For the second straight day, a Giants starter put up a good start, and now that 5th starter battle is getting interesting.  This time, it was Conner Menez, and while he didn’t go on a strikeout binge the way Webb did, he was efficient and effective.

With Sunday, we had a game mostly staffed by big league regulars at the start, so we’ve got relatively shorter notes today.  This will likely be a more common thing going forward.

Also, this will be the last game I’ll be able to listen to live, so future notes may not be as detailed, depending on available resources…sorry about that!

One final note: MLB Gameday was tracking pitches today including with velocity, so we’ve got full velocity readings of everyone’s pitchers courtesy of the app.  Enjoy!

Impressions

Conner Menez – His first batter tapped a bouncing ball up the middle for a groundout. His second batter grounded out to shortstop. The third batter grounded out to third on the slider.  In his second inning of work, he struck out the first batter with a swinging strikeout on his fastball.  The next batter lined out to shortstop.  The next batter hit a fly ball to center.  For his third inning, Menez started it off with a swinging strikeout.  The next batter collected a 5-pitch walk, and the next batter hit a first-pitch fastball.  Menez came back with a 3-pitch strikeout, swinging on his fastball.  Menez was lifted with two out and two on in the third.  Fastball: 92-94; Slider: 82-87 MPH; Curveball: 78-82 MPH

Another good starting outing.  Menez likely still is behind the pack for a starting spot, with just one open, but Menez is definitely making his case to stay in the rotation in the minors, rather than the team try to move him to the bullpen.

Camilo Doval – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO – The first batter he faced struck out swinging.  The second batter flew out to the warning track in left.  The third batter struck out swinging at the slider.  Fastball: 96-97 MPH; Slider: 83-85 MPH

The final inning in spring training games can kind of get ignored as people are ready to end things (Looking at you, KNBR on Saturday), but Doval had a quick and quiet ninth inning on Sunday.  This might have been his best inning of the spring.  He’s looking stronger and stronger, and it should be an exciting regular season for him.

Jaylin Davis -1-3, 1 RBI, 1 SO, 1 SF – Came up with the bases loaded for his first at-bat, lined a ball straight to the left fielder, but it did score the runner as a sacrifice fly.  In his second at-bat, he struck out swinging on three pitches.  For his third at-bat, he grounded out to shortstop.  His fourth time up, Davis singled to left.  He advanced to third from second on a wild pitch.

This wasn’t an overwhelming game, but it was just a good general outing for Davis, who has needed it.  He still had one of those strikeouts that has plagued him this spring, but otherwise, this was what Davis needs to be to earn a spot.

James Sherfy – 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO, 1 HR – The first batter he faced popped out in foul territory by first.  The next batter also popped out foul, this time to catcher.  The next batter doubled on a ball just off the second baseman’s glove.  That was followed by a 4-pitch walk.  The next batter hit a home run, scoring three.  Sherfy walked the next batter, and was lifted with two out and two on.  Fastball: 95-96 MPH; Curveball: 79-82 MPH; Slider: 82 MPH

Sherfy had been looking amazing this spring, but his strikeout stuff disappeared today.  The truth is that the inning was looking good, with two foul pop outs, until a ball was hit just far enough to turn into a baserunner, and…it fell apart.  Tough day.

Top Prospects

Marco Luciano – 0-2 – On the first pitch, Luciano flew out on a ball to deep center.  In his second at-bat, Luciano groundout out to third.  Defensively, in the 8th he got a sharp ground ball into the hole, and Luciano fielded it cleanly and got it to first for the out.

After his first spring game off, Luciano came back and looked a little different.  It might be a small thing, but after having struck out in 11 of 15 plate appearances, making contact is good to see.

Joey Bart – 0-2, 2 SO – In his first at-bat, Bart struck out looking on a high fastball.  In his second at-bat, Bart struck out on three pitches, looking on a curveball.

Will Wilson – 1-1, 1 BB – Wilson jumped on the first pitch he saw, hitting a single up the middle.  Later, while on third, Wilson tried to take home after a pitch was bobbled, but was thrown out at the plate.  In his second at-bat, he walked on five pitches.

Patrick Bailey – 0-1 – For his first time up, Bailey lined a ball to right, but it was caught on the warning track.

Others

Silvino Bracho – 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO – Coming in with two out in the third inning, the first batter he faced jumped on the first pitch, lining a groundball to second for the out.  Bracho stayed in for the next inning.  The first batter he faced hit a groundball to shortstop which ticked off his glove for an infield hit.  The next batter hit a soft grounder to shortstop which was turned into a double play.  The next batter struck out looking on a changeup.  Fastball: 88-92; Curveball: 78-82 MPH; Changeup: 82-83 MPH.

Logan Wyatt – 1-2 – In his first at-bat, he flew out to center.  In his second at-bat, he lined a single up the middle.  He advanced to second on a wild pitch.

Yunior Marte – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO – The first batter he faced singled on a line drive to right.  That was followed up by a double to right, with the runner thrown out at home.  The next batter struck out swinging on three pitches, missing on the fastball.  The fourth batter of the inning struck out on a foul tip to end the inning.  Fastball: 94-97; Slider 82-87 MPH

Jason Krizan – 0-1, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO – Walked in his first plate appearance.  In his second at-bat, he struck out swinging at a changeup.

Sam Selman – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO – Coming in with two on and two out in the 7th, Selman struck out the first batter he faced.  Stayed in for the 8th.  The first batter in the 8th had a 10-pitch at-bat that led to a groundout to shortstop.  The second batter flew out to center.  The third singled to center.  The final batter grounded out to shortstop.  Fastball: 91-92 MPH; Slider 79-81 MPH