You don’t see many shutouts in spring training, so you know today was a good day for the pitchers.  But even if he’s not a prospect anymore, Logan Webb is as hot as any pitcher this spring.  11 innings, no runs, and 17 strikeouts (alongside just three hits and one walk)…this kid is making his case for the rotation, and hopefully that will mean he’s going to make his case to stick in the rotation for seasons to come.  He also stayed calm, even with two errors allowing baserunners in his first couple of innings.  Few things this spring are as encouraging as Webb’s pitching.

Oh, and there was a ton of homers.  That was nice, too.

Interesting note for the Giants, in the second inning, the first three hitters all swung at the first pitches (one went for a home run, another went for a ground rule double), which seems very not Giants-like.  For much of the game, there were lots of first-pitch swings.  This may not be a philosophy that the team uses, but if they catch a pitcher constantly throwing first pitch fastballs, maybe they will.

Impressions

Austin Slater – 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 1 SO, 1 SB – His first time up, he swung at the first pitch, a fastball down the middle, and hit it out the other way to right field off a right-handed pitcher.  His second time up, he got hit on his left wrist to get a free bag, but Slater responded by stealing second.  For his third at-bat, he struck out looking at a changeup.

Slater continues to impress and set himself up for an opening day roster spot.  He started this game facing a right-handed batter, and he led things off for himself with a home run to the opposite field.  The wind was definitely blowing out to right, but it was a home run regardless.  This spring, Slater is batting .389 (7-for-18) with a double and two home runs, and now also two stolen bases.

Will Wilson – 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 1 SO – In his first at-bat, he struck out looking at a breaking ball.  His second time up, he jumped on the first pitch, and hit a high home run to right field, the other way.

Wilson continues to be one of the young prospects getting the most playing time later in the spring.  He reacted with a big home run, again as a right-handed hitter hitting it out the other way to right field, his first of the spring.  The wind had died down by the 9th when he did that.

Top Prospects

Heliot Ramos – 1-1 – His first time up, he hit a sharp ground ball to right for a single.

Yep, Ramos is still hitting.

Marco Luciano – 0-1, 1 SO – In his first at-bat, he struck out swinging at a slider outside.

Others

Jason Vosler – 0-3, 1 SO – Swung at the first pitch his first time up, and popped up to shallow center.  His second time up, he lined a hard ball to right, which was caught on a line.  For his third at-bat, he flew out to center.  Defensively, handled a very nice play to his right at first, tossing to the pitcher for the out.  In the fifth, he had to get to a dying roller just down the line, making a nice play to pick it up and tag the passing runner. 

Jason Krizan – 0-1 – He lined out to center for his first at-bat.

Caleb Baragar – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO – Came into the 7th inning with a runner on first and two outs.  The first batter he faced, he got a high pop fly to left to end the inning.  He stayed in for the next inning.  The first batter of the inning flew out to right.  The next grounded out to second.  Baragar was lifted with two out.

Joe McCarthy – 0-1, 1 SO – In his first time up, he struck out swinging at a fastball and slipped and fell as he did.  Defensively in the 7th, McCarthy got a dying line drive and caught it on the slide.

Chadwick Tromp – 1-1, 1 R – In his first at-bat, lined a single to center field.

Logan Wyatt – 0-1, 1 SO – Struck out swinging in his first at bat, missing a slider.

Ricardo Genovés – 0-1, 1 SO – His first time up, he struck out swinging on a slider.