San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Giants: Kapler’s challenge formidable for team that isn’t viewed as contender
The Giants are suiting up again with the intention of starting the 2020 season but unaware whether the coronavirus pandemic will allow them to keep playing ball.
This coming week marks an eerie restart for a team that was supposed to be deep into a rebuilding season at this point but has been forced to delay the first year on the job for manager Gabe Kapler and 12 of his 13 coaches.
Contending wasn’t a consideration for unbiased observers before the sport was shut down in midMarch, but a shortened 60game season could affect baseball’s balance of power only because it’s a small sample size and a fast start could alter the Giants’ primary goal.
Will it be developing or winning? It’s one of many questions facing a team that features a lot of highpaid veterans seeking to bounce back from subpar 2019 performances and a bunch of others vying to take advantage of opportunities the team is known for providing.
Without a minorleague season, catcher Joey Bart, outfielders Heliot Ramos and Hunter Bishop and infielder Marco Luciano would seem to have nowhere to hone their skills and further
With a concentrated schedule and fewer off days than normal, the Giants figure to take a quirky approach to their pitching strategies.
climb their organization’s ladder. Oh, but they do.
Because the Giants will have a 60man player pool, from which 30 will open the season and the other 30 will train at an alternate site (the Giants want it to be Sacramento), plenty of players will be active, and the Giants have made it clear the top four prospects will be included in the pool.
Bart is furthest along and was supposed to reach the majors at some point this year anyway. With larger rosters, the designated hitter rule in the National League and the possibility of a threecatcher setup, Bart figures to be in the majors sooner rather than later.
The other three, even if they’re not in the majors in 2020, will get valuable competitive opportunities, first during Spring Training 2.0 and then during the twomonth season when they can remain engaged in baseball activity including intrasquad games.
The Giants don’t have a shortage of DH candidates even though they didn’t construct their team with an extra hitter in the lineup in mind. The shortened season prompted a universal DH rule, and the Giants will have plenty of folks lining up for atbats.
Darin Ruf, after three years in Korea, showed tremendous pop during Spring Training 1.0. Hunter Pence was an AllStar last year as a DH in Texas, crushing lefthanded pitchers. Switchhitter Pablo Sandoval, who underwent Tommy John surgery in September, should be available. Leftyswinging Alex Dickerson showed he can carry a lineup when healthy.
Of course, it’s a great opportunity for Buster Posey to stay in the lineup when he’s not catching. Who knows? Maybe this is a way Bart could get
reps.
Tyler Beede, who had been the leading candidate for the No. 5 slot, won’t pitch this year after Tommy John surgery. Not that the Giants would use a traditional fifth starter anyway. With just 60 games, they plan to put a different spin on the rotation, and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has made it clear it might not include a traditional fivestarter setup.
With training camp lasting just three weeks, starters won’t get as many innings as usual and could be eased into the season, which is why the bullpen, especially early on, will be especially vital.
The tentative plan is for Johnny Cueto, who was announced as the Opening Day starter shortly before the shutdown, and Jeff Samardzija to anchor the starting staff. Kevin Gausman and Drew Smyly were impressive in March. Tyler Anderson would be in the mix, and Logan Webb could step in if needed.
There’s also the possibility of using an opener. Or two pitchers throwing three or four innings apiece. With a concentrated schedule and fewer off days than normal, the Giants figure to take a quirky approach to their pitching strategies.
When we last saw our local nine (now a local 10), they were two weeks from opening a season and beginning to finalize roster spots and roles, and now we’re starting the process again. All eyes were on Mauricio Dubon, the promising middle infielder who was including center field in his repertoire, which would leave secondbase reps available for Yolmer Sanchez, Wilmer Flores and Donovan Solano.
With Posey behind the plate, Brandon Belt at first, Brandon Crawford at short and Evan Longoria at third, there’s far more decisionmaking in the outfield. Mike Yastrzemski played both corners in his rookie year but could be a fit in center. As could Billy Hamilton and Dubon. Pence and Dickerson could share time in left, and Jaylin Davis and Austin Slater could get time in right. Let’s not forget Steven Duggar, who was optioned to the minors shortly before the transaction freeze in late March.
In other words, the outfield could look different day to day, especially with a DH in the mix.
Catchers Tyler Heineman and Rob Brantly will compete for playing time behind Posey, and there’s plenty of competition in the bullpen. Remember, no closer was named, but lefty Tony Watson and righty submariner Tyler Rogers, among others, figure to share the lateinning duties.
The Giants have replaced a threetime World Series champion and likely future Hall of Famer with Kapler, who has shown he’s a handson manager big on communication and utilizing his entire coaching staff — 12 who are new, plus carryover Ron Wotus — and analytics team.
With Bochy gone, Zaidi will be more open to using his newschool ideas that Kapler and his staff are more than willing to carry out. In the first training camp, the core veterans bought in to the process, a key step as the Giants, after posting three straight losing seasons, transition to a new world order.
John Shea covers the Giants for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey