The Arizona phase of spring training is now over. Our Giants went 19-6-4 in the desert, winning the Cactus League, and largely avoided injuries (except Jerar Encarnacion’s broken finger and the seemingly permanently hurt Tom Murphy). As the team flies north, we can review the tough choices the brains will be making for the 26-man roster. The River Cats exhibition, and the two final training games against the Tigers in SF will also determine who they pick.
The stats below are not nearly as sophisticated as what HAL will be using to aid the choice, but do include all games played in Arizona. NRI below means ‘non-roster invitation’, a term which makes more sense as camp opens. As camp closes, it indicates somebody who either needs to take a 40-man spot away from another Giant, or be assigned to the minors.
Here’s your chance to pick the 26-man that the team will choose before Opening Day in Cincinnati, on Thursday. The “pick” number has to do with a conventional team of 5 outfielders, 6 infielders, 2 catchers, 5 starters, and 8 in the bullpen.
outfield (pick 2): givens are Lee, Yastrzemski, and Ramos
• Luis Matos, 0.317 (19 for 60), 2 doubles, 2 homers, 11 RBI, 5 strikeouts
• Jerar Encarnacion, 0.302 (16 for 53), 7 doubles, 2 homers, 14 RBI, 12 strikeouts
• Wade Meckler, 0.250 (7 for 28), no XBH, 1 RBI, 6 strikeouts
• Grant McCray, 0.239 (11 for 46), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 4 RBI, 18 strikeouts
As camp began, we all thought Encarnacion had to earn a roster spot, but tying for the team with 14 RBI moved him into the “given” category. Alas, he broke a finger on Friday, and now will miss 4-5 weeks. Wade Meckler has already been optioned to the River Cats. Matos makes the team for sure. McCray might get the 5th spot in spite of his strikeouts, or will they decide to play Tyler Fitzgerald in the OF?
infield (pick 3): givens are Wade, Adames, Chapman
• Sabin Ceballos NRI, 0.600 (9 for 15), 2 doubles, 1 homer, 7 RBI, 3 strikeouts
• Christian Koss NRI, 0.333 (13 for 39), 3 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBI, 7 strikeouts
• Casey Schmitt, 0.302 (13 for 43), 4 doubles, 3 homers, 10 RBI, 9 strikeouts
• Brett Wisely, 0.279 (12 for 43), 2 doubles, 1 homer, 6 RBI, 14 strikeouts
• Jake Lamb NRI, 0.273 (9 for 22), 3 doubles, 1 RBI, 10 strikeouts
• Tyler Fitzgerald, 0.268 (11 for 41), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 3 RBI, 20 strikeouts
• Wilmer Flores, 0.238 (10 for 42), 3 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBI, 10 strikeouts
• David Villar, 0.200 (9 for 45), 2 doubles, 3 homers, 5 RBI, 18 strikeouts
Lamb has already been transferred to minor league camp, and seemingly he accepted the assignment. Koss had a very good camp, so don’t be shocked if he wears a Giants’ uniform later this year sometime. Ceballos played at high-A last year, so he’ll be in the minors, at just age 22, but a hella spring, including a bases loaded double to tie the last game. Villar has no minor league options left, so he will be waived off the roster and out of the organization soon. As noted, the injury to Encarnacion may not require the team to choose between Schmitt and Wisely for who goes to Sacramento, although Fitzgerald may not have played in the OF at any point this spring. Flores also benefits directly from Encarnacion going down.
catcher (pick 1): given is Bailey
• Max Stassi NRI, 0.304 (7 for 23), 2 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBI, 11 strikeouts
• Sam Huff, 0.300 (9 for 30), 1 double, 2 homers, 4 RBI, 13 strikeouts
Huff is on the 40-man, has no minor league options, so must be waived if he’s not the choice. Stassi might accept a job at Sacramento, depends on his contract’s terms? This is a really tough pick. Huff wasn’t great defensively, as advertised.
starter (pick 1): givens are Webb, Verlander, Ray, and Hicks
• Hayden Birdsong, 12.0 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 18 SO, 1 ER
• Landen Roupp, 12.0 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 14 SO, 5 ER
• Kyle Harrison, 6.2 IP, 13 H, 1 BB, 9 SO, 8 ER
Harrison has already been optioned to the River Cats, his slow start means he isn’t fully stretched out. Note that HAL could keep 2 here, by assigning Roupp into the bullpen. All three of these guys are expected to pitch in the Sacramento exhibition game tomorrow, so for sure they all want to have a great outing.
bullpen (pick 4): givens are Miller, Rogers, Doval, Walker
• Spencer Bivens, 12.1 IP, 15 H, 2 BB, 13 SO, 4 ER
• Randy Rodriguez, 9.1, 7 H, 4 BB, 12 SO, 2 ER
• Lou Trevino NRI, 8.1 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 9 SO, 0 ER
• Sean Hjelle, 8.0 IP, 11 H, 2 BB, 14 SO, 4 ER
• Tristan Beck, 7.2 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 4 SO, 4 ER
• Joey Lucchesi NRI, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 SO, 0 ER
• Joel Peguero NRI, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0 ER
• Enny Romero NRI, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 SO, 4 ER
• Keaton Winn, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 10 SO, 2 ER
Peguero has just won the Barney Nugent Award for best first time in camp, and routinely touches 100 mph as a strike thrower. Winning the BNA gets you a Picture of the Post, too! Peguero has been at the AAA team of 3 different teams, but has not yet debuted in The Show. Lucchesi and Romero are the lefties, with Erik Miller the only other one of those, although Romero has been away from camp with a personal matter, and Lucchesi was cut today. Beck, Winn, Trevor McDonald, and Mason Black have already been optioned to Sacramento. Bivens, Rodriguez, and Hjelle could all be safely optioned out. Remember, if you decide to keep both Birdsong and Roupp, you can only choose 3 here.
There’s a reason that Posey, Minasian, Melvin, Christiansen, and Martinez earn the big bucks.
