No comments on Lincecum's outing?

[sharksrog]

I haven't seen any comments here on Tim Lincecum's most recent outing. Here is what I saw:

Negatives:

. Up in the strike zone, resulting in most balls being hit in the air.

. Velocity way down (average seemed to be below 90 mph)

. Did he throw any sliders? Maybe protecting his blister.

Positives:

. His curve ball seemed to be at least much of the way back. Threw it back-to-back at least once and was using it in spots other than as a get-it-in first pitch.

. Apparently the blister held up well.

. Threw mostly strikes, even if most of them were ill-placed.

. Seemed to be getting the ball down better late in his outing.

. Didn't seem to lose a lot of velocity as the game went on (perhaps mostly because he wasn't throwing that hard to begin with).

. Threw over 65 pitches and was able to complete the 4th inning after throwing 22 pitches in the 1st.


Overall: The Giants didn't seem to be concerned, but I thought it was a step back from his previous outing, which itself hadn't been a masterpiece. But if the blister held up well, in the grand scheme of things, that is probably the most important result.

Tim will pitch against the Dodgers on Wednesday, April 3rd. That's 17 days after his Sunday start, so I would guess he'll get in two more pre-season starts and probably one added brief stint.

Did anyone see him throw any sliders Sunday, and does anyone have any idea when he'll be throwing the pitch at its usual one out of four or five pitches?

[donk]

I wasn't that impressed with the way he threw...I wish he would get a little consistancy on how he stands and how he strides....the one thing that I liked was the way Posey caught him....I don't remember Posey jumping up once to catch a ball in the dirt...now if he will only look the ball into his glove, I will be very happy...but he still remains lucky in blindly sticking his glove down and having the ball get into his glove...once more we can see how little esteem the Giants have for spring training....Bond was having a great spring, Tanaka...poor, very poor....Bond goes down and Tanaka stays....yeh, he can play SS just as poorly as he plays 2B...but I think Arias is much better...

[sharksrog]

Don -- he still remains lucky in blindly sticking his glove down and having the ball get into his glove...

Rog -- My girlfriend's son has just the opposite problem. I've never seen a guy with such bad luck.

In the son's case, there is a lot more than just the luck involved. I suspect that is the case with Posey as well. His sample size seems plenty big enough to assure that it is more than just luck.

We no longer expect objectivity with regard to Buster though, Don.

Don -- once more we can see how little esteem the Giants have for spring training....Bond was having a great spring, Tanaka...poor, very poor....Bond goes down and Tanaka stays....yeh, he can play SS just as poorly as he plays 2B...but I think Arias is much better...

Rog -- Tanaka can play at least a little shortstop. Even though Arias himself can play a pretty good short, second and third, the Giants seem to be looking for a guy who can play short, second and preferably third.

Bond isn't that guy.

Remember now, I'm rooting like heck for the guy. You have been touting him for a long time, and he finally reached my radar over the winter. But he pretty much falls into the category of hitter only -- and that's not good for utility infielder.

If he had power and was an outfielder, he might stick. The Giants are sorely lacking in outfield power. Heck, if he had power he might even make it as an infielder. But while I think he can hit in the major leagues, he doesn't have the power that would directly address a big need for the Giants.

Since Brett Pill had to undergo surgery, the guy who best fills the power need is Cole Gillespie, who also can field a little and run the bases. Roger Kieschnick has the most potential to fill that role, but he still appears to be far from ready. Perhaps if he had been able to put in a full season at Fresno he would be. Maybe after part of a season this year.

As for Tanaka staying up while Bond went down, Tanaka is the older and slightly more established player of the two. But guess what? Neither of the two is likely to make it. Tanaka might have a shot if BOTH Tony Abreu and Wilson Valdez remain/become injured.

If it were up to me, I would let Bond become the 6th infielder. I'm rooting for him. If he could play all three infield positions, his chances would be much better. And if he could hit for power, his chances would be even better than that.

You mentioned that Tanaka can play shortstop as badly as he plays second base. I certainly haven't been impressed with his fielding this spring, but as Boagie or Randy already mentioned, he won five Japanese Gold Gloves. That's not too bad.

As for Arias, as was posted here last summer, he had been considered a premier defensive shortstop prospect prior to hurting his shoulder.

If he gets healthy, Tony Abreu may be this year's Arias, with Cole Gillespie being the 2013 Blanco and Chad Gaudin the new George Kontos.

Speaking of George, not much was made when the Giants traded an unneeded Chris Stewart for the former Northwestern Wildcat. In 2011, George had struck out 91 with only 26 walks in 89 innings, and over his minor league career he had struck out nearly a batter per inning with three times as many strikeouts as walks.

Another nice Brian Sabean under-the-radar move.

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