2013 San Francisco Giants Thread

So overall numbers are closer than I thought (except ERA), but Crick (though walking more) dominated much more in SJ than Wheeler did. Stuff-wise/command/control, they're about the same and they're both about 6'4", but Crick is a solid 220 whereas Wheeler is more lean at 185.

Augusta
Crick -- 2.52 ERA, 22 starts, 111.1 IP, 128 Ks, 67 BB, 1 HR allowed, 3.15 FIP, 10.35 K/9, 5.42 BB/9, 1.28 WHIP
Wheeler - 3.99 ERA, 13 starts, 58.2 IP, 70 Ks, 38 BB, 0 HR allowed, 3.11 FIP, 10.74 K/9, 5.83 BB/9, 1.45 WHIP

San Jose
K. Crick - 1.57 ERA, 14 starts, 68.2 IP, 95 Ks, 39 BB, 1 HR allowed, 2.63 FIP, 12.26 K/9, 5.69 BB/9, 1.38 WHIP
Wheeler - 3.99 ERA, 16 starts, 88.0 IP, 98 Ks, 47 BB, 7 HR allowed, 3.75 FIP, 10.02 K/9, 4.81 BB/9, 1.38 WHIP

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
Crick's numbers blow Wheeler's away if you compare their two seasons at Augusta and SJ. Crick wasn't considered as polished as Wheeler coming out of high school and of course wasn't drafted nearly as high, but IMO he's every bit the prospect. Especially when his control and his secondary pitches are working like tonight...he's nearly unhittable.

I doubt Mac breaks the top 100 prior to the season, but if he has a strong first half in Richmond next year I definitely think he does. It's also not unrealistic to think (if these guys keep doing what they're doing) we could have 5 in the top 100 by 2015 (Crick, Escobar, Blackburn, Mac and Arroyo). A lot would have to go right for this to happen, but it's not out of the question.

I have to admit that Blackburn's numbers are very disappointing. He doesn't put runners on base via walks, but his ERA is a little higher than I would like it to be. Also, would it be possible if Arroyo starts next year in SJ if he continues to do well in the Arizona League?

It's all relative for Blackburn. At 20, he actually finished 4th in Cal League ERA (qualified starters) but the three guys ahead of him are 22/23 years old so that says a lot. He also finished strong with a 3.07 ERA in the 2nd half of the season, so he's definitely trending in the right direction. Not sure he's a #3 kind of guy; more like a solid #4/5.

Given Arroyo's success in the AZL, he's a lock to start the season in low-A Augusta next year, but not San Jose. He'll get to SJ late next year or start the 2015 season here, then move on to the Richmond in 2016 by age 21 if all goes right. Fresno by 2017 at the age of 22 and in the majors later that year or by 2018 if everything goes according to plan.

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
It's all relative for Blackburn. At 20, he actually finished 4th in Cal League ERA (qualified starters) but the three guys ahead of him are 22/23 years old so that says a lot. He also finished strong with a 3.07 ERA in the 2nd half of the season, so he's definitely trending in the right direction. Not sure he's a #3 kind of guy; more like a solid #4/5.

Given Arroyo's success in the AZL, he's a lock to start the season in low-A Augusta next year, but not San Jose. He'll get to SJ late next year or start the 2015 season here, then move on to the Richmond in 2016 by age 21 if all goes right. Fresno by 2017 at the age of 22 and in the majors later that year or by 2018 if everything goes according to plan.

Pdizo just likes to nitpick at negatives. Blackburn's post all star ERA shows he rebounded nicely.

Originally posted by Hopper:

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
It's all relative for Blackburn. At 20, he actually finished 4th in Cal League ERA (qualified starters) but the three guys ahead of him are 22/23 years old so that says a lot. He also finished strong with a 3.07 ERA in the 2nd half of the season, so he's definitely trending in the right direction. Not sure he's a #3 kind of guy; more like a solid #4/5.

Given Arroyo's success in the AZL, he's a lock to start the season in low-A Augusta next year, but not San Jose. He'll get to SJ late next year or start the 2015 season here, then move on to the Richmond in 2016 by age 21 if all goes right. Fresno by 2017 at the age of 22 and in the majors later that year or by 2018 if everything goes according to plan.

Pdizo just likes to nitpick at negatives. Blackburn's post all star ERA shows he rebounded nicely.

Forgot to mention that Blackburn also finished in the top 5 in WHIP, FIP, K/9, total Ks, K% and batting average against. Any way you slice it, Blackburn was both one of the youngest pitchers in the Cal League and one of the best.

Btw, forgot to mention that Crick hit 100 MPH on the gun last night. Not saying I trust that gun, but that's what it said. He was mostly around 94-97 with a filthy changeup that he's been working on and last night, it was a plus pitch. If he gets that thing working consistently, he will make a big move up the overall prospect list.

Originally posted by Hopper:
Pdizo just likes to nitpick at negatives. Blackburn's post all star ERA shows he rebounded nicely.

I have been a negative nancy as of late.

Even BA is taking notice on their Prospect Hot Sheet:

No. 3 - Kyle Crick
The Scoop: Crick missed two months with an oblique injury, returning to action on June 21, and while his post-DL performance includes a 1.68 ERA and strikeout rate of 12.7 per nine innings, he also walked 30 in 59 innings. On the bright side, the burgeoning power pitcher notched his fourth double-digit strikeout start of the season on Thursday—he's actually accomplished that feat in three of his last five turns—shutting out Visalia on two hits over seven innings. Crick will help anchor a ridiculous San Jose pitching staff that also includes Ty Blach, Clayton Blackburn and Adalberto Mejia as the Giants head into the Cal League playoffs.

No. 12 - Mac Williamson
The Scoop: Williamson leads all Giants farmhands in both homers (25) and RBIs (85). San Jose's park is a notable exception to the rule that the Cal League is full of launching pads, so his 25 homers is nothing to sneeze at, though 16 of them came on the road. Nevertheless, San Francisco challenged its 2012 third-round pick with the assignment to high Class A for his first full year. After starting slow, Williamson is hitting .340/.420/.603 in the second half with a 1.023 second-half OPS that ranks second-best in the league despite the challenges of his home park.

Great piece by John Shea about Belt's stubbornness, change and current success: http://www.sfgate.com/giants/shea/article/Changes-helping-Brandon-Belt-flourish-4772702.php

Hitting coach Hensley Meulens said he can envision Belt sticking at No. 3 so long as he continues with his altered mechanics.

"Of course," said Meulens, noting Belt is smacking breaking pitches, not merely fastballs and changeups. "He has the talent and ability to be the No. 3 hitter like he's showing here the last few weeks. It wouldn't have been possible without the adjustments he's made. We've been trying to fix him all this time, and it's finally catching on."

Belt had heard from Meulens, Bochy and pretty much anyone with knowledge of hitting that he needed to change his approach, but he was hesitant because it got him to the big leagues. He was so far up in the box that coaches feared he'd get called out by stepping beyond the chalk line, and his grip was no different from a kid's on a youth field. Diminishing numbers and job security made Belt, who was replaced at first base by Brett Pill during a three-game series in Philadelphia, July 30-Aug. 1, lose his stubbornness.

As the story goes, Meulens had talked to Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown when both were at the All-Star Game and got him to tell Belt how he made a quick and successful change with his grip. So Belt began lining up the knocking knuckles on both hands, as many top hitters do. He also moved back in the box, allowing him to better recognize pitches and have more time to hold off on balls out of the zone. Suddenly, his flyballs had better backspin, and his line drives had better dive.

"I was always a guy who just picked up a bat and swung it," Belt said. "I was always able to put the bat on the ball. When you get to this level, you've just got to make adjustments. That's all there was to it. Thankfully, it's worked out."

I wonder if Belt can get to .300, 20hr's and 75rbis at season's end?


looks at current stats: OH HELL NO. lol. But i like his progress so far this season.

He was seriously stubborn about not wanting to line his knuckles up? I was told to do that by every batting coach I had since like 7th grade... I'm shocked that players in the MLB haven't even made that adjustment yet.

To each his own, I guess, and if it really got him to the majors that way, it's understandable why he was hesitant to change. I just felt way more comfortable at the plate holding the bat with the knocking knuckles lined up.

Originally posted by LaMichaelJeff:

Jon Miller with a great piece of BREAKING news for us: #SFGiants OF Angel Pagan could be activated TONIGHT in Arizona. #SFGiants
— 95.7 The GAME (@957thegame) August 30, 2013

Championship.

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
So overall numbers are closer than I thought (except ERA), but Crick (though walking more) dominated much more in SJ than Wheeler did. Stuff-wise/command/control, they're about the same and they're both about 6'4", but Crick is a solid 220 whereas Wheeler is more lean at 185.

Augusta
Crick -- 2.52 ERA, 22 starts, 111.1 IP, 128 Ks, 67 BB, 1 HR allowed, 3.15 FIP, 10.35 K/9, 5.42 BB/9, 1.28 WHIP
Wheeler - 3.99 ERA, 13 starts, 58.2 IP, 70 Ks, 38 BB, 0 HR allowed, 3.11 FIP, 10.74 K/9, 5.83 BB/9, 1.45 WHIP

San Jose
K. Crick - 1.57 ERA, 14 starts, 68.2 IP, 95 Ks, 39 BB, 1 HR allowed, 2.63 FIP, 12.26 K/9, 5.69 BB/9, 1.38 WHIP
Wheeler - 3.99 ERA, 16 starts, 88.0 IP, 98 Ks, 47 BB, 7 HR allowed, 3.75 FIP, 10.02 K/9, 4.81 BB/9, 1.38 WHIP

Very interesting. If Crick's changeup is coming along as well as I'm hearing he's going to be down right scary in the Eastern league next year.

Pagan has no business playing tonight.