San Francisco Giants' Jeff Samardzija (29) pitches against Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Cactus League opener at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz., on March 2, 2016. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
PEORIA, Ariz. – The Giants emptied a war chest to reinforce their rotation. But they are discovering this spring that even $220 million cannot negate all worries.
And with less than three weeks before opening day, the Giants’ starting five still has a long way to go.
Jeff Samardzija’s stuff flattened out and he got pounded for three home runs in the third inning Wednesday. Jake Peavy has gotten hit hard this spring. Madison Bumgarner missed one start with a nerve issue in his foot and a sore rib cage, and could skip one more as a precaution. Johnny Cueto just emerged as unscathed as a pitcher can be after taking a line drive to the forehead. And Matt Cain, who had surgery to remove a cyst in his pitching arm, must convince the coaching staff he can get ready in a hurry starting with his Cactus League debut on Friday.
Peavy, Samardzija, Bumgarner and Cueto have combined for a 9.29 ERA and have allowed a whopping 55 hits in 31 innings in 11 Cactus League starts.
There are no fire alarms being pulled in Giants camp. But if the rotation doesn’t begin to round into form in the next 10 days or so…
“All these guys, we think we’ll have them ready,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “At the same time, the margin of error is getting cut back a little bit.”
The most promising news Wednesday came in the morning, when Johnny Cueto suited up for a photo shoot, appeared relaxed while talking with reporters and showed no ill effects from the deflected line drive that hit him on the forehead Monday. Bochy said Cueto went through all the drills with other pitchers Wednesday, including hitting and fielding, and would be set for his next start on Sunday.
“I don’t see any problem with him making his next start at all,” Bochy said. “Now, with that said, we’ll keep an eye on him.”
Samardzija has allowed 12 earned runs on 21 hits in 13 innings – numbers that might be more easily dismissed if he weren’t coming off a very hittable season with the Chicago White Sox.
His outing in a 9-6 exhibition loss to the Seattle Mariners came in a form that would ring familiar to White Sox fans. He overpowered the Mariners with his upper-90s fastball in the first two innings, then his pitches flattened out as he had trouble maintaining his mechanics in the third.
He had a 5-0 lead to begin the bottom of the third. Five batters later, the Mariners tied it. Luis Sardinas and Leonys Martin each hit two-run home runs. Shawn O’Malley hit a solo shot in the fourth.
“He just got out of sync with his delivery,” Bochy said. “He got a little side to side. In Arizona, the ball carries and you pay for it when you make mistakes. I think he’ll learn from that. He saw how good he can be when he stays in that delivery.”
Catcher Buster Posey echoed Bochy, saying that Samardzija’s mechanics got away from what he established early. In their previous outing together, Posey asked Samardzija for some mental keys or indicators that he could use to get the right-hander back on track during an inning. Posey said he went to that key Wednesday and it seemed to work.
As for the rotation’s rocky spring, Posey said he wasn’t losing sleep.
“All these guys you mentioned have been doing it for awhile,” Posey said. “They know what it takes to be ready. We’re all competitors and nobody likes to be hit around. But you know, if there’s a time to work on something, it’s right now.”
Samardzija, who is expected to open as the No.3 starter after signing a five-year, $90 million contract, took the positives out of throwing 73 pitches in four innings.
“I was pretty happy with where the ball was all day,” said Samardzija, after allowing seven runs on eight hits and walking one with three strikeouts. “Here in Arizona, (the results) don’t bother me too much. … You’re trying to use individual situations to your advantage and treat it like a game situation. But ultimately, you’re out here to do your work.”
Samardzija hadn’t allowed a home run in any of his first three outings this spring. All three of the home runs Wednesday came against left-handed hitters that traveled into the right field jet stream that is typical for Peoria. The consensus within the clubhouse was that two of the homers might have been doubles off the brick arcade at AT&T Park, while the third would’ve likely been caught for an out.
I asked Samardzija if he’s the kind of pitcher who would alter his stuff and sequences depending on whether he’s throwing in a pitcher’s park or a hitters park, or if he sticks to his strengths regardless. He said it doesn’t matter so much, since he’ll throw his split and slider off his fastball, and if he’s locating well, he’ll get more ground balls.
“It doesn’t change how you pitch so much,” he said. “It just gives you a little more leeway.”
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Heading this off at the pass: No, nothing has changed on Tim Lincecum. No showcase yet. Although with the Giants and Mariners both in Peoria, I half expected him to take the mound while the groundskeepers dragged the infield between innings.
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Bumgarner continues to get treatment and remains a possibility to miss just one start. “We haven’t scratched him (for Saturday), I’ll say that,” Bochy said.
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Right-hander Sergio Romo (general fragility) made his spring debut and impressed while striking out one in a 1-2-3 inning. “Looked good, didn’t he?” Bochy said.
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Trevor Brown remains a viable candidate for the opening day roster. He traveled to Peoria as the DH and lined a pair of RBI singles.
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Former first-round pick Chris Stratton is quietly having an outstanding spring. The right-hander hasn’t allowed a run in seven innings after posting a pair of zeroes in relief Wednesday.
The Giants have a sudden surplus of young starting pitchers on the 40-man roster after protecting a bunch of arms from getting poached in the Rule 5 draft last December. You know about Clayton Blackburn and probably know of Ty Blach, but don’t’ discount Stratton as someone who could be called upon for a spot start during the season, too.
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Angel Pagan went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple, for six total bases. That matched his career best in a game last season, which he did just one time.
It’s apparent that Pagan is using his lower half in his swing again following knee surgery last October, and it’s making a difference. As noted in the previous post on Denard Span, though, it’s also apparent that the Giants want to restrict Pagan to left field this season. Even after Span exited with a jammed shoulder, they put Mac Williamson in center field rather than shift Pagan there.
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Old pal Nori Aoki singled off Samardzija and also made a routine catch in left field. That’s right. Nori Aoki made a routine catch.
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Steve Decker stood in for third base coach Roberto Kelly and risked his life by holding up the stop sign for Hunter Pence rather than send him home from first base on a double. Decker needs to have a conversation with Juan Samuel, apparently.
The good news is that Pence appeared to be running hard, and without apparent restriction or reservation after his Achilles tendon strain set him back early in camp.
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There is news on Barry Bonds, and it should surprise no one in the Bay Area.
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Samardzija said he couldn’t begrudge the jet stream at Peoria for the three home runs he allowed.
“Because I’ve got a home run here,” he said. “Two, actually.”
The wind was blowing out, right?
“Nah, the wind was blowing in,” he said, smiling. “And the sun was in my eyes.”
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