More new players incoming:
This is the second time in a week that the Giants have signed an older player out of Indy Ball to backfill the San Jose roster (along with 27-year-old Spencer Bivens, who took Mat Olsen’s spot). This goes along with my comment yesterday that the organization doesn’t seem to have many ready fill in types in XST who can come up and fill needed spots on the full season rosters this year. Riley Mahan, a 26-year-old infielder, posted a .593 OPS for the Marlins’ Double A team in Pensacola last year before being released. He was tearing up the independent Atlantic League this spring, hitting .411 with eight home runs in 24 games, and has a pretty sweet lefty swing. The Giants originally drafted him in the 40th round (2014) out of the famed Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, which has produced two Hall of Famers (Ken Griffey, Jr. and Barry Larkin), as well as three different members of the Bell family (Buddy, David, and Mike) — that’s a pretty bad-assed thing to get to say about your high school.
On a separate note, there was a great piece by The Athletic’s Andy Baggarly not long ago about how the Giants’ major league staff adapted a BP machine of Tommy La Stella’s to give infielders practice at top spin grounders. It’s another example of the Giants’ belief in fast-paced, highly-dynamic practices that help “over prepared” players for game speed. And, because the org also believes in vertical integration of thought and message, La Stella’s “Little Red Machine” can be found everywhere through the organization now, helping infielders throughout the system get ready for games:
HITTER of the Night: Vaun Brown (SJ), 3 for 4, 2b (5), 3b (3), RBI, BB, SB (14)
PITCHER of the Night: Randy Rodriguez (Eug), 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
Most of the offense for last night was contained to San Jose, but there were close games, taut moments, and some terrific performances around the system, so don’t get caught napping, it’s time for Minor Lines…
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