La Stella makes most of his debut
SURPRISE, ARIZ. >> In his first plate appearance in a Giants uniform, second baseman Tommy La Stella reminded fans exactly 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 offerings 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 into 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 base paths 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 approach 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 in depth and I’m looking forward to learning from them.”
In La Stella’s second plate appearance, he roped a double into the right-center field gap off Rangers southpaw Taylor Hearn. The Giants didn’t sign him because of his prowess against lefties, but on Monday, La Stella showed he’s not overmatched against them. KAPLFR WITH AN ASSIST >> After posting a 1.15 ERA in 15 2/3 innings with the Pirates last season, righthander Nick Tropeano
joined the Giants on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training this offseason.
With a 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 Tropeano 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.