Ha. Say that ten times fast.
Before you do, though, see how Grant of McCovey Chronicles and I put on our pollyanna bonnets and wrote an exclusive Giants spring training preview for Spring Training ‘09. Check it out here; if it doesn’t make you laugh, you’re fired.
Back to the matter at hand: As noted in my last post, the release of Dave Roberts gives Eugenio Velez a leg up for a roster spot. Even Sabes said so. What does that mean for the rest of the roster composition?
It might mean the Giants still need a fifth outfielder. Unlike Roberts, Velez can’t be used as easily as a defensive replacement in the outfield. Imagine this scenario: extra-inning game, Bochy has already used Schierholtz as a pinch-hitter, but he wants to double-switch one of his outfielders. The only OF left on the bench is Velez. I saw you wince.
Does that mean the Giants lean toward giving Bowker a roster spot, too? He would be the fifth OF, freeing Velez for pinch-running, hitting, and filling in at second base when either Frandsen or Burriss is pressed into backup shortstop duty.
Problem is, Bowker bats lefty, and the Giants don’t need more of those on their bench. Does this give Josh Phelps a leg up if he proves in the spring he can handle left field adequately? That would be a minor miracle, as he’s made 7 outfield appearances total as a professional baseball player.
Adding to the confusion, let’s also remember there are hints the Giants could break camp with 11 pitchers, not 12, giving them an extra position spot. If that happens, there could be room for Velez, Phelps, Rich Aurilia and Juan Uribe, not that such a roster makes sense.
Rowand
Winn
Lewis
Schierholtz
Velez
Molina
Holm
Sandoval
Ishikawa
Renteria
Frandsen
Aurilia
Uribe
Phelps
That configuration presumes sending Burriss and Bowker to AAA for everyday at-bats. If Schierholtz’s back injury knocks him out, bring Bowker back up.
SMALL PRINT UPDATE: I’ve gotten the 40–man roster in order. I didn’t realize that yesterday’s moves also included not just the demotion of Kelvin Pichardo but his removal from the 40–man. Pichardo is now a lot less likely to be a major-league Giant and make a nice footnote to the Michael Tucker era. (Sabean dumped Tucker late in 2005 for Pichardo.) The 40–man roster is now at 37.
