La Stella speaking ’Kap’s ‘love language’
Newly acquired Giant flashes the leadoff skills the team relishes
SURuRISb, ARIZ. >> In his first plate appearance in a Giants uniform, second baseman Tommy La Stella reminded fans why the team was so eager to sign him.
In the top of the first against Rangers starter Kyle Gibson, La Stella spoiled a few good pitches by fouling them off, laid off a borderline two-strike pitch and ultimately drew a walk on the eighth pitch of the game.
When he’s penciled in at the top of the Giants lineup this year, La Stella will try to make life more difficult for opposing pitchers and in turn make the jobs of the batters behind him much easier. In Monday’s 1-1, six-inning tie against Texas, he accomplished those goals.
“I feel comfortable pretty much throughout the lineup,” La Stella said. “I think maybe my skill set might lend itself to that spot in the order.”
Giants manager Gabe Kapler certainly agrees.
“Donnie (Ecker) leaned over and jokingly said, ‘Kap, this is your love language,’ ” Kapler said postgame. “It’s so accurate. We always talk about hitters that are especially passive on pitches they can’t drive and especially aggressive on pitches they can drive and that sort of sums up Tommy La Stella.”
Immediately after La Stella’s first-inning walk, Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski yanked a single through the right side of the infield for a base hit. The team didn’t end up scoring because first baseman Darin Ruf bounced into a rally-killing 4-6-3 double play, but during the regular season, Ruf wouldn’t be facing a right-handed pitcher such as Gibson.
The responsibility of moving La Stella and Yastrzemski around the basepaths against a righty will fall on left fielder Alex Dickerson, first baseman Brandon Belt or even catcher Buster Posey, who are all candidates to follow the pair of lefties atop the lineup.
La Stella said he’s already learned a lot about the way his teammates plan to ap- proach their at-bats when he’s on base.
“Listening to how thoughtful they are with their approach and the way they go about game planning and what they’re thinking at the plate, it’s very detailed,” La Stella said. “It’s very indepth and I’m looking forward to learning from them.”
In La Stella’s second plate appearance, he roped a dou- ble into the right-center field gap off Rangers southpaw Taylor Hearn. The Gi- ants didn’t sign him because of his prowess against lefties, but on Monday, La Stella showed he’s not overmatched against them. KAPLER WITH AN ASSIST >> Right-hander Nick Tropeano joined the Giants on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training this offseason after posting a 1.15 ERA in 15 2/3 innings with the Pirates last season.
With Tropeano’s track record of success as a major league starter and strong work out of the bullpen a season ago, there was likely a long list of teams willing to bring him into camp this spring.
What made the Giants his preferred destination?
“Kap gave me a call in the offseason,” Tropeano said. “Just his positive energy, the way he’s straightforward and the type of guy he is, that’s what put me over the hill to come play for the Giants. Kap showing he believed in me the way I believed in myself, that was one of the main reasons.”
Tropeano didn’t have a personal relationship with Kapler prior to their phone call, but the righty did know Giants pitching coach Andrew Bailey quite well. Bailey was a bullpen coach with the Angels and formed a bond with Tropeano over the adversity they faced in dealing with injuries.
Tropeano missed the 2017 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and while he didn’t immediately regain the form he showed in 2016 when he posted a 3.56 ERA in 13 starts, the Giants are hoping they’ll get the version of Tropeano the Pirates saw last year.
In a one-inning stint as a starter Monday, Tropeano allowed a double to Rangers first baseman Nate Lowe, but held Texas scoreless and finished his inning by striking out Rougned Odor.
“I’m willing to help this team in any way, whether it be starting, opening, multirelief role, high-leverage inning, whatever it is, I’m here to help his team win,” Tropeano said. “I think that that helps me being versatile, you know, throwing multiple innings I think that might help.”
BART FOLLOWS POSEY >> The Giants offense hasn’t provided much excitement in the team’s first two spring training games, but no one can place the blame on the catchers.
A day after Posey returned to the Giants lineup to walk and single, Joey Bart made his spring debut and went 2-for-2 with a pair of hard-hit singles in Surprise, Ariz. The Giants have been adamant that Bart will open the year in the minor leagues because he has a lot of room left to develop, but his at-bats on Monday were a sign of progress for a player who swung and missed too often last year.
“It’s certainly a reason for optimism to see (Bart) attack pitches he can drive,” Kapler said.
Bart’s second plate appearance, a single into right-center field, was reminiscent of the type of swing Giants fans have seen from Posey through the years. The catchers have different approaches at the plate — Posey is a better contact hitter and Bart has more power — but both are at their best when they’re driving pitches to the opposite field.
Curt Casali, the veteran catcher the Giants signed to be Posey’s backup, is recovering from December hand surgery and the club expects him to be ready for Opening Day. It’s unclear when Casali will make his Cactus League debut. WHERE’S BELT? >> Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi hinted at some concern regarding first baseman Brandon Belt during a press conference with reporters in early February.
Zaidi said Belt, who underwent surgery on his right heel in mid-October, might not be ready for Opening Day.
Now that Cactus League games have begun, there’s another reason Belt’s status is uncertain. Belt hasn’t been spotted on the field at Scottsdale Stadium at all since position players reported last week. Kapler said he’s been “under the weather.”
The Giants insist Belt’s absence isn’t COVID-related, and there’s no timeline for Belt to hit the field, take part in live batting practice and participate in his first game. With more than four weeks of spring training games still to play, there’s plenty of time for Belt to prove he’s healthy and get the at-bats he needs. But the vague updates the Giants have passed along aren’t inspiring confidence Belt will be in action soon.