Former manager Bochy visits old stomping grounds only after letting Kapler settle in
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. >> With 72 players, 13 major league coaches and a handful of executives walking around the fields at Scottsdale Stadium every day, it’s relatively easy for a visitor to Giants camp to blend into the background.
Bruce Bochy will never know that luxury.
After 13 seasons managing the Giants and leading the club to three World Series titles, Bochy is one of the most beloved figures in the organization’s history. Bochy is humble, but he knows his presence can create more than a slight distraction.
That’s why in his new role as a special adviser to the Giants, Bochy elected to wait until new manager Gabe Kapler became comfortable with his surroundings before visiting his old stomping grounds.
“I think that’s why he is where he is today, because he’s so thoughtful,” Kapler said. “He thinks about things on a deeper level and there’s a lot of awareness and sensitivity to that statement and obviously, being on my end of it, I’m super grateful for that awareness.”
Kapler said he used Bochy as a resource during his interview process and immediately after he was hired and he hopes to spend time soaking in Bochy’s knowledge of the game this spring.
“I think Boch has a really good feel for baseball for all angles,” Kapler said. “I don’t think there’s an area of the game he’s not very developed in, and trying to get a real well-rounded view of the game through his lens is going to be really valuable for me.”
Kapler mentioned he hopes Bochy would be open to addressing the team before a morning workout this spring, but in the early stages of retirement, Bochy remains busy. He’ll spend part of the spring managing Team France in a World Baseball Classic qualifying tournament this month, and the team will include his son Brett, a former Giants pitcher, and Alen Hanson, a former Giants infielder.
Bochy was in great spirits Friday and said he’s really enjoying retirement and the opportunity to travel more. He’s looking forward to getting to know some of the new coaches and players in camp this spring, but on Friday, he spent much of his time in the Giants dugout chatting with president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and broadcaster Duane Kuiper.
• With heavy rain expected in Scottsdale today, it appears unlikely the
Giants and Dodgers will play their 12:05 PT Cactus League opener as scheduled. Kapler said the Giants are still preparing as if they’ll get the game in, and in the event of a rainout, the pitchers and position players scheduled to face the Dodgers will likely wind up playing the A’s on Sunday.
After announcing righthander Dereck Rodríguez would start today’s game earlier this week, Kapler revealed his tentative lineup for the matchup with Los Angeles and noted that it’s subject to change. Here’s a look at what to expect.
Steven Duggar CF; Evan Longoria 3B; Brandon Belt 1B; Buster Posey C; Jaylin Davis RF; Austin Slater LF; Mauricio Dubón SS; Donovan Solano 2B; Darin Ruf DH.
Kapler said that after Brandon Crawford missed a few days of practice this week with flu-like symptoms, the shortstop will sit out the first few Cactus League games.
The Giants will use a completely different lineup on Sunday as no one is expected to start back-toback games during the first week of the Cactus League, but MLB rules stipulate a team does need at least four “regulars,” to appear so Mike Yastrzemski and Wilmer Flores are among those likely to play the A’s in Mesa on Sunday.
• During the Winter Meetings, the Giants executed a creative trade that brought infielder Zack Cozart (who has since been designated for assignment) and prospect Will Wilson to San Francisco in a deal that was centered around Wilson, the Angels’ first-round draft pick in 2019.
At the time of the deal, Zaidi indicated the Giants wanted Wilson to split time between shortstop and second base this year, but those plans have changed. Giants farm director Kyle Haines said the organization is fully committed to Wilson as a shortstop and believes that’s where he’s best-suited to make a future impact.
“I think you’re going to see much more heavy shortstop. We envision him being an everyday shortstop in the major leagues,” Haines said.
Wilson was a shortstop at N.C. State and on the board when the Giants chose outfielder Hunter Bishop with the 10th overall pick last summer, but San Francisco opted for the local Serra High product. This spring, both players are in the Giants’ minor league camp.
“I think between him and Bishop, it was probably a really hard decision for (scouting director) Michael Holmes and Farhan, but I think Farhan found a very creative way to get both,”
Haines said. “In a way, I think the draft-day emotions of that decision probably still stuck with our leadership as they said, ‘How can we get Will Wilson?’ ”
• With more than a dozen outfielders in camp fighting for a roster spot, it’s easy (for reporters) to overlook certain players when projecting the roster and determining who to watch during workouts.
One minor league free agent who hasn’t been talked about much in the first two weeks of camp is Ruf, who signed a minor league deal with the Giants after spending the past three seasons torching lefthanded pitching in the Korean Baseball Organization.
At 33, Ruf may not have a long-term future with the Giants or be in the running to play a role in the team’s next “core” group of players, but the Giants saw Ruf post an OPS of at least .900 in each of his three years abroad and figured he could be a platoon option.
“I think the biggest challenge is trusting yourself so when you come back here the work that you did over there will translate,” Kapler said. “Ruf was incredibly productive in Korea, exceptionally productive in Korea and understanding that the very good offensive profile works well here as well is probably the confidence that is necessary.”