Hi Roger, have you spotted any changes in development strategy this year? Any sense of whether the arrival of Pete Putila has made an impact in this area?
Not a typical question for your mailbag, but always have been curious about the off-the-field aspects of minor league baseball. Can you share any behind-the-curtain insights: how do players spend their days when not playing baseball? Do they mostly hang out in the clubhouse? Is food provided for them, or do they cook for themselves? How do they manage coming from different backgrounds (high school, college, international)? Do guys have resources to help them learn English/Spanish or other life skills? Do they bus everywhere for road trips? How do they find housing/break current rent when they get promoted? The only thing I’ve got to go on is Bull Durham, and that’s pretty dated info by now…
This might be a question better answered next week, or deeper in the season, but… Have you noticed (or have the players mentioned) a clear difference between the Tue-Thu ABS strike zone and the Fri-Sun human strike zone? You’ve mentioned that the ABS has a lower top of the zone - does that continue to be the case? Any other differences?
It’s really exciting to see Luis Matos turning things around. Has he been making hard contact too? A few of the highlights I’ve seen looked like gifts from the BABIP gods, so I’m curious about what it looks like outside of those.
I understand early in the season limiting pitch counts in the minors but as the season goes on I hate not encouraging pitchers to pitch into the 6th or 7th inning, at least through the 5th. The 3rd or 4th time around a lineup is where pitchers really learn how to pitch and develop into winning pitchers. I know the metrics are against me but metrics includes all the pitchers, bad ones too.
What position player younger than 20 has the biggest upside--or is the most projectable? Someone who, if they succeed, has a chance to be incredible. Let’s say not including Reckley or Arias, I want to learn about someone new. I lean toward Tandrón, but curious what you think! Also any serious chatter on someone from the most recent J15 class?
If some of the less shiny (but still tantalizing) prospects like Matos, Ramos, Bishop, etc, have more productive years, how likely are the Giants to use those players for trades? Or does it seem like the Giants will ride with their guys, in light of the emphasis on developing/promoting homegrown players?
Landen Roupp didn't pitch in last week's series and isn't among the five scheduled starters for this week's series. Do you know if something came up or if they just got him some work on the side instead amidst last week's rain? Or if he's just on tandem duty for now?
I was wondering the same thing but the last series was badly disrupted by rain, so it’s hard to know what to make of rhat. Ryan Murphy, who had tandemed with Roupp in his start, did start in one of the DH games. We’ll see what the week brings but I’d guess we’ll see him in a tandem at some point?
How about a quick look behind the curtain i.e. how does Rog make the There R Giants sausage? Do you look at the completed box scores and then scan through game video for certain performances? Or do you actually watch four affiliate games every day? And when the Squirrels are home and you are in attendance I imagine that raises the difficulty lever several positions too? Anyhow, your labor of love is much appreciated by all of us here.
Anyway to add a Search tool to all your articles here?
I just wanted to see what you had on Will Bednar. I found your excellent words on his #28 ranking. Thanks. But I suspect you updated that on your Spring Training, "Camp" notes?
I don't think that function exists on Substack. At least not a comprehensive one. But do you have a search button in the upper right hand of the site in your view? I can type Bednar's name into search on my view and it brings up several posts that had Bednar's name in title and even a couple of podcasts where he was in the rundown.
Anyway, any time you're added function to the site you are way WAY over my head. All the coding is done by the Substack folks (and it's a big reason why I'm here rather than trying to design my own site because I wouldn't be able to code "a,b,c" if you gifted me the a and the b
What do you think of the Giants use of Hjelle (and now Beck) in relief roles ? Is it damaging their starting potential? Would Beck nor be better off staying in SAC and starting and Waites getting the call up (accepting early season struggles)?
I been wondering about this from the other end. Is the mountain west parks and current auto strike zone in the PCL making it more pragmatic to continue their development in the Pen ? and will it mean longer AA stays for pitchers? 🤷♂️
Hi Roger, have you spotted any changes in development strategy this year? Any sense of whether the arrival of Pete Putila has made an impact in this area?
Not a typical question for your mailbag, but always have been curious about the off-the-field aspects of minor league baseball. Can you share any behind-the-curtain insights: how do players spend their days when not playing baseball? Do they mostly hang out in the clubhouse? Is food provided for them, or do they cook for themselves? How do they manage coming from different backgrounds (high school, college, international)? Do guys have resources to help them learn English/Spanish or other life skills? Do they bus everywhere for road trips? How do they find housing/break current rent when they get promoted? The only thing I’ve got to go on is Bull Durham, and that’s pretty dated info by now…
This might be a question better answered next week, or deeper in the season, but… Have you noticed (or have the players mentioned) a clear difference between the Tue-Thu ABS strike zone and the Fri-Sun human strike zone? You’ve mentioned that the ABS has a lower top of the zone - does that continue to be the case? Any other differences?
Any news on the health progress of Vaun Brown? Sean Roby? The mysterious disappearance of Wade Meckler?
Any news on Luciano
It’s really exciting to see Luis Matos turning things around. Has he been making hard contact too? A few of the highlights I’ve seen looked like gifts from the BABIP gods, so I’m curious about what it looks like outside of those.
What happened to Seth Corry? He was the next big thing a couple years ago and then seemed to fall down a mine shaft.
I understand early in the season limiting pitch counts in the minors but as the season goes on I hate not encouraging pitchers to pitch into the 6th or 7th inning, at least through the 5th. The 3rd or 4th time around a lineup is where pitchers really learn how to pitch and develop into winning pitchers. I know the metrics are against me but metrics includes all the pitchers, bad ones too.
What do you think Roger?
What position player younger than 20 has the biggest upside--or is the most projectable? Someone who, if they succeed, has a chance to be incredible. Let’s say not including Reckley or Arias, I want to learn about someone new. I lean toward Tandrón, but curious what you think! Also any serious chatter on someone from the most recent J15 class?
If some of the less shiny (but still tantalizing) prospects like Matos, Ramos, Bishop, etc, have more productive years, how likely are the Giants to use those players for trades? Or does it seem like the Giants will ride with their guys, in light of the emphasis on developing/promoting homegrown players?
Where do you see Ragsdale finishing the year after losing 2022 but seeming quite sharp so far? Assuming he'll be on putching/innings limits.
Oops...should have read your previous post first!
Landen Roupp didn't pitch in last week's series and isn't among the five scheduled starters for this week's series. Do you know if something came up or if they just got him some work on the side instead amidst last week's rain? Or if he's just on tandem duty for now?
I was wondering the same thing but the last series was badly disrupted by rain, so it’s hard to know what to make of rhat. Ryan Murphy, who had tandemed with Roupp in his start, did start in one of the DH games. We’ll see what the week brings but I’d guess we’ll see him in a tandem at some point?
How about a quick look behind the curtain i.e. how does Rog make the There R Giants sausage? Do you look at the completed box scores and then scan through game video for certain performances? Or do you actually watch four affiliate games every day? And when the Squirrels are home and you are in attendance I imagine that raises the difficulty lever several positions too? Anyhow, your labor of love is much appreciated by all of us here.
Anyway to add a Search tool to all your articles here?
I just wanted to see what you had on Will Bednar. I found your excellent words on his #28 ranking. Thanks. But I suspect you updated that on your Spring Training, "Camp" notes?
I am too lazy to just look and so I whine to you.
I don't think that function exists on Substack. At least not a comprehensive one. But do you have a search button in the upper right hand of the site in your view? I can type Bednar's name into search on my view and it brings up several posts that had Bednar's name in title and even a couple of podcasts where he was in the rundown.
Anyway, any time you're added function to the site you are way WAY over my head. All the coding is done by the Substack folks (and it's a big reason why I'm here rather than trying to design my own site because I wouldn't be able to code "a,b,c" if you gifted me the a and the b
What do you think of the Giants use of Hjelle (and now Beck) in relief roles ? Is it damaging their starting potential? Would Beck nor be better off staying in SAC and starting and Waites getting the call up (accepting early season struggles)?
I been wondering about this from the other end. Is the mountain west parks and current auto strike zone in the PCL making it more pragmatic to continue their development in the Pen ? and will it mean longer AA stays for pitchers? 🤷♂️