Giants.

Michael Pineda

While the Giants have already brought back Alex Wood Anthony Desclafani and signed Alex Cobb, they still have a hole in their rotation left by Johnny Cueto. Michael Pineda is an available righty who is also from the Dominican Republic but is 3 years younger than Cueto. In three years with Minnesota, he’s made 51 appearances — 50 starts — and posted a solid 3.85 ERA. In 2019, he was 11-5 with a 4.01 ERA. However, he can be injury prone and was suspended at one point for taking a PED masking agent. Nevertheless, if the price is right, Pineda could be a solid option for the back end of the Giants rotation in 2021.

Yusei Kikuchi

Three years ago, the Giants were extremely high on a pitcher being posted out of Japan. His name was Yusei Kikuchi. He ended up signing with the Seattle Mariners and has improved every year since joining the big leagues. This year Kikuchi made the All Star Team and had a fantastic season although he struggled some in the second half. He has strikeout stuff with a powerful fastball, a cutter, slider and great changeup. The reason this might not be the best match up is because Kikuchi turned down a player option to return to Seattle and is likely seeking a very lucrative multi-year deal. if the Giants are going to spend huge on a starting pitcher, they may look elsewhere, such as…

Clatyon Kershaw

Kershaw is still a top quality starter even with all the mileage on his arm over his 14 year career. He may be a lifelong Dodger, but the Giants have snagged legendary Dodger starting pitchers before, such as the 1988 World Series MVP Orel Hershiser, who pitched in San Francisco in 1998. Kershaw struck out 10.7 batters per 9 innings in 2021 and allowed just 103 hits in over 120 innings of work. He would immediately jump to the top of the Giants rotation along with Logan Webb, creating an unlikely 1-2 punch for the 2022 Giants. It would be weird to see him in a Giants uniform, but also amazing, especially during the crucial rivalry games as both teams battle for the division championship.

Kris Bryant

At this point, I find it unlikely that Bryant returns to San Francisco, but since he is an absolute superstar, extremely versatile, and still a free agent who was last seen in a Giants uniform, he is still some one to keep an eye on. Although there are some reports that the Giants were underwhelmed with his performance, he did hit .471 in the playoffs, going 8 for 17 with a home run. The Giants have every infield position covered, but with Bryant’s versatility, ability to play outfield, and the fact that the Giants infield tends to get injured, this would seem like a logial re-signing. Nevertheless, some tweets by Greg Zumach and Andrew Baggerly seem to doubt he will return in 2022.

Sergio Romo

The Giants bullpen is one area that looks to be a strength going into 2022 with Jarlin Garcia, Camilo Doval, Jake McGee, Tyler Rogers and Jose Alvarez all returning. However, extra depth and options never hurt and old friend Sergio Romo is actually a free agent. Last season with the Oakland A's he had an ERA of 4.67 with 60 strikeouts in 61+ nnings pitched. His slider is still strong and with Romo possibly near the end of his career, the Giants may be willing to give him a one year contract where he could finish his career in San Francisco and bring back one of the few remaining active players who was part of all three World Championships. In fact, with the retirement of Posey, the Giants now have no one left from the 2010 team.

Richard Rodriguez

Perhaps a more likely signing could be Richard Rodriguez, who is only 27 years old and was a solid closer for the Pirates before being traded to the Braves. Rodriguez ended 2021 with a 2.82 ERA and was non-tendered by Atlanta. He was projected to make about $3.1 million in arbitration and could be an affordable asset for the bullpen and could compete with McGee and Doval for closing duties. Even if Doval continues to dominate, Rodriguez would make for a solid setup man. He should be more affordable than other free agent relivers like Kenley Jansen and Brad Hand but still fit right in with the Giants to fortify and add depth to an already quality pen.

Jorge Soler

Now, moving on to the outfielders to target, we start with Jorge Soler, who put on quite a show during the 2021 World Series. Soler has mainly been a DH in his career but it is expected that the new CBA, whenever it finally gets negotiated, will bring the DH to the National League. Soler was struggling early in 2021 but figured out something with his swing later in the year and entered Beast Mode by the playoffs, crushing 3 home runs in the World Series alone. Soler is only 29 years and would fit nicely in the Giants outfielder as a right-handed bat to compliment lefties Yastrzemski and Wade Jr.

3. Nick Castellanos

Another possible right-handed power option is Nick Castellanos, who can also DH should the DH be adopted by the National League. Castellanos had a career year, hitting .309 with 34 bombs and 100 RBI. He had an on-base-percentage of .362, made the All Star Team and won the Silver Slugger Award. The Giants have already been reported as having an interest in signing the 29 year old slugger, but in my opinion, this is quite unlikely and there’s actually a couple outfielders I would rather have as there's a drive into deep left field by Castellanos and that'll be a home run. And so that'll make it a 4-0 ballgame. I don't know if I'm going to be putting on this headset again.

Joc Pederson

Although I’ve said the Giants could use a right-handed power bat in the outfield to compliment the lefty bats, there is one exception and that is Joc Pederson. This is a Bay Area native who would fit in nicely in San Francisco, crushing bombs into McCovey Cove regularly. He is a solid veteran yet only 29 years old and also brings a plethora of playoff experience. Pederson his 36 home runs as recently as 2019 and he is an impact player despite the down year he had in 2021. The Giants need to add a star bat to that outfield as the current names are solid but worrisome. Yastrzemski really struggled, especially in the second half and Austin Slater looks great at times but also slumps often. Darin Ruf is more of a platoon player who can fill in at first base and pinch hit. Wade Jr. was of course amazing and looks to be a star in the making, especially in the clutch, but he doesn’t have the track record of success that Pederson does. Also, just imagine playing the Dodgers in 2022 with Joc Pederson in the lineup and Alex Wood & Clayton Kershaw in the rotation.. okay, that’s a bit weird.

Seiya Suzuki

However, there is one player I prefer over all of the ones this article has mentioned. It is Seiya Suzuki, the powerful outfielder from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the NPB. Last year, Suzuki hit .319 with 38 home runs to go along with 87 walks and a fantastic .433 on-base-percentage. He will be available for only a short time after the lockout and the Giants should do everything they can to swoop him. His contract is predicted to be somewhere in the 4 years/$40 million range and the Giants can certainly afford him. He is only 27 years old and with a .309 career average in Japan and 189 career home runs and 524 career walks, this guy is a no-brainer. It is well worth the risk to outbid every other team interested such as the Mariners and Rangers and lock Suzuki up as soon as possible. It is true that he has never had an at bat in Major League Baseball and there is a chance his skills don’t translate as well as hoped but based on his analytics and highlights, I find it unlikely that he is a bust. At his age and talent level, this could be the superstar power hitting outfielder the Giants have been looking for since Barry Bonds. Make it happen, Giants!

SF Giants Sweep Mets But Falter in Atlanta - Claim Jose Quintana (Week In Review)

The San Francisco Giants took a two-game win streak into New York to face the Mets for three games, then onto Atlanta for another three games this week. How did they fare?

Game 1 against New York was anything but the battle the Giants faced against the Oakland Athletics. San Francisco jumped out to a 7-0 lead by the fourth inning, all off of Mets rookie Tylor Megill and all of them earned runs. They would add another run in the eighth to win (8-0).

Brandon Belt hit two of San Francisco's four home runs to push his career-best total to 19. Belt ended a 2-for-30 skid with two homers and a single in his first three plate appearances and added an RBI infield single in the eighth for his season-high fourth hit. The 33-year-old had never topped 18 homers in the big leagues.

Rookie Sammy Long pitched into the sixth inning, and the Giants trounced the slumping New York Mets 8-0 Tuesday night. Long (2-1) tossed a three-hitter over 5 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old hadn't pitched above low-Class A before this season, but the left-hander with a big-breaking curveball was sharp in his sixth big league start, striking out four and walking one.

LaMonte Wade Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski also connected in the first four innings. The Giants jumped to a 7-0 advantage against Megill (1-3).

Game 2 was a bit closer. It was a surprisingly messy performance from the Giants. They committed two errors. One by Kris Bryant, who sailed a throw from third base nearly into right field. While outfielders Austin Slater and Alex Dickerson bumped into each other and dropped a fly-ball. The error was directed toward Dickerson. Also, Belt dropped a foul ball. Giants manager Gabe Kapler commented:

"Tonight, it wasn't good enough. I think everybody knows that," San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. "That said, it's a win on the road against a really hungry team."

However, San Francisco induced five double plays. A timely hit from Brandon Crawford saved the major league-leading Giants. Crawford's two-run double in the seventh, which turned into the winning runs. Bryant homered in the fourth for their first run.

The Giants had to dodge a bullet in the ninth as the Mets loaded the bases with two outs. Still, Jake McGee got Pete Alonso to pop out to second to end the threat and earn his 29th save on the season after Tyler Rodgers earned his 24th hold.

Johnny Cueto got the start after being activated from the injured list for the first time since August 9 due to a right flexor strain. He gave up five hits and three walks with an unearned run while striking out two.

Game 3 became a sweep for the Giants. Bryant launched a two-run homer, and Darin Ruf broke the eighth-inning tie with an RBI single to right field. Bryant's home run was his 24th on the season and his sixth with San Francisco. He now has hit four of those six against the Mets beginning on August 16.

Ruf's RBI came when Yastrzemski singled against pitcher Seth Lugo to start the eight, and the pitch hit catcher Curt Casali. Ruf then hit his single through the right side of the infield to give the Giants the winning run (3-2). Rodgers would earn his 12th save. Bryant would comment on his new team.

"I can honestly say I've never really been on a team where we had a bullpen like this," Bryant said. "There's zero selfishness here."

San Francisco traveled to Atlanta and August 27 and would lose, ending their five-game winning streak. It was a disappointing defeat as the Giants had a two-run lead late in the game.

Buster Posey put the Giants on top in the first with a two-run homer scoring Slater. In the second, pitcher Kevin Gausman grounded into a fielder's choice to score Yastrzemski on a throwing error by Braves' catcher Travis d'Arnaud. Tommy La Stella would double and score Thairo Estrada on the play in the fourth, putting the Giants up by two runs (4-2).

The lead was lost in the seventh as Zach Littell gave up a three-run home run to Atlanta Braves right fielder Jorge Solar. The homer came after Ozzie Albies doubled in Joc Pederson.

The Giants almost made a comeback in the ninth. Wilmer Flores hit a home run. With two-outs, La Stella hit a deep drive to right field, where Pederson made the catch by first overrunning the ball but reaching back and making a jump into the wall to snare the ball in the heel of his glove. He was able to hold on as he crashed to the ground.

Game 2 against Atlanta was more successful as the Giants won 5-0 as Logan Webb pitched another gem. He threw seven strong innings to win his seventh consecutive decision. Webb has eight victories and only three defeats this season and has 13 straight starts in which he has not allowed more than two runs.

Braves manager Brian Snitker was impressed with Webb. He stated:

"That's a real sinker," Snitker said. "He’s got a good slider, change. He can elevate his fastball. He’s good. ... I’m very impressed with that guy.”

La Stella hit a homer in the first and added his second RBI when he hit a sacrifice fly to right in the third to score Webb, who earlier doubled to left field. Yastrzemski added a home run to center field in the seventh. Ruf singled to left to plate Posey in the eighth while Yastrzemski got his second RBI when he doubled to left to score Flores, putting the Giants up 5-0.

It was a crucial bounce-back game for San Francisco after heartbreakingly losing game one.

 Game 3 was an ugly contest against the Braves. Anthony DeSclafani gave up three runs all earned and two home runs in the fourth. DeSclafani came off the injured list after an ankle pain sidelined him since August 18. He retired the first six batters, but Jorge Soler hit a home run to lead off the fourth, and Austin Riley hit his 28th homer with Freddie Freeman at first base.

The Braves would continue to add precisely two runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth inning. All six runs were charged to Long. The Giants couldn’t plate anyone, which was the first time since over a month ago when San Francisco lost to the Dodgers 8-0 on July 28 at home. It was also the last time they lost by more than five runs.

Even though the Giants lost the series to Atlanta, it was the first series loss since San Francisco faced St. Louis on July 18. The Giants also didn’t lose any ground to the Dodgers in the standings as they still maintain a 2.5 game lead.

Transactions:

Per ESPN 

August 30, 2021

Claimed LHP Jose Quintana off waivers from Los Angeles Angels.

August 29, 2021

Reinstated 1B Brandon Belt from the bereavement list. Reinstated RHP Anthony DeSclafani from the 10-day IL. Optioned SS Thairo Estrada to Sacramento (Triple-A West). Designated RHP Tyler Chatwood for assignment. Signed 1B Wyatt Mathisen to a minor league contract.

August 27, 2021

Reinstated RHP Kevin Gausman from the 10-day IL. Optioned C Chadwick Tromp to Sacramento.

August 26, 2021

Placed INF Brandon Belt on the bereavement list. Placed INF Donovan Solano on the 10-day IL. Recalled C Chadwick Tromp and INF Thairo Estrada from Sacramento (Triple-A West).

August 25, 2021

Reinstated RHP Johnny Cueto from the 10-day IL.

August 24, 2021

Placed RHP Kevin Gausman on the 10-day IL. Reinstated INF Evan Longoria from the 10-day IL.

Mike is an avid San Francisco Giants fan since the late 1970’s. His first game he saw live Jack Clark hit a home run. He has seen the Giants lose 100 games and also win three World Series rings. Great/Unfortunate memories have been watching Joe Morgan hit a homer to knock the Dodgers out of the playoffs, seeing the Giants win 104 games and still not make the playoffs, and lose a 5-0 lead to the Angels in the seventh inning in Game 6, but see Barry Bonds hit his 73rd and become the greatest hitter of all-time.

Follow me @RFLRedZone.

Giants Updates: Kris Bryant's Initial Week+ With the San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have been the surprise team in Major League Baseball. With the addition of Kris Bryant, they should only be better. Let's review the first week with Bryant and see how much beneficial the Giants have been? Before his arrival, San Francisco's record was 65-39 and a winning percentage of 625 percent of their contests.

Bryant received his first start in San Francisco against the Houston Astros, and it didn't take long for him to shine. Even though he had just one hit on the day, it was a home run eradicating a strikeout and his 1 for 4 performance at the plate. Bryant would continue to struggle as the Giants traveled to Arizona.

In the first three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bryant would see 12 plate appearances and only get two hits, and none of them were meaningful. As a result, it dropped his batting average from .267 to .265 and leaving just one game left against the Diamondbacks. Bryant made it count as he would see five plate appearances and get three hits with two doubles and an RBI. Therefore, helping San Francisco to victory and in an up-swing facing the Milwaukee Brewers (66-46) in an essential three-game set.

Bryant didn't slow down against the Brew-Crew. In 13 at-bats, he got four hits (.307), drove in a run, and walked twice. He did suffer two strikeouts but increased his batting average from .265 to .272 in his last four contests.

It hasn't been the best of eight games for Bryant, but he has been a significant piece of the pie. He has added value by playing 3B-LF-CF and is a force to any pitcher facing him. He does need to cut down his strikeouts as five K's in eight contests is too many, but with Bryant, San Francisco has won more games (71-41) 634 percent, and winning is what it's about!

Schedule:

Giants have a nine-game homestand coming up before traveling to face the Athletics.

Tue, August 10 vs. Arizona 6:45pm, Kevin Gausman- scheduled start.

Wed, August 11 vs. Arizona 6:45pm, Alex Wood- scheduled start.

Thu, August 12 vs. Colorado 6:45pm, Logan Webb- scheduled start.

Fri, August 13 vs. Colorado 6:45pm, Aaron Sanchez- scheduled start.

Sat, August 14 vs. Colorado 6:05pm, Johnny Cueto- scheduled start.

Sun, August 15 vs. Colorado 1:05pm, Kevin Gausman- scheduled start.

Mon, August 16 vs. New York Mets 6:45pm, Alex Wood- scheduled start.

Tue, August 17 vs. New York Mets 6:45pm, Logan Webb- scheduled start.

Wed, August 19 vs. New York Mets 12:45pm, Aaron Sanchez- scheduled start.

Transactions:

Per ESPN.

August 8, 2021   Reinstated RHP Kevin Gausman from the paternity list. Recalled RHP John Brebbia from Sacramento (Triple-A West). Optioned SS Thairo Estrada to Sacramento. Designated RHP Aaron Sanchez for assignment.

August 7, 2021   Recalled RHP Zack Littell from Sacramento (Triple-A West). Optioned OF Steven Duggar to Sacramento. Sent LHP Conner Menez outright to Sacramento.

August 5, 2021   Reinstated INF Brandon Belt from the 10-day IL. Placed RHP Kevin Gausman on the paternity list. Sent 3B Evan Longoria to Sacramento (Triple-A West) on a rehab assignment.

August 4, 2021   Reinstated INF Tommy La Stella from the 60-day IL. Placed RHP Anthony DeSclafani on the 10-day IL, retroactive to August 3. Designated LHP Conner Menez for assignment.

August 2, 2021   Reinstated OF Jaylin Davis from the 10-day IL and optioned him to Sacramento (Triple-A West). Sent OF Mike Tauchman outright to Sacramento after clearing waivers.

August 1, 2021   Optioned 3B Jason Vosler to Sacramento (Triple-A West). Activated LF Kris Bryant.

Heliot Ramos Goes Deep TWICE! SF Giants Sign Jose Alvarez

The San Francisco Giants are seven games into Spring Training and it’s time to look at some of the biggest contributors and players who have shined so far.  Before getting into that, the Giants have a new player for 2021 – Jose Alvarez, a 31 year old left handed reliever, has been signed to a Major League contract.  The deal is for one year at $1.15 million with a club option for a second year.  In the meantime, Jordan Humphreys was claimed on waivers from the Padres – he just keeps coming and going. 

Jordan Humphreys

Jose Alvarez had a sparkling ERA of 1.42 in 2020 but the bad news is it was in only 6 1/3rd innings of work, making it not as impressive.  His season ended early by a line drive to the groin.  Over his career, he hasn’t had an ERA over 4 since his rookie season in 2013.  He’s got a low-90’s sinker that produces groundballs and a solid change to go with his fastball that showed more velocity in 2020 than any previous years.  This is a solid signing to fortify the Giants bullpen, which already has a few nice names like Tyler Rogers, Jake McGee, Jarlin Garcia and Sam Selman.

As far as Spring Training goes, the Giants just completed an 8-inning 9-4 win over the Reds featuring an opposite field big fly from Steven Duggar and not one but two bombs from young prospect Heliot Ramos, who could make his debut in 2021.  He was already 3 for 7 before this game and has just been barreling up everything.  If Ramos starts doing big things in Triple-A, who knows how early we could see him.  Giants have plenty of outfielders but with injuries and possible underperformance, Ramos could force his way into this lineup.  It’s only a few Spring Training games, but he has really impressed.

Jose Alvarez

Our other top prospect, Joey Bart, has also torn it up so far in Spring Training, which he does pretty much every year.  Bart has torn it up on every level, except the big leagues last year.  He’ll get another shot at some point in 2021, but it’s nice to see him swinging the bat well.  The powerful Darin Ruf has gone deep already and been getting consistent hits.  In 2020, Ruf hit .276 with 5 bombs in 87 at bats for San Francisco.  Another guy who ha caught my eye has been Jason Vosler, who signed a Major League deal.  He is just squaring up everything and should make his big league debut this year, maybe even on Opening Day the way he’s swinging the bat, although the Giants have a lot of infielders so he might just be a 40-man roster guy in Triple-A.  Donovan Solano is hitting .333 as per his usual with a home run already.

Heliot Ramos - San Francisco Giants (1)* pic.twitter.com/JLuA3XHZf3

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) March 7, 2021

As for the pitchers, Johnny Cueto looked awesome in his start, striking out 4 in 2 scoreless innings while Anthony DeSclafani looked sharp today against the Reds.  The rest of the rotation hasn’t really thrown many innings but no red flags so far.  Also shoutout to Luis Basabe for nice defensive plays and overall, I’m happy with what we’ve seen so far.  As more relivers rack up more innings, we’ll have a better idea of who is looking good and who’s looking bad there as well.  For now, the main guys I’m excited about are Vosler and of course, Heliot Ramos and Joey Bart, as expected.  Shoutout to Joe McCarthy as well for hitting the first Giants home run of the Spring Training 2021.  I know I gave him a hard time last year, but hey, he’s still here and went deep so you gotta give credit where credit is due.

The 5 Changes the SF Giants Must Make to Make a Playoff Push in 2020

You play the cards you’re dealt. If this was a typical 162-game season with a normal playoff bracket, I wouldn’t even dream of this San Francisco Giants team making the playoffs. It just wasn’t going to be a likely scenario. However, in a 60-game season with expanded playoffs, all of the sudden, every team can dream of October baseball. That includes the Orange & Black. However, after losing 5 of 6 games, the Giants need to make some definite changes if they are to make any kind of a push towards playoff baseball in 2020. Here are the five key changes that need to be made for the Giants to get into a playoff series in 2020.

#1 Joey Bart

Joey Bart needs to be promoted soon. Although Chadwick Tromp is 7 for 22 with 2 home runs which is actually close to what we'd expect from Bart, he's not playing every day and does not have the power or defensive abilities of Bart. In addition to Tromp, the Giants rotate in Tyler Heineman, who started out the season fairly hot but now is hitting .222 with no homers.

For sustained excellence, power, better defense and just to get our future starting catcher some big league reps while there's no minor league games, the Giants need Joey Bart in the lineup. Tromp has been great and maybe a perfect backup for Bart.

San Francisco Giants top prospect Joey Bart

#2 Clean Up The Defense

I'm not going to ever recommend benching a guy like Soloano, who's hitting damn near .500 and leads the league in batting average and sits near the top in RBI, but his defense has been questionable at best. The Giants may want to consider DHing him more often.

Other than that, the Giants simply need to keep their heads in the game and make the routine plays. The errors have been costly and allowing free runs is not a formula to get into playoff baseball, especially for a team that’s already not expected to make much noise this season.

#3 The Rotation

The Rotation has been, as expected, very unstable. Jeff Samardzija has practically been throwing batting practice and in 3 starts he has a 9.88 ERA. He was just placed on the injured list, however, and will likely not be seen again this year. Shaun Anderson is some one with experience starting and, although I like him in the bullpen, I would like to see the Giants try Anderson again in the rotation. With 9 K's in 6 innings this year, he has looked decent. Anderson is just one option. At the end of the day, the Giants brass need to figure something out in order to bring more stability to this rotation.

#4 Tough Decisions Must Be Made

Hunter Pence is 1 for 29 with zero extra base hits and zero RBI. If he's not going to produce at all, I don't see how he can stay on this team. The Giants demoted Jaylin Davis and Steven Duggar, two young players who both have more to offer and could use the developement. Joey Rickard, who hit .280 for the Giants last season in 50 at bats, is in camp. Even highly touted prospect Heliot Ramos is eager to get his big league career going. Pence obviously has a longer leash than your average player would but 1 for 29 is not gonna cut it, and that goes for any other veterans who are not contributing. Tough decisions will have to be made.

#5 Gabe Kapler & The Bullpen

The bullpen has been somewhat of a bright spot this year. I'm impressed with the performances of Connor Menez, Caleb Bareger and Wandy Peralta. Trevor Got has stepped up as the closer. Tyler Rogers, besides one terrible inning where he was probably kept in too long, has been fantastic.

However, inconsistency has started to creep in and the bullpen hasn't been as sharp. Some of this can be contributed to the manager. Throwing in a guy like Andrew Triggs in a high leverage situation to make his 2020 debut did not go well. It feels like whenever the bullpen implodes, a questionable decision was made. It happened with Dany Jimenez, who has since been DFA’d, on Opening Day when he was asked to make his big league debut on Opening Day in a close game ad Dodger Stadium against the strongest lineup in baseball.

However, all in all, the bullpen has been good enough - and hopefully there's some arms still in Sacramento that can step up when The Giants need them. Dereck Rodriguez, Jarlin Garcia, and Melvin Adon are names that come to mind. I like this bullpen and if used efficiently and properly, I think it could be a huge strength for the San Francisco Giants. But this can only be possible if management uses the bullpen correctly.

San Francsico Giants Trade Speedy Billy Hamilton to the Mets for Young Pitcher...

In a somewhat surprising move, the San Francisco Giants just improved their farm talent on the pitching side by trading their speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton to the New York Mets for young prospect Jordan Humphreys. Humphreys has not pitched a full professional season since 2017 when he dominated Single A ball, going 10-1 in 11 starts with a 1.42 ERA and 80 Strikeouts in just over 60 innings.

With that type of performance, the Mets surely took notice. However, after he had to undergo Tommy John Surgery, Humphreys missed all over 2018 and most of 2019, only pitching sparingly in the Gulf Coast League and Arizona Fall League. Nevertheless, he continued to pitch well and show great promise.

With this move, the Giants have added a much needed arm to their system while giving up a player who hit .211 last season with the Royals. While Billy Hamilton has several tools including ridiculous speed and great defense, the Giants have a comparable player in Steven Duggar, who was recently promoted and can handle the bat as well if not better. He brings some pop and can fill in when needed, including as a pinch runner. The Giants have also witnessed great performances from outfielders such as Mike Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson and Austin Slater.

The bottom line is, Hamilton won’t be missed (he never even appeared in a regular season game with the Giants) and Jordan Humphreys is a huge boost to the Giants system. I love this move and am surprised that the Mets gave up such a great looking young arm for a 30 year old veteran who doesn’t bring much other than speed and a great glove. Congratulations to Farhan Zaidi on another outstanding move, further bolstering the Giants farm system and preparing for an Orange & Black resurgence.