As a general rule I try to avoid writing about players on the major league club, but with so many rookies finding their way onto the roster this year, it’s become unavoidable. First, the pitchers:
LHP Alex Hinshaw
Short Term
Alex has been struggling of late, failing to locate his pitches. There is a possibility that he will be sent down once Sanchez is off the DL. A demotion wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for him, though I would prefer him to work out his kinks at the major league level.
Long term
I have high hopes for Hinshaw. His strikeout numbers speak to his dominant stuff and lefty relievers who are equally effective against both lefties and righties are rare. His numbers remind me of Brian Wilson’s from two years ago. If he can reduce his walks a bit, he can be an effective late innings pitcher.
RHP Billy Sadler
Short Term
Sadler’s season has been the opposite of Hinshaw’s. He struggled at the beginning of the season, issuing way too many walks. This was in line with most of his minor league career, and I began to write him off thinking he would never get his mid 90s heat under control. Well he was sent back down to the minors and something happened. It may have been a mechanical tweak or an mental epiphany, but whatever it was, Sadler started throwing more strikes. He should finish the year in San Francisco.
Long Term
He’s definitely got the stuff to be a late innings reliever, and if his newfound control is real, then the Giants may have found their setup man to Brian Wilson next year. He’s already 26, the same age as Wilson, but there was a time when scouts and prospect listmakers had ranked him higher than Wilson. I still like Wilson’s pitches more, but next season could be interesting. If Sadler starts to dominate, you might see Wilson traded.
(edited to add : Andy Baggarly has a humorous blogpost up about Sadler’s first major league at-bat. Also features Matt Cain’s witty repartee.)
RHP Sergio Romo
Short Term
To be honest, I never really liked Romo. Pitchers who throw in the high 80s/low 90s have a small margin of error. But thus far Romo has proven me wrong as he continues to consistently gets people out even in the majors. He’s earned the right to finish the season on the roster. I’d like him to get 25-30 innings so that by the season’s end, we will have a better idea if his stuff can play at the major league level.
Long Term
Romo has never been used in the long relief role, but his different arm angles and offspeed stuff could allow him to be effective for more than one inning. One thing to keep an eye on is his HR rate. Romo is not afraid to throw in the zone, but if his pitches are up, they will get hit and hit far. I maintain my wait and see attitude on him for now. A comparable player could be Tim Worrell.
RHP Osiris Matos
Short Term
He struggled mightily in his brief stint in the Majors which must have been a psychological blow to Matos as he had dominated the minors the last three years. It might be best for Osiris to finish the year in Fresno and compete for a spot in the bullpen next year. He has been doing well in Fresno since his demotion.
Long Term
I’m not sure. There were reports that Matos threw in the 91-94 range, but I didn’t see any mid-90s fastballs when he was on the mound. His major league performance are so at odds to his minor league performance that it’s difficult to predict how his second go around will be. For now I will side with the larger sample size and say that he will be a mainstay in the Giants’ bullpen– though it may not be this year or next year.
LHP Geno Espineli
Short Term
Geno broke out in a big way this year after he was converted to relief. Once he was promoted to the majors, he struggled, allowing too many hits. His stats show an extreme platoon split, so I expect him to be called up in September and used as a LOOGY.
Long Term
I see Geno as being an effective lefty specialist. The margin for error here is also very slim, so it’s just as likely that he flames out.
RHP Merkin Valdez
Long Term
Valdez was having himself a fine season before going down with injury. The days of starting are gone, but if Valdez manages to stay healthy, he may find himself with a nice career as a late-inning reliever. I’m bullish on Merkin for no other reason than the fact that I’m rooting for him to succeed. Giants fans may remember that prior to his injury, many people ranked him as the best Giants prospect– even better than Matt Cain.
For those of you who are dreaming of a 2010 rotation of Lincecum/Cain/Sanchez/Bumgarner/Alderson it might be wise to remember TINSTAAP.
Overall Thoughts
The Giants don’t have many starting pitchers in the upper minors, but they have a cornucopia of relief pitchers. Relievers are notoriously inconsistent, and if half of these players end up as regulars in the bullpen, I’d count that as a success. I am particularly impressed by the number of high-ceiling arms there are. Sadler, Hinshaw, and Valdez all have the stuff to be a closer in the big leagues and the sheer number of relievers is almost enough to make you forget about Jeremy Accardo (who is now on the DL after a terrific season last year). I know trading dominant relief pitchers isn’t very popular around Giantland in the wake of the AJ trade (from which we are still reeling), but the Giants should consider trading Brian Wilson if some of these arms develop. One thing is for sure. The Giants are very good at drafting and developing pitchers.
