Unsung duo brings pop, passion to mix
Gomez, d’Arnaud vying for spots on 25-man roster
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.>> Infielders Miguel Gomez and Chase d’Arnaud arrived at spring training with the same goal: Shake up the competition and win a spot on the Giants’ 25-man roster.
They’re just using different means in an effort to achieve the same result.
Gomez and d’Arnaud are two of the half dozen play- ers pushing incumbents Kelby Tomlinson and Pablo Sandoval for bench jobs, and they’re doing so with disparate skill sets.
Gomez, 25, is a talented switch-hitter with pop saddled with a below-average glove that can only be hidden at second base. D’Arnaud, 31, is a pesky utilityman with a career .223 batting average and the ability to play center field, third base, first base and nearly everywhere in between.
Through the first week of Cactus League games, they’ve proved their potential value to the Giants in entirely different ways. Gomez went 1 for 2 in the Giants’ 3-2 loss to the Reds on Friday, just three days after he smashed his first home run against the Diamondbacks.
“The bat plays, doesn’t it?” Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy said. “You have to love the way (Gomez) finds a way to get the barrel of the bat on the ball consistently. He really does a good job of adjusting and he’s one of those guys that can adjust on the fly too. He can get off balance and still find a way to make good hard contact. He’s a hitter.”
On the other hand, d’Arnaud is proving value comes in many forms. He’s 6 for 15 and leads the Giants with three stolen bases. After starting on Thursday, d’Arnaud told reporters “I’m here to be dangerous,” and he’s already proven he’s a threat once he reaches base.
A well-traveled journeyman who collected a combined 57 at-bats with three different teams last season, d’Arnaud explained why he chose to sign a minor league deal with the Giants this offseason instead of hooking on with a younger team that might offer more opportunities.
“I told my agent this offseason that I wanted to be with a team that values winning,” d’Arnaud said. “I know what it’s like to be on a team when they’re rebuilding. I’ve been in that position a couple of times and it’s worked out for me more often than not because there seems to be a revolving door. But you know, I just want to do something special.”
The Giants signed d’Arnaud, Alen Hanson, Josh Rutledge and Andres Blanco to compete with Tomlinson, Sandoval, Gomez and Orlando Calixte for bench roles, and at the end of spring, Bochy will have a wide pool of players to pick from whose skills complement those of his starting infielders.
Each player brings different abilities to the club, but Gomez’s bat and d’Arnaud’s versatility and hustle clearly have the potential to help a Giants team that lacked depth during a 98-loss season.
Gomez’s future as a starter might be limited because of his defense, but it’s become increasingly clear he has a chance to help the Giants in a pinch-hitting capacity.
“I have it in my mind that I can hit in any situation,” Gomez said. “I feel good (as a pinch hitter) and I try to hit the ball the same when I’m a starter and a pinch hitter.”
D’Arnaud said a brief stint with the Boston Red Sox convinced him he wanted to pursue an opportunity with a team fostering a winning culture, and in reality, the Giants probably needed him in their clubhouse when the season went south last summer. The southern California native radiates positive energy, boasting a personality that will play beyond the box score if he earns the chance to contribute within it.
“He (d’Arnaud) has fun with life,” Bochy said. “I enjoy talking to him and he’s so positive and just always upbeat. He plays with a lot of energy. He brings that.”
• Madison Bumgarner made his second start of the spring Friday, retiring all nine Reds he faced in three perfect innings. After throwing just 111 innings last season when a shoulder injury wiped out nearly half his starts, Bumgarner said he feels just as fresh this year as he has since the beginning of his career.
“It makes for a good story, I guess, but honestly, knock on wood I’ve felt pretty much the same since day one,” Bumgarner said. “Whether I was 20 years old or now, I feel fresh and I always have. Hopefully that’s going to be one of those things that stays there for me. I work to keep it that way. I come in and take care of my stuff everyday and take care of my body.”
• The Giants have a split squad Saturday, and Johnny Cueto will start in Scottsdale against the Rangers while prospect Tyler Beede earns the nod in Goodyear against the Indians.
• Center-field prospect Steven Duggar launched his second home run of the spring, hitting a 1-0 fastball over the right field fence in the third inning.