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SF Giants Press Clips

Sunday, March 26, 2017

San Francisco Chronicle

Giants’ Morse still hopes to play, will rehab rather than retire

Henry Schulman

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Michael Morse fans, rejoice. He is going to stay in Arizona and rehab his

hamstring injury when the Giants go north Tuesday and not retire.

“I don’t want to go out like this,” Morse said Saturday. “My plan is to stay here until I’m ready,

play some (extended-spring) games, then go to Triple-A and play games, then figure out what’s

next.”

Morse believes he is about two weeks away from playing. He was on track to make the team as

a reserve first baseman and outfielder — and power threat off the bench — before injuring his

left leg running the bases against the White Sox on Monday.

When general manager Bobby Evans persuaded Morse to sign a minor-league deal and come to

spring training to see if he had anything left, Morse declared he would make the team or go

home. He has no plans to play for another big-league club.

Morse still wants to wear a Giants uniform again.

“I’m going to get healthy,” he said. “I’m going to play games with the mentality of getting ready

for the big leagues. At that point, if the team is 20-0, I know I probably won’t get called up and

then it’s, ‘See ya.’ If they need me, great.”

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Morse said he and Evans are “on the same wavelength” on this.

Cueto ready: Johnny Cueto’s abbreviated Cactus League was more than enough. He pitched in

two games plus two minor-league games, including one Saturday in which he struck out 10

Diamondbacks prospects over the equivalent of seven innings.

Cueto was so efficient in the high Class-A game, the staff had him face seven hitters in his final

inning just to get him to 85 pitches.

He even had time to coach 19-year-old D’backs shortstop prospect Jasrado Chisholm, who was

trying to take Cueto deep all day. In the final inning, from the mound, Cueto told Chisholm he

was pulling his eye off the ball. Chisholm singled on the next pitch. The lesson continued when

Chisholm took a huge lead off first base and Cueto picked him off, making players from both

teams chuckle.

“I was having fun with a kid who actually wanted to hit against me,” Cueto said.

Hwang wins honor: Jae-Gyun Hwang won the 2017 Barney Nugent Award for the best Giant in

his first big-league camp. Players, coaches and trainers vote on the award, which is named for a

onetime Giants trainer who died in 2014. The award formerly was named for Harry S. Jordan,

another longtime trainer.

Hwang, 29, celebrated with a walk-off single in the Giants’ 8-7 victory over the Padres. He is

ticketed for Triple-A Sacramento, where the organization wants him to play left field and first

base to become more versatile.

Hwang, 29, has 10 years of professional experience in South Korea. He has impressed the club

with his hitting and defense. Hwang is hitting .297 with four homers in the Cactus League. He

likely will start the season in Triple-A.

Trevor Brown was last year’s winner.

Briefly: Manager Bruce Bochy said the 40 players still in camp will go north for the Bay Bridge

Series, unless another veteran with an opt-out clause seeks his release sooner than Thursday’s

official date. ... Infielder Aaron Hill, who seemed a lock for a big-league job earlier in camp, is

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mired in a huge slump that has dropped his average to .209. ... Gorkys Hernandez tied

Saturday’s game in the eighth with a two-out double, but Bochy was not pleased with

Hernandez getting thrown out trying for a triple because he did not run hard out of the box.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.

Giants 8, Padres 7

Notable: Jae-Gyun Hwang’s bases-loaded, no-out single in the ninth capped a Giants rally. They

were down 7-1 in the third after Chris Stratton allowed seven runs. ... Buster

Posey and Brandon Crawford homered, Posey to the opposite field against left-hander Clayton

Richard. ... Jose Flores, Mark Melancon, George Kontos, Josh Osich, Cory Gearrin and Neil

Ramirez each pitched a scoreless inning. Manager Bruce Bochy has told Ramirez he is in the mix

for a job. The former Cub has 16 strikeouts in 91/3 innings.

Quotable: “Now is the time you’re hoping to tighten things up. Yesterday and the day before

we had our moments with the bullpen. This is when you want to see innings be a little more

normal, a little cleaner, and the guys did a good job today.” — Bochy on his relievers.

Sunday’s game: Giants vs. White Sox, in Glendale, Ariz., 1:05 p.m. Radio: 680

San Francisco Chronicle

Catching up with Sandoval, Donaldson, Romo, Vogelsong, Reddick

John Shea

The Giants haven’t said what they’ll do about left field or the final rotation spot. The A’s haven’t

identified their last two starting pitchers.

Similar stories are told throughout Arizona and Florida with teams trying to put the final

touches on their season-opening rosters.

Here are three compelling competitions that have come down to the wire:

Dodgers outfield: Andre Ethier has a herniated disk in his lower back that’ll likely keep him

shelved into the season.

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Manager Dave Roberts appears set with Yasiel Puig in right and Joc Pederson in center. There’s

a hole in left with options including Andrew Toles, Scott Van Slyke and Trayce

Thompson. Franklin Gutierrez could be used against lefties, and ex-Athletic Brett Eibner is in

camp.

Toles appears the favorite, but Thompson is an intriguing choice. Klay’s younger brother, who

hit 11 homers in April and May, is making a nice recovery from back surgery and is hitting well,

but he’s being eased in and might open at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Nationals closer: The competition is down to Koda Glover, Shawn Kelley and Blake Treinen.

Glover, a rookie, has the right makeup accompanying a potent arsenal but also has pitched just

19 games in the big leagues. Kelley has the most experience (seven saves last season), but two

Tommy John surgeries put into question his durability. Treinen has a nasty sinker that could

make him better suited for a setup role.

Manager Dusty Baker said Saturday that a decision has been made but the winner hasn’t been

told.

Red Sox rotation: The deepest and baddest rotation in the game has a vacancy. David Price will

open on the disabled list, leaving Chris Sale and Rick Porcello as the anchors.

Steven Wright has a job, but Drew Pomeranz has had triceps tightness. That could mean work

for young Eduardo Rodriguez or Kyle Kendrick, 32, who hasn’t pitched in the bigs since 2015.

More Panda-monium: Pablo Sandoval was destined to be a $95 million bust in Boston — one

down season, one missing season — but he seems determined to live up to his contract.

He’s smaller, though perhaps not much more than his listed 240 pounds. He’s healthier, having

overcome his shoulder injury. He’s saying all the right things, like needing to prove himself to

the Red Sox and their fans.

And he’s hitting a ton in spring training, especially left-handed. Right-handed has been a

struggle, at least before his three-run homer Saturday.

All signs point to Sandoval playing third base on Opening Day, and good for Pablo. But we’ve

heard this before, how he’s revitalized and ready to turn around his career. Now it’s up to him

to sustain it by keeping the weight off and numbers up.

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Even with his rocky exit from San Francisco, it’s fair to say a good number of Giants fans

continue to root for him.

Time for Bam Bam: I always believed Hensley Meulens would succeed as a big-league

manager, and nothing he did in the World Baseball Classic with the Netherlands altered that

opinion.

Meulens took his underdog team, largely from Curacao and Aruba, to the tournament’s final

four for a second straight time before losing in 11 innings to Puerto Rico.

With a long resume coaching under Bruce Bochy, impressive communication skills (it helps to

know five languages) and an authoritative presence, Meulens makes an excellent candidate.

All he needs is an interview. He once told me he wouldn’t go to the minors to manage — and he

shouldn’t — and that the offer would have to overwhelm him because he likes his current gig.

Don’t tweet: Josh Donaldson got off to a slow start in Blue Jays camp thanks to a calf injury and

has spent time in minor-league camp, which generally has an informal vibe. Teams will put

hitters who need extra at-bats in minor-league games and have them lead off every inning.

In Donaldson’s case, the plan was to avoid running. He was to hit the ball and return to the

dugout. Simple thing — until someone took video of the home run he hit.

An assistant coach at the University of Texas, Sean Allen, criticized the former A’s third

baseman on Twitter without knowing the facts, writing, “This might be the worst video I have

ever seen. So much disrespect to the game of baseball. Baseball gods will handle this.”

Donaldson tweeted to Allen that he hadn’t been cleared to run, and Allen apologized. Another

life lesson, kids.

Around the majors: The Dodgers say Sergio Romo, 34, who’s supposed to set up Kenley

Jansen, will be ready for the season. But he returned from the WBC with a sore back and hasn’t

pitched much: 11/3 WBC innings and two early innings in the Cactus League before throwing a

perfect inning Saturday. Afterward he said he felt fine. … Cam Bedrosian could open as the

Angels’ closer, with Huston Street’s back bothering him. Bedrosian is the son of Steve

Bedrosian, the Giants’ closer on the 1989 World Series team. Cam, who was born two years

later, has one career save, just 183 behind his dad. … When the Twins released Ryan

Vogelsong, it was easy to imagine the end for the 39-year-old. But Vogelsong requested the

release knowing he wasn’t in the rotation plans and didn’t want to move to the bullpen. Twins

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manager Paul Molitor said that by not waiting until the end of camp to release Vogelsong, he

has a chance to hook on elsewhere. … Josh Reddick played five years for the A’s without playing

a single game in left field, but that’s an option now that he’s an Astro. He’ll mostly play right,

but the bigger question is how much he’ll play against lefties. He’s a .270 hitter against righties,

.218 against lefties, but the Astros didn’t commit $52 million for a platoon player. … Baker is

entering the season without a contract beyond 2017 and wants an extension, but Nationals

GM Mike Rizzo is giving no hints it’ll be done. Not a great vote of confidence for an organization

seeking its first World Series title.

San Jose Mercury News

Giants honor Jae-Gyun Hwang with award, then he delivers game-winning hit

Andrew Baggarly

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jae-gyun Hwang has tried to learn as many English words and phrases as

possible as he acclimated himself with the Giants this spring.

He picked up three of the most important words in the club’s first full-squad workout in

February.

I got it.

“The first day of practice, we are taking fly balls and I said, `OK! OK!’” Hwang said through

Korean interpreter Mark Kim. “The coaches came over and told me, `No, you have to say, I got

it.’”

On so many levels, Hwang got it this spring. He fit well on the field and in the clubhouse. His

jovial nature and confidence knew no language barriers. His game translated well, too. He is

hitting .308 with four home runs.

And on Saturday, the players voted Hwang as the Barney Nugent Award winner, honoring the

most impressive player who was appearing in his first major league camp. Hwang, a six-time All-

Star in the Korean Baseball Organization, celebrated by collecting the bases-loaded single in the

ninth inning that lifted the Giants to an 8-7 exhibition victory over the San Diego Padres.

Although Hwang remains in camp, the Giants plan to ask him to begin the season at Triple-A

Sacramento where they can gain a deeper evaluation of his skills. Hwang has the option to

escape his contract if he isn’t on the major league roster, but he gave every indication that he is

willing to prove himself further in the Pacific Coast League.

“Honestly to this point, I’ve only shown fans and teammates and coaches home runs,” Hwang

said in Korean. “That’s about it. There’s a lot more that I could show everyone. If it be that I get

sent down to Triple-A and start the season there, I’d be really looking to work especially on my

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defense in left field and show that I’m a really versatile player — my defense, my running, and

everything else I wasn’t able to show up to this point. Playing day to day would definitely help

to be able to show all that.”

The Giants are full at third base, with Conor Gillaspie and likely Aaron Hill as fallback options in

case Eduardo Nuñez’s sore shoulder is not ready by opening day.

It would have been almost impossible for Hwang to win a roster spot out of camp, but he still

accomplished something important here. He won quite a bit of faith.

“It was my first time coming over to the States to play baseball and I really wanted to work hard

and show I belong here,” Hwang said. “I think my teammates have noticed at least a little bit

how hard I am ready to work for the team. So that was the most appreciative part.”

Head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner called Hwang into the middle of the clubhouse during

the morning meeting. He told players about Nugent, a beloved late former trainer with the

club, and then bestowed the award on the 29-year-old rookie who hazed himself when he

arrived at the ballpark wearing a ridiculous amount of green on St. Patrick’s Day.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy also raved about Hwang, not only for the way he has performed

on the field but how comfortable he has gotten with his teammates.

“The players love him,” Bochy said. “He comes out here early every day, working on first base

and left field. He’s been inspiring, the way he gets after it.”

Said Hwang: “There’s not much difficulty in terms of transitioning. I’m very comfortable and

satisfied with everything on the baseball field and off the baseball field. The only thing as of

now that I am still trying to learn and get accustomed to is the difference in the strike zone. “

If his spring performance is any indication, he’ll get it.

San Jose Mercury News

Giants notes

Andrew Baggarly

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Giants manager Bruce Bochy has informed several players remaining in

major league camp that they won’t make the opening day roster, barring an injury or

unforeseen circumstance. But Bochy said he is planning to break camp Tuesday without making

any more official cuts, taking all 35 healthy players – including nine non-roster invitees – to the

Bay Area for the final three exhibition games against the A’s.

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It seems clear, then, that infielder Aaron Hill should bet on being a Giant to start the season. Hill

would receive a $100,000 retention bonus if he remains with the team through Tuesday, and

the Giants wouldn’t commit to that sum if he weren’t in their plans.

Hill has slowed down at the plate after a hot start. His average is down to .209. Bochy did not

express concern, though.

“He’s trying to find his swing, but he’s a good hitter,” Bochy said.

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While Hill continues to get regular at-bats, infielder Jimmy Rollins is mostly coming off the

bench. The former NL MVP didn’t start Friday and didn’t play Saturday. He is hitting .083 this

spring, and although he has looked OK at both middle infield spots, it is hard to imagine a Bay

Area homecoming for the Oakland native.

Rollins does not have a retention bonus in his contract but can opt out of the agreement on

Thursday. Rollins has kept his career plans private in the event he does not make the club. If

this is the end for the respected 38-year-old, though, there are worse places he could play a

farewell game than in the last exhibition game against the A’s at the Coliseum.

Johnny Cueto and Matt Moore will start the first two Bay Bridge games, and then top pitching

prospect Tyler Beede will start the April 1 exhibition game at Oakland, Bochy said.

Although Beede has been optioned to Triple-A Sacramento and is expected to begin his season

there, his performance this spring convinced management that he would be ready when called

up at some point this season. Starting him in a major league stadium for an exhibition

appearance might help him manage the butterflies a bit better when that day does come.

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The Giants bullpen had a highly impressive day, holding the Padres to two hits in six shutout

innings while the club rallied from a six-run deficit to take an 8-7 exhibition victory.

Mark Melancon hasn’t allowed a run in 9 2/3 innings, if you count his one appearance in the

World Baseball Classic. George Kontos struck out the side. Josh Osich struck out two in a

scoreless inning, and Cory Gearrin retired all three batters he faced.

Former Cubs right-hander Neil Ramirez also threw a scoreless ninth to lower his ERA to 1.93 this

spring. He has struck out 16 in 9 1/3 innings this spring. Bochy said he made a point to call

Ramirez into his office Saturday.

“The consistency has been as good as anybody here,” Bochy said. “I let him know that we’ve

seen what he’s done.”

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Ramirez might not have a spot if the Giants decide to keep two left-handers in their bullpen,

though.

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No, recently retired left-hander Javier Lopez isn’t thinking of making a comeback now that Will

Smith will be out for the year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Lopez, who is in camp as a special instructor, was carrying around a weighted baseball

Saturday. But he insisted he was just limbering up to throw batting practice. And no, he doesn’t

require a longer L-screen to accommodate his sidearm delivery.

“Going over the top,” he said. “Back to my college days.”

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Hunter Pence continues to look lost at the plate and his average fell to .136. The Giants gave

Pence the option to lead off every inning in a minor league game last week, but he preferred to

face major league pitchers. … The Padres pummeled right-hander Chris Stratton for seven runs

on nine hits (three homers) in three innings. Prior to that start, Stratton was having an

impressive spring. … World Baseball Classic gold medalists Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford

each hitting a home run in the comeback. … Maybe catcher Nick Hundley just needed a little

extra time to get his arm loose. After a rough start to the spring, he is throwing crisply to bases

again and catching would-be thieves. … The Giants reassigned right-hander Jose Dominguez to

minor league camp.

San Jose Mercury News

Johnny Cueto toys with minor leaguers, records six outs in an inning

Andrew Baggarly

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Johnny Cueto provides endless entertainment when he faces major league

hitters.

Stick him in minor league camp for a day, and the interplay gets even better. Cueto toyed with

an Arizona Diamondbacks A-ball squad on Saturday, holding them scoreless in seven innings

while walking one and striking out 10.

It was a controlled environment, designed to let Cueto build his pitch count. So he did seven

innings of work despite getting up and down just six times. In one inning, he worked so quickly

that the Giants had him stay out there. He recorded six outs.

Cueto had the most fun with Jazz Chisholm, a 19-year-old infielder from the Bahamas, who had

to laugh after one at-bat in which he took two fastballs for strikes on the inner half.

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The next time up, Chisholm was determined not to get cheated. He swung hard twice and it

appeared Cueto was helping him out by telling him what pitch was coming next.

Actually, Cueto was teasing him by providing a few hitting tips.

“I was telling him to keep his eye on the ball,” Cueto said in Spanish. “Because every time he’d

swing, he’d take his eye off the baseball.”

You’ll do that when you’re swinging as hard as you can.

Chisholm managed to punch a single, but Cueto wasn’t done with him yet. He nearly picked the

kid off first base. Then Chisholm dared him with an even bigger lead. And Cueto used an even

better move to throw him out.

“He probably doesn’t know that I have a quick move,” Cueto said, smiling.

Cueto reported to camp 17 days behind schedule while tending to his father’s health, but

there’s little doubt he is all caught up now. He threw 85 pitches – including 25 during his six-out

inning – and proclaimed himself ready for the season.

He’ll appear in Thursday’s exhibition against the A’s at AT&T Park as a final tuneup for his

season debut as the No.2 starter on April 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

“I feel good, I feel healthy and I feel strong,” Cueto said. “I was having fun with the kid who

actually wanted to hit against me.”

Cueto pitched in minor league camp instead of the Cactus League exhibition against the San

Diego Padres because they are an NL West rival and he’ll face them in his second start of the

season.

San Jose Mercury News

Michael Morse will postpone retirement, attempt to work his way back with Giants

Andrew Baggarly

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Michael Morse knew this spring comeback attempt with the Giants would

go one of two ways.

“It was either I have a good spring and make the team, or I realize that I need to get out of here

and go home,” Morse said. “There was no in between.”

Life took a third path. Morse had a great spring, and then he pulled his hamstring. He was in

line to win a job as a right-handed pinch hitter and occasional left fielder. Now he’s out of

contention. But he proved enough to himself, and he agreed to keep the dream alive a bit

longer.

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Morse said he would remain in Arizona after the team breaks camp on Tuesday, and he hopes

to be ready to play in games by the time Triple-A Sacramento begins its season April 6. Morse

knows there are no promises. The Giants’ roster needs change by the day. But he proved to

himself that he still has something left.

“I’m not just going to leave these guys hanging,” Morse said. “I’m at least going to get healthy

and see what happens. I don’t just want to end it being hurt.”

Morse, a 2014 postseason hero who drove in the tiebreaking run in Game 7 of the World Series

at Kansas City, hasn’t played in the majors since the Pirates released him last April. His

invitation to spring training grew out of an impromptu conversation with Giants GM Bobby

Evans at Hunter Pence’s wedding last November.

“This was to see if I had anything left,” Morse said. “Bobby told me, `At least you’ll know. You

don’t want to go the rest of your life doubting your decision.’ So, you know, it was a good

spring. But it was great being a part of this and seeing how I still fit with these guys in the

clubhouse. That’s why I can’t just leave them hanging like this.”

MLB.com

Posey, Crawford homer, Hwang, walks off vs. SD

Chris Haft and Owen Perkins

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- After Padres reliever Carlos Fisher loaded the bases in the ninth, first

baseman Jae-gyun Hwang hit a walk-off single to give the Giants an 8-7 victory over the Padres

in a Cactus League game Saturday at Scottsdale Stadium.

San Francisco set up Hwang's game-winner without hitting a ball out of the infield. Justin

Ruggiano walked, Rando Moreno reached first base on a sacrifice bunt attempt and Austin

Slater was hit by a pitch. Hwang blooped his hit into right-center field, giving the Giants their

fifth victory in their last six Cactus League games.

The Giants' rally complemented a strong effort by their bullpen, which shut out San Diego for

the final six innings.

"Now's the time you're hoping to tighten things up," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Competing for a spot in San Diego's lineup, third baseman Cory Spangenberg rapped three hits,

including a second-inning home run. San Diego scored all of its runs in the opening three

innings. Spangenberg's first-inning bunt single set up Hunter Renfroe's two-run double off

Giants starter Chris Stratton, who was summoned from Minor League camp for this game.

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Stratton yielded seven runs and nine hits in three innings.

"He's probably had our most consistent at-bats in the last week and a half," Padres manager

Andy Green said of Spangenberg's two-pronged approach. "He's hit the ball hard. The bunt

game's good to see. He really defended the field well at third base today. He was outstanding

over there."

Erick Aybar and Jamie Romak added homers for the Padres in the third inning.

Buster Posey delivered his first spring homer -- not including the pair he hit for Team USA in the

World Baseball Classic -- to open the Giants' scoring in the second inning off Padres

starter Clayton Richard, who gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits in six innings. "I felt

like I was pretty sharp up until that sixth inning," Richard said. "I let a couple pitches go, and

they took advantage. They're good enough hitters that if you don't execute a pitch, they're

going to take advantage. The at-bat to Crawford and to Hundley, I felt as if I didn't do as well as

I should have. You have to give them credit for being able to take advantage of that. I was able

to lock it back in for the last few outs." Nick Hundley's first of two doubles and a Padres fielding

misplay led to a pair of Giants runs in the fifth inning. They added two runs in the sixth on

Posey's bloop single and Brandon Crawford's homer, and one in the seventh on Joe Panik's RBI

triple. Gorkys Hernandez's RBI double in the eighth tied the game at 7. Giants Up Next: Left-

hander Ty Blach, competing with Matt Cain for the fifth rotation spot, is scheduled to start

Sunday's 1:05 p.m. PT encounter with the White Sox at the Glendale Baseball Complex. Blach

has compiled a 5.02 ERA but has struck out 11 while walking just one. Watch live on MLB.TV.

Padres Up Next: The Padres play a pair of split squad games Sunday, with a 1:10 p.m. PT tilt

hosting the Rockies, and a 1:05 p.m. road game with the Cubs. Right-hander Jarred

Cosart starts against the Rockies. He's given up three runs in 6 2/3 innings this spring, walking

two and striking out six. Trevor Cahill faces the defending World Series champs in his sixth

spring start. He's allowed 10 runs (seven earned) on nine hits and seven walks while striking out

13.

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MLB.com

Morse determine to come back from injury

Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Michael Morse doesn't intend to squander the effort he sustained this

spring.

Having revived his offensive skill, Morse affirmed Saturday that he will attempt to overcome his

left hamstring injury and resume his climb back to the Major Leagues.

Fading quietly into retirement was Morse's other option. Instead, the 35-year-old first

baseman-outfielder will attempt to sustain another burst of dedicated effort, much like the

surge that seemingly left him destined to make the Opening Day roster. Then he hurt himself as

he rounded first base during a March 20 exhibition against the White Sox and hasn't played

since.

Morse indicated that he won't rush himself.

"I want to be 100 percent [healthy] when I get back," he said.

To accomplish that, Morse said that he'll likely remain in Arizona to rehabilitate his hamstring

until he's fit enough to play. Then he'll begin performing in games at extended spring training or

with the Giants' Triple-A Sacramento affiliate.

"I'll figure it out from there," said Morse, who estimated that he might be able to resume

playing in two weeks. "If the team is 20-0, I know I'm not going to get called up. But if they need

me, great."

Right fielder Hunter Pence believes that any team could use Morse's dangerous bat and

engaging demeanor.

"He's definitely capable of helping us, or anyone," Pence said. "It's a matter of getting his body

back healthy now.'

Morse's pedestrian .265 Cactus League batting average is offset by his .930 OPS. He also has

three homers and eight RBIs in just 34 at-bats. Morse's spring hitting recalled his 2014

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production for the Giants, which included 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 131 games, as well as key

hits in the National League Championship Series and World Series.

Morse impressed Giants insiders, who praised his ability to catch up with fastballs after

accumulating only 77 at-bats in the previous two seasons, including eight last year.

"He came into camp in tremendous shape. That should show him that he has some baseball

left. Good baseball," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

MLB.com

Cueto makes most of minor League tuneup

Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Question: When does a ballplayer occupy two roles at once?

Answer: When he's as fun-loving as Johnny Cueto.

Preferring to give Cueto the work he needed in a controlled environment, the Giants sent the

right-hander to the Minor League complex Saturday to face a band of D-backs farmhands. That

group included one Jasrado Chisholm, an ambitious left-handed batter.

Chisholm, 19, struck out twice against Cueto, who laughed at the novice's overaggressive

swings. Cueto felt compelled to serve as Chisholm's personal hitting coach.

"I was having fun with the kid," Cueto said through translator Erwin Higueros. "I was telling

Chisholm to keep his eye on the ball, because every time he would swing, he'd look away from

the ball."

Chisholm actually mustered a single off Cueto in their final encounter. Chisholm's sense of

triumph might have been short-lived, because Cueto picked him off first base.

Otherwise, Cueto prepared for the regular season by throwing 85 pitches, including 58 strikes,

in the equivalent of seven innings (his final inning lasted six outs; such is the nature of

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simulated exhibition games). He yielded six hits, walked one, struck out 10 and toyed with the

Minor Leaguers.

"I feel good. I feel healthy. I feel strong," Cueto said.

Hwang honored

The Giants rewarded industrious third baseman Jae-gyun Hwang with the Barney Nugent

Award, given annually to the most outstanding player attending his first big league camp.

Hwang, who excelled in Korean professional baseball but yearned for a chance to demonstrate

his skills in America, captured a vote cast by teammates, coaches and the athletic-training staff.

"He's been inspiring with how hard he's getting after it every day," Giants manager Bruce Bochy

said. He delivered that remark moments after Hwang, fittingly enough, blooped a bases-loaded,

ninth-inning single to give San Francisco an 8-7 triumph over San Diego on Saturday.

Hwang owns a .308 batting average in 22 games and ranks among the most productive Giants

with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Bochy has given him chances to demonstrate versatility by

playing him at first base and left field.

"It was my first time coming over to the States to play baseball and I really wanted to work hard

and show that I belong here," Hwang said through his interpreter, Mark Kim. "I think that my

teammates have at least noticed a little bit about how hard I'm ready to work for the team."

Ramirez's right stuff

Bochy said that he had a chat with right-hander Neil Ramirez, the non-roster invitee who has

been one of the most impressive relievers in camp. With a scoreless ninth inning Saturday,

Ramirez trimmed his ERA to 1.93 with 16 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings.

Bochy essentially wanted Ramirez to know that his efforts have not gone unnoticed.

"He's done all he can do to be on this club," Bochy said, adding that Ramirez's consistency has

"been as good as anybody's."

Not as fortunate was non-roster right-hander Jose Dominguez, who was reassigned to Minor

League camp. The move trimmed San Francisco's spring roster to 39 players.

Beede gets Bay Bridge start

Bochy said that right-hander Tyler Beede, the organization's top pitching prospect, according

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to MLBPipelne.com, will start Saturday's Bay Bridge Series finale at Oakland. Beede will begin

the season at Triple-A Sacramento after posting a 0.96 ERA (one earned run in 9 1/3 innings) in

five Cactus League appearances.

CSNbayarea.com

Giants spring training day 41

Alex Pavlovic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jae-Gyun Hwang’s day started with an ovation from teammates who had

selected Hwang as the Barney Nugent Award winner. It ended in style, too.

Hwang’s walk-off single in the ninth gave the Giants an 8-7 win and raised his spring average to

.308. Barring an injury or sudden change, Hwang will not make the team out of camp, but he’ll

travel to San Francisco for the Bay Bridge Series next week and the Giants expect him back at

AT&T Park soon.

“He can keep the award now,” Bochy joked after Hwang’s walk-off. “Good for him. Players love

him, and the way he’s come out every day and the effort he puts in. He’s been inspiring with

how hard he has gotten after it every day.”

The Barney Nugent Award is given to the player in his first big league camp “whose

performance and dedication in Spring Training best exemplifies the San Francisco Giants spirit.”

It is meaningful in large part because the voters are teammates, trainers and coaches. Hwang

was called to the middle of the clubhouse by trainer Dave Groeschner on Saturday morning to

accept the award.

“With this being my first time coming to spring training to play baseball, I wanted to work hard

and show that I belong here,” Hwang said through interpreter Mark Kim. “I think my

teammates have noticed how hard I’ve worked for the team.”

The rest of the Giants have also noticed how easy Hwang has made the transition look. He said

that, outside of learning a new strike zone, the adjustment hasn’t been a difficult one. He has

four homers this spring, but doesn’t necessarily view that as a shining positive. Hwang said he

wants to show more of an all-around game, especially on defense, and a stint in Triple-A

Sacramento should provide that opportunity.

If the rosters play out as expected, Hwang should see most of the time at third base in Triple-A.

He can also play first, and he’s eager to show that he’s viable in left field.

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“I want to show I’m a versatile player,” he said.

GAME RECAP: Chris Stratton was having a good spring, but he got knocked around by the

Padres early … Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford both hit deep homers in their second game

back from the WBC … Mark Melancon still has not allowed a run this spring … Hunter Pence's

March slump got a bit deeper with an 0-for-3 ... Bryan Reynolds, last year’s top pick, entered as

a pinch-runner and flew home from first on a Gorkys Hernandez double off the wall.

BULLPEN BATTLES: In the front office’s perfect world, Josh Osich would be the one to take over

for Will Smith, giving the team a hard-throwing lefty capable of neutralizing lefties and righties.

It’s been an up-and-down spring for Osich, but he was filthy Saturday, striking out a pair in his

lone inning.

George Kontos looked even better in his inning, striking out the side. Kontos has allowed just

five hits in 10 innings this spring, with 15 strikeouts. He seems forever stuck in that sixth-

seventh range, but given his splits have been just about even over the years, maybe it’s time

the Giants see what he can do in a more high-profile role.

Cory Gearrin followed the previous two with a perfect eighth. Neil Ramirez struck out one and

allowed one hit in the ninth. In 9 1/3 innings this spring, Ramirez has struck out 16 and allowed

just five hits and two runs. He has a real shot to take someone’s job in the bullpen next week.

ICYMI: The big news from this morning: Michael Morse will stick with the team and try to

rehab/play his way back to the big leagues. And from the early afternoon, Johnny Cueto had

a ton of fun with a 19-year-old he faced in a minor league game.

NOTABLE: Bochy said that all of the players left in camp are slated to head home on the team

flight Tuesday, but some guys have opt-outs on March 30, so moves are coming. This would

seem a great sign for Aaron Hill, who is due a $100,000 retention bonus on Tuesday. Hill has

slumped late in camp, but he’s still in position to make the team. Also noteworthy: Tyler Beede

is scheduled to start Saturday’s game in Oakland. The Giants surely want to knock some MLB-

stadium-nerves off before Beede heads down to Triple-A to wait for a call-up.

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CSNbayarea.com

Cueto toys with young prospect in Giants minor league game

Alex Pavlovic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — There is no way to really ramp up the intensity when an All-Star pitcher

makes an appearance in minor league camp, so Johnny Cueto instead found a way to have a bit

more fun.

While getting his work in against A-ball hitters, Cueto had a prolonged, smile-filled battle with

19-year-old Jasrado Chisholm, one of the Diamondbacks’ top prospects. The sequence between

Cueto and the shortstop from the Bahamas:

• Cueto just missed with a two-strike inside fastball, so he went right back to the same

spot, freezing Chisholm, who smiled and nodded at Cueto, who laughed back.

• The next time up, Chisholm took two vicious hacks, trying to crank a homer onto Hayden

Road. He missed both breaking balls by about a foot.

• Before the third pitch, Cueto yelled something at Chisholm and smiled. “I was telling

him to keep his eye on the ball,” Cueto said. “Because every time he was swinging, he

was taking his eye off the ball.”

• The advice worked. Chisholm hung in on the third pitch, lining a single to left-center.

Cueto laughed and pointed his glove at the teenager. He promptly picked him off of first

base. “He probably doesn’t know I have a quick move,” he said. “I was having fun with a

kid who wanted to actually hit against me.”

Nobody has more fun than Cueto, even on a sun-baked minor league field. He capped his day

by standing in for an at-bat of his own, and he stood and watched as a young Diamondback

struck him out.

The work on the mound was just what was needed: 7 innings, 85 pitches, 10 strikeouts, 0 runs.

Cueto, who missed the opening weeks of camp, is ready for the season.

“I feel strong,” he said. “I feel really good."

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CSNbayarea.com

Injured Michael Morse will stick with Giants, work way up from Triple A

Alex Pavlovic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Michael Morse isn't ready to give up on his comeback.

Morse, sidelined by a hamstring injury, said he will continue to rehab with the organization,

with the plan of eventually going to Triple-A and working his way up to the big leagues. Morse

hasn't played since getting hurt March 20 in Glendale. He was initially given a two-to-three

week diagnosis, but because he wants to let the strain heal completely, he anticipates missing

closer to a full month.

Morse said he's on the same page with general manager Bobby Evans. He will get healthy at the

minor league facility in Scottsdale.

"I'll then go to Triple-A and play games and figure it out from there," he said. "I'm going to get

healthy and play some games and if that point the team is 20-0, I know I probably won't get

called up. If they need me, that'd be great."

The Giants are hopeful it works out. Before getting hurt, Morse had three spring homers and

was in position to make the opening day roster. Without Morse, the Giants are light on right-

handed power options for the bench.

ESPN.com

Mike Trout proposes umpire change

Buster Olney

Mike Trout is widely regarded as baseball’s best player, and you’d also be hard-pressed to find a

player who is more universally liked than Trout. He seems to have a running banter with almost

everyone when he plays, from opposing catchers to infielders, to umpires.

It was during one of those chats with a veteran umpire earlier this spring that Trout offered a

thought: As the experienced umpires work their way back into game shape in spring training,

just as the players do, why not have them work five or six innings and turn over the last innings

to umpires who would normally work minor league games on back fields?

The idea is simple, but has a lot of helpful layers, beyond allowing an older plate umpire a little

more time to work into condition in spring to see 350 or so pitches in a given game. It is

extraordinarily difficult for young umpires to advance in the industry because there is little

annual turnover among umpires in the big leagues. For a young umpire slated for Class A or AA

to get a few innings in a major league exhibition -- with the packed ballpark and major league

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players -- would be something of a reward, as it is for the minor league players.

One evaluator noted that it would also give baseball officials another chance to see the young

umpires at work, under conditions closer to those they experience in the higher levels.

When Trout’s idea was conveyed to baseball officials over the last week, they loved it. "It makes

a lot of sense for a lot of different reasons," said one official.

Added another: "That’s Trout -- he’s always paying attention to stuff beyond what he’s doing."

Giants hitting coach Meulens is breakout star of WBC

One longtime executive noted one of the benefits of the World Baseball Classic: Some players

who would not normally have the opportunity to play on a big stage this spring -- or even this

year -- got the chance to play in packed ballparks, under pressure, with high stakes. "They get a

chance to show something," said the executive.

But this is true for some of the staffers, as well. It may be that we remember the 2017 WBC as

the time that Hensley Meulens, the San Francisco Giants hitting coach who served as manager

of the Netherlands, became a serious candidate to manage in the big leagues.

Officials from some major league teams singled out Meulens as being particularly organized

and communicative in the way he handled MLB players, developing plans and making sure

those with a vested interest were aware of how each member of his squad was deployed. The

Netherlands advanced all the way to the semifinals before losing to Puerto Rico. And Meulens

seemed very comfortable in his role, getting his players to buy in with text messages, working

with his coaches in strategy meetings, and showing his comfort with media members from

around the world -- partly because of his mastery of language. He spoke Korean with reporters

while the Netherlands played games in Korea, and Japanese when his team shifted to Japan.

Meulens has a relaxed personality, as Giants players will attest, but his competitiveness came

through when he pushed for mercy-rule wins, and beat Team Israel in a return match. Meulens

has spoken about how he would like to get the chance to manage a big league team someday,

and he has probably helped his chances through the WBC.

Banister's fight with his pitching coach

Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister had his neck broken in a home plate collision while

catching for Lee College, so he did not take it well when he was playing for Class A Macon

Georgia against the Charleston Rainbows in 1987 and again he was run over on a play at the

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plate. A fight erupted, but Banister was not ejected. So when he walked to the plate for his next

at-bat, he knew there was a chance that he would get thrown at by the opposing pitcher. The

catcher for Charleston happened to be Mike Basso, who had grown up with Banister in Texas.

Banister warned his friend that if the pitcher hit him, he would charge the mound. The first

pitch was behind him, and as Banister told the story the other day, he then turned to Basso and

told him that if he was hit by a pitch, he would go after Basso and the pitcher.

The next pitch hit Banister, who made good on his promise, charging the mound and punching

the pitcher.

And that’s the first time he met Doug Brocail, who now serves as his pitching coach for the

Rangers.

Banister and Brocail each told their side of that story on Friday's podcast, with some laughter.

Baseball Tonight Podcast

Friday: Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star on the Toronto Blue Jays' lineup concerns, Karl

Ravech and Justin Havens on the greatness of Clayton Kershaw, and Bryce Harper.

Thursday: Mike Napoli about Adrian Beltre, his unexpected departure from the Indians and

losing two of MLB’s most memorable games. Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore on

rebuilding the team’s rotation in the aftermath of Yordano Ventura's death and the impending

free agency of Eric Hosmer and others. Keith Law on Theo Epstein’s ranking as the No. 1 World

Leader, with mid-podcast input from Theo, and the WBC.

Wednesday: Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on the St Louis Cardinals' makeover

and Kolten Wong; Pedro Gomez and Tim Kurkjian on the WBC.

Tuesday: Jayson Stark on taking the WBC to the next level, Los Angeles Dodgers second

baseman Logan Forsythe talks about his trade to L.A. and Corey Seager, and ESPN.com's Scott

Lauber on David Price and Pablo Sandoval.

Monday: The Pittsburgh Pirates' Gerrit Cole goes rapid-fire, Pedro Alvarez discusses his move to

the outfield, Jerry Crasnick on the Boston Red Sox's pitching depth and Todd Radom ranks the

28th greatest logo of all time, before his uniform and logo quiz.

And today will be better than yesterday.