Dubón leaving no doubt
PHOENIX >> Minor league options are often a curse for a player on the roster bubble, but Mauricio Dubón may not be on the bubble much longer.
The do-it-all utility man has been one of the best all-around players in Giants camp this spring and while there’s room for growth in Dubón’s game, it looks like the team and the player would stand to benefit if the development takes place in the majors this season.
Dubón, 25, can play all around the diamond and while he committed a throwing error in his spring debut at third base on Friday in a 5-5 tie against the Brewers, his errant toss was plenty strong and wound up being too high for first baseman Wilmer Flores to corral. Earlier in the game, a smooth over-the-head catch down the left field line in foul territory provided an indication of what a smooth athlete Dubón is and why the Giants are confident he can ultimately be a plus defender in both the infield and outfield.
The Giants can live with the mistakes Dubón is bound to make
because of the flashes of brilliance that show up so often. In a two-run second inning, Dubón raced out of the batter’s box on a hard groundball to the left side of the infield and slid into second base safely with a hustle double after the ball trickled off the third baseman’s glove and into left field.
Later in the inning, Dubón scored from second base on an infield single from Yolmer Sánchez and a throwing error by Brewers
second baseman Keston Hiura. After catcher Omar Narváez left home plate to retrieve Hiura’s throw, Dubón sprinted home for an easy run.
With eight hits in 19 atbats, impressive skills on the basepaths and the flexibility to handle a bunch of positions, Dubón provides the Giants with as much or more value than almost everyone in the clubhouse.
There’s work left to do, but that work should be done in the big leagues. GAUSMAN STRETCHING OUT >> Giants starter Kevin Gausman doesn’t use a windup, but the righthander doesn’t necessarily
need one to deliver mid-90s fastballs and a devastating splitter that dives out of the strike zone.
With three innings of scoreless work on Friday against Milwaukee, Gausman has now thrown seven innings in Cactus League play while only allowing three baserunners. Despite giving up two softlyhit singles and his first earned run of the spring against the Brewers, Gausman has been the Giants’ most dominant starter to date and is giving Kapler confidence in his ability to build off a successful second half in the Cincinnati bullpen.