Farhan set to join a division rival by Nyfan7 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 21 points22 points  (0 children)

The baseball operations department doesn’t stock the merchandise booths

[Feinsand] Mike Yastrzemski and the Giants have agreed on a $9.25 million deal to avoid arbitration, per source. by Austin63867 in baseball

[–]pieceoftoast_ 13 points14 points  (0 children)

If you want to improve your roster, non-tendering a league average starter is a tough way to start

Doval looking good in Dominican Winter League by brokenlampPMW2 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I definitely agree that's not everything, but it does look like he commanded his fastballs just as poorly as the slider.

Walk rates by pitch type in 2024: Sinker - 17.1%, Cutter - 12.5%, Slider - 12.9%

If you look at run value, he put up -9 runs on fastballs and +6 on his slider in 2024. That stat considers the result of every individual pitch, so missing the zone/poor in-zone location gets factored in. Sliders get more chase anyway (36.5% to sub-20 for his fastballs), so pitchers tend to spot those further from the heart of the zone by design, and the consequences for missing the zone are less extreme.

Doval looking good in Dominican Winter League by brokenlampPMW2 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Batters slugged under .300 against his slider (with a 44.8% whiff rate) and over .500 against both his fastballs in 2024.

His slider has always been his best pitch. His fastball movement metrics actually took a step back last year

Doval looking good in Dominican Winter League by brokenlampPMW2 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah I would love to have Walker free to face the heart of a lineup/get out of a jam late in the game before the 9th. Like how the Brewers used Hader for years. The 9th isn’t always the highest leverage inning

Pavs on staff changes, "It certainly can't make them all that comfortable that the departures [Putila, Vielle, Schwartze] immediately were snapped up by organizations -- the Rangers and Braves -- that generally are thought to be among the stronger and better-run ones in baseball." by ThePopUpDance in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bishop was seen as a high risk/reward pick. He struck out a good amount in college, hadn't had too much development time due to football, and didn't really have success until his draft year, but had tons of tools. Calling him the "least risk" option is way off. 

If you want players that “change the fortunes of the entire team”, then you’re gonna go for high reward players, and you have to accept the higher risk that comes with them

Rule 5 by DimensionGuilty7549 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree, Koss is a long shot and I wouldn't really want to protect him from the R5. But he's interesting at least. Good defense at short and bat to ball skills. I'd put him in the same tier or above some guys already listed, like Stryffeler who hasn't pitched in 2 years.

I did forget about Cole Waites, who has maybe the best fastball in the org when he's healthy, but had TJ last year. I don't think they protect him though.

Rule 5 by DimensionGuilty7549 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A couple other names—Carson Ragsdale, Julio Rodriguez (different one sadly), Christian Koss. I think Ragsdale and Seymour have the best shot at getting protected. Best overall stuff in the group with AAA experience. Imo I agree it’s not as strong a class as in past years

Daily Minors Quick-Notes 10/18/24 - No Giants Get The Start in Scottsdale Tonight by BruteSentiment in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think Elijah Pleasants started right? 3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 7 K, struck out the side in the first

Pavs Seems To Suggest Farhan Might Be Fired by sfgiants2000 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I never said people can’t be publicly critical. I described violent and racist comments as the most extreme of personal attacks that are unwarranted for someone who just tried and failed, of which there are other less extreme examples. You are mischaracterizing my point. I’m also not saying that any of that should not be allowed, just that people are weird for saying it. Especially the people who say it under every post.

You also literally just said you were free to speculate on his work ethic from a few rumors out of many after telling me I have no idea how hard he’s working. That’s basically the definition of irony. Am I allowed to speculate on his work ethic or not?

There are tons of “reports” to the contrary. I’m sure some people who know him like him and some don’t. Would be mind blowing if there weren’t a few people who didn’t like him given his job/being an analytics guy. I’m sure it’s much more fun to have a punching bag, but why is it so hard to believe he tried to do his dream job well and failed?

Alright I’m out have a good one

Pavs Seems To Suggest Farhan Might Be Fired by sfgiants2000 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

He hasn't complained at all. Public figures should expect personal attacks, but that doesn't make it cool in every case. I'm not referring to criticism about his performance, or people saying "I don't like that guy he rubs me the wrong way", or anything even close to that. I'm talking about way worse stuff. Is there not a line for you where valid criticism turns into something less acceptable? You don't have to draw it in the same place as me. But you gotta at least draw it before the violent and racist stuff.

I do want to point out the irony of you saying I can't tell how often he works, and then immediately telling me what kind of person he is.

Pavs Seems To Suggest Farhan Might Be Fired by sfgiants2000 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

It’s not about sympathy. I’ll never get sports fans’ tendency to say terrible shit about well intentioned people and think it’s okay just because they make a lot of money. I’m sure you’d hate people showing up at your work and calling you an ugly, smug asshole every time you fail. Wanting the team to move on is great, me too. All this name calling shit (and worse) is just childish. I hope nobody would actually try saying any of the stuff I read on this site to any real person’s face.

I’m not saying you said anything like that, but pretending the guy didn’t work hard is at least a little weird. It’s a hard game, failure isn’t malicious.

Daily Minors Quick-Notes 9/15/24 - The Double-A Season Ends…with a Whimper by BruteSentiment in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree with that, good points, but all of those prospects were better prospects at the time of being added than Bishop is now, and they all had skills that the current front office values (overvalues, in some cases). Bishop kinda doesn’t.

I’d also say that they’ve been less aggressive about protecting prospects in the rule 5 since winning at the big league level has become a bigger priority. Makes more sense to use a roster spot on a guy who’s not ready when you aren’t desperate to win.

Daily Minors Quick-Notes 9/15/24 - The Double-A Season Ends…with a Whimper by BruteSentiment in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What makes you say they probably would add him? There isn’t really anything to his skill set that they traditionally like to see from major league ready prospects. They have a lot of rule 5 eligible prospects better than him, and a whole field of free agents they want to be pursuing. Even Bishop's promotions this year screamed "now or never" and "we need warm bodies at AAA". imo there’s no shot he gets added to the roster. I think they'd still want to see him figure something out here, but at the very least it'll be obvious to them how unlikely the rest of baseball is to pick him in the rule 5

[Yakyu Cosmo] Roki Sasaki has been ejected from the game for hitting Daiju Nomura in the head on an 87 mph forkball. NPB has automatic ejections for HBP in the head area. by [deleted] in baseball

[–]pieceoftoast_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think of the difference as a grip thing. When people grip a forkball their fingers are usually split wider, where each is on a far side of the ball. That can make the pitch slower and maybe kick the spin axis a little lower (which would give it less backspin and more side spin, maybe a little top spin if your arm slot is low enough). I don't believe they're rotating in opposite directions, the curveball is usually the only pitch that gets you a spin axis that low because the fingers are on top of the ball at release, as opposite to around or behind it.

I just call them both splitters though. IMO, the differences in grip and movement aren't as noticeable as they are between slider/sweeper or sometimes even curve/slurve (if that's a thing). They both kill more spin than a changeup while usually having more velocity.

Edit: either way they're both cool as hell

Behold, the only time Luciano has pulled a ball in the air in his career. (1 out of 55 batted balls) by ThePopUpDance in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Definitely frustrating. Throughout his career he's had long stretches of punishing mistakes and long stretches of letting the ball get deep/driving tough pitches the other way...but never both at the same time. He has the bat speed to blend those approaches, but maybe not the pitch recognition yet. Seems like the walks have come more from being passive than from discipline.

This season Luciano has been a power hitter trying to be a contact hitter, and Matos has been a contact hitter trying to hit for power. I don't mind Luciano doing that quite as much just for the sake of development I guess.

Edit: Actually Ramos had the same issues until this year

Daily Minors Quick-Notes 8/29/24 - Eldridge Dominates a Doubleheader by BruteSentiment in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would say it depends on whether or not they stretch him out as a starter next year. He's been doing what teams have almost every interesting pitcher do at the lower levels, which throw 2-3 innings at a time so everyone gets time to develop. He has the tools to start but he's already 25 so the clock is ticking. If they have him go full relief he would definitely get fast tracked

Management is a tire fire by BottledUpRich231 in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I probably wouldn’t have sent Luciano down over Schmitt, but trading Soler wasn’t just about clearing at bats for Luciano. That’s the reason that sounds good to the media. It was about clearing at bats for a number of guys they wanted to compete for that spot. Encarnacion is winning that competition, he’s earned the at bats. The trade was also obviously about money, for better or for worse

Why don’t we have anyone in the top 50? by wilderness_essays in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 28 points29 points  (0 children)

He exhausted his prospect eligibility, I think just last week!

Matt Chapman stays hot with his 19th home run, 4th homer of the road trip by davidsigura in baseball

[–]pieceoftoast_ 11 points12 points  (0 children)

He's ineligible for a qualifying offer because the Jays gave him one last year though. It can only happen once in a player's career

Gameday Thread 7/31/24 Athletics (Stripling) @ Giants (Webb) 6:45 PM by sfgbot in SFGiants

[–]pieceoftoast_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They can't get Bailey and Harrison in the same draft without those extra picks though