It even sounds like he is not going into starting pitching mode, but that he is going to stay in bullpen mode and work on mechanics.

-- Manager Bruce Bochy said that Sanchez likely will pitch two or more innings of relief every two or three days to give the 24-year-old a chance to gain consistency, a regimen similar to one followed by Fresno left-hander Pat Misch. This will allow Sanchez to work on refining certain pitches or mechanics -- which he couldn't do with the Giants, since he couldn't tire himself out in case he might be used in a game later that day.

"It's easier to do down there. You're developing down there," Bochy said. "I think it's the best thing for Sanchie."

yeah, I'm surprised. I thought for sure he'd go back to starting in case a slot in the rotation opens up due to trade. Or to showcase him as a starter as possible trade fodder.

Which begs the question: the Giants now have six starters (Ortiz being the 6th). If one is traded, Ortiz becomes the 5th again (I'm assuming Lowry or Morris are traded). If after that there's an injury, who's next in line? I assume it's someone already on the 40-man roster. Since Sanchez probably wouldnt have the stamina to go 5+ innings, it could be Travis Blackley, who's quietly having the best year of any Fresno starter not named Timmah.

I've been seeing that in Steve S' diaries on McC, too. Blackley, if I remember hearing correctly, was a decently touted reliever before a rash of injuries, no?

Is he a tradeable commodity? Or does he have significantly less value than any other "talked about" pitcher (i.e. Morris, Lowry, Sanchez)?

I don't know if his performance is just an aberration or what, but getting him for Ellison seemed to be a fairly solid trade. At least so far.

If the Giants do not see Sanchez as a starter then are we grooming him to be a closer? Are we willing to trade him?

I hope the buzz around him hasn't fizzled. Because I think Sanchez is electric.

>If the Giants do not see Sanchez as a starter then are we grooming him to be a closer? Are we willing to trade him?

I think the Giants do see him as a starter. In the long run, anyway.

With the rotation the way it is currently constructed, it'd be difficult for him to break into it. If Morris keeps pitching as he has (or even remotely close), Morris will return as a starter again next season. If Morris returns, the rotation is pretty much setup the way it is right now: Zito, Cain, Morris, Lowry, Lincecum (not necessarily in that order).

Since Sanchez probably won't be ready (to compete with Morris for a starting job) next season, he will more than likely rejoin the big league club as a relief pitcher. If he pitches well enough in whatever role they have him in next season (hopefully middle to long relief), than the Giants will think Morris is expendable. The Giants can then trade Morris next season or just pass on his option for '09.

In doing so, it opens up the door for Sanchez to start in '09, but only if he pitches well enough. Until then, he'll have to prove to himself and management that he can learn to control his breaking (and offspeed) pitches.

On whether or not they're willing to trade him: sure, but only at the right price. The way I see it, if they were LOOKING to trade him, they would make him a starter in Fresno, hopefully pumping up his value in the eyes of potential suitors. Instead, they are setting him in relief, and that shows me that they have plans for him in the (near) future.

>Blackley was a decently touted reliever before a rash of injuries, no?

No. He was a highly touted starter. Check his minor lg. stats here, and pay special attention to his '03/'04 seasons -- excellent for a guy so young.

It's possible the Giants see Sanchez as a closer. He can be hard to hit with just his fastball; add a plus breaking pitch, and he could similar to, say, Brian Fuentes of Colorado, who is quietly one of the best closers in the NL.

I think Blackley is a pretty good fallback option for emergency starter. There's also Misch, who has been pitching in relief this season but been a starter most of his minor league career.

Great post, I was going to do something similar but your post is pretty good, so I would be redundant. I think that this is a great test of Lincecum, see how he handles seeing the same team in his next start, see how he handles pitching at home.

About Feliz, he appears to be learning the batting lessons that Bochy publicly embarrassed him with but there is a cost: his power.

In April, horrible BB/KK ratio, 4 homers I think, but in May great 5 BB/5 KK ratio but only 1 homer I think. OPS is about equally average both months, more SLG in April, more OBP in May. Hopefully in June he figures out how to hit for power while being more selective at the plate.

Yeah, Blackley has been a pretty good acquisition, and for Ellison, meanwhile we get squat for Linden who has shown way more than Ellison ever did in the minors. As ELM noted, Blackley was a great prospect sidelined by injury, much like Foppert was. I don't remember exactly when Blackley had his injury, but I recall thinking that this should be the year he is fully recovered from his injury/surgery.

Bochy said definitively in most quoted references that the Giants view Sanchez's future as a starter but that he'll be going into a bullpen regimen like that which Misch has been doing, in order to learn better command of his breaking pitches.

>Hello from Spain The Rioja is fantastic. I think it may be that having Sanchez on a regimen, say, pitching every third day, will allow him the best means to face competition AND work on his mechanics-off speed stuff.