Thirteen of the 32 games on the spring schedule remain. Jonathan Sanchez is likely to be the team’s fifth starter in Noah Lowry’s absence, but beyond that not much has cleared up. I have a few suggestions.
1) The Giants will probably break camp with seven relievers. If tomorrow were opening day, the team would lose at least a couple interesting arms from the pool of competition. The trick is to keep as many as possible and turn April, or at least the first week or two, into extended tryouts.
Send Misch to Fresno to join the rotation. With injuries and trades always looming, he’ll be needed in S.F. during the year. Even though Jack Taschner has pitched well, he has options. Send him to Fresno to start the year, too, with the promise that he’ll be the first reliever recalled. Since Vinnie Chulk has shoulder soreness, be extra careful and stash him on the DL to start the year.
Voila! Three extra bullpen spots. Come north with Merkin Valdez and Erick Threets on the roster, and let them pitch frequently. Keep a close eye on Steve Kline and hope he’s tradeable.
To start, it would be Wilson, Walker, Hennessey, Valdez, Threets, Kline, and one of the non-roster guys Yabu or Fortunato as long man. Best-case scenario: Kline throws well, becomes a useful part of a trade package, Threets takes over the LOOGY role, Taschner comes up and pitches like he did in 2005.
2) The Dan Ortmeier experiment is not going well. He’s hitting .178 / .288 / .244 in 45 at-bats this spring, which, as a point of reference, is still better than Joe Crede (3–for-33). I still advocate giving Ort the bulk of the first-base work in April and May, but it wouldn’t hurt to have options beyond Rich Aurilia. So if Dan Johnson is released by the A’s, as suggsted here, offer him a minor-league contract. He hasn’t proven his worth as a DH/1B type, but he’s only 27 and could still have a breakout year. Think Carlos Peña. Meanwhile, give Ortmeier every chance to prove his slow start wrong.
3) What to do about Eugenio Velez? The drumbeat to bring him north gets louder, but I only see it happening if the Giants can move Aurilia or Durham in a trade. He can’t play short, their most urgent need in early April, and he won’t be used much in the outfield. Better to keep him at Fresno playing full-time and working on his defense than bring him up as a bench guy. With the Giants actively seeking to move their veterans — Peter Gammons is the latest to note their eagerness — the question could be moot by mid-year.
Which guy on the bubble do you most want to see on the big-league roster to start the year? Discuss.
