May Game Thread

[fish16]

I personally think Lopez can be a #1 and I know that might make me sound crazy, especially with the increase in fastball velocity.

What I think would make the difference is adding in a sinker and cutter in the offseason. Use the cutter on righties as his jam pitch and the sinker as his K pitch. He seems like the type that could incorporate a filthy sinker that just plummets out of the zone.

I dont see #1, but i think he can be the absolute perfect #2 ideally. Works quick, good velocity now, doesnt walk guys. Him and Smith as your #2 and #3 longterm in whatever order is incredible, and hopefully that is what ends up being the case with Sixto becoming the ace. He just is like Henderson Alvarez 2.0 in terms of style and the way they work quickly and efficiently. Lopez is probably a little better.

[Todd]

Ironically he would be more similar to Alvarez if he added the cut fastball and sinker(Alvarez was 4 seam/cutter/sinker/change/curve/slider during his first 2 or 3 seasons. He eventually dropped the cutter I believe though). Alvarez also rarely used his curve.

[fish16]

Ironically he would be more similar to Alvarez if he added the cut fastball and sinker(Alvarez was 4 seam/cutter/sinker/change/curve/slider during his first 2 or 3 seasons. He eventually dropped the cutter I believe though). Alvarez also rarely used his curve.

I was referring mostly to good but not elite fastball velocity and an ability to work quickly and efficiently through lineups, not necessarily pitch repertoire. Also in terms of what I think Lopez's potential numbers could look like at his peak. something similar to those 2 years Alvarez had with us but with more K's. In 2013 he had a 3.59 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, and in 2014 he had a 2.65 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. I could see Lopez settling in around those numbers but with a better K rate.

[lou]

Alfaro has 4 WAR in 672 career PA. Highest BABIP of all time for a player with over 650 PA (.402 career, which is somehow rising), but still. Even scaling back his average isn't going to drop him past a really solid 2-3 WAR starting player.

Since the start of 2017, Alfaro has the 14th highest catcher WAR in baseball (min. 500 PA), and only Barnes has lower PA ahead of him. Some guys have hundreds of more PA so you can easily scale Alfaro over guys like Gomes and Maldonado.

Just reenforcing that good for Wallach for doing something this year, but Alfaro should unquestionably get full time work. Strikeouts be damned.

[Erick]

Alfaro has 4 WAR in 672 career PA. Highest BABIP of all time for a player with over 650 PA (.402 career, which is somehow rising), but still. Even scaling back his average isn't going to drop him past a really solid 2-3 WAR starting player.

Since the start of 2017, Alfaro has the 14th highest catcher WAR in baseball (min. 500 PA), and only Barnes has lower PA ahead of him. Some guys have hundreds of more PA so you can easily scale Alfaro over guys like Gomes and Maldonado.

Just reenforcing that good for Wallach for doing something this year, but Alfaro should unquestionably get full time work. Strikeouts be damned.

Yes, only Lee disagrees.

[Nick]

Alfaro has 4 WAR in 672 career PA. Highest BABIP of all time for a player with over 650 PA (.402 career, which is somehow rising), but still. Even scaling back his average isn't going to drop him past a really solid 2-3 WAR starting player.

Since the start of 2017, Alfaro has the 14th highest catcher WAR in baseball (min. 500 PA), and only Barnes has lower PA ahead of him. Some guys have hundreds of more PA so you can easily scale Alfaro over guys like Gomes and Maldonado.

Just reenforcing that good for Wallach for doing something this year, but Alfaro should unquestionably get full time work. Strikeouts be damned.

Yeah, obviously his current BABIP is unsustainable, but I truly believe he's just going to be a high BABIP guy. We're not talking about a small sample size with him.

[fish16]

Yeah, obviously his current BABIP is unsustainable, but I truly believe he's just going to be a high BABIP guy. We're not talking about a small sample size with him.

Agreed, it might come down a bit, but one of the benefits of being a high K guy but one that crushes the ball when he actually does make contact is that he will have a high BABIP and it is more sustainable than others.

[Nick]

Brigham up, Hernandez down. Why didn't they just bring up Brigham in the first place? Confusing what they're doing with Elieser.

[tjfla]

Brigham up, Hernandez down. Why didn't they just bring up Brigham in the first place? Confusing what they're doing with Elieser.

Ya should have brought Brigham or Keller up. Think they expected Ferrell to come up but he got hurt

They want Elieser to be a SP and no spots open. No issue with Brigham getting the call-looked great as RP

[Erick]

No offense to Elieser, but (and I said this last year) I think he’s just a depth guy and nothing better. Nothing about his stuff really stands out.

[Nick]

No offense to Elieser, but (and I said this last year) I think he’s just a depth guy and nothing better. Nothing about his stuff really stands out.

He just turned 24 and has a 1.07 ERA in AAA, that stands out. Plus, I thought he held his own in the majors last year considering he hadn't pitched above A-Ball previously.

[lou]

No offense to Elieser, but (and I said this last year) I think he’s just a depth guy and nothing better. Nothing about his stuff really stands out.

I don't necessarily disagree, but it's a big K rate spike in AAA and it's hard to just fall into that with the sample size. I suspect he is a middle/back end RP longterm, but he's the kind of guy that seems to end up on Houston, Oakland, or Tampa and just becomes really good all of a sudden for a few years. I'd give him some real MLB innings this year to see what's going on with him. They can afford to give him 10 starts after the all star break.

Actually, they should really go to a 6 man rotation once Urena is out in a few weeks, and just chuck in Gallen and Elisier. Everyone does have innings concerns and that'll help. They have plenty of relievers to call up/down so the bullpen could still be perpetually fresh down a man.

[fish16]

this is really one of the first games im actually watching every alcantara pitch this year. I can now see why his FIP is as high as it is.

[Erick]

I don't necessarily disagree, but it's a big K rate spike in AAA and it's hard to just fall into that with the sample size. I suspect he is a middle/back end RP longterm, but he's the kind of guy that seems to end up on Houston, Oakland, or Tampa and just becomes really good all of a sudden for a few years. I'd give him some real MLB innings this year to see what's going on with him. They can afford to give him 10 starts after the all star break.

Actually, they should really go to a 6 man rotation once Urena is out in a few weeks, and just chuck in Gallen and Elisier. Everyone does have innings concerns and that'll help. They have plenty of relievers to call up/down so the bullpen could still be perpetually fresh down a man.

Since you brought up the Rays, maybe Elieser would do well as a bulk guy after an opener if we ever do that.

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this is really one of the first games im actually watching every alcantara pitch this year. I can now see why his FIP is as high as it is.

Yeah he can be frustrating to watch, but he has the stuff to do well.

[fish16]

Since you brought up the Rays, maybe Elieser would do well as a bulk guy after an opener if we ever do that.

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Yeah he can be frustrating to watch, but he has the stuff to do well.

He reminds me so much of Eovaldi or any of the other countless pitchers we've had with great stuff but just lackluster control. There's no denying his stuff though. We just have to hold out hope he's one of those guys where all of a sudden it just clicks. I know trevor Bauer is one of those guys. Either way though there is a floor for him in the rotation just because of how electric his stuff is. Alcantara as a 4 or 5 longterm would be phenomenal, or if we have enough starters he would be a great bullpen arm.

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Man this giants team is just filled with mediocre veterans. Considering the state of their farm they will have a pretty lengthy rebuild coming up shortly.

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Looked like Walker just pulled his hip flexor or hurt his quad. Hopefully just a minor quad tweak, ive torn my hip flexor and that is beyond painful

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harold ramirez has a nice bat and is also a horrendous centerfielder. And Tayron Guerrero needs to stop being used as some sort of set up man. He is not reliable in close games.