Chris Marrero leads Giants to win in exhibition opener.
Nonroster player Marrero knocks in 4 runs, 3 with walk-off homer, in an effort to make club
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Chris Marrero is a dark horse in a competition that includes nonroster names like Michael Morse, Aaron Hill, Jimmy Rollins, Justin Ruggiano and Gordon Beckham.
In the Giants’ exhibition opener on Friday, the dark horse took a game-winning gallop around the bases.
Not only did Marrero’s three-run home run in the ninth inning send the Giants to a 6-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, but it achieved something that the team didn’t accomplish all last season. The Giants were 0-62 last year when trailing after eight innings.
Marrero appeared surprised to hear that factoid.
“I just want to make a name for myself,” Marrero said. “I think it’s time for me to establish myself. Even in spring training, you’ve got to cherish these moments.”
Before the Giants signed all those major league veterans to minor league contracts, they made an aggressive push for Marrero. The 28-year-old has played in just 39 big league games with the Washington Nationals, and none since 2013, but was coming off a solid season for the Boston Red Sox’s Triple-A club in Pawtucket in which he hit .284/.344/.494 with
23 home runs.
He said he was disappointed when the Red Sox didn’t add him as a September call-up, and wanted to shop for a new organization when he qualified for free agency. The Giants called “within, like, five minutes” of his hitting the open market.
“If this team wants you, it’s a good thing,” said Marrero, who was familiar with the Giants’ history of minor league free agents getting a shot to establish themselves.
He would like nothing better than to be the next Andres Torres or Gregor Blanco.
“If I don’t get my shot now, hopefully I get it this season,” Marrero said. “But I’m fighting hard to make this team.”
The Giants entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 4-3 before Orlando Calixte drew a walk on a series of close takes from Reds righthander Kevin Shackelford and Christian Arroyo lined a single on a breaking ball. Marrero followed with his shot that landed on the leftfield berm.
Marrero, who replaced Brandon Belt at first base in the fifth inning, also hit an RBI single that scored Rollins.
A former first-round pick, Marrero went to the Nationals with the 15th overall choice — five picks after the Giants took Tim Lincecum — in 2006.
Marrero will get some time at both corner outfield spots in addition to first base this spring, Manager Bruce Bochy said.
“We were excited he signed with us,” Bochy said. “He’ll get some at-bats.”
Hunter Pence, who n has been limited to 158 games over the past two seasons, lined a double and struck out. It was thought that Pence might miss the first few exhibitions after dealing with some mild soreness in his side when camp opened, but he has rebounded well and lobbied to play in the first game.
“It’s a message,” Pence said. “I have every intention to be ready to play every day this whole season. So day one was an important day.”
Said Bochy: “He’s heard it from fans, and not in a bad way, but, you know, ‘Stay healthy’ and everything. I know he really wanted to play today.”
Even before Marrero’s n home run, something important might have been won in the Giants’ exhibition opener: Madison Bumgarner’s faith in a catcher other than Buster Posey.
“That was a tough pitch to catch — a backdoor curveball, and I pulled it a little bit,” said Bumgarner, of the dirt skipper he threw and catcher Nick Hundley blocked with a runner at third base. “I’m sure that caught him off guard. I was impressed. That was pretty good.”
Hundley’s block momentarily saved a run. The Cincinnati Reds scored anyway, when Patrick Kivlehan hit a two-run single. But there was no erasing the impression that Posey’s new backup catcher made on the Giants’ left-handed ace.
“It’s my job to get on the same page so when Buster has a day off or plays first, there’s as little drop-off as there can be,” Hundley said. “That comes down to communication and comfort level.”
Aside from one day last June when he had an injured thumb, Posey has caught all of Bumgarner’s starts over the past two seasons. Bumgarner’s insistence on throwing to Posey often dictated how Bochy rested his cleanup-hitting catcher. There were times when Posey would catch a day game after a night game, just because Bumgarner was on the mound.
Bumgarner acknowledged that having a veteran backup would make the transition more seamless on days when Posey takes a break.
“I don’t think it’ll take much to get on the same page,” Bumgarner said. “He watches and he pays attention. He’s been around the league. So it does make it easier.”
Hundley’s most impressive work might have come later in the game, when he caught two scoreless innings from right-hander Clayton Blackburn — a pitcher he hadn’t received before. Blackburn, who struck out two, said he only shook off Hundley once.
It wasn’t dumb luck. Hundley said he knew Blackburn’s repertoire because he had requested, and reviewed, video from all the pitchers on the Giants’ 40-man roster in the weeks before he reported to spring training.
Some new catchers would prioritize learning the five pitchers in the rotation and key relievers. Hundley saw it differently.
“He’s fighting to make this team, and if I’m in the way of that, it’s a detriment,” Hundley said. “It’s my job to make these guys as good as they can be.”
Bumgarner walked n one and hit a batter while allowing two runs in his inning. He had the option of skipping Friday’s game and having six spring starts instead of seven but said he would rather get going earlier and pace himself at the end.
“As long as your arm strength is there, that’s all you can ask,” he said.