Giants face questions as new era under Kapler starts today
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. >> As construction workers put the finishing touches on a state-of-the-art, 10,000-square foot complex at Scottsdale Stadium, Giants players and coaches are funneling into town and preparing for spring training.
The $50 million building will house a new clubhouse, training room, cafeteria and more, and will serve as headquarters for the franchise’s major league operation during the spring. It’s where executives Farhan Zaidi and Scott Harris will meet with manager Gabe Kapler and make the big decisions that impact how the 2020 version of the Giants comes together.
There’s no shortage of questions the Giants must answer this spring, which officially starts today with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. We created a list of the most important ones that will be topics of discussion throughout Cactus League play.
HOW WILL THE GIANTS HANDLE THE BOCHY-TO-KAPLER TRANSITION? >> It’s not a stretch to suggest Kapler and future Hall of Famer Bruce Bochy are at opposite ends of the managerial spectrum. Bochy is a “trust your gut” decision-maker who remained most loyal to veteran players, while Kapler is a product of the analytics age who is eager to see the Giants’ youngest players take on bigger roles.
They may seem completely different, but both prioritize communication. Bochy was a master at helping players feel comfortable in their roles and Kapler will strive to be the type of “players’ manager” who creates a positive, welcoming atmosphere in the clubhouse. WHAT WILL ALL OF THE NEW COACHES DO? >> Aside from needing to win over the clubhouse, Kapler will need to ensure his 13-person coaching staff is cohesive, productive and able to maximize its time this year. The staff is believed to be the largest in MLB history and with three hitting coaches, four pitching coaches and two general assistant coaches, it’s unclear how responsibilities will be divided.
WHO CAN HANDLE CENTER FIELD? >> After non-tendering Kevin Pillar this offseason, Zaidi spoke about the importance of creating opportunities for some of the less experienced outfielders on the 40-man roster. The Giants are eager to continue evaluating Jaylin Davis, Austin Slater and Mike Yastrzemski, but it’s unclear if any of those three players have the ability to handle center field on a regular basis. The most demanding position in the outfield requires excellent speed and athleticism and that’s one of the reasons the Giants also plan to see what middle infielder Mauricio Dubón can do in center this spring.
The team believes Steven Duggar is a strong candidate to win a job in center, but if Duggar struggles at the plate again this spring, the Giants may be compelled to keep non-roster invitee Billy Hamilton in the fold for the regular season.
HOW OFTEN WILL POSEY, BELT, CRAWFORD BE EXPECTED TO PLAY? >> Kapler and the new coaches are
excited to lay eyes on all of the Giants’ veteran players to see how and where they may be able to make small adjustments that lead to incremental improvements in their performance.
The era of running Buster Posey, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford out on an everyday basis regardless of the matchup at hand has come to an end as Kapler is set on instituting a “meritbased” system for playing time. With Aramis Garcia set to miss six to eight months following hip surgery, it’s easier to see Posey playing more than he did last year, but it’s not hard to envision a scenario in which Belt and Crawford have their playing time slashed.
WHO EARNS THE FINAL ROTATION SPOTS? >> With Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and free-agent signee Kevin Gausman likely locked into spots in the team’s initial starting rotation, the Giants have two open jobs. Injuries or a decision to use a six-man rotation could change this, but it appears veteran freeagent addition Drew Smyly, non-roster invitee Tyson Ross and young righties Tyler Beede and Logan Webb will be battling for the final spots.
Other candidates include Dereck Rodríguez, Andrew Suárez and Shaun Anderson, but all appear more likely to vie for jobs in the bullpen instead of the rotation. WHAT POSITIONS CAN MAURICIO DUBÓN HANDLE? >> The Giants could surprise everyone and send Dubón to Triple-A to open the season, but it feels like the team is hopeful he becomes the type of utility player Ben Zobrist was for the Rays and Cubs throughout his career. Dubón has already demonstrated the ability to play second base and shortstop, but the Giants plan to use him in center this spring and Kapler has also had a discussion with the Honduras native about learning first base, too.
WHO BECOMES THE CLOSER (AND DOES THAT MATTER)? >> Zaidi and Kapler are in no rush to name a closer. It would serve the Giants well to have an extended competition to replace All-Star Will Smith and it might even be good for the bullpen if that battle bleeds into the first weeks of the season. Veteran lefty Tony Watson should be considered an early favorite for the role, but he probably provides the Giants with more value as a late-inning matchup option.
With so many pitchers who will be in the running, names to keep tabs on include Anderson, Sam Coonrod, Jandel Gustave and even submarine-style righty Tyler Rogers.
HOW CLOSE IS JOEY BART? >> As long as Posey is healthy, there’s no reason for the Giants to rush Bart to the big leagues. The 2018 first-round pick only has 517 career minor league at-bats and missed significant time last season due to a hand injury.
The Giants eventually want Bart to be able to play a secondary position (perhaps first base), but they can wait on that until next spring if they believe he has more work to do to improve behind the plate. The goal should be seeing how Bart handles major league pitching.
WHO PROVIDES THE EXCITEMENT? >> No one is picking the Giants to do much this season, and the expectation around the baseball industry is that they’ll be locked in a tight battle with the Rockies to see who can finish in fourth place in the NL West.
Early in the season, Pence and Cueto might be the most compelling players to watch given the unorthodox way they play the sport and the fact the fan base is familiar with each of them. Late in the year, it would be a good sign if Bart and fellow prospect Heliot Ramos become acquainted with hitting in the middle of the order while Webb and Beede rack up quality starts.
• According to reports, the Giants are bringing veteran pitcher Trevor Cahill to camp. The Athletic reported the news that Cahill is expected to join the club on a minor league deal.