Game plan for position players, pitchers this weekend detailed
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The fans who pop into Scottsdale Stadium to watch the workouts do not see much action during these early days of the hitters facing live pitching. Few balls are hit hard, which is normal.
“It looks like all the pitchers are throwing 100, and some of them are,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “I think the hitters would rather see live action than live BP.”
They get their chance starting Saturday, when the Giants open their Cactus League schedule against the Angels in Tempe.
Early lineups will not be representative. Buster Posey might be a designated hitter but will not catch at least until March 1 as he eases into games following his hip surgery. Bochy tends to take it easy on older players in the first few games anyway.
The evaluation process will be heightened this spring as new president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi gets his first look at younger Giants, who figure to get a lot of early playing time. One to watch is outfielder Drew Ferguson, whom the Giants selected from the Astros in the Rule 5 draft.
They have to make a call on Ferguson before the season starts because he will have to be offered back to Houston if he is not placed on the 25-man roster.
Bochy plans to speak with 31-year-old newcomers Yangervis Solarte, Cameron Maybin and Gerardo Parra to gauge their readiness for competition barely a week after they signed.
Rules generally require teams to send at least four regulars to each road game so ticket-buyers can see name players, but Bochy said the league is more lenient in the early slate. The familiar Giants hitters more likely will debut in home games Sunday and Monday against the Cubs and White Sox, respectively.
Bochy announced the pitching plan for eight starters over the first five games:
Chris Stratton and Ty Blach will face the Angels. Madison Bumgarner will pitch the home opener against the Cubs. Derek Holland and Drew Pomeranz each will work in Monday’s game against the White Sox, followed by Dereck Rodriguez at the Reds on Tuesday. Jeff Samardzija and Andrew Suarez will debut against the Royals on Wednesday. Oakland respect: A’s manager Bob Melvin revealed that he sends Bochy a nice cabernet each spring to thank him for allowing the designated hitter at Giants home games.
“I’m going to have to up the price point now that he’s retiring,” Melvin said.
When Melvin managed his 1,000th win in 2017, Bochy sent him a bottle of Cristal Champagne.