Updates

‘Tis the season, so it’s churn, churn, churn, with apologies to the Bard of Duluth. I’ve come to appreciate the churn, actually, as baseball is a war of attrition and you have to have the most guys still standing at the end of the season.

Rule V pick RH reliever Dedniel Nuñez, who had a good shot at making the team, needs Tommy John surgery. Ah, that pesky ulnar collateral ligament! Perhaps we should replace them earlier, say in utero, and then these fellows will be better prepared for their pitching careers. Alas, I don’t mean to make fun. Here’s wishing our FNG a successful procedure and a speedy recovery. I’m not sure what happens to him, with his Rule V status, as the final rosters get set. I’m assuming that decision will come up after the 60-day IL stint expires.

Southpaw starter Alex Wood, expected to be one of the Starting Five, may not be ready for the opening of the season. He’s had a history of back injuries and has missed time the last two years. No one expected him to log 30 games, but his track record suggests he’s still very effective and can give the team a number of quality outings, so let’s hope he gets back soon. It creates an opening for young Logan Webb, and Webb has two options remaining, and that’s something the brass likes. Something else the brass likes? How about 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 W, 10 K (22 TBF) this spring!

The Giants picked up another lefty reliever, this time Phil Pfeiffer, a Vanderbilt teammate of Mike Yastrzemski and Tyler Beede. (Walker Buehler was also on that team.) He’s 28 and has no ML-time but has over 300 IP in the minors, mostly in the Atlanta Braves system. The Giants have a solid group of lefty bullpen guys, with Jake McGee, Jarlin García, Sam Selman, and the recently acquired José Álvarez. There are also three other NRI southpaws in camp: Scott Kazmir, Sam Long, and Anthony Banda. Hollister’s own Conner Menez, LHP, is slated for AAA but he’s on the 40-man roster.

It’s a good thing they are putting names on the home jerseys this year!

–M.C.