Final Roster Spots

[klaiggeb]

12 or 13 pitchers: no way I keep 13, but I'm guessing with Bum and Jeffy out; both innings eaters, Bochy will opt for 13.

That leaves 4 roster spots available.

1-I would make a hefty bet that Panda will be one. He's earned it.

2-Hundley is the back up catcher, so that's a no brainer

3-Blanco would be my guess for the 4th outfielder because I do NOT see us keeping Duggar with 10 games vs LA in the first 4 weeks of the season and ALL of those LHP we'll be seeing

4-That leaves Tomlinson or Rutlege (sp?) I'm guessing Kelby, even though Rut has clearly out hit him this spring, simply because Kelby can run and CAN play in the outfield.


But that's why I DON'T like keeping only 4 bench players and 13 pitchers.

I would like to keep EITHER Rut or Gorkys. I'd lean towards Gorkys so HE can go in late in games and play defense for either Pence or McCutchen.

But at the same time, NOT keeping Rut means that IF a middle infielder goes down in a game, there's only 1 reserve infielder left.

Sigh.

Bochy has some hard choices to make.

boly

[rog]

The Giants keeping Julian Fernandez so they won't lose him. Sounds like they haven't been able to work out a trade. Thus the 13 pitchers, although one would think with all the days off early in the season they might get by with a dozen.

Then again, do they have pitchers with options they can afford to send to the minors, particularly with the dire rotation situation? Between Fernandez and the injuries, this isn't a normal beginning to the season for the pitching staff.

[sfgdood]

With 2 of the 3 guys we NEEDED 200 IP from now assured of not reaching that mark, it's more important to keep an extra arm in the bullpen. I wouldn't be shocked if Bochy goes all year with 13 pitchers because of this harsh reality, especially when it becomes clear to him this team is going nowhere

[klaiggeb]

I can't argue with your logic, Randy.

But when Bum and Jeffy get back... that changes everything for me.

At that point, 13 pitchers is assinine, IMHO.

[rog]

I haven't looked at which pitchers have options, but the way to keep the number of pitchers on the roster down is to have a shuttle between San Francisco and Sacramento. Let that position fill the long man role and when the long guy goes several innings, send him down and bring up the next guy. The long man almost always pitches in really low-leverage situations.

For instance, last season Derek Law, Kyle Crick, Albert Suarez, Steven Okert and Brian Morris combined for nearly 150 innings, or more innings than all but three Giants starters. All those guys were good enough to be a long man who can take on a higher-leverage role if absolutely necessary.

As Randy points out, the Giants may need the innings of Samardzija and Bumgarner back in order to be able cut back to a dozen starters even with the Sacramento shuttle, but having that extra bench player is a clear advantage when the move can be made.

[rog]

At that point, 13 pitchers is assinine, IMHO.


Rog -- I don't like it either, Boly, but I wouldn't go so far as to call is assinine when most teams use that strategy. Your point about the returning innings of Samardzija and Bumgarner eventually being available makes the 13th pitcher even less palatable, but I'm not sure the situation rises to the condition of assinine.

Then again, you and I could go behind closed doors and get a deep laugh out of the situation!




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[klaiggeb]

Roger: Did you read what went with that statement?

I said "when Jeffy and Bum come back..."


Around mid to late June, BOTH should be back at full strength and eating up innings.

Thus my comment. Assinine to keep 13 pitchers.

[Islandboagie]

With the versatility of our bench and some of the starting players, I don't think we need a deep bench.

Pablo can play 1st, 3rd and be an emergency catcher.

Tomlinson can play 2nd, SS, 3rd and be an emergency OF.

Blanco can play all outfield positions, as can most of our outfield starters. Pence could be used as a CF in an emergency.

With that in mind, I think we'll been much more help in the pen, so 13 pitchers seems reasonable.

[sfgdood]

12 pitchers to start, only 4 starters with the days off we have at the beginning...but when we need a 5th, it will be 13.

[rog]

Roger: Did you read what went with that statement?

I said "when Jeffy and Bum come back..."


Around mid to late June, BOTH should be back at full strength and eating up innings.

Thus my comment. Assinine to keep 13 pitchers.


Rog -- I did see your comment, and it almost caused me to change my reply, but while I don't agree with it either, I hesitate to call it assinine.

For one thing, it will depend on other factors, including how strongly Jeff and Madison bounce back. Here's the thing I don't understand about Jeff's injury. The Giants thought it was a shoulder injury, but it turned out to be a pectoral problem. I guess the top of the pec more or less abuts the shoulder, but I'm still trying to figure out why they weren't able to pinpoint it earlier.

And I don't know how tough it is for a pitcher to come back from a pectoral injury. I don't recall that injury occuring often.

I see that Greg Holland suffered such an injury and returned well.


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