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SF Giants Press Clips

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

San Francisco Chronicle

Giants’ Jarrett Parker is intense, and intent on becoming starter

Henry Shulman

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jarrett Parker is a study in intensity. Even in the casual atmosphere of

spring training, his gaze could dent steel. Maybe a man has to be that focused when he is 28

and still trying to establish himself in the major leagues.

It’s odd to hear Parker’s girlfriend, Jordan Miller, call him “one of the funniest people I know.

He loves to laugh and he’s quite goofy at times.”

Are we talking about the same Jarrett Parker? Big dude? Left-handed hitter? Dead ringer for

Captain Jack Sparrow?

Parker smiles and says, “I pick my spots.”

The spot he wants is starting left fielder for the Giants, which he can grab if he shows over the

final three weeks of spring training that he really has turned a corner and can make enough

contact to stick after years of being a strikeout machine. The numbers show Parker heading in

the right direction.

The Giants want to believe it because Parker has the ability to hit the ball a very long way. He

proved that when he hit three homers in a game against the A’s at the Coliseum in 2015.

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“That’s why we drafted him, his raw power,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Now, it’s playable.”

Miller has witnessed the intensity that outsiders see, once Parker walks into a gym or grabs a

bat.

“He has a lot of personal will and strength as an individual,” she said. “When it comes to

Jarrett’s career, he has nothing but focus.”

Parker and Miller have an unusual relationship because of her unusual vocation, which often

keeps them apart. She is a biological anthropologist who cumulatively has spent a year studying

chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, the site that Jane Goodall founded.

Miller has met Goodall, and studies the grandchildren of the chimps that Goodall, the

pioneering primatologist, spent years examining, hoping to understand the evolution of human

behavior.

As Parker swats baseballs around the Arizona desert, his girlfriend is finishing her doctoral

dissertation at George Washington University. In very general terms, her thesis is about the

evolution of altruistic behavior.

Which can make for some interesting, “How was your day?” conversations.

“I know she’s smarter than I am, and when she starts talking about her work, I don’t understand

it, but I know what’s in her heart,” Parker said.

“Not that I don’t have any interest, but it’s so technical and scientific. It’s not up my alley. I

don’t understand the intricacies, but it’s interesting to hear some things, for sure.”

Miller has no trouble comprehending the athletic mind. She was a field-hockey player at Duke

as she pursued a degree in evolutionary anthropology. She and Parker met through a mutual

friend in 2014, not long after Parker had an epiphany about his immediate future after touring

Europe with a buddy.

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“It kind of changed the trajectory of my life,” Parker said. “I was probably going to settle down

and marry a girl, but I decided that really wasn’t the life I wanted.”

He wanted to explore the world, and his relationship Miller got him to Africa. She was just

completing her field studies at Gombe when Parker visited her. Together, they went on safari in

the Serengeti.

Parker likes foreign travel because it removes him from his comfort zone. He would like to visit

Antarctica someday. There are fewer places more uncomfortable on the planet.

Parker has not always felt at ease in the batter’s box since the Giants selected him out of the

University of Virginia in the second round of the 2010 amateur draft.

He has struck out 836 times in 2,409 minor-league at-bats, more than one-third of the time. He

fanned 21 times in 49 at-bats during his first big-league call-up in 2015 and 44 times in 127

Giants at-bats last year.

The Giants saw more contact during Parker’s 2016 stay at Triple-A Sacramento and a greater

improvement this spring. Aside from two homers, Parker had four strikeouts in his first 16 at-

bats.

“We would take one in four,” assistant hitting coach Steve Decker said. “We’ll live with the

swings and misses if he can hit three-run homers.”

Parker’s Achilles heel has been breaking pitches below the strike zone, specifically, the inability

to stop the powerful swing generated by his 6-foot-4 frame even when he recognizes the

curveballs and sliders in the dirt.

Giants coaches have spent hours shooting curveballs at him from a machine, sometimes over

the plate, sometimes in the dirt. If he shortened his swing, he might swing at fewer bad ones,

but the Giants do not want him dial it back.

“He’s got to be himself and let it fly,” Bochy said.

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The odds are stacked against Parker. Few hitters suddenly “get it” at 28. Parker is not looking

for dramatic improvement overnight, saying, “Every day is an opportunity to get better, even if

it’s 0.1 percent.”

The front office is banking on Parker to improve enough to be the everyday left fielder, or at

least man a platoon. Parker has severe splits and has struggled mightily against left-handed

pitchers.

Parker’s girlfriend, who studies behavior in the animal and human worlds, sees a man who will

not fail for lack of drive.

“Jarrett is very persistent and hard-working,” Miller said. “He believes in himself and really

believes in the organization in which he’s a part, particularly his ability to make a difference, to

make an impact and help the team.”

San Francisco Chronicle

Giants’ Bruce Bochy considering Ty Blach as reliever

Henry Schulman

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Manager Bruce Bochy was emphatic that the fifth spot in the rotation

remains a competition between Matt Cain and Ty Blach, although Bochy dropped some hints

that Cain is the first among equals.

Blach has relieved Cain in all three of their Cactus League games. In Monday’s 3-2 victory

against a Cleveland “B” squad, Bochy had Blach enter in the middle of an inning partly to see

how the left-hander would fare in relief.

Blach said the last time he did not start an inning was in Little League.

“It was a good situation for Ty to come in,” Bochy said. “That could be his role. I’m not saying it

is, but we want him to get used to it. We’re going to keep our options open.”

By numbers alone, Blach is winning the competition. He has allowed one earned run in 62/3

innings, compared with six in 71/3 innings for Cain. But to deny that Cain’s $21 million salary

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will play into the decision is naive.

Cain had his best game Monday. He allowed two runs, but one was not entirely his

fault. Hunter Pence had trouble picking up Greg Allen’s routine flyball to start the game. It fell

in, and after Allen stole second, he scored on an Abraham Almonte single.

Blach actually allowed Cain’s second run to score, on an Erik Kratz double.

“I’m definitely improving what I need to do with the execution of pitches,” Cain said. “I feel like

we’re moving in the right direction and doing the things I need to do to get ready for the

season.”

Cain revealed that last spring he still dealt with soreness that prevented him from working

properly between starts. This spring, he is pain-free and believes that will help him refine his

pitches and command as he goes.

Kershaw looms: Brandon Belt will make the trip to Glendale for Tuesday’s game against the

Dodgers — and Clayton Kershaw.

Belt has faced Kershaw more than any other pitcher in the majors, and that is not a good thing

for the Giants’ first baseman, who is 3-for-51 with 27 strikeouts against the three-time National

League Cy Young Award winner.

Maybe a little reverse psychology can help Belt, who has a good sense of humor about it.

“I might have to feel really bad at the plate to hit Kershaw, and I feel really bad right now,” he

said. Belt is 3-for-15 with two walks in the Cactus League. He said that seeing a pitcher in spring

training can help a hitter down the road. But Kershaw?

“From the standpoint of trying to find your timing now,” Belt said, “it might not be the best

thing in the world.”

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.

Giants 3, Indians 2

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Notable: Kyle Blanks tripled for his third hit and scored on a Kelby Tomlinson sacrifice fly to

break a 2-2 tie and help the Giants end their losing streak at eight games. ... Jimmy Rollins was

supposed to play short and Aaron Hill second. They swapped at Rollins’ request, and Rollins

made two diving catches at the unfamiliar position. ... Hill’s double against big-league

starter Danny Salazar keyed a two-run second. ... Hunter Strickland saved it after Derek

Law pitched his fourth shutout inning of the spring.

Quotable: “The very first time I faced him, he hit a curveball and he almost hit me in the face.

Like, what are you doing swinging at a first-pitch curveball, in Double-A?

— Matt Cain, discussing a 2004 encounter with Hill, then a Toronto prospect

Tuesday’s game: Giants vs. Dodgers, at Glendale, 12:05 p.m.

San Jose Mercury News

Giants Notes

Andrew Baggarly

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Matt Cain and Ty Blach are more or less competing to be the No.5 starter

in the Giants rotation. Both of them pitched in Monday’s exhibition game against the Cleveland

Indians.

Blach entered in the fourth inning, he inherited Cain’s runner – and allowed the run to score on

a double.

As a result, Cain ended the day with a 7.36 ERA in three appearances. Blach has a 1.35 ERA this

spring.

No, Blach was not trying to be sneaky by loading up Cain’s spring ERA. In fact, the left-handed

rookie was disappointed that the run didn’t go on his ledger, since the runner who scored had

reached on a fielder’s choice.

Besides, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said it’s far too early to give anyone a statistical edge this

spring. That goes for Cain, who is expected to open in the rotation if healthy. That also goes for

veterans like Jimmy Rollins (.143 average) and Michael Morse (.214, no extra base hits).

“This early, it’s hard to judge them. It really is,” Bochy said. “It seems like we’ve been here

awhile, but we’re in the early stages of games still. As we get into this another week, guys

should have their swings, their timing and that comfort level in the box.

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“The first impression is a lasting one, but you’ve got to be careful of that in spring training.

Some guys play winter ball and come in ready, so you also have to take track record into

account.”

Nobody in a Giants uniform has a longer track record than Cain, although he is attempting to

reestablish himself after three seasons wasted by injuries and a rough adjustment to the

mound.

He had a positive outing in the Giants’ 3-2 victory over an Indians split-squad lineup that was

light on regulars. Cain gave up two runs in 3 1/3 innings but one came after right fielder Hunter

Pence lost a ball in the sun; the other came with Blach on the mound.

“I’m definitely improving on what I need to do with execution of pitches,” Cains aid. “I feel

we’re moving in the right direction. It’s not physically hoping I can make the next start. It’s nice

to work in between starts and fine tune things.

“You’re still trying to get your bearings and get going. It’s when you get to the last few starts

that you might look more into the results.”

The biggest tell wasn’t how either pitcher fared but how they were used. Bochy said he

intended to insert Blach in the middle of an inning rather than use a non-roster pitcher to get

through the fourth. With no real long relief candidates in camp, Blach could find himself in that

role to start the season.

“That’s a good situation for Ty to come into,” Bochy said. “It could be his role. I’m not saying it

will be, but it could be. We’ll keep our options open on the pitching side and the position side

to get as much flexibility as we can.

“Ty can start, he can be a long guy, a sixth or seventh inning guy, or use him against a left-

hander late.”

It’s hard to imagine the Giants would keep both Blach and Cain on the roster, given the amount

of competition among relief pitchers in camp. They could have a vacancy if Will Smith isn’t

ready to start the season, but Bochy expressed confidence that the left-hander had enough

time to get past the elbow soreness that shut him down early in camp.

Smith is throwing without pain and should be back on a mound in a little more than a week,

Bochy said.

These things usually sort themselves out. It’s the same story every spring: Bochy will be more

likely to carry a long reliever if he is concerned about the health of his rotation, or their ability

to pitch deep into games.

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—

Rollins was supposed to start at shortstop and Aaron Hill was down to play second base, but the

two veteran non-roster invitees hatched a plan prior to the first pitch. They asked Bochy if they

could switch positions.

Rollins wanted to work more at second base. And Hill figured he had nothing to lose, even

though he hadn’t played shortstop in a major league game in 11 years.

“I’m just not sure what glove I’ll use,” Hill said.

Hill opted for his third baseman’s glove, which looked pretty darn huge for a shortstop. But he

made all the plays look routine, and Rollins came to Cain’s defense twice by spearing a pair of

line drives.

The hardest part for Rollins wasn’t reading the ball off the bat from a different angle. It was

remembering where the umpires were when he was chest down in the dirt and held out his

glove to show the ball.

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Hill (.333) continued to impress, hitting an RBI double off the center field wall and then getting

a terrific read to score from second base on Kyle Blanks’ bloop single with one out. His ability to

play three infield spots, combined with his track record against left-handed pitching, is making

him an intriguing candidate for a bench role as this camp progresses.

Cain said he appreciated having both veterans behind him – and he still remembered the first

time he faced Hill in the minor leagues.

“It was at Double-A, I threw him a curveball and he almost hit me in the face,” Cain said. “I

thought, `What are you doing, swinging at a first-pitch curveball?’ He’s always been a tough at-

bat.”

—

Catcher Nick Hundley is having a tough spring thus far. The Indians were 4 for 4 stealing bases

against him. … Eduardo Nuñez, who has battled a sore shoulder, is due to start at third base on

Wednesday. … Third baseman Jae-gyun Hwang made his spring debut as a first baseman. … The

Giants are trying to figure out whether longtime prospect Kyle Crick will be a starter or a

reliever this season. Crick hasn’t allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings over three appearances this

spring. … First base coach Jose Alguacil was released from the hospital, two days after

undergoing surgery to repair facial fractures stemming from a foul ball to the face. He might

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visit camp on Tuesday but won’t be on the field for several weeks. … Morse said his shoe deal

expired when he didn’t play most of last season, so he has been wearing a pair of $30 softball

cleats that he bought on Amazon.com.

San Jose Mercury News

Two Giants roster hopefuls will receive the ultimate baseball novelty; A Chicago Cubs World

Series ring

Andrew Baggarly

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – World Series rings are hardly a novelty in the Giants clubhouse. When

you’ve won three titles in seven seasons, there’s enough bling to go around.

But two non-roster players in Giants camp are about to receive the most novel World Series

ring in history.

Right-hander Neil Ramirez appeared in eight games for the Chicago Cubs last season. Catcher

Tim Federowicz played in 17 games over two stints with the team. A couple weeks ago, both of

them received a request from the Cubs’ traveling secretary: at your earliest convenience,

please send along your ring size.

“I didn’t know, so I went up and asked Buster Posey,” Federowicz said. “I thought he’d know

best.”

The Cubs hadn’t won the World Series since 1908. The first championship ring wasn’t handed

out until the 1920s. Prior to that, players received keepsakes such as stick pins and watch fobs.

So this will be the first Cubs World Series ring ever created. And only a few dozen people will

get one.

“Oh, I can’t wait,” Ramirez said. “It’s going to be awesome. I’m not sure exactly when it’ll

come. Even though I wasn’t with them all the way through, you don’t forget that you’re part of

something like that.”

Federowicz played just one season with the Cubs, and spent most of it in the minor leagues.

Ramirez had more tenure with the organization, having appeared in 69 games as a reliever over

the 2014-15 seasons.

Oddly enough, Ramirez’s departure from the Cubs last season was tied to something that

happened in a May 21 game against the Giants at AT&T Park. Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward

injured his rib cage while making a diving catch on Denard Span’s drive near the 420-foot

marker – one of the most impressive catches ever seen in the ballpark’s deepest reaches.

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Heyward only needed a few days to recover, and the Cubs didn’t want to put him on the

disabled list. So they called up another outfielder to cover themselves – and Ramirez was the

odd man out.

The Cubs designated him for assignment, and the Milwaukee Brewers claimed him off waivers.

“I had a couple good (appearances) and a couple shaky ones, and I thought I’d thrown well

enough to stick around,” Ramirez said. “But the roles had kind of shaken out.”

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Federowicz lost his roster spot a bit later in the year when the Cubs called up rookie Willson

Contreras, who became a key contributor down the stretch and into the playoffs. Federowicz

received a September call-up but knew he wouldn’t be on the playoff roster, and he had a good

reason not to stick around in case of an injury. He and his wife welcomed a daughter, Emma, on

Sept. 14.

“So once the regular season ended, I got out of the way and let them handle their business,”

Federowicz said. “It was so much fun watching those guys.”

“And it was Neil on the mound,” Federowicz said.

Now Ramirez and Federowicz are together in Giants camp, both on the periphery of contention

for spots on the opening day roster. They formed a battery on Saturday at Surprise, when

Ramirez threw an inning against the Kansas City Royals.

Ramirez has been one of the more impressive pitchers in camp, retiring all 11 batters he has

faced while striking out five. His fastball has touched 95 mph. The Virginia native is still just 27

years old, and three seasons ago, he posted a 1.44 ERA in 50 appearances for the Cubs.

“Oh, he’s throwing well,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “Good stuff. He’s in the mid-90s

with a hard breaking ball. He’s got experience. He’s done a good job here. These could be some

of our toughest calls, in the bullpen.”

Federowicz’s chances of making the club took a hit when the Giants signed Nick Hundley to be

the backup catcher, which likely pushes Trevor Brown to Triple-A Sacramento. But solid catch-

and-throw receivers with big league service time have a way of making their way to the big

league roster at some point over a 162-game season. There’s always plenty of turnover in the

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bullpen, too. So if Ramirez stays with the organization, throwing the way he has this spring, it’s

likely that he’ll be a Giant at some point as well.

Ramirez is working on using his slider as a broadsword, throwing it to lefties as a backdoor pitch

in addition to getting right-handers to chase it. He said the Giants expressed interest in signing

him early in the offseason, and he was enticed by their record of success and reputation for

having a solid clubhouse.

Ramirez wasn’t with the Cubs when they soared in October, but he saw the metamorphosis

take place.

“It was amazing how quickly the culture shifted over there,” he said. “It was similar to what you

see over here. They wanted to create what the Giants have here.”

Rings and all.

MLB.com

Cain turns in solid start as Giants edge Indians

Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Matt Cain became the first Giants starter during this spring to pitch into

the fourth inning as San Francisco outlasted a Cleveland Indians split squad, 3-2, to snap an

eight-game Cactus League losing streak Monday.

Cain, the former staff ace whose performance has been derailed by injuries since 2013, worked

3 1/3 innings while yielding two runs and two hits. He's competing for the fifth starter's spot in

the Giants' rotation along with left-hander Ty Blach, who followed Cain to the mound and gave

up three hits in 2 2/3 innings while allowing a runner inherited from Cain to score.

Full Game Coverage

"I feel like we're moving in the right direction," said Cain, noting that his improved health has

helped him focus on pitching instead of healing. "Instead of sitting there hoping I can physically

make the next start, it's nice to be able to work on things between starts and be able to fine-

tune things."

Cleveland's Greg Allen blooped a single to right field, stole second base and came home

on Abraham Almonte's single to open the scoring in the first inning. San Francisco jumped

ahead in the second inning as Aaron Hill belted an RBI double and scored on Kyle Blanks'

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single, the second and final run allowed by Indians starter Danny Salazar in 2 1/3 innings. Erik

Kratz's run-scoring double off Blach tied the score in the fourth.

Kelby Tomlinson's sacrifice fly plated the go-ahead run in the seventh after Blanks hit a triple

that Cleveland outfielders lost in the sun.

Indians Up Next: Following a team off-day Tuesday, the Indians will send righty Carlos

Carrasco to the mound against the Mariners in a 9:10 p.m. ET Cactus League clash in

Peoria, live on MLB.TV. Big league relievers Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Boone Logan and Dan

Otero are also scheduled to pitch for Cleveland.

Giants Up Next: A small helping of regular-season-level intensity could be served up Tuesday

when the Giants travel to Camelback Ranch to face their traditional rivals, the Los Angeles

Dodgers, at 12:05 p.m. PT. Giants left-hander Matt Moore will oppose the National League's

most formidable lefty of all, Clayton Kershaw.

MLB.com

Crick could be ready to advance to Majors

Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Kyle Crick has gained plenty of wisdom during four trips to Spring Training

with the Giants. Among the lessons he has learned is a simple one: Don't be timid.

So when Crick was asked Monday whether he envisions beginning the regular season with

Triple-A Sacramento, he replied, "I'd be lying if I said I was envisioning Triple-A. No, I think that

would be selling myself short. If you can imagine, imagine [being] on a big league mound."

Crick wasn't overestimating himself or being delusional. He quickly added that Triple-A is "most

likely" where he'll be assigned in a few weeks.

He has, however, pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings in three relief appearances. Should he

maintain his effectiveness, he could force his way into the discussion about bullpen roles. Then

if he were sent to Triple-A, he probably would improve his chances of making those big league

thoughts a reality, sooner rather than later.

Formerly considered San Francisco's top pitching prospect, Crick has spent the previous three

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seasons at Double-A Richmond, where he compiled a 13-22 record with a 4.18 ERA in that span.

In 82 games, including 56 starts, Crick walked 194 and struck out 270 in 262 innings. Except for

the strikeout-to-innings pitched ratio, none of this suggested Crick was poised to join the Tim

Lincecum-Matt Cain-Madison Bumgarner pantheon of homegrown All-Star pitchers.

Meanwhile, Tyler Beede, Ty Blach, Clayton Blackburn and Chris Stratton were among the

pitchers who bypassed Crick in the organization's pecking order of prospects. Of the nine other

pitchers named to the U.S. squad for the 2013 Futures Game along with Crick, eight have

reached the Majors.

In fairness to Crick, he was drafted out of high school -- 49th overall in 2011. His was a steeper

learning curve. His Cactus League efforts indicate he's finding level ground in his climb toward

success.

After studying accomplished big leaguers during his visits to spring camp, Crick has realized that

while he can try to adopt various methods of other pitchers, he ultimately must be himself.

"They all had their program and followed it to a T," Crick said. "The routine is something all your

own. ... You can't watch people and copy them. You have to come up with your own thing."

Occasionally, though, a few pitchers have served as an absolute revelation for Crick. Fellow

right-hander Johnny Cueto is one such example.

"I watch Cueto get ready for his bullpens and the precision that goes into it," Crick said.

"Secondary pitches, mastering those. He throws a lot of changeups -- not hard or anything, just

to get the feel. It's one of his better pitches, along with his curve. I think he's mastered the art

of pitching -- timing changes, pitches, different looks, everything. He's got it down."

Cain, who scouts believed Crick could emulate, has noticed a difference in the 24-year-old.

"He's starting to figure out himself, realize what his abilities are and be confident," Cain said.

"He has tremendous talent and I think it's whether he wants to be able to put it all together and

show the rest of the guys, 'Hey, I've got big league stuff.'"

The role in which Crick ultimately displays his skills is uncertain. Giants manager Bruce Bochy

emphasized that though Crick is currently working in relief, the organization's decision-makers

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in player development might decide he should continue to start in the Minors to refine his

talent.

Crick is ready for anything.

"What I consider myself is a pitcher," he said.

MLB.com

Blach could be one of several moving parts

Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Giants' search for versatility, as exemplified by the likes of Jimmy

Rollins, Aaron Hill and Jae-gyun Hwang playing multiple spots, isn't limited to position players.

Manager Bruce Bochy indicated that left-hander Ty Blach, considered a leading contender for

the fifth starter's vacancy along with Matt Cain, could be suited to a variety of roles.

This subject was raised after Blach, who's accustomed to starting, replaced Cain with one out in

the fourth inning of the Giants' 3-2 Cactus League victory Monday. Blach's appearance in relief

wasn't stunning. But his arrival in the middle of the inning was a novelty.

"I think a guy like Tyler can give you some different options," said Bochy, who proceeded to

name them: starting, working in long relief, becoming a specialist against opposing left-handed

batters, or being the first man out of the bullpen in the sixth or seventh inning.

Bochy also mentioned the possibility of Kelby Tomlinson and Hwang, who played almost

exclusively third base in Korea, receiving playing time in left field. Hwang was on the move

Monday, substituting at first base.

"We're going to keep our options open, on the pitching side and the position player side,"

Bochy said.

Bumgarner eyes improved bat work

By his own admission, Madison Bumgarner resists setting goals. The Giants left-hander is so

driven that he needs no extra incentive to excel.

However, Bumgarner acknowledged one statistic does motivate him: a .200 batting average. It

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has nothing directly to do with pitching, which is Bumgarner's primary responsibility as the staff

ace. But it has everything to do with contributing.

"If you can keep it up in the .200s, I feel like you're doing your part pretty well as a pitcher,"

Bumgarner said.

Bumgarner slipped below that standard last year, batting .186 with three home runs and nine

RBIs after winning the Silver Slugger Award in the two previous seasons for offensive excellence

at his position. He batted .258 with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 2014, followed by .247 with

five homers and nine RBIs in 2015.

"I feel like I still got a decent amount of hits last year," Bumgarner said, "but I got a lot more

opportunities also."

CSNbayarea.com

Giants spring training day 22

Alex Pavlovic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Aaron Hill has not started a big league game at shortstop since 2006.

Jimmy Rollins has never started a meaningful game at second base. Yet there they were

Monday, lining up in a strange alignment for a coaching staff that is trying to piece together a

25-man puzzle.

Manager Bruce Bochy said he’ll start to throw guys into new spots over the next couple of

weeks, and the returns Monday certainly didn’t harm the opening day chances of the two

veterans. Hill smoked an RBI double in the second and got a great read while scoring on a bloop

to left, and he looked fine at short. Rollins, who has been a bit slower to come around at the

plate, made two diving snags in the field.

Bochy said the staff isn’t really looking at spring numbers yet. The Giants are more concerned

about seeing where all the veterans might fit in.

“I think this early, it’s hard to judge them, it really is,” he said. “I know it seems like we’ve been

here quite a while, which we have because camp started earlier, but as we get into the later

weeks of spring these guys should have their swings and their comfort and a sense of timing. It

is hard to evaluate right now.”

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Hill will continue to see time at short, Bochy said, especially with Brandon Crawford off to the

World Baseball Classic. Rollins has done daily work at second. Bochy is looking at other

permutations, too …

• He said Chris Marrero, who has swung a hot bat early, will see time in left field.

Marrerro has played first base all spring. Kelby Tomlinson will also see time in left field.

• Trevor Brown continues to work out occasionally at first, second and third. The staff

hasn’t ruled out carrying three catchers.

• Jae-gyun Hwang will see some time at first base and Bochy also wants a glimpse of him

in the outfield. Hwang has played third base all spring. This could be particularly

meaningful if he’s in Triple-A, where Christian Arroyo will play third.

• Ty Blach came in with one out in the fourth. He said this is the first time he can

remember ever coming in during the middle of an inning, and it was done on

purpose. “It’s a good situation for Ty to come in,” Bochy said. “It could be his role. I’m

not saying it will be, but it could be. We’re going to keep those options open. Early on

we’re going to keep options open on the pitching side and position player side. You’re

trying to get that flexibility.” Blach is still competing for the No. 5 spot, but Matt Cain

hasn’t done anything to make the staff think he won’t win that job, so Blach could be a

long reliever or short-stint lefty to start the year.

GAME RECAP: The Giants won 3-2, snapping an eight-game losing streak that cost them any

shot at the prestigious Cactus League title. Kyle Blanks had three hits and drove in a run. Cain

was charged with a couple of runs but Blach, Dan Slania, Derek Law and Hunter Strickland took

it home.

A DIFFERENT LOOK: Strickland threw only splitters and two-seamers while picking up the save.

He’s looking to get hitters off his four-seam fastball a bit.

“That felt good today,” he said, smiling. “It felt effortless.”

The returns were positive; he faced three Indians in the ninth and got three ground balls, with

the final two outs coming on a double play. The addition of a reliable third pitch would certainly

be a huge boost for a guy who should be pitching the seventh or eighth. A year ago, he threw

57 percent four-seamers and 23 percent sliders.

TRAINER’S ROOM: Will Smith remains on track to pitch in a game around March 20 or so.

“Smitty will be ready (for opening day),” Bochy said. “I’m confident in that. He’ll be ready.”

Conor Gillapie (sore arm) said he’s ready to get back in the lineup Tuesday. Jose Alguacil hoped

to visit the clubhouse Monday afternoon.

ICYMI: From this morning, Crawford and Buster Posey are off to wear the red, white and blue.

And if you didn’t see it yesterday, Crawford’s WBC glove is going to lead to a lot of fire emojis

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on Twitter.

QUOTABLE: “It’s always a tough at-bat. He’s going to give you a tough at-bat. He’s a guy who

has got a great ability to put an at-bat together. He likes to play hard-nosed baseball and that’s

what we’re looking for.” — Cain on Hill. It turns out the two go way back; they first faced off in

Double-A and Hill lined a first-pitch curveball right back up the middle, nearly taking Cain’s head

off.

CSNbayarea.com

Posey, Crawford fired up as they leave for WBC

Alex Pavlovic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Buster Posey committed early to this year’s World Baseball Classic, and he

has spoken often of how much it will mean to represent his country and try to grow the game.

Over three weeks in big league camp, he found another reason to be excited about Monday's

flight out of Arizona.

“I’m ready to get there. I’m tired of answering questions from my fellow teammates on when

I’m leaving,” he said, smiling. “I don’t have to say ‘Monday, March 6’ anymore.”

The day has finally come for Posey and shortstop Brandon Crawford to take off. They were

originally supposed to be joined by Johnny Cueto, but the right-hander will skip at least the first

round because of a late arrival to camp. Cueto is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut on

March 11; the Dominican Republic begins pool play March 9.

Posey and Crawford will be in action a day later when Team USA takes on Columbia. Both

Giants will start and they should carry a heavy load. They’ve been counting down the days to

the tournament. Asked if he was excited about this week’s games, Crawford said, “I was excited

about it when I got invited.”

The two changed their spring routines to get ready for the tournament, but Posey was nearly

derailed. He missed time last week with a stiff neck, an ailment he termed “old man neck.”

“It’s feeling young again,” he said.

That has been apparent on the field. Posey found his swing in recent days, and he had two hits

in his final tuneup, including a two-run single the opposite way.

“I feel pretty good right now,” he said.

Crawford would normally ease into the spring, and in past years he has taken time to rest his

throwing arm. He has had a healthy spring, allowing for 17 at-bats prior to his departure. But

he only has three hits.

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“I feel close, I just haven’t been making hard contact,” he said. “I’ve been saving (the hits) for

the tournament.”

Asked if he has talked much with other members of his WBC lineup, Crawford smiled. He

pointed out that Eric Hosmer was at first base for the Royals on Sunday.

“I would’ve talked (to future teammates) if I could have gotten on base,” he joked.

Crawford will team with Nolan Arenado to form a frightening defensive duo. Posey will have a

more complicated transition to make, leading a staff of strangers, one that includes Tampa

Bay’s Chris Archer, Toronto’s Marcus Stroman and Cleveland’s Andrew Miller. Posey admitted

there’s not much he can do to try and prepare for pitchers he hasn’t caught before.

“I’ll try to talk to them a little bit the next couple of days, maybe watch some film when we’re

there,” he said. “But it’s tough. You’ve just got to rely on your instincts.”

Posey’s instincts behind the plate are as good as it gets. That’s one reason why Bochy is

confident in a United States team that hasn’t lived up to past expectations.

“I think Buster’s experience and his ability to figure out how to win big games, that can make a

difference,” Bochy said.

ESPN.com

Miguel Cabrera and the dying art of the RBI

Jayson Stark

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Miguel Cabrera doesn't care if you think the good old-fashioned RBI is the

most washed-up, irrelevant stat since six balls equaled a walk. In fact, if you think that stat is so

irrelevant, the Detroit Tigers' favorite RBI machine has a question for you.

"How are you gonna score," Miggy asks, "if somebody doesn't drive in the runs?"

The sabermetric answer to that question is that the RBI is random, that it's purely a function of

which hitters are lucky enough to arrive in the batter's box with the most runners on base. And

all sorts of data proves that's true -- for many people. But within the game, even folks who build

teams around that data know it isn't true for all people.

And the counterargument can be summed up in four words:

Watch Miguel Cabrera hit.

So what's the case that RBIs are not overrated when it comes to this particular run-production

savant, a man who has driven in more runs since the day he debuted in the big leagues than

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any other current player? Let's let the numbers, the people who watch him daily and,

especially, Cabrera himself, explain it:

Playing the percentages

What statistic best makes the case that the numbers you find in Cabrera's RBI column are more

than just a byproduct of how many runners are on base when he hits? That would be OBI

percentage -- others batted in percentage. That's a Baseball Prospectus stat that tracks the

percentage of all runners on base a batter drives in. So can it possibly be a coincidence that

Miggy has led the entire sport twice, and ranked in the top 12 in eight of the past 11 seasons?

"That means a lot," Cabrera says, when he hears this fact, "because I can say this is one of my

goals. This is what I want."

"I focus on what I can do in this game," he says. "I don't have speed. I'm not a guy who can have

a stolen base. I wish I could, but I can't. So I have to worry about, if I get a chance to drive in

runs and give a guy a chance to score, he [has to] score."

Miggy loves company

It isn't unusual for the best hitters in the game to have better numbers with runners on base

than they do with the bases empty. But as ESPN Stats & Information's Paul Hembekides reports,

Cabrera has a significantly bigger gap with men on, over the course of his career, than even

most historically great run producers:

BASES EMPTY MEN ON

BA .310 .333

OBP .383 .415

SLG .552 .573

OPS .936 .988

But these numbers come as no shock to Cabrera. They're a product, he says, of an aggressive

approach to those situations. He's not interested in taking a walk if he doesn't get that perfect

pitch. He's looking for ways to get those runners home, whatever it takes.

"If you want to walk me, walk me," he said. "But if I see something close to home plate, I want

to swing. I'm the kind of guy who, if I look inside and they throw me a fastball outside and it's a

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strike, I'm going to swing. Everything in the strike zone, I'm going to swing. Doesn't matter if it's

a fastball, changeup, breaking ball. If it's in the strike zone and it's something you like, you've

got to swing."

That approach, he says, dates back to 2004, his first full season in the big leagues. He decided to

pick the brains of the two best hitters of that time, Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols.

"In 2004, Barry Bonds told me something that I'm never going to forget," Cabrera says. "And

Albert Pujols told me, too: 'Why are you going to take a pitch when you've got men in scoring

position? You've got to be aggressive every time.'"

But what makes that approach work is that it's controlled aggression. Cabrera says he takes

pride in sizing up every situation. So if he doesn't need to get a hit to drive in a run, he couldn't

care less about how it affects his batting average. He'll just slap one to the right side.

"Some guys don't think like that," he says. "Some guys, they want to get a hit. Man in scoring

position, man on third base, they want to get a hit. Me, I mean, if I pull a ball in the hole and

drive in that run, to me that's special. I do my job."

Little big man

Jim Leyland managed Cabrera for six years (2008-13) in Detroit. From the best seat in Comerica

Park, Leyland gained a unique perspective on what makes Cabrera special.

"If you watch Miguel Cabrera," Leyland says, "he swings like a little guy and hits like a big guy.

Most guys swing like a big guy and hit like a little guy. He's got a nice smooth swing. You don't

ever, or very rarely, see him overswing or muscle a ball up."

So how does that style come into play with runners on base? Cabrera says his only focus is to

find a way to get those runners in. He's so uninterested in hitting the long ball in those spots

that his home run ratio actually goes down with runners in scoring position (one every 23.9

plate appearances) compared to when there's no one on (one every 19.6 PA). And that, he says,

is the plan.

"It depends what you want," he says. "You've got to always think: RBIs are RBIs. You've got to

think, well, a ground ball is going to be an RBI with less than two outs. If I've got a man on third

base and they play me back, why am I gonna swing hard? I want to do my same swing. I want to

make sure I put the ball in play. ... If you get too big, there's no sense in swinging like that. If you

want to hit a double, home run, there's no chance you're going to hit that guy, because they're

going to bring the best stuff they have."

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Cabrera knows baseball is changing, but the bottom line hasn't: "How can you score runs,"

he says, "if somebody is not going to drive you in?" Chris O'Meara/AP Photo

The control freak

A.J. Hinch is the manager of one of the most data-driven teams in baseball, the Houston Astros.

He has heard a million computer-generated reasons that RBIs are practically a meaningless stat.

He has also had to face Miguel Cabrera -- as a manager and as a catcher -- for the past decade.

So it tells us something when Hinch testifies that "it's one of the worst feelings you can have,"

as a guy on the other team, "when he's on deck and looming."

"When you face hitters," Hinch says, "and I can speak as an ex-catcher or as a manager, a lot of

times you're trying to dictate what's going to happen in the at-bat, by how you pitch them,

where you pitch them, disrupting timing. But there's a feeling when Miggy's up to bat that he's

in complete control of the at-bat and you're just along for the ride."

The baseball odds say the pressure in those situations is supposed to be on the hitter. But not

in Cabrera's mind, it isn't. He approaches every one of those at-bats believing the pressure is on

the pitcher.

"Always. Always," he says. "They have to throw strikes. They have to throw you a better pitch

to get you out. They have to throw you a ball to see how you react. So always the pressure is on

the pitcher."

It ain't guessing

Only Ty Cobb has driven in more runs for the Detroit Tigers than Al Kaline. So when Kaline

watches his man Miggy wriggle into the box with men on base, he isn't just watching. He's

studying. What he sees, Kaline says, is a hitter who reminds him of Ted Williams.

"He's a very smart baseball player," Kaline says of Cabrera. "That's what people don't realize.

They think it's natural ability. And it is natural ability. But he's also a very smart baseball player.

He knows what the pitcher's best pitch is. He knows how they're going to try to pitch him in a

lot of cases. And hitting is anticipating. I always remember talking to Ted Williams and I said,

'Ted, do you ever guess?' And he said, 'Al, I never guess. I anticipate.'"

"Your average, it can go down or up in a season. You can't control that. And home runs? I

mean, I always played in big ballparks. So I don't worry too much about home runs. But RBIs?

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I feel a little more proud of that because if you produce and produce, I can tell you, then

somebody is going to look for you to have a job."

Miguel Cabrera

Listen to Cabrera talk about how he attempts to control those critical moments and

"anticipation" feels like the perfect word. Cabrera admits that he often plays mind games by

moving around in the box -- sometimes closer to the plate, sometimes farther away. He knows

the pitcher and catcher are watching him. So he'll try to coax them into falling into his trap by

making them think he's looking for, say, a ball inside when he's actually looking away.

"Sometimes they see you do that," he says, "and they say, OK, they're going to shift [their game

plan] and go away. But you know, that's my pitch. I want you to pitch me away."

They think, he says confidently, that they're reading him -- but really, he's the one reading

them. So "it's not like trying to guess," Cabrera says. "It's like having a plan."

The meaning of the numbers

Some people will never be convinced. Some people will never concede that even if RBIs don't

mean what they meant in, say, 1958, they still have a place on the stat sheet. But take it from a

manager who is often immersed in the data that floods his inbox every game day

"I can see the RBI argument from both sides," Hinch says. "But I think you have to have run-

producers. And if you want to speak to the new-age style of win expectancy, or win probability,

or run differential, those come from the very hits and the very numbers that Miguel Cabrera

has put up for 10 years."

So of all of Cabrera's Hall of Fame numbers, does it surprise anyone that the number he

cherishes most is the one he finds in his RBI column?

"Your average, it can go down or up in a season," he says. "You can't control that. And home

runs? I mean, I always played in big ballparks. So I don't worry too much about home runs. But

RBIs? I feel a little more proud of that because if you produce and produce, I can tell you, then

somebody is going to look for you to have a job."

He's the last man in baseball you would expect to be worrying about keeping his job. But he

watched Mark Trumbo and Chris Carter spend months searching for a team after hitting more

than 40 home runs last season, and it taught him something.

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"Baseball is changing right now," he says.

Oh, it's changing, all right. But one thing can't ever change. The team that scores more wins will

go undefeated for the rest of time. And it takes more than on-base percentage to make that

happen, says the RBI king. It takes a stat he'll never view as irrelevant.

"It's always very important to get on base," Cabrera says. "That's how you score. But how can

you score runs if somebody is not going to drive you in?"