| Christopher Reina. 14th April, 2008 - 6:20 pm
 'Striking Out' is a new edition to RealGM's baseball pages this season which will touch on three of the most pressing issues (good, bad, and ugly) for all 30 major league teams.
1. Who is John Bowker?
The Giants, who are now flinching when calling 'jackpot' on Eugenio Velez are shifting that attention to John Bowker.
Bowker, who is 24 and was the Giants' third round pick in 2004, hit a homer in his first big league at-bat on Saturday and hit another run on Sunday.
The lefty right fielder hit 22 homers and 35 doubles in 522 at bats in Double-A Connecticut in 2007. It was a bust out season for Bowker, who batted .307/.363/.523. He hit a homer once every 46.3 at bats during two seasons in high Single-A and dropped that rate to once every 26.7 at bats.
Coming into 2008, he was clearly behind Fred Lewis, Rajai Davis and Nate Schierholtz in the Giants' pecking order and he was horrible in Fresno, hitting .185/.241/.185 in 27 at bats. His call-up and subsequent success can only be categorized as a fortuitous shot in the very dark and is unlikely to be sustained (sustained meaning .500 slugging, not the 1.667 he has now) once pitchers have a scouting report on him.
2. Which starter should be the odd man out when Lowry returns?
The Giants will have five capable pitchers who command starts bsed on talent, plus Barry Zito, as soon as Noah Lowry returns from the DL.
Tim Lincecum has a 12.38 K/9, 2.25 ERA and the Giants are 3-0 in his starts.
Matt Cain has a 3.24 ERA and continues to have a horrible bullpen behind him; case in point Saturday's no decision when he took a no-hitter into the 7th.
Kevin Correia has a 2.63 ERA and team-best 1.17 WHIP in 13.2 innings.
Jonathan Sanchez has struck out 18 batters in 10.0 innings and is coming off six brilliant innings of scoreless work last week against the Padres.
Zito hasn't been quite as bad as it would seem judging off his contract, posting a 4.50 ERA, which is far from C.C. Sabathia's current territory.
Even though he doesn't deserve the move, Correia should be the man to move back to the bullpen. He has the most experience in the role and it more important for Sanchez, the younger and more talented pitcher, to continue getting starts.
The Giants, it would seem, are preparing to trade either Sanchez or Lowry between now and the start of winter and messing with the former (who has higher value now), would be a mistake.
3. Ages Of Giants' "Young Talent"
Much has been made about how the Giants need to give some of their 'young talent' a look this season, but both words in quotations are being used loosely.
Fred Lewis, Eugenio Velez, Daniel Ortmeier and Rajai Davis are 27, 26, 27 and 27 (in 2008 baseball age).
Lewis has a 1.648 OPS in games in which he bats lead-off for the Giants but Ortmeier is batting .211/.211/263 and is not nearly as effective as he was during his late season stint last season when he slugged .497.
Davis is even worse, batting .071/.133/.071 in 14 at bats. After coming over from Pittsburgh in the Matt Morris trade last year, Davis had a .743 OPS and stole four bases.
Velez, who tore up Spring Training, has a .250 OBP and has only been able to handle lefties, batting .375/.444/.625 from the right side of the plate.
- Christopher Reina is the executive editor of RealGM and the creator of the Reina Value. |
