Post by rog on Feb 5, 2019 13:54:41 GMT -5
Let's take a look at the Giants, position by position, starting with catcher. I chose catcher because it's the best and easiest, and it's getting late at night.
A year ago the Giants had what appeared to be the best catching in baseball. Buster Posey was looked at as the #1 catcher in the game, and Nick Hundley was a competent backup. Things took another step up when the Giants drafted Buster's heir apparent, Joey Bart, with the #2 overall pick in the draft.
Then Buster got hurt, and his power outage worsened. The day Joey Bart was drafted, Buster's OPS wound up at .824, but he was destined to OPS at less than .650 the rest of the way before finally being shut down in late August with a hip injury that required surgery. His final .741 OPS was a career worst, lower even than his .756 mark in his horrific injury-derailed 2011 season.
With Buster's ability to open the season an uncertainty, the Giants would seem likely to re-sign McCovey Award winner Hundley, allowing the surprising Aramis Garcia more development time. If Ramirez can develop into a capable backup or trade piece, the former second rounder will have achieved his mission.
Catching is by far the Giants' best position, although Posey's recovery from surgery dampens the outlook a bit even here.
A year ago the Giants had what appeared to be the best catching in baseball. Buster Posey was looked at as the #1 catcher in the game, and Nick Hundley was a competent backup. Things took another step up when the Giants drafted Buster's heir apparent, Joey Bart, with the #2 overall pick in the draft.
Then Buster got hurt, and his power outage worsened. The day Joey Bart was drafted, Buster's OPS wound up at .824, but he was destined to OPS at less than .650 the rest of the way before finally being shut down in late August with a hip injury that required surgery. His final .741 OPS was a career worst, lower even than his .756 mark in his horrific injury-derailed 2011 season.
With Buster's ability to open the season an uncertainty, the Giants would seem likely to re-sign McCovey Award winner Hundley, allowing the surprising Aramis Garcia more development time. If Ramirez can develop into a capable backup or trade piece, the former second rounder will have achieved his mission.
Catching is by far the Giants' best position, although Posey's recovery from surgery dampens the outlook a bit even here.