Bash brothers stay hot in loss
Ruf and Green continue to hit, but Sandoval still looking for his swing
GOODYEAR, ARIZ. » After Saturday’s 12-7 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, the Giants held their annual spring dinner for investors, executives, coaches and players.
At the gathering, a few inquiring minds approached new manager Gabe Kapler and asked him if he could “guarantee” the team would continue hitting like that all season.
Kapler joked that to do so, he’d need right-handed sluggers Zach Green and Darin Ruf to lead the charge like they did on a day when the minor league free-agents combined to record five extra-base hits and blast three home runs. Perhaps he wasn’t kidding. Since Ruf homered twice on Saturday, he’s followed the performance with four consecutive extra-base hits including a triple that hit high off the left center field wall in Monday’s 11-7 loss to the Indians at Goodyear Ballpark.
Green didn’t hit in Sunday’s win over the Mariners, but he walked twice and crushed another tape measure home run off the scoreboard beyond the left field grass on Monday.
Kapler has cautioned to avoid placing too much stock in spring performances, but it’s increasingly difficult to ignore the prolific power that’s on display, particularly when it’s coming on behalf of a team that has routinely
finished near the bottom of the league in home run totals.
ALEX DICKERSON HOMERS…AND
SPRINTS » It’s hard to find a player in Giants camp who puts on a more exciting batting practice than left fielder Alex Dickerson, but until Monday, the left-handed hitting slugger didn’t have a home run in Cactus League play.
Dickerson entered the Giants’ matchup with the Indians 5-for-20 with three doubles
before launching a majestic home run onto the bleachers above the right center field wall at Goodyear Ballpark. By the time the ball had cut through a strong wind blowing toward home plate, Dickerson was running hard around the bases in a manner that would be considered rather unusual for a player who just hit a home run.
Upon reaching the Giants dugout, Dickerson continued jogging through the handshake line and showed some competitive
fire that’s relatively rare for a starter in a spring training game.
Dickerson’s first home run of the spring came a day after his projected platoon partner, Hunter Pence, rocketed a line drive onto the left field berm at Scottsdale Stadium for his first homer in a Giants uniform since 2018.
TREVOR OAKS BUILDS ON EARLY SUCCESS >> It’s been a good few days for Giants pitchers named Trevor.
After right-hander Trevor Cahill tossed three perfect innings with five strikeouts on Saturday against the White Sox, non-roster invitee Trevor Oaks threw three scoreless innings in his
first start of the spring against the Indians.
Oaks allowed a handful of hard-hit balls, but only two went for singles and one of the baserunners was erased immediately when Cleveland left fielder Greg Allen grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Oaks also struck out three hitters and used a sharp slider to get most of his swings and misses.
Oaks, 26, only has four games of major league experience, but he was mentioned last week as a potential fifth-starter option by Kapler and has the minor league track record to suggest he could be an under-the-radar addition to the organization.